1. Consider using a detangling spray or cornstarch powder to help loosen the mats.
2. Loosen the mats with your fingers or a slicker brush.
3. Remove the tangle with a wire comb.
4. Work gently, never pulling on your dog's fur.
5. Take your dog to a groomer or vet if the mats are too extensive to remove yourself.
6. Prevent future mats with regular grooming.

</note>

• by Denise Ryan

• When knots in a dog's fur turn into "mats" (or solid clumps of fur stuck against the dog's skin), they can lead to a host of problems.Magic Mutts: Mats: An FAQ Special Page As your dog continues to bite and pull on the troublesome fur, his skin can become sore or bruised because of the constant irritation.Families.com: Grooming Matted Hair By grooming your dog and taking care of mats immediately, you can avoid serious health issues.

• The process of loosening and removing mats is simple when using the proper tools.

1. For long-haired dogs, use a soft, wire slicker brush and a comb. For short-haired dogs, use a flexible pin brush and a soft brush.Dog Owner's Guide: A Grooming Primer
2. Buy a mat comb with long teeth to help remove mats.Dog Owner's Guide: A Grooming Primer
   • -Groomers may use a mat splitter in an attempt to unknot the mats.About.com: How To Undo Your Dog's Tangles
   • -Professional groomers may also use electric clippers to cut mats away.5 min: How to Remove Matted Fur (Time: 1:29)
3. Consider using a detangler, like a protein-lanolin spray or powdered cornstarch, to loosen the mats before brushing.Prevention: Matted Fur Home Remedies Families.com: Grooming Matted Hair

• When removing matted fur, remember to be patient, speak calmly and work slowly. The key is to keep your dog relaxed and calm throughout the process.

1. First, try to loosen the mat by separating the fur with your fingers.Pet Tails: Dealing with Mats
   • -Work from the outside in, easing apart gently.About.com: How To Undo Your Dog's Tangles
2. Consider pre-treating the matted fur with protein-lanolin spray (or other detangling/dematting spray) to loosen the mats before brushing.Prevention: Matted Fur Home Remedies Give the spray time to soak in before you start brushing.About.com: How To Undo Your Dog's Tangles
   • -If you don't have the spray available, try applying cornstarch to the mats to separate the fur.Families.com: Grooming Matted Hair
3. Use a slicker brush to pick or brush out the mat gently.Pet Tails: Dealing with Mats
   • -Never tug at the mat.Pet Tails: Dealing with Mats
4. Use a comb to work out the knots completely once you've loosened them with the brush.Pet Tails: Dealing with Mats
5. Repeat the process until any other tangles are smoothed away.Pet Tails: Dealing with Mats
   • 
     
   • Expert Village: Getting Mats Out of Your Dog's Coat (Time: 1:58)

• If combing and brushing just won't cut it, you may want to try special tools like a mat splitter (or mat breaker) and grooming clippers. These tools are for a more advanced groomer, and should only be used if you are confident and comfortable in your ability.

1. A mat splitter is useful for cutting large, stubborn mats into sections. Once split into sections you can comb each piece separately.About.com: How To Undo Your Dog's Tangles
   1. Work carefully; a mat splitter has a very sharp edge. Place the flat side of the splitter against the dog's coat and the sharp side facing towards you.Expert Village: How to Brush Your Dog (Time: 2:31)
   2. Move the splitter in a gentle sawing motion through the hair.Expert Village: Mat Splitter (Time: 2:51)
   3. Some of the mat may fall right out; follow up by picking through and combing each piece as explained in the Combing out the Mat section.
   • 
     
   • Expert Village: Mat Splitter (Time: 2:51)
2. For a quick and easy way to remove a large mat, simply use grooming clippers. This method should only be used if you don't mind removing large chucks of fur from your dog's coat.
   • 
     
   • 5-min.com: How to Remove Matted Fur (Time: 1:29)

• Sometimes, you just aren't equipped to remove those stubborn mats so it is important to know when to take your dog to a professional groomer. Your dog's safety and comfort should always be your first concern.

1. Take your dog to a professional groomer if your dog finds the dematting process uncomfortable or if there are too many mats to comb out by yourself.Hartz: Caring for Your Dog's Coat
2. If your dog's coat is covered with mats, the groomer may recommend shaving all or part of the dog's fur to spare it the painstaking process of combing out the mats.Magic Mutts: Mats: An FAQ Special Page

• Spare your dog (and yourself) the painstaking dematting process by taking preventive grooming measures to keep your dog's coat healthy.

1. Brush your dog's fur frequently to remove dead hair and tangles.Hartz: Caring for Your Dog's Coat
   • -Consider brushing long-haired dogs several times a week and short-haired dogs two times a week to help remove the undercoat.Dog Owner's Guide: A Grooming Primer
   • -Start the practice of brushing your dog when he's a puppy and provide praise and treats so he'll learn to enjoy the process.Community Animal Welfare Society: Dog Grooming Tips
2. Use a steel comb on the dog's legs and tail. Hold the dog's skin while you brush so you don't pull the coat too much while combing.Magic Mutts: Mats: An FAQ Special Page. Can Matting Be Avoided?
3. Run a slicker brush over the dog's coat to remove shedding hair and untangle knots.Magic Mutts: Mats: An FAQ Special Page. Can Matting Be Avoided?
4. Brush your dog's fur down to the skin, but don't actually brush the skin, which can irritate it.Dog Channel: 10 Brushing Tips
   • -Brush extra carefully in sensitive areas like the tummy and legs.Dog Channel: 10 Brushing Tips
5. After time outdoors, inspect your dog's coat and remove any burrs.Prevention: Matted Fur Home Remedies

• Expert Village: How to Brush Your Dog (Time: 2:31)

• Maintain your dog's healthy coat and skin by making routinely checking for sores and irritation during regular grooming sessions. Detecting problems early will give your vet time to treat them before they become more serious.Home Vet: Skin and Coat Care for Dogs and Cats (December 27, 1997)