How do you get a very matted,dirty dog clean?

Question

I volunteer at our local county shelter and I have to clean a dog that is dirty and matted and possibly has not been bathed for its entire life? Any products I can use on it, that will help untangle hair and make it easier to comb?

Answer 1

Your local shelter should have what you need, but if they don't, you might try using a shampoo for dogs, plus, a hair conditioner would help with the matts/tangles. I won't mention a specific brand, since it might depend on your, or the shelter's,, budget.
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Answer 2

If it is too matted, shaving it is your best option. Be very careful when you brush to not hit the skin with the brush. Brush burn hurts ! i use my hand to keep the matts off the skin when i brush. I work my way to the skin, but I don't brush hard over and over in one spot.

If it is a double coated breed, then I'd say try to do some pre-brushing using dematt spray and a good slicker brush....I use a Frank's Universal Slicker (medium size for all sizes of dog). I also use matt rakes, single row of teeth . One with long teeth, one with short teeth for undercoat only ! NOT for matts.

You can carefully scissor the matts into smaller sections, slicing them vertically. That way when you brush it out you still have some long hair. Try to use a round tip scissor so you don't poke the dog with the tips by accident. Be very careful doing this, make sure it's a matt and not skin when you cut.

As far as products....

Dematt spray

A good dog shampoo and perhaps some dawn dishwashing detergent for any greasy areas. I use Dawn on ears and grease only. You may need to bathe the dog 2 or even 3 times. Rinse super well, check for soap all over.

You can use cream rinse, but you need to let it sit for about 5 minutes and rinse it really well.

You can spray some more dematt/detangler spray and if you have a high velocity dryer use that to work out any remaining matts. Put cotton in the ears to help muffle the noise. Keep the dryer away from the head.

Truly matted dogs, not just dead undercoat, I clip and brush before the bath. Or they won't get clean and they won't dry well.

Dogs with a ton of undercoat I loosen it up beforehand and then use the dryer to get most of it out. Mighty Winds or similar dryers are great ! Cool air/no hot dryers.

Brushing is key. Combs are only to find matts and for finish work. Yanking on matts with a comb HURTS ! Use a brush and divide the matts smaller and smaller and then brush them out. Also make sure you start at the bottom of the legs and do sections at a time. Working up but brushing down the way it grows.

Google line brushing.

When you are all done you should be able to run a comb all the way to the skin and through the coat. No matter what kind of dog (ok, besides a corded coat).

Good luck, the dog will feel so much better.

Answer 3

You will have to start by cutting the mats off. Think it's too late for any other way at this point.

Cut the mats off, give the dog a good bath, DE-flee. Shave the dog. In a short time he will look like a totally differant dog. New hair will grow back in a short time.

Be careful with those scissors. Don't get too close to the skin.

Make sure that there is someone to direct you through the process. I would think there would be.

Answer 4

You need to shave it down with a #7 skiptooth blade,which goes through matted coats really nicely,then bathe the dog.Bathing a matted dog will only make the mats worse;I'm surprised the other shelter workers haven't told you this.

Someone else mentioned a # 10 blade.This blade will work,too,but it depends on the coat type.I have some dogs that need a number #7 and others that need the #10,so I usually keep both on hand.

Answer 5

Oh girl, shave the poor baby. Matted hair actually PULLS on the skin and can creat sores, not sore spots, sores that ooze. Shaving is the best and usually only way to get rid of mats. Start fresh. He will be SOOO much more comfortable. There isnt anything you can buy that will REALLY untangle a set in mat. Then again, i'm assuming worst case senario it might not be as bad as i'm picturing. I'd still shave em so he'll look squeaky clean and feel better too!

Answer 6

BEST thign to do if the dog is that severly matted is to shave him down!!! If the matts are that bad even with heavy conditioner chances are you will end up hurting the poor baby by pulling at the matts as the conditioner will not untangle matts taht are that bad. MAtts are kind of like dred locks in a way once they get very old & dirt encrusted they cannot be combed out & need to be cut off...if you dont want to shave him completley you will at least need to VERY CAREFULLY cut off all the clumped matts & then even out the rest of his hair to match in lenght......be very careful not to cut his skin w the scissor sor the clippers(yes clippers can & will cut skin) be sure to put your fingers in between his skin & the matt & cut it away. Once all teh heavy matts are removed THEN bathe him, by bathing first you will only make the matts tighter & more matted to the skin.......water only makes the hair bond tighter together.

Answer 7

Here in pittsburgh, they had to clean a cat coated in latex paint. "Betsy Goetz worked part time as the Pets for the Elderly coordinator, but she was a full-time professional groomer for many years, and she has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. Armed with dish-washing detergent and a cleaning product called Goop, Mrs. Goetz got most of the paint out. She used scissors to cut out the rest of the paint-coated fur." I don't know if some of these products are more toxic in dogs than cats (usually the other way around) or if you have to rinse them out very fast.

I have heard vegetable oil suggested; not as potent as mineral oil, but truly harmless.

Otherwise, a beard-trimmer attachment can be used to shave under the matted fur.

Answer 8

Just shave the dog and start over, especially if it is very matted. There could be maggots, fleas, ticks and other critters lodged in all that hair. Hair grows back. If you keep it combed, it will not mat.

Answer 9

if the dog is that matted you should shave teh dog down and then bath it there aare detangler tools you can get but they do pull a lot and it is very painful
If you attempt to bath the dog with mats it will cause the matts to get tighter and you will not be able to thoroughly dry the dog and rinse the dog which could cause skin infections.

Answer 10

if the dog is that badly matted, she needs shaved down. It would be awfully painful to try to comb out all the mats

If she's matted, but not badly, I reccommend a mat breaker, I have only ever found these online:

http://grooming.petedge.com/Matbreaker-Dematting-Tool-ZX01001.pro?parentCategoryId=190&categoryId=214&subCategoryId=276&subsubCategoryId=480

something like this too, which has blades on it, will help cut the mats so they are easier to brush out, I have found these at most chain petshops:

http://grooming.petedge.com/Master-Grooming-Tools-Dematting-Combs-TP085.pro?parentCategoryId=190&categoryId=214&subCategoryId=276&subsubCategoryId=480

http://grooming.petedge.com/Master-Grooming-Tools-Ergonomic-Dematting-Rake-TP19127.pro?parentCategoryId=190&categoryId=214&subCategoryId=276&subsubCategoryId=480


A little conditioner in the coat may make it easier to comb out..

do not bathe and dry the dog tho until you have most of the mats out.. getting wet then redrying makes mats worse.

Answer 11

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