Matted hair isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Left alone, tight mats pull constantly on the skin and, in severe cases, can restrict blood flow enough to cause a hematoma, a painful pocket of trapped blood under the skin. The ears take the worst of it, because the skin there is thin and its blood vessels are fragile. That, more than a tidy-looking coat, is why regular dematting matters.
A detangler spray only loosens knots and mats — you still need a dematting tool to clear them out.
Editor’s Pick
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
A dual-sided rake with 9 teeth for cutting through mats and 17 for thinning and shedding, priced below most rakes that cover both jobs. The cutting edges face inward, and the rounded outer ends slide past skin without catching it.
- TypeRake, dual-sided
- Teeth9 and 17
- Best ForMedium to large breeds, everyday use
What’s Inside!
How to Choose the Right Dematting Comb
The right tool depends more on your dog’s coat than on brand:
Short-haired breeds (Dobermans, Labs, pugs) rarely mat and do well with a soft bristle brush 2-3 times a week — spreading natural oils matters more than dematting for these coats.
Long-haired breeds (Yorkies, Maltese, Silky Terriers) need a fine-toothed or slicker comb, 2-4 times weekly. Double-coated long breeds like Chow Chows and Great Pyrenees do better with a wide-tooth slicker comb.
Curly-haired breeds (Poodles, Bichon Frises) mat easily enough that a comb alone often isn’t sufficient — pair it with a detangler spray, and reach for a rake with sharp teeth for already-matted coats. These breeds may need daily grooming to prevent matting.
Thick-undercoat breeds (Malamutes, German Shepherds) need a rake built to pull dead undercoat and loose hair, not just a surface comb.
How to Use a Dematting Comb
- Apply detangler spray generously and let it sit briefly to loosen the mat before combing — see our dematting spray guide for picks.
- Hold the base of the mat firmly (this protects the skin from pulling) and work the comb from the loose edge toward the tightest part.
- If the rake’s teeth can’t cut through cleanly, split the mat into smaller vertical sections and work each piece separately rather than forcing it.
- For mats too severe to comb out safely, trim with blunt-tip scissors or clippers rather than pulling — never attempt to cut a mat with sharp-tipped scissors close to skin.
Severe matting can injure a dog, and the ears are where it most often occurs. Dogster’s vet-reviewed guidance describes how a dense mat pinches the skin, cuts off blood flow, and can leave behind a hematoma. If mats are tightly twisted or sit right against the skin, book a professional groomer instead of working them out yourself.
Dematting Comb Comparison Table
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Dematting Comb Reviews, by Type
1. Pat Your Pet (Best Overall)
Best Overall
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeRake, dual-sided
- Teeth9 and 17
- Best ForMedium to large breeds, everyday use
One tool covers two jobs: 9 sharp teeth on one side cut through stubborn mats, and 17 on the other thin the coat and pull out shed hair. Each tooth’s cutting edge faces inward, with a rounded outer end that slides over skin without catching it.
The teeth are stainless steel, so rust isn’t a concern, and it sells for less than most other dual-sided rakes.
On Chewy’s listing for the same rake, owners rate it 4.6 out of 5 based on roughly 200 reviews; several describe opening a mat with the 9-tooth side, then finishing the area with the 17-tooth side.
The head is wide, and that sizing favors medium and large dogs — a Chewy reviewer grooming a Pomeranian found it too big for the job. A toy breed does better with a smaller tool.
Pros
- Dual-function — mat-cutting and deshedding in one tool
- Costs less than most dual-sided rakes
- Rust-resistant stainless steel
Cons
- Head runs too wide for toy breeds
2. Mars Coat King (Most Durable)
Most Durable
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeRake, blade stripper
- Blades16 (multiple blade-count options available)
- Best ForHeavy coats, professional-grade durability
Mars makes the Coat King in Germany, with hardened, rust-free steel blades set into an FSC-certified Bubinga wood handle. It works by stripping: hooked blades catch undercoat and pull it free as you draw the tool through the coat. Mars says the blades remove only dead hair — the company’s own claim.
