my black newfie

Question
I have been pretty diligent lately brushing her because she has been losing one of her coats as i understand they do once a year......anyway we took her to the lake this weekend and she did swim quite a bit and we get her home and we notice shes all matted badly in several places what the heck could of caused it? what do we do about it i do not want to shave her

Answer
Hi Gary,

Water will make fur matting worse, especially in the case of long or curly hair. The coat must be combed or brushed out and any mats removed prior to bathing. It helps to rinse your dog with clean clear water if it has been swimming.

Here are two methods of removing matted fur:

Work gently to avoid irritating her skin. Comb the outside of the tangle, gently progressing towards the skin, just as you would comb a child's snarled tresses. If the coat is severely tangled or matted, work in short sessions and praise the dog frequently for accepting the sometimes irritating or painful combing.

You can also try remove mats by working some baby oil or spray on tangle remover into each one. After several minutes, try to loosen and separate the mats, using your fingers or the end tooth of a comb. Carefully brush out the loosened sections, going slowly so you don't hurt your dog.

Clipping your dog is a last resort. You could take your dog to a professional groomer before you take to the shears.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti