What Are the Treatments for Dog Hair Tangles?

A dog -- with very rare exceptions -- spends a lot of time outside during its day-to-day existence, whether to relieve itself or to play and explore. As a result, it can get its coat dirty and matted, especially dogs with longer coats. These mats, if left intact, can cause irritation to the dog and can lead to infection from incessant scratching or biting from trying to remove the matted fur. Weekly brushing of your dog should eliminate the development of most matted fur, but additional tools may be necessary to remove more-serious accumulations.

  1. Slicker Brush or Detangling Comb

    • Dogs with medium or long coats should be groomed at least once per week, and sometimes more, depending on factors such as coat length and how dirty they get. Using a slicker brush -- a brush that pulls dead fur to the surface -- on the dog's coat regularly should eliminate most tangles if you brush the coat in the direction that the fur is growing. For matted hair, using a detangling or deshedding comb can remove some of the more-difficult tangles -- but do not pull too hard on the tangle to avoid injuring the dog.

    Spray on Detangling Solution

    • Spraying a detangling solution, such as a cream rinse, that is designed for dog hair may remove tangles that you are not able to remove with a brush or comb alone. Spray or rub in the solution onto the areas of the dog's coat that are tangled and matted. Allow it so set onto the coat's surface for about 10 minutes, and then run a fine-toothed comb -- like a detangling comb -- through the tangles.

    Mat Rake

    • For tangles that cannot be removed by using a detangling solution, use a mat rake on the dog's coat. A mat rake is designed similarly to a garden rake, but it has sharpened tines that can cut through difficult mats of hair. Use caution when applying a mat rake to your dog's coat so as to not cause any lacerations to the dog's skin. Pull the mat in the direction that the dog's hair grows when trying to remove the matted clumps.

    Scissors or Dog-Grooming Clippers

    • As a last resort for matted clumps of hair that cannot be removed through conventional measures, use scissors or dog-grooming clippers to remove the matted fur. Only use scissors if you can see separation between the matted fur and the dog's skin. Hold the mat using your fingers or the teeth of a comb and cut right below where the mat has formed. Use clippers to the cut the section of fur that has the mat close to the surface of the skin. Trim the area around where the mat was to make the hair look more even.