We always aim to keep your dog comfortable and looking their best. However, if a coat is matted, we have a responsibility to prioritise your dog's welfare over a particular style.
What is matting? Matting occurs when loose or dead hair tangles and knots close to the skin. It can cause pain, restrict blood flow, and hide skin conditions.
Our approach: For light tangles, we can usually work through them with patience. For moderate or severe matting, the kindest option is often a shorter clip. Attempting to brush or demat severely matted coats causes pain, skin damage, and distress.
Surcharges: Matted coats take significantly longer to groom safely. A matting surcharge may apply based on severity. We will always discuss this with you before proceeding.
Prevention: Regular grooming every 6–8 weeks prevents matting from building up. We're happy to recommend a home brushing routine between grooms.
When matting is moderate or severe, the kindest option is often to clip the coat short. This is not a cosmetic choice — it is to prevent pain, skin damage, and distress to your dog. The result may look very different from your usual style. A matting surcharge may apply for the additional time and care required.