What is matting and why does it happen?

A mat is a very thick, uncombable knot of hair. If a coat is not brushed regularly, loose and live hair become embedded in large clumps. Sometimes these can be brushed out but if left too long, it is impossible to comb them out without hurting the dog.  

Where on the dog can I find mats?

Everywhere is the short answer. Matting is typically found in areas of your dog with the most friction; armpits, where the collar or harness sits, legs and backend where they lay down, behind the ears or other areas of the body where they might be scratching.

Water can also contribute to matting and in Ireland we have it plenty! Weather your dog loves puddles, going for walks in the rain, lying on wet grass or perhaps he's getting too many bubble baths,  if you don't brush out the hair when it dries matting will appear very quickly. 

How can I prevent matting?

Brush, brush and brush. Depending on your dog breed, desired length and style of the hair brushing should be done a few times a week. During colder and wetter months it should be done more frequently especially around the areas where the collar and harness sit.

Can a dog groomer deal with it?

Absolutely providing the mats are not too dense and not many. If the mats are very close to the skin and appear all over the body, it is very uncomfortable for your dog and the nicest thing to do is to clip it off. 

What is dematting?

The dematting process involves taking small sections of hair at a time and working to release the mats using scissors, brushes and other tools. If the matting on your dog is heavy and very tight, the safest and least painful way to remove this altogether is to clip his hair short. Also known as shaving off the coat. This means we have to work close to the skin with my clipper blade and on the release of the mats there can often be signs of irritation of the skin so you can imagine we do not take the decision to clip the coat off lightly.

So the ultimate solution is a brush?

Yes, brushing and regular visits to your groomer. If you're too busy and this does not fit into your daily life, I would recommend speaking to your groomer and get a plan in place for your dog. To give you an idea, for a cavachon (cavapoo, cockapoo etc.) whose hair you like to keep long, I recommend having a full groom every 6-8 weeks and a wash & brush out every 4-5 weeks. This way we can stay on top of the mats if there are any and ensure we can keep the long and fluffy when they come in for the full groom.

Regular grooming is the best way to stay on top of the pesky matts and for your dog to feel and look their best!