How to keep your dog clean, dry and mat free through a Birmingham winter, from muddy park walks to salt on the pavements, and when to book a professional groom.
Anyone who walks a dog around Birmingham between October and March knows the routine. Sutton Park after rain, the canal towpaths, Cannon Hill Park in January, and then a hallway that looks like a farmyard. Winter is the hardest season for a dog's coat, and it is also when many owners quietly let grooming slip. Here is how to stay on top of it, and when a professional groom saves you time and money.
Damp is the real enemy. A coat that stays wet or half dry against the skin is the perfect place for matting to start, especially behind the ears, under the collar, in the armpits and along the back legs. Mud makes it worse. As it dries it pulls tight, clumps the hair together and turns a small tangle into a solid knot within a day or two.
The instinct is to hose the dog down the moment you get home. For a lightly muddy dog this is often unnecessary. Mud is much easier to remove once it has dried. Towel off the worst of it, let the dog dry in a warm room, then brush it out. Most of it falls away as dust.
Save the bath for when the dog is properly dirty, smelly or has rolled in something unpleasant. Bathing too often strips natural oils and can leave skin dry and itchy, which is already common in homes with the heating on.
If you do bath, rinse thoroughly, towel well and dry right down to the skin. Leaving a thick coat damp is how hot spots and yeasty smells begin.
Once a week, run your fingers through the coat rather than just stroking the top. Check behind the ears, under the chin, around the collar, the armpits, the belly and the back of the thighs. If your fingers snag, brush there before it tightens.
Use a slicker brush followed by a metal comb. The comb matters, because a brush can glide over the top of the coat while a tangle forms underneath. If the comb cannot pass cleanly through to the skin, the coat is not done.
Curly and fluffy coats need the most care. Cockapoos, Cavapoos, Poodles, Doodles and Bichons can matt very fast when wet, and a short daily brush in winter is worth far more than a long weekly one.
Gritters work hard across the city when it freezes, and rock salt and de icing grit can irritate paws and cause cracking. Wipe paws and the lower legs with a damp cloth after walks on treated roads, and dry between the toes.
Keep the hair between the pads trimmed. Long hair there collects ice balls, grit and mud, and it can make the dog slip on hard floors. Trimming it is a quick job, and it is part of most groomers' standard visit.
Not usually. A full length coat is genuine insulation, so a dog that spends time outdoors benefits from keeping some length. A shorter, tidy trim is sensible for long haired dogs that get very muddy, because it dries faster and is easier to keep clean. Ask your groomer for a practical length, not a summer cut.
Coat dryness matters more than coat length. A dog in a wet coat gets cold far faster than a dog in a shorter dry one. Dogs that are older, very small, or very short haired may also need a coat for walks in the cold.
As a rough guide, most coated breeds do well with a visit every 6 to 8 weeks through winter. Book sooner if the coat is matting, the dog is smelling, or the feet and legs are constantly caked in mud.
If your dog is already badly matted, be honest with your groomer. Severe matting pulls on the skin and can be painful to brush out, so the kindest option is often a short clip rather than hours of brushing. A good groomer will explain this and will not push you into it.
Look for a groomer who dries thoroughly, checks the skin and paws, and talks to you about coat condition rather than just sticking to a standard price. You can compare local groomers, read reviews and see what each one offers on our Birmingham Dog Groomers directory, then contact a few to find the right fit for your dog.
A little regular brushing, a dry coat and a sensible groom every couple of months will carry most dogs happily through the wet season, and the hallway might even stay clean.