Companion Animals

Dog Coat Care and Matting Prevention

Neglected coat care in long-coated dogs causes painful matting that restricts movement, causes skin infections and represents a significant preventable welfare problem.

Key Facts

Matted coats pull on skin continuously, causing chronic pain similar to persistent bruising
Severe matting requires veterinary sedation for removal and often reveals underlying skin disease
Doodle crosses and other long-coated breeds require professional grooming every 6-8 weeks
Daily brushing of long-coated dogs prevents matt formation with minimal time investment
Puppy groom familiarisation from 8 weeks prevents adult grooming phobia

Welfare Considerations

Coat matting is a common, preventable welfare problem that causes chronic pain. Regular grooming and early familiarisation with the grooming process are owner responsibilities for long-coated breeds.

What You Can Do

Establish a daily brushing routine for all long-coated dogs from puppyhood
Book professional grooming every 6-8 weeks for breeds requiring clipping
Never use scissor detangling on severely matted dogs - seek veterinary assistance