Cattle

Archive for January 14th, 2009

Matting occurs in dogs when its hair gets intertwined and locked. Usually when matting happens, the dog’s hair will collect pieces of thread, cotton and dirt as it moves around. The matting also results in the dog leaving fur and hair all over the place. This is because the hair holds tight to other fibers which results in the strands getting cut. This can be very annoying not to mention the fact that there is risk of it getting into food or children eating it. I have provided here a few tips that will help you prevent matting and where it has occurred; know how to deal with it.

The first step is to study the habits of your dog. Does it play and roll in dirt, in the grass or on carpets a lot? Does it play in water and roll in dirt or grass? Wet fur easily leads to matting and collecting a lot of dirt along the way. Alternatively, if the dog loves to lick its fur, it could also have a similar but lesser effect as water. These habits will advise how often you should wash or brush the dog.

One way that you can prevent matting is to brush and comb your dog regularly. Regular baths are also very helpful in preventing matting since in the process; a brush runs though the hair. Washing in shampoo also helps reduce oils which can clump together and attract hair strands as well. Excessive washing is discouraged since it is harmful to the dog. The good news is that you can comb and brush more often as long as this is done gently.

Brushing the dog’s coat on a daily basis is a sure way of preventing matting. This not only deals with matting but also reduces the dirt that may be accumulating. Brush frequently but brush gently. If you are too rough, you might scratch the dog. Brushing also has a massaging effect. This is quiet enjoyable for the dog as well as having emotional benefits. It is said that dog grooming leads to bonding and you will benefit from such a bond.

We have focused our discussion on activities that prevent matting. Suppose your dog already has matting, what should you do? The first line of action is to do the things recommended above. If this does not work because the hair it tightly knit, go for a “curative” approach. Clip the hair and cut out the entire portion that has mats. Attempting to use force to comb or brush will not solve the problem. Instead, the dog will feel pain which will make future grooming sessions only harder.

If the fur has matted, do not use water to soften it. This experience shows is counterproductive. Instead, start slowly by running your fingers through the fur. If it loosens, then you can move on to using a comb or brush. This is one procedure you do not want to be doing in a hurry. Work on the matted areas by dividing into sections and moving step by step.