# Can we shave the mats?



## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

I've always wondered why groomers always completely shave down the coat if it's matted. If you use a longer clipper attachment, does it pull the hair? I would think that it would be easier to get the mats out if the hair was just shorter. Then you could get the cornstarch down where the mat is & work it out. Just wondering. Showing my "grooming ignorance" here!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

My understanding (having never needed to shave a matted dog!) is that if you hit a mat with the clippers, the clippers can't go through it, tangle in it and pull badly, causing the dog a lot of pain. Groomers are trying to avoid a horrible grooming experience for the dog.

If you get to mats BEFORE they tighten up, it doesn't matter whether the hair is long or short, you can still work them out. When they have felted down to skin level (I've seen this on my long haired cat a couple of times) you can't clip THROUGH it. You can only get under it and remove the whole thing if you are using clippers. At home, there is another option. That is to take a pair of sharp shears, and slide the bottom blade under the mat and slice up through it in several places. This should allow you to break it up with a comb and cornstarch and remove it completely. It will still remove some hair, but, it's way better than leaving the mat.

People who want to avoid the work of dematting during blowing coat should decided on a puppy cut BEFORE it happens. If you start to see matts AT ALL, get them out as quickly as possible, and get the dog to a groomer ASAP, delivering them there WITHOUT mats. That's the way to avoid a total shave-down!


----------



## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Thanks, Karen. That makes sense. I thought maybe the clippers would pull the hair. Kallie's mats are on her belly. She just will not let me work on them. She is completely mat free elsewhere. I can get the little knots out easily. But since I bought her a mesh harness the belly mats are horrible! She has an appt w/groomer on Monday. Vet did not want her going til she completed bordetella vaccine (which we do this afternoon).


----------



## tokipoke (Feb 13, 2012)

Any snap on comb length cannot go through matting. It will drag on the coat and not cut anything. Even a 4F blade will not cut through mats. It really depends on the mat, if it can be brushed out with a brush, then the groomer will brush it out. But if they have to use any dematting tools or if the dog squirms and acts up, it will be best to shave the hair. Continuing to demat damaged hair only makes the hair worse anyway, you will get more matting. Dematting is also very time consuming. Most groomers have a packed schedule and they do not have the time for it, unless you are willing to pay the money. Also, it depends on the condition of the dog when it comes in. If the dog is dirty and very matted, there is no point trying to bathe the dog and drying that coat. First, it will never fully dry. Water and air-drying only makes the mats tighter. It is a big process dematting a long haired dog. 

I would suggest never to take a pair of sharp shears to cut into matting. You never know how close to the skin it is, and you risk slicing the skin open. If you want to cut through mats, use a letter opener, it is much safer.

If the mats are just on the belly area, you can get a "tunnel" shave where the chest and belly is shaved very close but everything is left long.


----------



## tokipoke (Feb 13, 2012)

*Letter opener*

BTW, this is the type of letter opener I am talking about. The pointy end is used to get into the mat, and you pull the mat apart with the sharp area. Much safer to use than shears!


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

You are a genius! I would of never thought of one of the letter openers!


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

When I was clipping the boys with clippers, it was so important to get all mats and tangles out because when the clipper did find a tangle, it cut too much hair. And, the hair would be uneven with a little shorter hair compared to what you wanted the hair.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

tokipoke said:


> BTW, this is the type of letter opener I am talking about. The pointy end is used to get into the mat, and you pull the mat apart with the sharp area. Much safer to use than shears!


Great idea! I've done it with shears, being Very careful, and keeping the non-blade edge againstthskin, then working up, you are right, there is MUCH less chance of cutting either the dog OR yourself (which I HAVE done!!!) with the letter opener!


----------



## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

A genius idea - who ever thought of a letter opener?! A "tunnel" shave is what we ended up doing for Kallie. Looks great. Hope this thread helps some other newbies out there too.


----------



## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

tokipoke said:


> BTW, this is the type of letter opener I am talking about. The pointy end is used to get into the mat, and you pull the mat apart with the sharp area. Much safer to use than shears!


Wow! I bought an overpriced letter opener that someone is marketing for matt removers... I can't find it now, but it is blue and looked like that and said mat buster or something corny on it.

I think it does work pretty well but its hard not to cut hair that doesn't need ot be cut, I think its prone to taking out innocent victim hair as its hard to get at an angle where you get the mat alone (especially if the hair is dry) I imagine wet would be easier to isolate.

Kara


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thumper said:


> Wow! I bought an overpriced letter opener that someone is marketing for matt removers... I can't find it now, but it is blue and looked like that and said mat buster or something corny on it.
> 
> I think it does work pretty well but its hard not to cut hair that doesn't need ot be cut, I think its prone to taking out innocent victim hair as its hard to get at an angle where you get the mat alone (especially if the hair is dry) I imagine wet would be easier to isolate.
> 
> Kara


The trouble is that wet mats are likely to felt BADLY. Better to get all the mats out BEFORE getting the dog wet!


----------



## tokipoke (Feb 13, 2012)

krandall said:


> The trouble is that wet mats are likely to felt BADLY. Better to get all the mats out BEFORE getting the dog wet!


Yes, this is very true. But I bet instead of dematting, the groomer will "rough in" the dog by shaving the body before the bath. I always demat ears and tail, unless the owner requests something else.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

tokipoke said:


> Yes, this is very true. But I bet instead of dematting, the groomer will "rough in" the dog by shaving the body before the bath. I always demat ears and tail, unless the owner requests something else.


Yeah, I'm SURE that's what a groomer would need to do. But I was talking about someone at home with a dog with a few mats... Get the mats out BEFORE you bathe, not after!


----------



## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

tokipoke said:


> BTW, this is the type of letter opener I am talking about. The pointy end is used to get into the mat, and you pull the mat apart with the sharp area. Much safer to use than shears!


What a great idea! I would never have thought of something like that on my own. Other people are much more creative than I am!!

I'll have to see about getting one for "just in case" to add to my grooming supplies.


----------

