10/16/2026
Have you ever wondered why grooming a matted pet takes longer and costs more, even if it's being shaved? If you'll look at this matted coat being shaved, I can use it as an example.
When a pet comes in matted all over the body, we have to clip the majority of the coat off before the bath. This is called a "preclip" or a "rough clip." We do this because thick, matted hair doesn't get as clean and takes much longer to dry. If we strip it off, we can scrub down to the skin and dry them well. After that, we have to redo the clip all over again from the beginning to make it smooth and get the rest of the coat that wasn't taken off during the preclip.
No you didn't read that wrong. They get 2 all over body haircuts. Matted and dirty coats dull our blades. Blades are expensive. It costs $10 per blade just to have them sharpened. Just for some perspective, a pelted doodle or golden retriever with a dirty or oily coat can render a blade unusable in ONE preclip.
If you look even closer, you can see that we have to work that blade under the coat. It wears on the wrists, and it can be uncomfortable for a dog that isn't used to having that heavy coat suddenly pulled off. They can act unlike themselves after because they feel different. Even a very well behaved pet can get stressed out with this amount of work during the groom. It's easier to cut a dog that jumps and flails around because they dont know what's happening. We can't see moles, lumps, hotspots or anything else under the coat until the clippers hit it first, and then it's too late.
I hope this gives you a glimpse into how we work on matted coats every day, and shows why it's so important to keep up with them and bring them in before they get matted. Sometimes it happens, no matter how much you try to keep up with it, and that's ok too! We'll always be there to get your pet clean and back in shape!
