The best way to handle mats is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Dog hair gets matted not only from lack of care but also from everyday situations, making it difficult to keep long coats from matting. Dogs with allergies can easily develop skin issues that cause the body to produce an excessive amount of oil, irritating the skin to a point at which the dog will be very uncomfortable while being brushed.
The use of certain medications or anesthesia can cause hair loss or sudden shedding that will turn a healthy coat into a mess in just a couple of days. Female dogs usually lose a good amount of coat after they go into heat or after having puppies. Although these realities can relieve you of some of the guilt, it is still important to react as soon as possible to avoid the matting problem from getting worse and escalating to bigger health issues.
If you are determined to save as much of a matted dog coat as possible, it is important to take into consideration the total time that it will take to de-mat the coat. Often it’s best to divide the total time into short sessions, sometimes over a few days, to prevent aggravating or hurting your dog. Choosing a practical short hairstyle can also keep the dog from an unnecessary, uncomfortable, and sometimes painful experience that could trigger a long-lasting fear of being groomed.
De-Matting
Before you get to the de-matting process, it is important to prepare the coat as much as possible to make the job easier for both dog and owner. As with any other grooming technique, the first step is to identify the problem to be sure you have the right grooming tools and the time required to get the job done.
We use different methods for different matting situations, but what they all have in common is that they protect the dog’s skin from getting scratched or, worse yet, cut by the de-matting tools. You should always hold the mat by the root near the skin with a gentle but firm grip that will buffer any pulling from reaching the root of the hair. This should be done on every mat, one at a time. Remember that hair is elastic, so the use of light leave-in conditioners will make the job easier.
Soft Mats
These mats are soft to the touch and usually can be separated by working them with your fingers. If you can open a hole in the middle of the mat and see through, this kind of mat can be detangled by using a comb and a slicker brush. Holding the mat with one hand and using just the last tooth of the comb, begin to pull, or detangle, little by little starting at the outside edge of the mat. After you have opened a few sections, you can proceed to use a slicker brush, again working only on the edge of the mat. Repeat this process in smaller sections, gradually moving deeper into the mat closer to the root.
A common mistake is skipping the comb step and using the slicker brush before the mats have been opened up. This will create a fur ball, which will damage the hair and tighten up the mat, making the whole process more difficult.
Depending on the type, cleanliness, and quality of the coat, different products can be applied to help de-matting process. On long haired dogs, the use of a light leave-in conditioner containing cosmetic silicone will help to make the hair more manageable. Usually a little goes a long way, so always start by applying a small amount and repeating if necessary.
On dogs with medium double coats, sprinkling a small amount of cornstarch can help to loosen the packed undercoat.
Hard Mats
If the coat has turned into tight dreadlock-looking cords that can’t be loosened with your fingers, a more drastic method is necessary. Cutting the mat with scissors parallel to the skin will break the “seal” and sometimes allow you to start detangling the mat using the end of the comb or a de-matting. It is crucial to remember that most de-matting tools have blades, so extra attention needs to be taken to be sure that neither the dog nor you gets hurt.
On long haired dogs, the use of heavy de-matting solutions or a thick cream rinse can be used to soak up the matted area. Working the product into the coat with your fingers can, in some cases, loosen the mat.
