# Ear mats



## pappimom (Jan 18, 2008)

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has any tips for me as to how to get rid of my papillon's mats behind his ears. I just realized they are there close to the skin and I have been brushing over them when I brush out his long ear fringe. He is small and so are the mats. I would like to preserve his fringe and not cut them out. Should I use a 'mat breaker' blade? How so? Is this done with the hair dry, wet or with conditioner on it? Thanks


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

You can get a spray solution at the petstores that help to comb out mats. And one you get it taken care of then you need to comb the ear fringe and under/behind the ears every day to keep the mats from forming. We just keep a comb on a table in the family room where we watch tv/read in the evenings.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I'd use the sprays Briteday is talking about and gently and slowly work out the mats. It may take a few days to get them out and still there are some that you just have to cut out. If you really work on it you can avoid cutting much hair or possibly any hair.

After you take care of that, invest in a nice metal, fine toothed comb and run it through their ear fringe every day. A brush works well for the rest of the coat, but you really need to comb out the ears daily.


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## acanoffleas (Jan 15, 2008)

How bad are the mats? Are you able to get your fingers between the skin and the mat? If not, they'll need to be shaved out, or at least looked at by a groomer who has access to tools like conditioners, mat zapper brushes, thinning shears, etc. 

Mat Breakers work wonderfully but can be dangerous if used incorrectly. I've cut myself once or twice on mine. The trick is to not actually let the blade touch the skin; you "pick" apart the knots with the blade, and it cuts through them. You can try spray-in conditioners (for dogs) and really rub it into the mat, then using a comb or mat breaker to try to break it apart. 

Some dogs don't tolerate de-matting very well. Others don't mind it as much. De-matting is really a learned skill, as I've come to realize. I've learned little "tricks" and have found certain products that work well (my favorite all-in-one dematting conditioner) If you think the mats are bad, I'd seriously recommend taking your pup to a groomer to have them take care of it.


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## Purplex15 (May 28, 2007)

if the mats are that close to the dogs skin, then it would be very close to abuse to brush them out. a trained groomer would be able to tell you if the mats were brushable or not. even if they are, it is very easy to cut a dog with a mat breaker when the mat is really close to the skin. no one but a groomer should be doing it. if they are brushable, i would recommend finding a groomer to demat him, instead or doing it yourself. if you are so concerned about the fringe, demating hair, whether it is brushed or shaved, will be thinner and shorter. but if the matts need to be shaved out, then you would have to get over that need. 

in the future, you need to brush your dog with a comb, so that you cant "brush over" any mats. behind the ears is a problem place for most furry dogs, running a comb through the hair once a day will gaurentee that the dog never gets matts.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

If you can't find a spray at the pet store, get some No More Tangles spray (think by Johnson & Johnson). This works very well. Spray before trying to brush or comb out the matt. I'd be very very careful in using a mat splitter. Those things can be dangerous, especially in the hands of the inexperienced. Take her to your groomer, and see if s/he will de-matt your little dog. 

From now on, be sure to check behind the ears, and use a steel comb to "proof" your brushing. You can miss matts with brushing, but the comb will always catch them.


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