how to get a mat out

[Jen W]

I brush my puppy every day but still the mats creep up.  How do I get them out?  I've been picking at a particularly large one for days but I don't think I'm making much headway on it and I swear while I work on that one 4 more pop up!

Also, any good brush recommendations?

[Rose Thompson]

Hello Jen!
I am a professional groomer with some help for you! If your doodle has matts that big it's time to
See the groomer. Dematting can be very painful for a dog and should be done by someone certified in the industry. It's very important to get a good slicker brush like Tougher than Tangles along with a greyhound comb. Make sure to brush the whole coat and then recheck with the comb. Do not pull out matts from the ears, you can rip the ear leather doing that. Also never remove a Matt with scissors, I've seen too many people cut their dog open doing that. And make sure to see a groomer every 4 to 6 weeks!
I hope this helps!
-Rose

[Nadia]

Hi rose....
I have been combing Bentley and have been noticing a lot of hair coming out with it. Is that normal?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Yes.  One of the reasons for the matting is that 'old' hair needs to come out and can only do so when brushed out.

[Nadia]

Thanks....I was wondering why so much hair was coming out. Especially on his tail.

[Brenda Silva]

Hi

Im not a professional groomer but Ive been doing Teddi for 6 years.  She has a combination coat.  At one point she matted a lot.  She has never liked a brush...especially the pin brushes.  So, I only use a graduated metal comb.  Our combing isnt stressfull as I dont pull.  I comb her out as I would a kids hair and she is fine to sit and let me do that.  If rarely I pull to hard she lets me know and I stop.  When she is really matted I cut through it with this:  http://www.petco.com/product/14590/Four-Paws-Ultimate-Touch-Mat-Rem....  I have also used scissors cutting through it in the direction of the hair so I dont leave a bald spot or make her hair look choppy.  I use ones that arent totally pointed so I dont stab her.  To get out a mat I start at one end and work from there breaking it apart.   Hope this helps.

Brenda

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am totally a 'lay' person.  I don't groom my dogs but I brush between groomings.  Ned had (and still does) a coat that mats easily.  I have him professionally groomed every 4 - 6 weeks (8 weeks is really stretching it).  I use the LesPouchs slicker brush, a graduated toothed steel comb, and nowadays a dematting tool.  I also have a pair of nail scissors without a point on the end that I use to slice through really bad mats (I never slice toward the skin).  I also use products with silicon to help the mat slide out.  The products I use are Cowboy Magic, Horse Mane 'N Tail Spray, The Stuff.  There are different brushes, combs, products that others swear by.  These are just the ones that I have found work for Ned's coat. When Ned was in the matting stage (from about 6 months to 2 years). We brushed him at least every other day. Nowadays we can go a couple of weeks between brushings.  We spend at least 40 minutes brushing him; often spend an hour; and sometimes brush over several sessions.