What Is A Mat And How Do I Get Rid Of Them?
A mat is basically a tangle of hair, often with undercoat, that has formed a knot tight enough to resist brushing and combing. Mats tend to form on dogs with thick, long, curly, or double coats in corners of the body and areas with longer hair, such as the base of legs, the anal area under the tail, under the chest by the front legs, and around the ears. In most cases, regular maintenance such as daily brushing and combing are needed to prevent tangles from turning into mats, but sometimes a mat will catch you off guard. Mats form because hair is covered in tiny scales. When hair is tangled or harshly treated, those scales can stick up, acting like tiny barbs. These barbs catch shed hairs, wooly undercoat hairs, even dirt and debris, knotting and tangling until they form a solid mass of hair that is virtually impossible to comb through. Some people deal with mats by simply cutting them out, leaving ”holes” in the coat. However, in severe cases of mat, you may be required to shave the
