We are working on areas of your dog where skin is thin, likely already irritated and sometimes their hair is being pulled because of tight mats. Removing a heavily matted coat includes risks of nicks, cuts or abrasions due to warts, moles and skin folds trapped and hidden within the matted hair.
Early mild mats can be brushed out. Mats which have progressed require clipping the hair. If you notice a mat which cannot be easily brushed out, your pet should visit a groomer or veterinarian. They can safely clip the mats out and provide instant relief.
A dog's skin is thin and heavy matts may cause it to become loose. Clippers can easily cut loose skin, especially if the dog is unsettled, uncomfortable and in pain. The slightest movement on the table, with clippers against fragile skin, may result in nicks or cuts.
Many small mats can be removed with a thorough brushing. If they remain, try to make them smaller by brushing the hair near the mat. Once you are sure that the mat can only be removed by cutting the hair, then reach for the scissors. Clippers are the safest and best way to remove matted hair.
In many cases, this means shaving the mats out of your dog. Shaving is not a “short cut” to get the job done quickly, this can be a very slow, tedious and dangerous process. We are working on areas of your dog where skin is thin, likely already irritated and sometimes their hair is being pulled because of tight mats.
Here are some tips to make this event easier: Have a second pair of helping hands and plenty of treats to get your dog on board with the de-matting process. Don't bathe your dog, as the mats will soak up water and become even tighter. Try using cornstarch to help loosen the fur.
If the matting is severe and close to the skin, airflow becomes constricted and the skin can dry and fester. This leads to painful sores and infections. Dander and dead skin carried in mats also leave dogs prone to infection. This can happen even if they only receive a very small knick or scrape.
Use olive oil on matted hair
Loosen your dog's matted hair by rubbing a little olive oil into the knot.
Brushing Your Dog's Matted Fur
It's important for a groomer to comb all the way down to the skin and through the coat. If the fur is pelted, it has to be removed quickly. Severe pelting cannot be brushed out, however; shaving is the best route.
Gently brush the matted area with a soft bristle brush in alternating directions. Place your fingers under the base but above the skin to help keep tugging the skin to a minimum when brushing. Sweep the brush sideways to break up the hair fibers.
Your dogs or cats can feel the matted fur, and will likely try to groom themselves, but in most cases, they will not be able to. This can lead to excessive scratching of these areas, sometimes to the point where the skin can tear if their nails get caught on the mats.
DON'T brush damp fur
That's why you should always brush dogs before you bathe them and then just let it all dry naturally afterward. If there's any knotted or matted hair after it's all dry, you can then use a brush to get rid of it all.
The Remove Mat By Cutting Method
Use a brush to separate mats and work existing mats as far from the skin as possible. Use scissors or a clipper with a short blade, such as a #10 blade. Hold the clipper blade parallel or flat against your dog's body. Start at the neck and work toward the back of your dog.
Topical Application of Coconut Oil for Dogs
Coconut oil can add moisture to your dog's skin and prevent flaking. It also helps freshen up a dog's coat if used with a light touch.
When a groomer suggests shaving your dog, it's often because there's just too much to brush out. I hope I can speak for all groomers when I say, we are not in this business to cause pain or discomfort to your dog. We've seen how painful matting can be and it hurts us to see your dog living with it.
Use a slicker brush to break up the mats. Start small–focus on one area at a time and individual mats. For tougher mats, use detangling spray in addition to the slicker brush. Finally, run a comb through your pet's hair to make sure you untangled all of the mats.
There are many ways your dog's fur can get matted. It is easy for the knots and matted texture to get out of control if you do not carefully clean and look at your dog's fur. The most common reasons for knots or matted fur are dirt, weeds, a lack of brushing, bathing, and sticky substances.
Your groomer must also deal with clipping seriously matted dogs. These matted dogs require professional grooming skills to remove the coat safely. Removing these coats also require a lot more time than the average grooming. It is only fair that a groomer charge an extra fee for removing this kind of coat.
Slicker brushes consist of brush heads covered with short, tightly-packed wire pins angled to go through the coat and avoid the skin. Use them on medium-coated, long-coated, wire-coated, and curly-coated dogs to remove mats and prevent mats from forming by removing loose hair.
My favorite technique for removing furry mats from dogs and cats is to apply olive oil to the base of the mat. Then just sit back and wait for the mat to fall off on its own.
Apple cider vinegar can be an effective tool for detangling matted hair. Thanks to its acidic nature, ACV helps the hair cuticle shingles lie down, making it easier to unknot and separate them when you need to detangle.