Matting & shave consent

Last updated September 21, 2026

The most expensive argument in grooming starts with “you’ve shaved my dog”. What prevents it is a record made before the clippers come out.

Score it, photograph it, say it out loud

Four and five on the scale mean the coat may have to come off. Brushing out a pelted coat is painful and can tear skin — welfare comes before the haircut, and every grooming association says so. What they cannot do is prove you said it. This can.

Watch the trend

A dog drifting from two to four across a year is a conversation about brushing at home, and it is far easier to have with a number than a feeling.

Score before you startOn the booking, under Matting assessment.

Four or five? Talk to the owner nowNot after. Tick the consent box and note who agreed and how.

Add a noteWhere the worst of it is, what you agreed to try first.

Check the board before the dog goes homeA four or five with no consent is the row that shows in red.

Example

A pelted cockapoo comes in as a “tidy up”. It is scored five, the owner agrees by phone at 9:40, and the shave is a recorded welfare decision rather than an accusation three days later.

FAQ

Is this a legal document?
It is your business record of what was agreed and when, which is what these disputes usually turn on. It is not legal advice — if you want a signed form, your insurer will usually have wording.

Do I score every dog?
Scoring the easy ones is what makes the record credible when you score a hard one. A one takes two seconds.

The assessment is not on the new-booking form.
It is not meant to be. There is nothing to score at the desk a fortnight out — it appears once the booking exists, so you fill it in with the dog in front of you. Save the booking and open it again on the day.