How to Clip Dogs With Badly Matted Fur

Badly matted fur is not only aesthetically unpleasing, it also can make a dog's skin more prone to problems. Mats tend to pull the dog's skin, causing pain and irritation; eventually, they can lead to hot spots, wounds and even skin outbreaks and bacterial infections. For this reason, it is imperative to remove fur mats carefully and safely, paying close attention not to cut the skin as you trim away the mat.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog brush
  • Fine tooth comb
  • Scissors
  • Dog clippers
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Start by brushing the dog. This should help you assess how badly matted your dog's fur is and see which of the smaller mats can be worked on, or at least loosened, with a thorough brushing. Brushing the fur near the tangled spot could make the mat smaller.

    • 2

      Use scissors to trim off the mat after you have determined it is safe to do so. To avoid accidentally cutting the dog's skin, slide the fine tooth comb between the mat and the skin, then cut the mat free with the scissors. If you cannot slide the comb between the skin and mat, open the scissors and carefully place one blade through the base of the mat before cutting.

    • 3

      Cut off remaining matted fur with the clippers, using the shortest blade. Take care: It sometimes can be very difficult to differentiate fur from skin, so clip only when you are able to see the clipper's blades through the fur.

    • 4

      Give your dog a final, thorough brushing and combing to ensure that you have removed all the mats. To avoid mats in the future, groom your dog regularly.