Brush, comb…brush, comb…pet, stroke…brush, comb…snag. There it is, the dreaded mat, that hopeless tangle that can sneak into the most perfectly groomed long coat when you aren’t looking.
Mats can seriously compromise skin health. Mats trap dirt, moisture, parasites, and all manner of unpleasantness, holding it against your dog’s skin and encourage infections at worst, irritation at best.
But don’t despair. If your dog develops a mat in his beautiful coat, you may be able to get it out yourself. If the mats in your dog’s coat are truly terrible and you can’t get them out without cutting holes in your dog’s lovely coat or you fear you might hurt your dog, make an appointment with your groomer. In fact, it usually takes just five simple steps to remove a mat from a dog’s coat. Here is your step-by-step guide for removing those nasty mats from your beautiful dog.
MAT-REMOVING TOOL-KIT
Before you tackle that mat, have all your tools at the ready:
- Coat conditioning spray
- Wire slicker brush
- Fine-toothed steel comb
- Mat splitter
- Grooming scissors
- Conditioning shampoo
- Blow-dryer with cool setting
- Brush with natural bristles
Step One: Spray It
The first step in removing a mat is to spray it thoroughly with coat conditioning spray, which can make the mat more slippery and can help you to work out the tangles with less damage to the coat.
Step Two: Shrink It
Next, pull out as much hair from the mat as you possibly can using a slicker brush or a steel comb. Try to un-snag little bits of hair from around the edges of the mat, divide the mat into smaller mats, and work it down to its very core. Sometimes your fingers make the best tools, but the thin wires on the slicker brush can sometimes pull some of the looser hair out of the mat, and a steel comb can help you to divide the mat up into smaller pieces. The point is to make the mat as small as possible. Save any hair that you can from the next step, which involves some cutting.
Step Three: Split It
The next step is to divide and conquer: a mat splitter is a tool that cuts the mat into smaller pieces so you can work out the tangles more easily with the least coat damage. But be very careful if you use one—mat splitters have sharp blades and you could cut yourself or cut your dog. Work slowly and carefully, and read the directions because different mat splitters work in different ways. Some are designed somewhat like a curved pocket-knife that you can slip under the mat then cut upwards and away from the skin. Others look more like a rake, splitting the mat into multiple sections all with one pull.You don’t need a mat splitter if you have a sharp scissors, but this can be even more hazardous for your pet, especially if he is jumpy. Slide the comb between the mat and the skin, then very carefully cut the mat into strips, cutting parallel to the growth of hair so you don’t cut a hole in your dog’s coat. If you can carefully work one blade of the scissors underneath the mat, you can cut upwards and away from the skin. Always check twice before you close the scissors blades that you aren’t going to cut any skin!
Step Four: Pick It
When the mat is sliced into small strips, use the comb and your fingers to pick out and tease out all the tangled bits, pulling them out and throwing them away. Keep working at them until you can comb through the area with the fine-toothed comb without a snag.
Step Five: Wash-and-Dry It
Once the mat is finally out, this is a great time to wash and blow-dry your dog. This cleanses your dog of all the dirt and bacteria that may have encouraged mat formation in the first place, along with any residue left over from that dirt-collecting mat itself. Remember not to do this until every mat and tangle is completely brushed and combed free!
Wash your dog with a conditioning shampoo, then follow with a conditioning creme rinse or coat conditioning spray. Brush and comb thoroughly, then blow-dry for a sleek, tangle-free finish. And voila! Your dog’s lovely coat is mat-free.
One last word about prevention: An occasional mat happens to most long-coated dogs, but severe matting really is a health hazard, so getting into a more regular habit of brushing and combing really is best for everyone.
Adapted with permission from AKC Family Dog Good Grooming
