How to Remove Dog Hair Mats from Double Coats

All dogs need some amount of grooming--even shorthaired dogs need to be bathed and have their nails trimmed--but owners of double-coated dogs know that regular grooming is essential to prevent their dogs' coats from matting. If your dog has a soft undercoat along with a coarser top coat, your dog has a double coat. Mats are unsightly, and they cause discomfort to the dog. While daily brushing can prevent mats from forming, most owners of double-coated dogs will have to deal with mat removal at some point.

Things You'll Need

  • Dematting spray
  • Dematting tool
  • Slicker brush
  • Comb
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feel the dog's coat to get a good idea of how matted your dog is. Mats typically form where the legs meet the body, behind the ears and between the toes.

    • 2

      Separate the hair around a mat so that you're working with only the matted hair. Spray on the dematting conditioner and allow it to soak in while you find the next mat and repeat the process.

    • 3

      Go back to the first mat and try to work it out with your fingers; the dematting spray may have loosened it enough so that you are able to untangle it this way. If this works, use the slicker brush to gently brush the hair to make sure that the mat is completely untangled. Repeat this process on all matted areas. When you encounter a mat that you can't untangle with your fingers, leave it for now and move on to the next mat.

    • 4

      Go back to the mats that you were not able to remove with your fingers. Place the dematting tool directly in the center of a mat, as close the skin as possible, and then pull the tool toward you so the mat slices in half. You may have to split large mats a few times.

    • 5

      Use your slicker brush and begin brushing the split mat toward you, then brush to the left and finally to the right. By brushing the mat in different directions, you will remove more of the matted hair with the brush. If the area remains matted, you may have to split it and brush it again.

    • 6

      Use the slicker brush and comb to go through your dog's entire coat after all mats have been removed. You can then bathe your dog and apply a heavy conditioner; this will help prevent matting after the bath.