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.
Shaving out mats with clippers is the safest way to remove a severe mat. This will leave a bare patch in your dogs fur. If your dog only has one or two small areas where mats are severe, we may be able to shave those areas and keep the length on the remaining part of his body.
If you're really struggling to remove your pup's mats, take him to the groomer. While it may cost you some money, it will save both you and your dog a lot of anguish. If you find your dog is developing mats, increase the frequency of grooming appointments to help keep them at bay.
Matted hair is really bad for your dog and can cause some serious issues. So, why do most groomers recommend shaving all the hair off when it can just be brushed out? By shaving all their hair off, we're removing any uncomfortable, painful matts and giving you a fresh canvas to work with.
Dogs such as golden retrievers, German shepherds, Siberian huskies and any dog that seasonally sheds huge clumps of fur (part of its undercoat) should never be shaved. It is a misconception that shaving will help keep a dog cool on hot days.
Don't bathe your dog, as the mats will soak up water and become even tighter. Try using cornstarch to help loosen the fur. Rub it directly into the matted area.
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.
Coat blow and pelting sometimes occur in double-coated dogs and can be dangerous. There is only one reason to shave a dog to maintain its health. That means shaving a double-coated dog is almost never a good idea.
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.
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.
If your dog has long hair and sensitive skin, your options for keeping her coat tangle-free and soft are limited. Make an all natural coat detangler at home using coconut oil and fresh rosemary. This wonderful concoction will make her coat soft, shiny and keep it smelling wonderful.
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.
Even when done by a professional, mat removal can be very uncomfortable for the dog, and you don't want your dog associating that the groomer means a painful brush out or full shave every visit.
Strangulating hair mats in dogs are characterized as soft tissue injury secondary to constrictive bands of chronically matted hair that encircle the lower extremities. Veterinarians recognize chronically matted hair and strangulating hair mats in dogs as a medical finding in animal neglect.
The quick answer is: It will take an average of 1 hour to groom your dog. If he has a short and low-maintenance coat you may be done in as little as 20 minutes. If you own a breed with a more difficult coat or a large breed, it may take up to 2 hours to groom your dog.
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.
Combing is an effective way to remove mats from your pet's fur and maintain a smooth, tangle-free coat. Matting is described as densely tangled clumps of fur that form on a pet's outer coat or deeper undercoat. Mats typically occur when a coat has not been properly or frequently brushed.
It involves manually plucking out the dead hair from the dog's coat using either your fingers or a specialised stripping tool. Stripping can help to maintain the natural texture and color of the dog's coat and stimulate healthy hair growth. It can also help to reduce shedding and prevent matting.
“Matting” refers to densely tangled clumps of fur in a pet's coat. If a coat is not properly and/or frequently brushed, loose and live hair become embedded in large masses. Sometimes mats can be combed out, but if left too long, it is impossible without seriously harming the animal.
DON'T brush damp fur
Because brushing your dog when his hair is wet can be quite painful, while also creating more tangles and knots. That's why you should always brush dogs before you bathe them and then just let it all dry naturally afterward.
If your pup has a positive experience at first they will not have a problem with coming back, but if your dog has a negative experience, such as an accidental cut or a shave, they can become traumatized.
The two layers of fur grow at different rates. Shaving can cause permanent damage to the coat, causing it to be unbalanced and unable to provide adequate insulation and protection. As a result, the coat may grow back in uneven patches, have a ragged or unkept texture or may never grow back at all (shave shock).
Shaving a double coat can also do long-term damage. When it is shaved down to the skin, the undercoat hair will grow back faster, and sometimes will crowd out the slower-growing guard hairs. This can change the texture and color of a dog's coat and make it appear patchy and unattractive.