Have you ever heard the myth about brushing your hair 100 strokes before bed? Seems extreme, doesn’t it? Well, maybe not if you’re a long-coated canine.

We don’t suggest this to get out of doing our job. In fact, just the opposite. Our hearts break a little each time we have to shave down a poor pup that comes in matted, especially during these cold winter months. The terrible shave down experience can be prevented by a little at-home maintenance and that’s not all it prevents!

Here are some tips for getting the most out of those 100 strokes each evening:

• Spread the hair apart and check for any skin irritations; bumps, lumps, or abrasions. Many bacterial infections, insect bites, or skin cancers start with just one or two new bumps.
• Dogs loved to be touched. If you begin early with your dog and brush him regularly, he’ll enjoy the experience. It will be his equivalent of a massage.
• If matting has developed already please bring him in ASAP so we can do our best to remove them with a mat breaking grooming tool or carefully cut them out with grooming scissors. Don’t ever try to get these out yourself.

Matting doesn’t just make your dog look disheveled, it can cause hotspots, irritate your dog, and even rot away the skin underneath. It is so important to maintain your dogs coat by brushing him out. If you have any questions or comments please call or come in! We are more than happy to help…. but we’ll probably leave the 100 strokes up to you!

Happy Brushing, Animal Lovers!