If you have been following along for the last little bit, you will have noticed that I am on a bit of a mission over here at TLC. We typically take care of our client’s dogs and they enjoy all the fun things. Now that my salon and all the other salons on the planet are temporarily closed until further notice…..I’m offering as much help and support as I possibly can.
A few days before our Prime Minister declared the “Emergency Status” for the entire country. I KNEW I needed to come up with a plan. I knew I would be forced to close and I knew it might be hard for a lot of dogs and dog owners out there.
So, I went out and bought myself a “GoPro” camera. I put it on my head and started filming as I worked. I groomed, filmed and taught as I worked. With the intention of editing the usable footage and creating Youtube videos, Facebook videos and blog content for the struggling dog owners out there.
I am glad I did that because I have done very little since the lockdown just three week ago. That’s all I do is work on creating posts to help folks get through a real rough path with their dogs.
Long Hair and Tangles
Our good friend Maggie was one of the dogs in those last few days. Maggie is a senior dog. She has very thin hair and grooming is not her most favourite thing. Her mom had been waiting for weeks to get to see us. That was another challenge we were dealing with. I did an extensive renovation to my salon during the slow time, which is January to March. Maggie had been patiently for their appointment to see us.
Well, unfortunately, the wait was too long. Her hair was too long and mom just couldn’t keep up with it all. When she arrived for her appointment mom said to me…..”I know, she’s going to have to be taken down short, I’m sorry, I tried.”
I feel bad for people a lot of the time in these situations and it happens a lot. The hair gets too much for them to manage. Usually it’s just too long or too dirty to keep mat and tangle free and it’s not for a lack of effort folks. They’re trying but it can get overwhelming to dog owners.
Be sure to own a quality brush and comb at home
Best Strategy to Prevent Tangles
What’s the solution, especially right now when you CAN’T see your groomer?
- Keep them clean – so bath them weekly if you have to.
- Keep them brushed – Daily, weekly, 3 times a week. Whatever it takes to keep the knots and tangles away.
- Keep them combed – Always comb after you brush. Always, always, always.
- And repeat.
As long as they are kept clean. As long as they are thoroughly brushed and combed. You will be fine. What WILL throw a complete wrench into all of it, is not following those steps above.
- You’ll have a heck of time keeping the knots, tangles and mats at bay if they are dirty. Hair LOVES to twist, turn and mat up around dirt and oil. Keeping the hair and skin clean solves that challenge.
- After you bathe, don’t skip the brush and combing step. Any problem areas will become bigger problem areas for you if you miss this part of the job.
- Always try to keep in mind that you want to be able to run your metal comb over all areas of your dog from head to tail. Down their side coat. Over their legs and feet. Their ears and tail areas……without any pulling, snagging, dragging or catching.
Always Comb After You Brush To Find Hidden Tangles
Zoom! From one end to the other with your metal comb and you know you are in great shape. If you get hung up. Go back with your brush and do some more work. Then pick up the comb and check your work. If it glides and slides, you are good to proceed onto the next area of the body. Good luck folks, stay in touch and let us know how things are going for you. We are here to help and if you need some answers or support, let us know.
Demo: How To Brush Out A Matted Dog
Below is a video demonstrating how to brush out a matted dog. We show some tips and techniques that we use to dematt and brush out the legs and feet on a small dog. In this situation we are working on a Shih tzu.
Check out our livestreams on FB and the fun we get into over there…….https://facebook.com/hamiltondoggroomers There’s all the ways to find us and ask questions about the challenges you may have with grooming and maintaining your dog at home.
Stay safe and healthy;
Big Love;
Terrie