Dear Mom and Dad,
I love looking beautiful when I leave the grooming salon.
I love how soft my coat feels, how clean I smell, and how everyone tells me how handsome or pretty I am.
But there's something I wish I could tell you.
When my groomer asks you to comb me out, she doesn't mean to simply brush the top of my coat until it looks pretty. She means using a comb that reaches all the way to my skin.
That's because my tangles don't usually start where you can see them.
They start underneath.
The top of my coat may look soft and fluffy, but hidden underneath can be tiny tangles that slowly tighten into little dreadlocks. Those little tangles become mats, and mats become painful.
By the time I come back for my next appointment, my groomer often discovers that my beautiful outer coat is hiding a layer of tight knots underneath.
Please know something important...
My groomer really loves dogs with long, beautiful coats. In fact, her own dogs have long, flowing coats, so I know she'd much rather send me home fluffy than have to cut my hair short.
It makes her sad when she finds mats hidden underneath my coat.
She'll save every bit of hair she safely can because she knows that's what we both want.
Sometimes, though, the kindest thing she can do is remove the mats instead of pulling on them and making me uncomfortable.
When I come home with shorter hair than you expected, it isn't because my groomer wanted me shaved.
It's because she chose my comfort over my hairstyle.
One more thing... If I'm a double-coated dog, please don't worry—my groomer isn't shaving me bald. Double-coated dogs aren't supposed to be shaved unless there's a medical reason or the coat is so severely matted that there's no humane alternative. Instead, she uses the longest guard that will safely glide through my coat. That lets her remove the mats while preserving as much of my protective coat as possible. Keeping me on a regular grooming schedule with a guard trim can make my coat much easier to maintain while helping protect the health and function of my double coat.
My groomer tells me I'm not the only one.
She says lots of dogs come in just like me.
From the outside, we look soft, fluffy, and freshly brushed.
But underneath, we're hiding little tangles that slowly turned into mats.
She says it happens more often than people realize, especially when life gets busy.
If you'll comb me all the way to my skin between appointments—or bring me to JBK Pet Salon about every four weeks so my groomer can help maintain my coat—I can stay fluffy, beautiful, comfortable, and mat-free all year long.
Regular maintenance is much easier than trying to fix months of tangles.
My groomer and I are on the same team.
We both love seeing me leave the salon looking my best.
More importantly, we both want me to feel my best.
Thank you for taking such good care of me.
I promise I'll keep giving you kisses, wagging my tail, and covering your clothes with dog hair.
Love,
Your Dog 🐾