Unfortunately, some dogs are particularly prone to getting mats. Every time a dog sits their fur gets compacted. If this happens repeatedly, and the fur isn’t brushed out, mats form. A similar process can happen under collars or from repeated friction, for example running, rolling, or rubbing.
Some dog’s coats are more prone to matting – those with long coats, or heavy shedders. The best way to prevent these is regular brushing. Washing also helps. If the coat is cleaned regularly with shampoo the coat glides much easier, and is less prone to matting.
If your dog, or a dog that comes into your care, has very matted hair, it’s important to take that hair off. Mats put strain on the skin and can be very uncomfortable. It also becomes difficult to see the health of the skin underneath. Some mats can be brushed out, but consider the size of the mat and the welfare of the dog before committing to it – it’s often best to simply clip the mat off.
So, you’ve decided you need to clip off matted hair. Which dog clippers and trimmers do you need for this? Power and manoeuvrability are key here. It’s also worth thinking about the dog – are they worried by loud noises? Some clippers are much quieter than others. Here is what we recommend.
The Best Dog Clippers for Matted Hair
The best clipper for mats depends on how close the mat is to the skin. Often, using a grader or comb will allow you to get under the mat, and clip it off. Sometimes you may need to use scissors if the mat is particularly close to the skin, prior to clipping over the body area. We recommend:
Sonic Dog Trimmer - £54.95
If you’re just going to be tidying your dog to prevent more mats, we recommend the battery powered Sonic trimmer as an affordable solution. It is a quiet, neat clipper that has excellent clipping and trimming capabilities due to the ceramic shearing head. It comes with 4 different combs which may be useful in removing any mats, and will allow to you vary the cutting height when you tidy up and perform an all over trim.
This is a handy, flexible clipper that can do a variety of different jobs at a very respectable price!
Wahl Max 45 Clipper -£179
If you’re going to be trimming multiple dogs with mats then the Wahl Max Clipper is a great long term solution. We provide it as part of the Wahl Starter kit, which includes everything you need to perform many different types of clip.
The Wahl Max 45 Clipper is a mains operated clipper with a 2 speed motor and cool running technology. It has a sealed motor which doesn’t require any maintenance, and its powerful motor can cut through the thickest of coats. It’s suitable for professionals, and includes everything you need – a range of combs, detangler, 2 different blades, brush, nail clippers, oil and more.
