# home remedy for mat-prone areas



## dogclass (Feb 16, 2011)

Hi,
I have a 1.5 year old long hair sheltie shepherd mix. He has very feathery hair behind his ears, and it gets mats. Besides constantlybrushing, is there a home remedy that helps to make mas easier to untangle? 

What tool do you use? Do the store brought sparys work?


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Only groom when the hair is damp. That helps prevent hair from stretching and breaking which makes it more prone to snarling. I bought a grooming spray but am just refilling the sprayer with plain water ATM. I do like using a leave in silicone spray after baths and combing/brushing the dog completely dry, currently using Ice on Ice which was mailordered. That makes the hair straighter and removes some of the oldest hair. I find that Max's snarls are mostly shed hair that tangles with the rest. I do like using a tool that gently pulls out the oldest hair between baths as well. The cheapest way to go is with a metal flea comb, plastic ones get bent teeth and must hurt as they tug on hair.

Max's snarly bits are in his 'pits'. He is a spaniel mix and at the moment I do his floppy ears like a golden retriever - trimming under, behind then the top and edges of the ear flap using sharp thinning shears with great care. No snarls and the hair stays cleaner longer.


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## amberly (Feb 6, 2011)

behind the ears usally get knotted up more so because its softer fluffier hair behind the ears and a lot of people also scratch behind the ears. ask anyone in the family if they are doing that if so tell em i know the dog likes it but maybe find another spot the dog injoys to avoid the knots behind the ears. and under legs and armpits matt up a lot because of the friction as well but by the dog itself, running playing licking sitting ect


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Have the groomer use thinning shears to debulk this area. Run a metal comb down to the skin (pulling and holding the ear forward towards the nose) every day and its impossible for the matts to start.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Graco22 said:


> Have the groomer use thinning shears to debulk this area. Run a metal comb down to the skin (pulling and holding the ear forward towards the nose) every day and its impossible for the matts to start.


Thgis is what I was thinking along with shaving down under the arms, legs and tail area.


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