How to Remove Mats From Dog Coats

A dog's matted coat is both uncomfortable and hazardous to its health. Mats pull at the dog's skin and may cause the skin to break down into "hot spots" over time. Removing mats can be time-consuming and hard on both the owner and the dog. However, good grooming can take only a short time daily, and once the mats are gone, regular grooming can prevent them from forming again.

Things You'll Need

  • Water-filled spray bottle
  • Spray bottle of coat conditioner
  • Small or medium-size wire slicker brush, uncoated bristles
  • Medium-size steel "greyhound" comb
  • Small steel "greyhound" comb
  • "Stripping" comb (Furminator or something similar)
  • Round-tipped craft scissors or mat splitter
  • Medium-size soft-bristled brush
  • Small soft-bristled brush
  • Optional
  • Thinning shears, fine teeth
Show More

Instructions

  1. Removing a Mat from the Body, Rear or Tail

    • 1

      Spray the dog's coat with water, coating it well. Rub water in down to the skin, reapplying as needed.

    • 2

      Remove loose hair from the area with the slicker brush, without pulling on the mat. Doing so will separate the hairs surrounding the affected area.

    • 3

      Spray the mat with the coat conditioner. Gently work it into the fur with your fingers.

    • 4

      Working from the outside edge of the mat, loosen the compacted fur using the teeth at the wide end of the larger greyhound comb. Continue working with the smaller greyhound comb once the fur has begun to loosen. Spray with more conditioner as needed.

    • 5

      Use the stripping comb to pull the felted fur away from the smoother and shinier hairs of the dog's outer coat. It will look as if a lot of coat is being lost. However, it is dead coat normally lost in the shedding process.

    • 6

      Alternate between using the stripping comb and the smaller greyhound comb, conditioning as needed, until the outer coat is freed from the dead hair.

    • 7

      Finish separating the outer coat hair using the medium-size soft bristle brush. Excess conditioner can be removed with a dry soft cloth, if needed.

    Removing a Mat from Ear Bases, Armpits, and Groin

    • 8

      Spray the dog's coat with water, coating it well. Rub water in down to the skin, again, reapplying as needed.

    • 9

      Gently separate the matted hair from the loose hair using the small soft-bristled brush.

    • 10

      Spray the mat with the coat conditioner. Gently work it into the fur with your fingers.

    • 11

      If the mat is very hard in texture, use the round-tipped scissors or mat splitter to cut into it. Hold the scissors perpendicular to the dog's skin and make small cuts into the felted portion of fur. If the mat is wide, several cuts can be made in this manner.

    • 12

      Hold the mat between the fingers of one hand and brace the mat securely to avoid pulling the skin in the sensitive area. Use the stripping comb to gently remove the felted fur from the smoother and shinier hairs of the dog's outer coat. Soak with coat conditioner as needed.

    • 13

      Alternate between using the stripping comb and loosening the fur with your fingers, conditioning as needed, until the outer coat is freed from the dead hair.

    • 14

      Finish separating the outer coat hair using the medium-size soft bristle brush.

    • 15

      For mats around the base of the dog's ears, use the thinning shears to blend the cut area with the surrounding fur, if desired.