Gentle leader causing knots and matting..

Hi Sammylee,

Mats can be a big issue with dogs with thick, longer coats. The best way to deal with them is prevention, which can involve daily grooming.

I would suggest, at least at first, that you remove the current mats, and then begin brushing the affected areas daily, maybe even before AND after you work your dog on the halti. It should help prevent more mats from forming.

There are also special shampoos and spray products that condition specially to detangle and smooth your dog’s hair. I’d suggest looking into these and using them a few times a week until you can control the mats better.

To get a mat out, use your fingers first to try and pick the mat apart. You can use corn starch on the mat to lubricate it, and hopefully make it easier to loosen. Once you’ve done all you can with your hands, begin with combs, using a picking motion. This loosens larger clumps. Once the mat is loosened even more, use brushing strokes to remove it fully. Run a comb through the area at the end to make sure the whole mat is gone.

Ultimately, if a mat just won’t come out, you can simply clip them out with scissors. The hair grows back faster than you’d think, and its better than having shaved ears!

I don’t think this should prevent you from using the halti to train your dog, it might just be a matter of tweaking your daily routine a bit to include a thorough brushing session.

Hope this helps!