What is a good de-matting comb...?

Good grooming practices are essential for maintaining health and happiness for you and your dog. This is a forum to exchange tips and advice for proper care of your dog's hygiene needs.

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Frankie

Cheese? PLEASE!

Barked: Sun Jan 22, '12 4:15pm PST


	I have never had to worry about matts on Frankie until this past month... After bathing him and drying him last night, I noticed he had a horrible matt near his ear...I used detangler, even a rinse-out conditioner smeared in the matt, and I still could not get it out with a 'regular' grooming comb and had to cut it out..I noticed he also has had a small one on his chest now for a couple weeks and it does not look bad, but I will probably have to cut it out as well... Is there a good de-matting comb...? I have been looking at the Four Paws Ultimate Touch Instant Mat & Tangle Remover, but I welcome any suggestions...thank you

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Scruffy

He's a- Scruffador!

Barked: Sun Jan 22, '12 6:12pm PST


	Bathing makes mats worse. Demat and detangle before bathing. Sorry, got no reccomendation for a demating comb. Hopefully someone will chime in soon.

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Happy

The Boy Wonder

Barked: Sun Jan 22, '12 7:51pm PST


	The problem with dematting 'combs' is that they are generally blades. Try a slicker brush before bathing and make sure he is combed out fully. Other than that Here. Be Careful, the blade is sharp and requires careful use so you don't cut yourself or your dog.

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Miss Lola- Luftnagle

Solid Gold- Dancer

Barked: Sun Jan 22, '12 9:07pm PST


	As a groomer, my all time secret weapon is something called silky spirits by Chris Christensen. It's a liquid silk protein. A little dab will do ya. And I mean, smaller than a pea sized amount. Rub into a mat, and work in with a brush, followed by a comb. Cuts dematting time in half. A small container will last me about a year. This is used everyday on multiple dogs. My favorite brush is the silver les pooch. Expensive, but well worth the money.

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Maxwell

I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Mon Jan 23, '12 9:17am PST


	Bathing and drying makes mats worse. You can work on wet mats and any fur should be damp when working on it as it breaks less. Don't worry if you miss a snarl when cleaning up before a bath, just be brush/combing through as you dry the dog. Max's snarls are much easier to find wet than dry for some reason not that he gets many.

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Toto, CD,- RN, CGC

We don't do- doodles!!!

Barked: Mon Jan 23, '12 3:05pm PST


	I use a de-tangling, silicone spray prior to working on ANY coat. I prefer crown royal magic coat #3, as it can also be used as a GREAT finishing spray, as well as removing hairspray from poodles after a show. For different uses I just change the dilution proportions. I start with a slicker brush, holding the matt in my other hand and brushing over my own hand so as not to irritate the dog's skin. After brushing it as loose as possible, I physically pull it apart with my fingers, again making sure I am holding only the matt so as not to pull the growing hair out. Finally, brush again and use the last two or three pins of a good, stainless steel comb to pick out the tiny knots left. With especially large or tight matts I will do the slicker brush then pulling with my fingers several times in sucession. I also agree to dematt PRIOR to bathing. Matts will become felt if you don't. Be especially careful scissoring out ANY matts. Do not EVER just hold the matt out and snip it off...chances are, there is skin in the middle of it!!! I was taught to NEVER close my scissors unless the blade cutting edges were facing AWAY from skin. You can gently poke the blade thru the matt, then turn it to face away from the skin, then cut. Even with that method, it is EXTREMELY easy to cut skin while cutting out matts. We have at least one dog coming in EVERY WEEK OR SO with owner cuts, usually behind the ears or on the soft skin under the elbows or on the inside thighs. With owner grooms on cats nearly every single one has been cut, usually quite severely. Several have been bad enough to require sutures!

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Frankie

Cheese? PLEASE!

Barked: Mon Jan 23, '12 5:52pm PST


	Thanks all... so many great suggestions...I am going to try each one... I had been really good about using a slicker brush AND a comb each day, but admittedly got a tad lax in the last month or so..but obviously there is no room for lax in this department... I am thinking as long as the pup's hair has any length, this is going to be an issue...I did debate having him clipped short...but 1) I know coats act as insulation for them both in the winter and the summer, and 2) I still like his hair on the long side, esp still being a pup... I am going have to be way more diligent about brushing him and combing him...I have always used the detangling sprays, but now I know some options if another nasty matt does creep up!! TY!!

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Parsons- Pearl of- Twenty Nine- P

Spreading- Sunshine &- Sweetness, :)

Barked: Mon Jan 23, '12 9:05pm PST


	Safari has a great comb that I just found. I got the 7.25 comb but they also have a 4.50. It's a metal grooming comb that has wide teeth on one end and close space teeth on the other. They also have a matt and tangle splitter, and a dematting comb. The dematting comb does a great job but I feel I would only use it if I had not brushed Parsons in days and she was heavily matted. It can be harsh and remove lots of hair. However the matt and tangle splitter, which has about an inch head on it, has proven to be a life saver for those little tangles that form around the collar and the underarms. I just start from the end of the hair and work toward the skins and in seconds it's gone. Then I can easily use the comb on that area. I bought my Safari products on Amazon. They have a variety of products in their line at a reasonable price range. If you have Amazon Prime shipping is free. I was just looking back at my Parsons baby pictures a couple weeks ago when she turned one. And although I have been keeping her hair short lately I noticed how cute it was when she was younger. So now we are growing it out. That is what lead me to search for some good grooming combs and Dematting combs. I found the Safari products and have been very happy with the results. Good luck in your search for your perfect combs. Maybe you can share what works for you and that will give us ideas as well!

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Miss Lola- Luftnagle

Solid Gold- Dancer

Barked: Wed Jan 25, '12 6:44pm PST


	Toto, just wanted to say I love Crown Royal!! Smells divine. I also use it on flat coats, then brush through with a boar bristle brush. I know I was taught to demat prior to bathing, but I find it takes significantly longer working those mats out when the coat is dirty. I would rather demat while drying or prior to the actual haircut.

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Frankie

Cheese? PLEASE!

Barked: Wed Jan 25, '12 6:57pm PST


	So many more great suggestions... I have been checking out the Safari products on Amazon... I had been brushing AND combing each morning, sometimes again during the day or night, depending on how much time he spent outside or playing..and I do try to brush and comb or at least comb before bathing and then again after he has been bathed/during drying and again after being dried... So it sounds like I am on the right track... I do admit I have not been as diligent this past month.. So I know constant upkeep is key.... But it is good to know there are options for the times when matts inevitably pop up...I did check out the crown royal and it looks pretty pricy... I am going to try and stick with being extremely diligent and using a coupke detangling sprays every day...I may invest in the crown royal for his birthday!! Thanks, again!!