Long-coated dog breeds are highly susceptible to tangling and matted hair.
These pesky tangles and clumps can give your dog’s fur a messy and unflattering appearance, but this isn’t the main reason why you should do what you can to de-mat your dog’s coat.
The truth is, tangles and matted fur can be really painful and uncomfortable for your furry friend.
When left untreated, tangles and matted clumps can also trap bacteria and moisture along the surface of your dog’s skin.
This can seriously irritate and inflame the skin and lead to infections and other serious health problems.
How Can We Help?
Given that stubborn tangles in your pet’s hair are unsightly and potentially dangerous, we’re going to highlight some of the best solutions and tools you can use to help your dog.
These products will range from user-friendly detangling brushes and dog detangler spray to effective detangling dog shampoo.
If you’re looking to address tangles and prevent them from reoccurring, you’ve come to the right place!
READ MORE: Best Dog Grooming Tools. Give your dog the best home grooming experience possible with these tried and true grooming tools!
What Causes Dog Fur to Become Matted and Tangled?
While it may sound fairly self-explanatory, the primary cause of matting and tangling isn’t just as simple as the hairs becoming intertwined and knotted.
In most cases, tangles become far more prevalent during the shedding season – especially when a dog isn’t properly de-shed.
As hairs drop from the dog’s coat, they become trapped beneath the various layers of the coat.
As you would expect, tangles are far more common in long-haired breeds and mixes, especially those with a double coat, like Golden Retrievers, Australian Shepherds, and Siberian Huskies.
Tangles can also result from excess scratching, which explains why dogs prone to skin allergies tend to also suffer from matting issues.
When the dog repeatedly scratches their fur, it causes it to knot.
The act of scratching can also force dirt, oil, and other types of debris into the coat, which increases the likelihood of tangles appearing.
Why is it Important to Remove and Prevent Tangles?
As mentioned, tangles aren’t just ugly to look at, they can cause a significant amount of discomfort for dogs.
They can also lead to surprisingly dangerous health conditions that can be both painful for the dog and expensive to treat.
When tangles and knots in the fur become really tight, they can cut the circulation off to the skin’s surface, which is what causes painful hot spots to appear.
As with most things, prevention is better than treatment, so it’s important that you properly and regularly brush your dog’s coat, especially during shedding season, which tends to be the early spring months.
NOTE: Thoroughly drying your pet’s fur after baths is also important as this helps remove the moisture that can turn mild tangles into stubborn knots and mats.
If you want your dog to look and feel its absolute best, you can use the tools below to remove tangles and prevent them from occurring in the first place!
Read our related article, How to Disinfect Dog Brushes. Keep your grooming tools germ-free with these tips and tricks!
Our Top Picks
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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The Best for Stubborn Matts and Knots: Hertzko – Long Blade Dematting Comb | • Budget-friendly price • Deals with stubborn knots • Sharp edges cut through tangles |
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The Best Detangling Spray: TropiClean – Natural Tangle Remover for Dogs | • Made in the United States • Does not have to be rinsed • Easy-spray nozzle |
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Best Detangling Dog Shampoo: BioSilk – 2-in-1 Detangling Dog Shampoo & Conditioner | • Made in the United States • Strengthens and repairs the fur |
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Best Dog Detangler Solutions and Tools
1. The Best for Stubborn Matts and Knots: Hertzko – Long Blade Dematting Comb
What We Liked
- Budget-friendly price
- Deals with stubborn knots
- Sharp edges cut through tangles
What We Didn’t Like
- The detangling teeth are a little bit too long for smaller breeds
Features
- Ergonomic, anti-slip handle
- Made from corrosion-resistant stainless steel
- Removes knots, mats, and tangles
This dematting rake from Hertzko is the ideal detangling tool if your dog is suffering from stubborn knots and matted hair.
The lengthy 2.5” stainless-steel teeth help penetrate knotted fur so you can break up the tangles and matting.
The dematting teeth are grooved in a way that makes it easy to pull tangles apart without actually tugging on the dog’s skin.
This translates to far less pain and discomfort for your dog than they would experience if you used a lower-quality grooming tool.
The rounded edges of each tooth also ensure it will not scratch or irritate your dog’s skin.
The fact that the rubberized, anti-slip handle enables a firm grip, even when the tool is wet, means it’s easy to use while your dog is in the bath.
Each of the metal components is also corrosion-resistant, which helps if you plan on using the tool while your dog is still wet.
Additionally, we like that you can easily reverse the blades, which means you can quickly adjust the tool to work better for left-handed individuals.
BOTTOM LINE: Overall, it’s a great tool, especially for those with long-haired dogs with thicker coats that make them more susceptible to matting issues than other breeds.
2. The Best Detangling Spray: TropiClean – Natural Tangle Remover for Dogs
What We Liked
- Made in the United States
- Doesn’t have to be rinsed
- Easy-spray nozzle
What We Didn’t Like
- Some dogs don’t like the scent
Features
- No-rinse formula
- Alcohol and paraben-free
- Made with natural ingredients
This tangle removing spray from TropiClean can be incredibly useful if your dog is susceptible to tangles and mats.
You simply apply the spray liberally to wet or dry fur, then gently massage it into the tangled area.
Use the spray bottle to work the product into the fur, you can use your dog’s brush or comb to gently pull the tangles apart.
We like that TropiClean used natural plant and mineral-based ingredients when coming up with this detangling spray.
Not only is it safe for use on all breeds, but it will also leave your pooch with a natural and fresh floral scent.
The fact it’s also a no-rinse formula is convenient, as you don’t have to worry about bathing your dog after you have used the spray to loosen up their tangles.
As a bonus, it even helps eliminate excess frizz by restoring moisture and shine to the dog’s coat.
BOTTOM LINE: Overall, it’s an effective and useful product that we highly recommend!
3. Best Detangling Dog Shampoo: BioSilk – 2-in-1 Detangling Dog Shampoo & Conditioner
What We Liked
- Made in the United States
- Strengthens and repairs the fur
What We Didn’t Like
- The bottle is a little bit small
Features
- Gently loosens up knots and tangles
- Restores moisture and vitamins to the coat
- pH-balanced and free from harmful ingredients
This high-quality detangling dog shampoo offers an effective solution to stubborn mats, knots, and tangles.
Not only does it loosen up tangles, so they’re easier to pull apart, but this conditioning formula also restores moisture to the fur.
This means your dog’s coat will be less susceptible to tangles and matting issues in the future.
It’s made without the harmful parabens and sulfates you find in lower-quality dog shampoos, so it will not irritate your dog’s skin or trigger any sort of allergies.
It’s also pH-balanced, which means it’s safe to use on all breeds and life stages.
It also means it will not reduce the effectiveness of any topical tick or flea treatment your dog is on.
We like that the unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids work to strengthen and repair your dog’s fur.
Not only will your dog’s hair be less brittle and susceptible to future tangles, but it will also be shinier and softer than ever before.
BOTTOM LINE: It is an excellent tangle treatment, as well as an effective tangle preventative.
Additional Resources
If you’d like to know more about removing tangles and matting from your dog’s coat, there are plenty of other useful resources out there that can help!
If your dog’s coat is covered in difficult tangles and filled with matted patches, Dr. Foster and Dr. Smith have a simple YouTube video that demonstrates how veterinarians deal with these stubborn issues.
How to Remove Matted Hair from Your Dog’s Coat by Dr. Foster & Dr. Smith.
If you are looking for more of a step-by-step guide to removing tangles and matted hair from your dog’s coat, PetSmart offers a straightforward guide to How to Detangle Your Dog’s Matted Coat.
