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How To Groom A Matted Dog

Example of an extremely matted dog

When long-haired dogs don’t get proper grooming and brushing then the fur can get tangled and matted.  This makes life for your beloved friend very uncomfortable.  This matting on a dog can cause the skin to pull because of the tension of the fur which will then result in the dog licking that area to try to relieve himself of the irritation or pain.  This licking in turn makes the matting worse and if left unattended can cause major skin irritation and disorder.  The only way to prevent matting is to brush the dog each day with an appropriate brush for your dog’s coat. If you are not sure what is the appropriate brush refer to our page on dog grooming brushes.


The best way to tell if your dog is matted is by gliding a comb or brush from the skin to the outer coat.  If it glides easily through the coat then there is no indication of matting.  However, if the comb or brush gets stuck and you can’t get it through then you will know that the coat has started to matt up.   Sometimes this is not visible from just looking at the surface of the dog’s coat.  The fur starts to matt from underneath as it moults from the dog’s body.  If it is not brushed every day, this fur will just accumulate and during the course of everyday life, will entangle and knot up.  The longer this goes on without any attention, the worse the matting becomes which is then more difficult and time-consuming to groom out.

Sometimes dog fleas.can be the cause of a dog’s coat getting matted.  If the dog has an allergy and licks the area where he has been bitten the fur will get tangled up and matted.  If it is left unseen to this matting will worsen so, in this situation, the flea problem will need to be dealt with as well as grooming out the matted area.


Furryfirst Dog Cat Grooming Tool Kit – Dematting Brush and Shedding Combs
Dual-sided deshedding rake: this no scratch de-matting brush has blades that easily untangle mats, remove dead undercoat, knots, burrs or tangles and clean up your furry friend’s matted fur with a few gentle strokes; it features a silicone handle for a soft non-slip hand grip.
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How to Remove Matting

Depending how badly matted the dog is then you will need to either cut the area with scissors or get yourself a dematting comb or rake and work the knots out if they are not too bad.  If the dog is matted all over, as in the picture then the only option is to shave the dog using a very short clipper blade.  (If you are not sure how to use dog clippers to give your dog a shave then refer to our page on How To Groom Your Dog With Clippers and, if you are totally new to all of this, our pages on Prepare Yourself for Grooming Your Dog at Home and An Introduction to Clipping Your Dog might be really helpful).  You may find once matting has been taken off, particularly around the eye area, that the skin is red raw underneath.  This is the damage done by the fur pulling on the skin as well as the skin not being able to breathe.  This may need some cream or solution to help the area to heal quickly.

If your dog is matted shave the mats off first before giving the dog a bath.  If you wash a matted dog first it only makes the matting worse.

Check out the range of dematting tools here at Cherrybrook.com!
iconCherrybrook - Rakes and Mat Combs

Worst Areas on a Dog for Matting

Any dog with long coats have a tendency for matting up and certain areas need to be given particular attention.  The areas most prone to matting are:-

  • Under the front shoulders – here, the fur gets matted up as the dog moves it’s legs, and this area in particular needs to be kept brushed regularly.  If the hair does mat up, then a de-matting comb can be used if these are not too thick and the blades on this tool will be able to slice through the knots.  Another alternative is to cut this matted hair with scissors or, if that is not possible then shaving is the only other option.  Care must be taken not to cut or hurt the dog.
  • Around the ears – particularly on small dogs if brushing is not a regular habit.  The little designer dogs have hair which, if not brushed out regularly, will accumulate and mat up.  Once again, if the matting is too thick for a de-matting tool then it will need to be either cut off with scissors or shaved off using dog grooming clippers.
    • Between the paws – sometimes the longer fur between the back and front pads clumps up and becomes matted.  The easiest way to remove this is cutting it out with the scissors.  Just be careful not to cut the dog.

