The Scissors Method
Poor personal hygiene or scruffy/messy appearance Smelling badly, having rashes or other skin conditions that might indicate poor hygiene, and having consistently unwashed or matted hair could all be signs of neglect.
Using an oil-based detangling spray will help to comb through the fur. Hold the fur below the tangle (next to skin) and gently separate the tangle into smaller pieces. Use short, fast strokes with a comb and then with a slicker brush. This way there's less pulling on the skin, which can be painful!
We would never advise a dog owner to cut off their pet's whiskers, unless advised by a vet. Some dog groomers snip off vibrissae for aesthetic purposes, but this is not a good idea.
If the mat isn't too big or tight, the best way to tackle it is to gently work it apart with your fingers, then comb out the smaller tangles with a brush or metal comb. Using an oil-based detangling spray will help to comb through the fur.
Loosen the matted strands by saturating hair with a good detangler, oil, or moisturizing conditioner but never a shampoo and water only. This is not the time to skimp so really saturate it.
Mats occur when loose hairs repeatedly twist around attached strands, and the resulting tangle is not swiftly removed. They can look like clumps and can be tough, if not impossible, to remove with a brush or comb alone.
Don't assume that conditioner will remove or loosen mats. They must be brushed and combed out thoroughly before the bath. NEVER try to cut out matted dog hair. The mats may be tighter than you think or have the skin caught up in them, and you can easily cut your pet.
Causes of Matted Hair in Dogs Dogs that sit a lot, or are “right-hipped” or “left-hipped” when they sit, will get mats from the fur being compacted in that spot, Verplank adds. Neglect and lack of grooming also cause tangles and knots.
Causes of Matted Hair in Dogs Mats often occur in areas of friction, such as under the collar, behind the ears, in the armpits, or on the lower legs where the legs rub together or where the dog comes into contact with grass.
Simply put, matting is painful for your dog. Even mild matting can cause your pet pain, stress and discomfort. And brushing out established matts involves a process of pulling live hair out of the skin as healthy hair has become enveloped by matts and clumps.
Matting occurs when your dog's fur becomes tangled and wraps around itself. If these matted patches of fur are not brushed out or removed, they can tangle fur to the skin, which then can cause sores. When left untreated, these sores can become infected and spread to other parts of the body.
If you notice a mat which cannot be easily brushed out, your pet should visit a groomer or veterinarian. They can safely clip the mats out and provide instant relief. If a pet is severely matted he may require sedation and full body clipping. NEVER cut mats out with scissors.
Clipping a wiry-coated dog will mean that the top guard hair isn't removed but rather clipped short along with the undercoat. This method means that the guard hair can no longer grow back in the same way as before, and the undercoat's growth is affected, which will result in the coat changing texture.