# gentle dematting brush?



## rogueslg71 (Dec 6, 2007)

where can i get one of these and what do you all recommend? i'm trying to stay on top of brush and dematting my lhasa apso. it is hard though because the first dematting tool i got was too rough and had little holes in it which was supposed to help ,but it just made the hair get stuck on the tool. i dont wanna spend another 10 dollars getting one that doesnt work well. her matts are normally huge! i recently just cut her hair and am hoping not to deal with mats bigger than a doal coin size. any recommendations on products or stores would be helpful!


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## Canadian Dog (Nov 3, 2007)

I'm sure a groomer will answer your post soon as to which brush is best. Molly is 60 lbs and has a thick long shaggy coat. I rake/comb her almost every day. You won't get any mats if you groom your dog frequently. Lhasa are pretty small dogs and once you get in the habit it won't take very long and will be much more comfortable for your dog.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

You need a good slicker brush (Universal has good ones, that are relatively cheap). You need a steel comb...there are several types of 'greyhound style' combs out there; what you are need to look for is one with coarse and medium teeth, and the tines need to be atleast an inch in length. 

You also need a comb out spray; there are many decent types out there of this too; I prefer Bark2Basics Demat with Antistat. 

Mist the dog, then line brush every inch of the dog, and then run the comb through her. If you don't know how to properly comb\brush her, I would go to your groomer as soon as you can, and ask if they would show you some techniques. It's pretty easy once you get a hang of it. 

You will want to brush her every day, or atleast every other day, to prevent matting.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

rogueslg71 said:


> Re: gentle dematting brush?QUOTE]
> 
> 
> I think this is an oxymoron. IMO, there is no such thing as a gently dematting brush. Dematting is harsh on the coat (causing more matting, as the hair shaft is damaged) and hard on the dog. They all cause pulling, tugging, and are uncomfortable if you are dematting. Once there are matts, you are best having her professionally groomed, and starting over with regular brushing and combing as Sophie above stated. A matt is like a dread lock...they don't separate and become pretty silky hair again unfortunately.


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## rogueslg71 (Dec 6, 2007)

thanks guys! i didnt know there was a spray that i needed to use so i will be looking those up and trying to get one. yes i realize i cannot handle big giant matts, tahts why i'm trying to keep up with this since her hair is short now in a puppy like cut. but she still gets little knots and matts here and there and i would like to be able to get rid of those myself before they can turn into monster sized ones


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

rogueslg71 said:


> thanks guys! i didnt know there was a spray that i needed to use so i will be looking those up and trying to get one. yes i realize i cannot handle big giant matts, tahts why i'm trying to keep up with this since her hair is short now in a puppy like cut. but she still gets little knots and matts here and there and i would like to be able to get rid of those myself before they can turn into monster sized ones


You need to spray the leave-in conditioner prior to brushing, to protect the hair. Essential is to use the right tools to brush and comb your dog. A pin brush (WITHOUT balls on the end of the pins), a slicker, and a steel comb. The right equipment and regular brushing and combing will prevent mats from forming. Have a professional groomer show you how to line brush.


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## shatem (Feb 3, 2009)

There are no "gentle" dematting brushes. Keep your dog's coat clean and brush daily, or get a short hair cut. The most gentle way to dematt is to shave the matts out. It may not be pretty, but it won't hurt your dog.

http://www.doggonehairy.net/


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## dogclass (Feb 16, 2011)

poodleholic said:


> ... A pin brush (WITHOUT balls on the end of the pins), a slicker, and a steel comb.


Can you explain why a pin brush without balls works better than one with balls? I thought the ones with the balls on the ends would be more comfortable on the skin.

Thanks.


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## amberly (Feb 6, 2011)

well once you get your dog back from the groomers if you take a slicker brush or even just a metal comb every other day you shouldn't have to worry about any matts at all! i have a shih tzu and i honestly only brush her with a metal comb. it goes right thru her fur i go all around her legs in and out ect while i have her plopped on my lap watching tv or in the bathroom getting ready. as long as you keep up with it you won't need to worry about none at all. otherwise if she does get pretty big matts it might just be easier to keep her short. since dematting isn't always nice on the dogs fur and skin. and your more likely to cause brush burn by trying to brush them out. 

so i'd say a good slicker brush nothing you can get from petsmart. petco does have some decent slicker brushes by four paws, theres one that hs a lil white dog maybe maltese on it? its perfect! i have it for my girl. and a metal comb. for the face i use a metal flea comb. gotta keep the beard and face cheeks nice and clean from food and water debris.

the sprays do help but really aren't nessicary if you just brush every other day. sometimes even three days or once a week! tho i do myself injoy sme sprays and they smell nice. helps if your dog gets static too good for winter!


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

dogclass said:


> Can you explain why a pin brush without balls works better than one with balls? I thought the ones with the balls on the ends would be more comfortable on the skin.
> 
> Thanks.


The balls on the end just catch and rip/damage hairs, causing more matting. A pin bush is very gentle without the balls on the end.


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