Grooming Blog

Le Pet Care Fact # 3:

GROOMING IN WINTER - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MATTING

MATTING

What is a matt? A matt is a group of hair / fur that become densely tangled together in a pet’s coat. If the coat is not properly / frequently brushed, the hair can become embedded together due to a variety of circumstances – ie seasonal shedding, swimming / moisture, dirt, static electricity and is mostly prevalent in longer-coated dogs. Matts can form in the outer coat as well as in some dogs, the secondary thick undercoat can become matted.

*Featured image shows just how bad matts can become. The coat literally comes off like a sheep

CONSEQUENCES OF MATTING

Severe matting can be very painful to your dog as the tangled areas of hair tend to pull tight and in result pull on the dog’s skin – in absolute extreme cases the matt can cover almost the entire coat and as a result have an effect almost like a straight-jacket on the dog, preventing limb motion altogether. Matting can also cut off blood supply and prevent regular air circulation through the coat, which is necessary for a healthy coat.

EFFECTS OF WINTER ON MATTING

Winter, besides been nastily cold on all of us, unfortunately comes with very dry air around us which leads to lots and lots of static electricity. Just like us humans, dogs and cat’s coats are susceptible to this excess of static electricity in the air and on certain items such as jerseys, carpets, bedding etc. If your dog wears a jersey during the winter and has a longer coat, there is a high risk of matting developing if the coat is not being brushed out on a regular basis.

TREATING MATTS

In the grooming industry, there is a technique used to remove matts called “de-matting” which uses special tools to literally pull the matt out from the skin. Which as you can imagine, is very painful to the dog. We at Le Pawtique, do not believe in that standard and will only work with matts that are minimal and can be opened first and then brushed gently out. If we deem a matt, too tightly knotted to be opened then we will shave the matts out, sometimes having to shave the entire coat down but will do so only after consultation with the pet’s owner. We will not de-matt any matt that will cause harm to your pet and will not compromise our standards as a professional grooming parlour to do so.

PREVENT MATTING

So how can we prevent matting? The answer is very simple – lots of brushing on a regular basis. Longer coated and double-coated dogs will need regular brushing on a 4 - 6 weekly interval by a grooming specialist, such as Le Pawtique and at least three times a week at home. Brushing also aerates the coat and skin and helps keep it healthy and free from skin conditions caused by matting. On some shorter coated dogs, a seasonal de-shedding is also necessary to remove the dead loose hairs from their coat (and your home).

HOW CAN LE PAWTIQUE HELP?

At Le Pawtique, we offer such services to all our dogs being groomed. For the short-haired and double-coated breeds we offer extra de-shedding where we use a specialized tool called a Furminator^TM to take off all the loose excess hair. We also offer a value-added service of been added to our Very Important Pet (VIP) programme where we book regular grooming appointments for you on 2 – 6 weekly intervals. On this programme we offer 10% discount on the grooming charge (15% for three or more poochies) as well as the first fifteen minutes of de-shedding for free.

It is with great pleasure that we announce Mduduzi’s promotion to Head Groomer.

After only a short time of working with Le Pawtique, Mduduzi has proven himself in his grooming skills, and particularly in his gentle handling of our furry customers… whether they are frail; recovering from injuries; or just wriggly and overexcited, Mdu handles all the pooches and kitties in his hands with the utmost care; patience; and insight.

 Mduduzi has also shown great promise in his leadership skills, and always ensures that the client’s instructions and interpretations are relayed and executed to the highest standard.

   

It is with great pleasure that we announce Zanele’s promotion to Junior Groomer.

We thank her for her long standing loyalty and performance - she has been with Le Pawtique for 3 years!

From humble beginnings as a washer and dryer, she has enthusiastically worked her way up to junior groomer and is always willing to learn about and improve her trade.

Zanele has been a pillar of support and an absolute joy to have around. She is always laughing, and although she travels extremely far to and from work every day, this never affects her achievements and cheerful disposition.

Le Pawtique - Our Dog and Cat Spa Menu

Whether your pet needs a full luxurious groom, a bath or just a nail trim we offer a full range of treatments, the quality and care of your pet's is our first priority so that our furry guests visit and return again soon.

It’s a given that we take every measure to ensure your pets get the best possible care with passionate and professional staff, a tranquil and optimum environment and only the the best products & equipment.

We use top notch products such as Bio-Groom – Bio-Groom is the name of premium grooming products made with the finest ingredients available known for gentleness and performance. It's the number 1 choice for groomers in the USA. We also use Biogance, Tropiclean and the Furminator for de-shedding.

