How to Remove the Tangles in Your Shih Tzu's Hair

One of the biggest and most annoying problems any Shih Tzu owner faces is tangles in their dog's hair. It looks ugly and can cause irritation and even ulcers on your dog's skin if left untreated.

One of the best ways to prevent matting is to comb your dog's hair frequently. This is especially true when your Shih Tzu is blowing his coat. When this happens, normally when your Shih Tzu is around nine months of age, the hair of the bottom coat loosens and gets stuck in the top coat. During this period you should comb out the dead hair as many as three times a day.

How to remove tangles

If mats do form remove them as follows:

o Split the hair lengthwise into smaller piece. Use a sharp thin object for the job and be careful not to hurt the dog. There are special tools on the market to help remove mats, but make sure you buy one with replacement blades as the blades need to be sharp. You will find that it is much easier to work on smaller chunks of hair and this is one of the secrets to remove a mat.

o Your next task is to loosen the hair.  Get a V shaped comb and use a picking action to separate the hair. Think in out, in out.

o After picking, loosen the hair further with your fingers. This will make combing much easier.

o Next use a coarse comb and comb through the hair, but make sure you do not pull the dog's hair. I recommend that you grab the dog's hair as close as possible to the skin (at the root of the hair) with one hand and use the other hand to do the combing. That will eliminate pulling of the hair and will be more comfortable for your dog. Comb from the side of the hair rather than from the front or center. 

Products that help with tangles

There are a few products on the market that make it easier to remove mats.

The first range of products is called detanglers. The job of a detangler is to make the hair slick and to remove static electricity so that matting does not occur so easily. Cowboy Magic is one such a product that works well.

Another range of products have a silicon base and they work on the same basis as the detanglers - just remember to let it dry completely before you work on the coat.

You can also use conditioner. For bigger areas use undiluted conditioner while diluted conditioner should works just fine for smaller areas.

If you have neglected your dog for too long (shame on you) and the mats are too big to remove, your best option may be to take your dog to the groomer for a good haircut and to start over.

There are of course way more to Shih Tzu Care than sorting out tangles. To learn more about Shih Tzu Grooming and to sign up for a ten day mini course visit http://www.shihtzuparadise.com

Guide to Removing Mats and Tangles From Your Dog

If you have a longhaired breed of dog you know the troubles that mats and tangles can cause. These balls of hair, if left knotted, can lead to ulcers on the skin, serious skin problems, as well as require a complete sheering of the coat to correct the problem. With a good grooming routine most mats and tangles will be stopped before they get problematic, but any dog can get matted or tangled hair after a day out in the woods or a swim in the lake.

There are several different ways to deal with mats and tangles that are relatively painless for your dog and fairly easy to do at home. The best ways to remove tangles are:

· Use a wide toothed comb or a pin brush to work from the outside of the tangle towards the dog's body. Work with very small amounts of hair rather than working on the whole knot or tangle at one time.

· Use a good quality detangler specially designed for dogs. There are many brands sold online or in pet stores that are safe and gentle for dog's hair and skin.

· Baby oil can also be used if you don't have a detangler solution available. Use only a very small amount and gently work through with the fingers. Do not use a circular motion as this may increase the amount of hair in the tangle rather than decrease it.

· Spraying a gentle coat of mink oil over the whole coat will prevent the coat from tangling up again after you have removed the knots.

· Often the mat is formed around a foreign object like a twig, burr or even a piece of a stick. Be careful not to catch this object with the comb as this will be very painful for the dog. If the object is very imbedded in the hair gently try to detangle it using your finger to keep as much hair intact as possible. Only as a last resort cut the patch hair, using the scissors so the blades are pointed away from the dog's body. Never cut into the dog as the possibility to damage the skin is simply too great, even with blunt ended scissors.

· Always check for mats in places such as the armpits of the dog on both the front and back legs, behind the legs, around the collar, behind the ears and on the "leggings" long hairs of the back legs.

· If the dog is becoming sensitive in one area allow the detangler to sit on the hair and move to another spot. Irritating the skin will only make the dog less cooperative.

Clean and well-conditioned, healthy hair is much easier to work with than dead or dry hair. A good grooming routine will help minimize tangles and mats and will keep your pet looking tiptop.

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