How to Unmat Dog Hair

A dog with long hair is bound to get mats occasionally. They can form easily in an afternoon of playing in the park or day at the beach. Mats are not only unsightly but they will cause pain and discomfort to your dog as they pull repeatedly on her skin. Removing a mat takes patience, and it is best to remove it as soon as it is noticed.

Things You'll Need

  • Kitchen gloves
  • Several cotton balls
  • Olive Oil
  • Standard Hair Comb
  • Pet dematting Comb (such as a mat rake or mat breaker)
  • Grooming or nail scissors
  • Mild dog shampoo
  • Chair cushion (for sitting on floor)
  • Dog biscuit or dog's favorite treat
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Instructions

  1. Dematting Dog Hair

    • 1

      Soak cotton balls in olive oil. Using kitchen gloves pick up a cotton ball and gently squeeze out half the oil. Dab the remaining oil in the cotton ball over the matted hair until it has been distributed well throughout the mat.

    • 2

      Lay a standard hair comb next to matted hair and slide it in below the mat at the skin line. Lift gently up towards top of the mat from the bottom of it, but only a small amount. This will get the un-matted hair at the skin line moving so that the oil can use gravity to slide down towards it from the tangled hair. Lightly move the comb up, a small amount at a time in a soft jiggling motion to keep the oil moving through from the matted hair to the hair below.

    • 3

      Let the mat rest a moment as you get another oil-soaked cotton ball ready. Change directions by removing the comb from the bottom of the hair tangle and prepare to work on the top of it. Grab the tangled mass at the mid-point and dab the top of it with oil. Take the comb and insert it at the middle of the mass and gently move the comb toward the top of the mat, separating the hairs and allowing the oil to move from the top to the middle of the mat. Pause a moment to work the oil from top to bottom through the mat with your thumb and forefinger.

    • 4

      Work the mat with your fingers, gently pulling at the hair strands to get them apart. Use the comb to work the olive oil completely through the matted hair.

    • 5

      Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 until the mat begins to work loose and the combs slide easily from the skin to the ends of the hair.

    • 6

      When the mat has been untangled, spot clean the oil away with Dawn dish-washing soap or another degreasing dish detergent. Wet your dog all over with warm water and wash her as usual with mild dog shampoo.

    De-Matting Alternative

    • 7

      If the matting is too severe and will not respond to the untangling efforts, it will have to be cut off. Using fine scissors, such as nail or grooming scissors, cut the mat off as far away from the skin as possible in soft snipping motions.

    • 8

      Wet your dog all over with warm water and wash her as usual with mild dog shampoo.

    • 9

      Dry your dog thoroughly and fluff her coat with the grooming brush to blend the appearance of the cut out section of hair.