Le Pawtique offers nothing less than deluxe, therefore every dog, cat, bunny, hamster that enters our oasis of animal bliss is treated to the Deluxe Spa Wash Treatment – this includes

Premium shampoo/wash
Coat conditioning treatment
Pamper massage
Blow-dry
Tidy up (Trimming of face, feet, belly, bottom)
Ears cleaned with medicated ear cleanser and powder
Pawdicure (cutting of nails if this needs to be done)
Eau de toilette spritzer – male and female flavour of the month
As added extras and tailored to each individual pet we offer;

Style Cuts

• Tidy up (Trimming of face, feet, belly, bottom)
• Popular low maintenance cut
• Professional style clip tailored to suit individual pooch
• Specialized all over hand scissor

SOME OTHER TREATMENTS AND EXTRA'S WE OFFER.
For smelly and irritated skin, hot spots and dogs with aches and pains. Our expertly trained staff will dedicate the time taken to properly massage this amazingly natural, therapeutic and medicinal product into your dog’s coat and skin.

To find out more CLICK HERE

Natural Tear Stain Remover Facial Scrub
Natural Tear Stain Remover Facial Scrub infused with oatmeal and blueberry soothes and balances the skin. It is gentle yet concentrated with an exfoliation component that removes dirt and tear stains that will not irritate the eyes. In fact…. this product is so decadent you won’t be able to stop kissing your pooch!

Cost: R15


Feather Hair Extensions



Feather Hair Extensions – we are sure you are all familiar with the bright, solid, striped feather fashion statements that are attached to a small piece of hair… Le Pawtique now brings you the pooch equivalent… works much the same way as a traditional bow but it’s a feather finish that requires no elastic and should last for at least 6 weeks.


Prices start from: R50


De-shedding



We don't recommend shaving thick double coated breeds or cats for that matter unless it is necessary. i.e. health, matts (knots), on-going pest issues and this is the reason we offer a
de-shedding program, to get of all that thick unwanted undercoat.

This is also a very popular treatment for your short coated breeds that are prone to shedding eg: Jack Russell’s, Pugs, Labradors, Bull Terriers, Bull Dogs

In order to do this we use, first and foremost a Furminator, the best invention for de-shedding. We also use Les Pooch brushes, rakes, combs and your standard slicker brush plus Biogroom tangle remover and conditioner. The biggest component here is time. It takes time to brush out all that thick undercoat especially in the change of seasons.

Sometimes the hair brushed out is equal to the size of the animals we are grooming. A MUST for Huskies, Chows, Golden Retrievers, Malamutes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Saint Bernard’s, Rough Collies etc..

R55 p/15 minutes

Madra Mor Mud soothes, calms and revitalizes the coat and targets hot spots, irritations and dermatitis conditions that cause sensitivity, pain and tenderness.

Why?  Our beloved pets are surrounded by pollutants (environment) and toxins (food, medication, bacteria, pesticides etc..) on a daily basis that affect their health. In addition stress, bored and irritable dogs manifest discomfort in their coat and skin. 

How?  Madra Mor Mud soothes, calms and revitalizes the coat and targets hot spots, irritations and dermatitis conditions that cause sensitivity, pain and tenderness.

Soothing mud contains mineral rich clay concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients such as organic aloe vera powder, Allantion, borage oil, rice bran oil, Vitamin E and Zinc. These time tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

Where Le Pawtique comes into this:
Le Pawtique offers a loving therapeutic message with the application of the mud. This assists in stimulating the lymph and circulation system, supplying nutrients and flushing the system of toxins.

Who would benefit from this? 
This is especially good for senior dogs with aches and pains
Dogs with smelly skin and coat
Itchy, inflamed and irritated skin

What is the cost?  

Small dogs:
Smooth coated: R120 – includes 15 minute massage / long coated: R150 – includes 15 minute message
Medium dogs:
Smooth coated: R160 - includes 20 minute massage / long coated: R180 – includes 20 minute message
Large dogs:
Smooth coated: R220 – includes 30 minute massage / long coated: R260 – R300 – includes 30 minute massage

It is further enhanced with the following therapeutic and medicinal ingredients.

Green Tea Extract: contains ant-oxidants
Witch Hazel, Dipotassium Glycrrhizate: Also known as licorice plant extract (anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory that calm and sooth) – promotes healing
German Chamomile Essential Oil – known for anti-inflammatory, cell building and antibacterial properties
Lavender Essential Oil (anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antibacterial, helps to regulate and balance skin functions and promote healing and soothing.)