How to Trim a Dog With Matted Hair

Mats occur in dogs with both long and short fur, and the longer the dog's coat is neglected, the worse the mats will get. Mats are unattractive in a dog's coat, and the mat also traps dirt next to the dog's skin. Removing mats is a straightforward process, but care must be taken to avoid cutting the dog's skin. If you are worried about injuring your dog, take it to a trained dog groomer, especially if the mats are large or stubborn.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog brush
  • Fine-toothed comb
  • Clippers or scissor
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find where all the mats are located on the dog. This makes you aware of the scope of the job.

    • 2

      Brush the dog thoroughly. Some small mats may be brushed out easily with a little patient work with the brush. Brushing the dog also helps prevent further mats from forming.

    • 3

      Pick at the larger mats with a fine toothed comb. Instead of trying to comb the larger mats out, which can just cause the hair to snarl even more severely, push the teeth of the comb into the mass of the mat and pull it back out again. This can loosen the snarled hair to where you can brush the mat out.

    • 4

      Slide one blade of the scissors into the mat, close to the skin and snip the mat in two. Take care to know where the tip of the scissors are and do not snip the dog's skin. A smaller mat may be combed out where the larger mat was too stubborn.