How to Remove Objects From a Dog's Coat

Healthy, active dogs love to run and play, but as a result, you never know what they'll bring home tangled in their coats. Sometimes objects such as gum, burrs, paint or tar can be extremely difficult to remove. Luckily there are some simple remedies that, combined with a lot of patience, can work very well and leave your dog's coat clean and free of objects.

Things You'll Need

  • Ice cubes
  • Peanut butter
  • Seam ripper
  • Soapy water
  • Vegetable oil
  • Brush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Apply ice cubes to gum stuck in your dog's coat. It will freeze the gum and make it easier to pick out. If the gum is deep and ice doesn't remove it all, massage peanut butter into the gum and it will come out easily.

    • 2

      Take burrs out of your dog's coat with a sewing seam ripper. Just remove the hairs very carefully around the burr until you can pull it out.

    • 3

      Remove water-based paint from your dog's coat by washing it with warm, soapy water. You can remove oil-base paint with vegetable oil. Be patient, because it will take time.

    • 4

      Brush your dog often if you live in an area where cheatgrass grows. Check between her toes and behind her ears, and and remove cheatgrass with your fingertips, or clip it out if it's embedded in the fur. If not removed, cheatgrass can cause irritation and infection.

    • 5

      Get tar out of your dog's coat with vegetable oil. Saturate the area with oil before bathing your dog. Brush your dog immediately, and any remaining tar will easily be removed and the oil will give your dog's coat extra shine.