……………………

  • Under the belly – is also an area to watch out for.  The fur on the inside of the hind legs and around the tummy area is very prone to matting if not kept well brushed.  Sometimes the hair gets entangled, creating a little matting.  These are best cut out with the scissors or clipping them off with a short blade.  Your dog will be quite sensitive around this area, so if you are using a de-matting comb then hold the knot with one hand, making sure that you are holding it close to the skin so as not to pull, as you use the comb with the other hand.
    • Tail – if long-coated tails are not regularly brushed they will quickly matt up also.  The dog’s tail will be prone to getting grass seeds, twigs and other bits of the environment caught up in them, so it is important to prevent this area from becoming matted.  Some dogs have undercoat which may not be so visible, so that on the surface it appears the dog is not matted, however underneath the coat is very knotted close to the skin.  This is then difficult to cut off, even with scissors.  In this case it is best to just shave the whole tail very short and start again.
    • All Over – if a long-haired dog has had no brushing for a very long period of time then they will get matted right to the skin, including the face as per the pictures on this page.  This can be so uncomfortable for the dog and, not only that, cause severe health issues by way of infections from skin irritation and grass seeds getting caught in the knots and entering the dog’s body.  The only way to remedy this is to shave the dog, using a very short blade that will be able to cut between the matted hair and the skin  (refer to our page on Dog Grooming Blades), taking the whole coat off, including the face, ears and tail, and trimming all the knots from between the paws.

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A matted dog needs to be clipped off very short

Say goodbye to all that fur! The ALL NEW Self-Cleaning Retraction Action KING KOMB™ is the Ultimate Grooming and Deshedding tool for medium to large sized dogs and horses. It’s as easy as Komb, Retract & Klean.  51 perfectly sized rubberized bristles to remove allergy triggering dander. Helps keep your pets coat silky smooth.

  • Self Cleaning retractable shedding edges
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  • Helps reduce shedding and allergenic dander
  • Facilitates the removal of loose hair from the top coat and undercoat
  • Rubber bristles excellent for massage and dermal stimulation for a healthy coat
  • Use for shampooing or massaging in essential or topical oils
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  • Does not cut your pets(dogs, cats & other pets) fur

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How to Tell If My Dog is Matted

The best way to tell if your dog is matted close to the skin is by running a comb through the coat.  If the comb easily goes through then you know your dog does not have any mats.  If the comb gets stuck and you are not able to get it through, then you know the fur is either needing a good brush to get the undercoat out or has got some matting in the undercoat.  This is when a grooming rake may come in handy, however if your dog looks like this one in the photo then a close shaving is the best way to remove it all so you can start again.


Detangling Products

If you would rather not clip your dog off completely to the skin, and it would depend upon the severity of the matting and how close to the skin it is, then an alternative would be to try using a de-matting tool in conjunction with a special detangling spray.

Chris Christensen Ice on Ice ULTRA Dematting Spray 8oz
Chris Christensen Ice on Ice ULTRA Dematting Spray 8oz
from: CherryBrook

Chris Christensen Ice on Ice ULTRA Dematting Spray has twice the power of Ice on Ice for ultimate de-tangling! Even the most stubborn matts are no match for Ice on Ice Ultra!
Penetrates deep into the hair shaft, moisturizing from within
Seals in hydration and reduces frizz
Tangles slide out effortlessly
8oz aerosol fine mist spray
Made in the USA

If you choose to try using this method to untangle your dog then it will take some patience and if the dog is matted all over then it may need to be done several sessions as the dog may not be able to tolerate having it done all at once.

VDISC Coat Handler Antistatic Detangler Spray 12oz
from: CherryBrook
Coat Handler Antistatic Detangler Spray is a fabulous finishing and scissoring spray that will not cause skin irritations or build-up. It eliminates static on all animals and is equally effective on wet or dry coats.  Features include:  Subtle melon fragrance; Contains no silicones, lanolins, oils or alcohol; Safe for dogs and horses.

 

Petwear Wash Bag from Petplanet.co.uk

The Petwear Wash-Bag leaves your washing machine completely clean and free from hair and it also prevents buckle damage when washing items such as collars and harnesses. Very user friendly with a zip front closure and useful hanging loop, the wash-bag is even handy for storing away your pet laundry until ready for washing. 

1. Keep your washing machine clean and free from pet hair.

2. Suitable for washing pet clothing, pet bedding, blankets, fleeces, duvet covers, throws, pet towels, soft toys, tugs, collars and harnesses.

3. It works by retaining all pet hair inside the bag during the wash cycle, whilst allowing a free-flow of water through the bag to clean your items.

 

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