The size of the work is going to be dependent on the size of the dog you are grooming. But learning how to groom matted dog hair is nothing like mowing a lawn or raking leaves – you are tidying up something that is alive and sensitive to your moves. You must be careful as to not to upset the dog when grooming it.
Grooming the Dog
Get into a comfortable position for you and your dog first. A big dog should lie down at your feet, and a small dog should lie down on your lap or on a table. It is generally recommended that you start with the most sensitive area to get it over with. The most sensitive area for the dog is the under and around the ears – but be careful as to not rush the process. Do a small area at a time.
Use a metal comb to smooth out the knots – when you see a cluster (or a knot), approach it from the boundaries (the ends of the knotted area) and slowly work your way into the center of the knot.
But be careful as to hold the roots of the knotted hair firmly when undoing the knots – holding it at the middle and running the comb through will only unsettle the top hair, which will become knotted with time as the roots are still knotted.
Do not attempt to undo too many knots at the same time as it may cause too much friction for the dog to stay still. If you feel as if the dog is agitated, give him something to calm him down in the process – like a dog treat.
If you feel as if appearance of your dog in some areas really won’t make a difference, you can even cut out some fur. The fur will grow over time. Be careful, as always, that you are not hurting the dog by an accident or cutting unnecessary hair.
Give the dog a treat after all this is finished.
Additional Help
If you feel like you need professional help on grooming your dog, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in this case, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.
