How to Groom a Matted Briard

Briards are large, muscular dogs with coarse, long double coats about 6 inches long. Their coats can easily become matted if not groomed regularly. Most of the time you can remove the mats yourself, but severe cases require the attention of a professional groomer or veterinarian.

Things You'll Need

Detangling spray
Mat-removing tool
Scissors
Slicker brush
Steel wide-tooth comb

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect your Briard's coat. Consult a professional groomer and a veterinarian if your Briard's coat is extensively matted, if its skin is broken or has open sores, or if your dog is in pain. If your Briard's coat is only slightly matted, its skin is in good condition and your dog is not in any pain, you can remove the mats yourself.
- 2
  Lay your Briard down in a position that it finds comfortable. Removing mats from its coat will take time and patience, and the procedure will be easier for both of you if your dog is comfortable.
- 3
  Avoid pulling and tugging on the mats. This is painful for your Briard and can cause injury, so be as gentle as possible. Holding the mat at the end closest to your Briard's skin or holding the hair between the skin and the mat helps protect the skin.
- 4
  Mist each mat lightly with a detangling spray formulated for dogs before you begin working on it. Do not oversaturate the mat, as wet hair is more difficult to untangle.
- 5
  Use a mat-removing tool, such as a mat breaker, to break up mats. You can also use scissors to split the mat and break it up with your fingers. Never point scissors toward your Briard's body; always point them away.
- 6
  Use a slicker brush once the mats are smaller, looser and more manageable to finish breaking them up.
- 7
  Use a steel wide-tooth comb to remove any looser tangles and make sure you didn't miss any mats.
- 8
  Use scissors to cut out any mats that are too difficult or too painful to remove from your Briard's coat.