Dematting Options/Preventions?

I prefer a product called a Mat Breaker (white with gray handle).  It has four smaller blades and cuts through mats and under coat really easily.  There is a spray on product called "The Stuff" that is really good to help shed dirt etc when used on clean coat and help break up mats prior to bathing and grooming.

I've got one of those and what I do is use that to thin the undercoat on the matting sections - behind the ears, under the tail, down the "fancy pants".  It looks more natural than scissoring out. 

Someday when I grow up and have money [8|] I want to get myself the correct tool for that, a Coat King or one of the knockoffs (I'm told by groomer friends that the Oster is great, all others not too great).  The "Furminator" is all the rage but I have yet to be convinced that it's worth the money, since it's more than the Coat King type product, which I've used and know it works.  My guys only get a full brushout once a month so I want something I know will do what I need it to.

The Stuff grooming spray rocks my socks off! (sorry, that's my expression when I really like something).
 
You really have to be careful with one of those long-bladed dematting tools because if the matt is too thick, or if you don't use it right, you can hurt yourself as well as the dog. I got a nice 1/2 deep cut from one of my dematting tools that I just had sharpened. I was line brushing a 50 pound "sheltie" and I cut myself.
 
We get goldens and shelties with matts right behind their ears and if it gets bad enough, the only thing that will take them out is a #10 blade. Worst case scenario I'm pretty sure you can take him to a groomer and just get those things shaved out. (around here it would cost maybe $5). Be careful cutting them out with scissors if they're bad, because the skin around that part of the head is very loose, and sometimes you can't tell where hair ends and skin begins.
 
When you get that place either de-matted or start fresh, I would prevent matts by using not only a slicker brush, but also a greyhound comb. It gets the stuff that the slicker brush may have missed. (I use it on Daisy's ears and tail)
 
As far as de-matting tools, I like ones that are a little less blade and more curve. I have one of these:
[link>http://tinyurl.com/qqvwm]http://tinyurl.com/qqvwm[/link]
It Works amazing for double coated breeds, and really gets out undercoat very easily.
 
 
 
 

That's one of the Coat King knockoffs - I hadn't heard any feedback on that one - I sure like the price!  Which one exactly would you use on a Border collie (normal coat, not the  fluffy sheltie coated ring strain)?

I've used one of those on a Saint Bernard's tail a while ago.  It worked pretty well, but as someone mentioned before, they are razor blades and it is very easy to cut yourself and your dog.  They do pull, but they don't hurt the dog too badly.  The best and easiest way to keep the fur from matting is daily brushing.  I don't think there's anything else that works quite as well.  There is detangling spray to loosen up the mats after they have formed.  I've never used it, so I don't know how well it works.

Mat breakers rock!  I also suggest buying some thinning shears for big mats.  That way, you can cut them out, but at only thinning the hair around it, so it looks more natural.
 
When a dog has a big mat, you take the thinning shears, cut beneath it 2-3 times, then comb it out.  It'll pull that mat out and prvent your dog from having a big hole wherever that fur was.
 
The mat breaker is great for pants, ear fringe, and tail areas, but watch out, because it strips too!

I like the Oster Coat King.

I just have a medium one, and it mostly works on everybody.

I am also sockless, due to the Stuff

Great ideas for getting rid of mats here but if you really want to stop mats use a comb not a brush. The only time a brush is used on my dogs' coats is two seconds before going into the show ring.
Most groomers, including myself, have dogs arriving with well brushed top coats and half inch plus thick mats at skin level. If only the owners would use a comb and comb through the dog's coat as they do their own hair

Owned Springers, Chows, Samoyed and long haired X ..... all were combed.

I don't comb my own hair lmao... I brush it. And I have a comb for my dogs, but apparently, it did not prevent the mats lol... I think I'll get one of those smaller mat breakers with the curved blades and see if those work....

Alright, it's been a few days, I went out and bought the smaller mat breaker with the grey handle, and I haven't had any mats to use it on, but Xeph is right about the thinning. It's very useful to thin out fuzz on Shippo's butt lmao...

Geeze, the lady at the checkout was accosting me about it like I was going to end up accidentally chopping my poor dog into pieces with it. >9.9< They must have a lot of morons go in there, buy those, and end up hurting their dogs with it because they don't know what they're doing... *sigh* I've never used one before today and I figured it out pretty fast without hurting my dog.