To understand matting you must first understand the anatomy of your dog’s coat. Breeds such as Golden Retrievers, German Shepard’s, Collies, and Labs etc. as well as some small breeds, such as terriers and Pomeranians have a double coat. A double coat consists of two different types of hair. The long coarser hair is called the Guard- coat. The finer usually softer and shorter hair is called the Undercoat. The undercoat is what sheds on your dog. The undercoat sheds and re- grows constantly, while the Guard-coat almost never sheds. The Guard-coat, under a microscope looks like a stem of a rose. Protruding off of the guard hairs are little briers. These briers and the combination of shedding undercoat, dander and dirt cause matting. When the undercoat is released it has to make its way up through the guard hairs and off the dog. When the guard coat is tangled with other guard hairs the undercoat can get stuck in amongst the guard hairs, trapping it. Then if your dog gets dirty or skin particles get involved it becomes a mat. The longer a tangle is left the worse the mat will become. Sometimes a mat can almost ‘appear over night’. The guard hairs run deeper into the skin than the undercoat. The guard hairs attach to muscles under the skins surface. This allows the dog to raise the hair on the back of the neck and tail when being aggressive. When a matt is formed it webs the guard hair together tightly. This not only pulls on the skin causing discomfort, but it pulls on the muscles as well. This can become quite painful for your pet. Wetting or bathing your dog when they have matting will only make the situation worse. The matt will absorb the water making it denser and harder to dry. This can lead to increased bacteria growth on your dog’s skin and additional skin problems such as, hot spots and sores. Removing bad matting can also cause skin irritation. If your pet has bad matting, do not try to brush the mats out. Some smaller mats may be able to be removed by brushing, however constant brushing in the same spot can scratch the skin and cause another problem all together. The best way to remove matting is to have a professional shave it off with electric clippers. Depending on the severity of the matting this may also cause skin irritation, however it is minimal discomfort compared to brushing. The best way to avoid matting is to routinely brush your dog. A wire slicker brush and a metal comb are the best tools. Sometimes it may look as if you have brushed your dog, but unless you check with a metal comb you may have only brushed the top layer. You must brush down to the skin where the undercoat begins. With using a comb you can make sure you have gotten right down to the skin, thus removing the undercoat and any chance of a matt starting. Many owners have said to me that a wire slicker brush looks too painful to use. Trust me, it’s not. Any brush can be painful if not used properly. One thing to remember is not to continually brush in the same spot for too long. Any prolonged brushing, or petting for that matter, can irritate the skin. Proper and routinely brushing your pet will reduce shedding and matting and make your pet happier and healthier. By: Sarah Hill – Owner Top Knot Professional Grooming - Ajax