Let me introduce you to Jasper. He’s a fluffy, curly-coated boy whose owner brushes him every few days, and on top he looks fantastic.

Then I lift his harness. Underneath, a tight, felted mat runs right around his chest. There are more tucked behind both ears and in his armpits. The brush has been gliding over the top of his coat and never reaching the skin.

Jasper isn’t one dog. I meet a Jasper most days at the salon. His owner is always upset, and I completely understand, because she’s been putting in the effort. Nobody showed her where mats hide or how to brush all the way down.

I’m Emily Myatt, owner and International Master Groomer at Animal Magic. This is the routine I wish every owner had before that moment.

Why mats form and where they hide

A mat starts as a few loose hairs tangling with the coat still attached to your dog. Friction, moisture and movement twist those hairs tighter. Within days, a small knot can become a dense patch sitting flat against the skin.

Mats aren’t just about looks. They pull on the skin every time your dog moves, trap moisture and dirt, and can hide skin irritation underneath.

They form wherever there’s rubbing or movement, so check these spots every time:

Behind and under the ears
Under the harness and collar (take the harness off at home)
Armpits, chest and belly
The back of the back legs and around the bottom
The tail, feet and between the toes

Short on time? Skip brushing the whole dog and just comb check these areas.

Line brushing: how to reach the skin

Line brushing is how groomers brush. It gets right down to the skin instead of skimming the surface. You’ll need a slicker brush and a metal comb with wide and narrow teeth. A conditioning spray is optional but helps reduce breakage.

Start low, at a back leg or the lower body.
Make a part. With your free hand, hold the coat up so you can see a thin line of skin.
Brush the section below the part with short, gentle strokes down and away from the skin.
Let down a thin new layer and brush that section.
Keep working upwards until the area is done, then move on.

Keep the pressure light. Pressing a slicker hard into the skin causes brush burn, a red, sore patch that makes dogs dread brushing. Let the pins do the work.

Short, regular sessions beat one long battle. For curly or long coats, a few minutes most days is a good general rule. Ask us at your next visit and we’ll suggest a routine and a brush that suit your dog’s coat.

The comb check

This is the step most owners skip, and it’s the one that tells you the truth.

Once you’ve brushed an area, run your metal comb through it from the skin outwards. If it glides all the way through, you’re done. If it catches, you’ve missed a tangle.

When the comb snags, stop. Don’t drag it through. Hold the hair between the knot and the skin so you’re not pulling on your dog, then gently tease the tangle apart with the end of the comb or your fingers and brush it out.

Please never cut a mat out with scissors. Mats sit tight against the skin, and it’s very easy to cut your dog by accident. If a knot won’t come apart gently, leave it for us.

Gold Coast coats: beach, humidity and bath time

Living near the beach and canals is wonderful for dogs, but it’s hard on coats. Salt water and sand dry into the coat and tangle it fast, and humid days mean coats take longer to dry. After a swim, rinse your dog in fresh water, dry them thoroughly, and brush once they’re dry.

Bath time catches a lot of owners out. Water tightens existing tangles, so bathing a dog with knots can turn them into solid mats. Always brush and comb out fully first, then dry your dog completely. A thick coat left damp is one of the quickest ways to start new mats.

If drying a heavy coat at home is a struggle, our dog washing service between full grooms includes a proper blow-dry, so the coat doesn’t matt underneath.

When to call us, and why we sometimes clip short

Home care is about staying on top of the coat, not rescuing one that’s already badly matted. Get in touch if the comb won’t go through an area at all, a mat feels like one solid piece against the skin, your dog is sore or pulling away, or you notice redness, a smell or broken skin.

When a coat is heavily matted, brushing it out means a long, uncomfortable session with constant pulling on the skin. In those cases, we’ll talk with you about clipping short instead, because your dog’s comfort comes first. The good news is that coat grows back, and with a simple routine at home, the next groom can be about style again.

This week, try one line-brushing session and comb check Jasper’s hiding spots on your own dog. If you’d like a hand, ask me or the team at your next appointment and we’ll show you the technique on your dog. When you’re ready, you can book your next groom online.

— Emily