# Hair mats



## harrym (Nov 13, 2010)

Are adult goldens less inclined to get hair mats than puppies? Amber is 17 months old and she gets hair mats under her ears. I brush her regularly, but they will not brush out. I have to cut them out, and she is a wiggly mess when I do that. I have tried soaking the mats in conditioner to try to brush them out, but they seem to be waterproof so that doesn't help. It takes two of us to hold and trim when we cut them out so I don't nick her skin. Any help dealing with this?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Do you use anything when you're brushing Amber such as a spray detangler? How often do you brush her?

I use a mixture of water with some conditioner when I comb out my two, it makes it a lot easier to get any knots or tangles out they might have which is not often. I brush my guys _at least_ every other day. 

Spraying the knot with Detangler or a mixture of conditioner and water makes it easier to get it out. I have also found most of the time if you cut straight into the knot, you can comb it out pretty easily without having to cut it completely out.


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

Just be careful with scissors..we have had people cut their pups with them and don't realize it until it gets infected. Especially on a wiggly pup.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

OnMyWay2MyDreams said:


> Just be careful with scissors..we have had people cut their pups with them and don't realize it until it gets infected. Especially on a wiggly pup.


Good advice!

Anytime I do any cutting, I always put a finger next to their skin, that way if I cut something it's my finger and not their skin.


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

Now that you are starting over with no matts, comb the area daily.

Once you have a matt, you have to use a comb, preferably a metal one with both wide and narrow spacing between the tines. Start with the wide end of the comb on the ends of the fur mat. I always start on the side of the matt, working toward the middle. Very small sections at a time.
If I have to cut it out, I use my bandage scissors (nursing scissors, get them at a uniform shop, stainless ones are 6 bucks or so). They have a blunted tip on the bottom, which helps you avoid the skin. I insert the blunt end of the scissors in the matt (next to the skin) and cut toward the ends of the hair (that is a right angle to the skin). Depending on the thickness of the matt, it may take several small snips to get to the end of the hair. You can make as many cuts as needed to work your way across the matt. I try to comb out each section as I finish the cutting. This is the best way to try to preserve some of the length.
I never, ever cut parallel to the skin. EVER.

I have been grooming our Old English Sheepdogs forever (I married my husband for his Sheepie  ). They have long coats, so we deal with matts on a daily basis.


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## harrym (Nov 13, 2010)

I have been using blunt end bandage scissors to cut the mats, with a steel comb between the mat and her skin. She doesn't mind brushing except around her ears. I have been getting a puppyful of fur every day since she started losing her winter coat. The small mats will brush out after I cut straight into them, but she had two that I had to cut out parallel to her skin. I hope they grow back as quickly as the rest of her coat.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

harrym said:


> I have been using blunt end bandage scissors to cut the mats, with a steel comb between the mat and her skin. She doesn't mind brushing except around her ears. I have been getting a puppyful of fur every day since she started losing her winter coat. The small mats will brush out after I cut straight into them, but she had two that I had to cut out parallel to her skin. I hope they grow back as quickly as the rest of her coat.


One thing that may help is using thinning sheers to clean away all the feathering around the ears. <- This is just a theory here, but I think that if you blunt clip the feathering, it will just mat closer to the skin. 

With Jacks I keep the feathering trimmed at all times because of the mats. <- I wish I'd done the same with my Danny. 

Every single one of our goldens would get "ear rings" around the ears. 

Seam rippers help picking apart mats. With our collie we also use baby powder on the mats. For whatever reason this helps take the clumps aparts without too much cutting.


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