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Although the Havanese breed has a stunning coat, especially if their hair is kept long, their coat can be difficult to keep free of tangles and mats. With the help of using a detangling dog spray and a brush or comb, you may be able to remove small mats from your dog’s coat. Sometimes, larger mats could develop, leaving you little choice to either cut them out or take your dog for a trip to the groomer.

How To Keep Havanese Hair From Matting

Keeping your Havanese well-groomed is by far the most important step you can take for controlling your dog’s hair. Regular bathing, brushing and combing will help to prevent your Havanese’s hair from matting. Keeping on top of the old hair and dander in the coat is the best way for owners to prevent mats from forming. Using a brush, comb, mat remover or grooming glove for a few minutes every day will help collect any dead hair that you can throw away instead of finding it all over the house.

How Your Dogs Hair Gets Matted

When mats occur on your Havanese, their hair will get tangled and form knots. As the tangles continue to grow, the mats just get larger and larger. While some mats are visible, others will form close to the skin and can easily go undetected. Friction is a common cause of mats, i.e., where your dog’s collar will rub against the fur of the neck or on areas where the dog scratches or sits on. Mats will also form around burs or other debris that’s stuck in your dog’s coat.

If your Havanese goes for a swim or their coat gets wet, mats are far more likely to form if you don’t brush regularly. Mats themselves can become very uncomfortable, even painful for your dog, as they can pull on the dog’s skin. They can also damage and irritate the skin as dirt and moisture gets trapped in matted hair. This can even affect your dog’s blood circulation. A Havanese could even develop hot spots and infections on their skin.

Brushing Out Matted Hair

If you find some small mats on your Havanese’s coat, you may be able to brush them out on your own with a little time and patience. However, this process may be painful for your Havanese, so make sure to go slow and gentle. Some common places where you will find matted hair include around your dog’s collar, behind the ears, and in the armpits.

Start by using your fingers to try and break apart the mat. Use a brush or comb to gently work out any tangles. Hold on to the base of the mat (close to the skin) when you are brushing. This should help to minimize the hair-pulling. Using a detangling spray for dogs is useful for helping to loosen knots.

Using Cornstarch

If you don’t have a detangler spray, then a useful alternative would be to use cornstarch for the matted dog hair. Sprinkle some cornstarch on the matted area, then use your fingers to work the cornstarch into the matted fur, breaking apart the mat.

Try not to force this process, as using too much force when dematting could damage your dog’s coat or injure their skin. If the process is too painful for your dog, then you may want to consider cutting out the mats or taking them to the vet or groomer to have mats removed under sedation if necessary.

Cutting Out Matted Hair

Cutting out or shaving out larger mats will be a lot faster and less painful for your Havanese, resulting in a better experience for the dog. If you discover any hot spots or other skin conditions after clipping your Havanese, then you should consult your veterinarian or groomer to help treat the condition.

There is always a danger of cutting your dog with clippers or scissors, especially if your dog won’t stop moving around. Getting someone to help you hold your Havanese during this process will help. If you’re still struggling to cut the mats out, then don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with your local groomer to avoid injuring your dog.

Safe Ways To Remove Mats From Your Dog

Removing hair mats is can be fraught with potential complications. As mats are often firmly attached to the dog’s skin, you need to be extremely careful not to cut the skin when cutting off the mat.

Before cutting, try brushing and combing as much hair as possible. Many small mats are easier to remove with a thorough brushing. If larger mats remain, try to make them smaller by brushing the hair near the mat. Once you’re sure that the mat can only be removed by cutting the hair, only then should you reach for the scissors.

Although clippers are the safest and best way to remove matted hair, most people do not own clippers and need to make do with scissors. If this is the same for you, be very careful.

The Comb Method

If you have one, take a fine-tooth comb and slide it between the mat and the skin. This will help to prevent the skin from getting nicked. If you don’t have a fine-tooth comb, or your fine-tooth comb isn’t working, then any comb will do.

Once you have the comb under the mat, start to cut the hair between the mat and the comb.

Scissor Debulking Method

If you can’t get the comb between the skin and mat, open the scissors, carefully placing one blade through the base of the mat.

Then cut up and away from the dog’s skin. Never cut towards the skin.

When cutting the mat upwards, this should allow you to divide the mat, allowing you to comb the rest of the mat away.

Scissor Removal Method

The safest way to trim the hair is with scissors, which also happens to be the slowest and most tedious.

Begin by placing one blade of the open scissors through a thin layer of hair close to the base of the mat. Make sure you can see the scissor blade. Slowly and carefully start to cut the hair, making sure there’s no skin involved. Continue doing this until the mat is fully removed. Always make sure that you can see the scissor blade through the dog’s hair.

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