Hertzko Ergonomic Safe Dog Mat Hair Remover Comb

If you’ve recently welcomed a dog with long hair into your home, congratulations! These furballs can be an absolute joy to pet and cuddle up with. And as you’ll soon find out, all that hair doesn’t stay put.

Without the right upkeep of a dog’s fur, you can get matted hair that does more than just look unsightly. It can also irritate your dog, to the point that they may try to chew away those snarls themselves — which usually makes the problem worse.

As with anything dog-related, a little preventative maintenance goes a long way. The best thing you can do for any dog is to routinely use a de-matting tool, especially with densely-furred animals that may not manifest those problems until it’s too late.

Most matted hair removers look like hand-held rakes, but they work by cutting through your dog’s hair with bladed edges on the business edge of each tine. Don’t worry, though: If they’re well designed, the tines will usually be curved so that the blades never actually touch your dog’s skin. In fact, the parts that do touch will usually be rounded, so that the effect feels something like a massage.

That’s the idea, anyway. You’ll want to find a hair remover that has blades that are at least as long as your pup’s hair. Otherwise, your pet will feel pulling as you work through those snarls, and that will make the experience a trial for the both of you. In general, wider-set blades are best for large dogs, especially those that have an undercoat. More thinly-spaced blades are better suited to smaller dogs. Some tools have blades that can be adjusted to deal with different hair lengths, which can be great if you’re caring for multiple pets.

Sharp blades are a must for this type of instrument, and the material is equally important. It may cost a bit more for a hair remover that’s made of stainless steel, but it will be worth it in the long run. Just like ours, dog hair is oily and can erode the effectiveness of shoddy blades over time. Plus, you’ll want to wash that hair remover after each use. With that in mind, make sure you buy a tool that’s easy to clean.

How you use your dematting tool is just as important as which one you use. You’ll want to make grooming and dematting a regular routine, and how often you do it depends on the breed of your dog and how long their hair is. Weekly sessions or even short daily ones can go a long way toward keeping snarls from forming — and your floor free of shedding hair.

When you use the dematting tool, work gently through the fur and feel free to introduce treats if your pet seems skittish. If done correctly, the process should feel like a nice massage to your dog. Break up large mats with your fingers first and make sure to empty large clumps out of the tool as you go.