Blade counts run from 10 to 26 in the standard body, with wide versions up to 30 blades for larger dogs. Fewer blades means wider spacing for coarse, dense coats; more blades means a finer tool for silky ones. You match the tool to the coat at purchase, since the blade set is fixed.
Its job is narrower than the word “dematting” suggests. The same guide says to use it on a clean, dry, brushed-through coat and to keep it away from ears, face, and skin folds — so this is the tool for thinning a heavy coat every week before mats form, not for hacking through a coat that has already matted. Wire-coated show dogs are still better hand-stripped.
Chewy owners score it 4.9 out of 5, though from a small pool of reviews; the one performance complaint there is weak results on chest and leg hair, and one owner called it twice the price of an Andis rake. For a truly heavy coat groomed often, the wood-and-steel build is what you’re paying for.
Pros
- Made in Germany — hardened steel blades, hardwood handle
- Multiple blade-count options to match coat density
- Built for heavy, repeated use
Cons
- Pricier than plastic-handled competitors
- Needs a brushed-out coat first — not for set mats
- Owners report weak results on chest and leg hair
3. FURminator (Best Adjustable)
Best Adjustable
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeRake, rotating teeth
- Best ForDense undercoats, mat prevention
The teeth on this rake rotate — each one turns independently as it moves through the coat, so the rake follows the grain of dense fur where fixed teeth would snag. That design is aimed at undercoat: it pulls loose hair and clears tangles before they tighten into mats.
One naming note, because FURminator sells several rakes: this is the fixed-head Grooming Rake. The brand’s extendable-tooth model is a separate product, sold as the Adjustable deMatter.
Chewy owners put the Grooming Rake at 4.7 out of 5 across more than 800 reviews, most of them on double-coated breeds — Goldens, German Shepherds, Labs. The caution that recurs in those reviews: the teeth are long, and pressing down hard can scratch the skin, so use light pressure and make more passes.
There are no cutting blades on it. A mat that has already tightened calls for the Pat Your Pet or the Safari; this one earns its place by keeping a thick coat from getting there.
Pros
- Rotating teeth move through dense undercoat without snagging
- 4.7 of 5 across 800+ Chewy owner reviews
- Gentle enough for frequent grooming sessions
Cons
- No blades — won’t clear a mat that has already set
- Long teeth can scratch skin if pressed hard
4. Andis (Best Steel Comb)
Best Steel Comb
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeComb, dual-density teeth
- Size7.5″
- Best ForFinishing, fluffing, light dematting
The one comb on a list of rakes. Half the teeth are coarse and wide-set for working through tangles; the other half are fine and close-set for fluffing and finishing. Run the coarse end through first and follow with the fine end — if the fine teeth stop, the tangle isn’t out yet.
It’s lightweight, all steel, with nothing to adjust or flip. Beyond dematting, Andis pitches it as an everyday grooming comb — the company says combing stimulates the skin and hair follicles, and that it’s gentle enough to settle a puppy into being handled.
Short, straight teeth can only do so much against a dense, twisted mat — a rake or the Safari’s blades clear those faster. This comb’s territory is light tangles, finishing work, and dogs that never mat badly in the first place.
Pros
- Comb format — different from every rake on this list
- Doubles as a finishing/fluffing tool, not just dematting
- Lightweight, all steel, no moving parts
Cons
- Slower than a rake on severe, twisted mats
5. Safari (Best for Long Coats)
Best for Long Coats
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeComb, serrated blades
- Best ForCoarse or long, heavily matted coats
Straight comb teeth snag on a set mat; the Safari’s row of curved, finely serrated stainless blades cuts through it instead. Coastal Pet’s directions say to start at a mat’s outer edge and break it apart working inward, and the blade row is angled to stay off the skin while it cuts.
The blades reverse for left-handed grooming, and their tips are rounded so the sharpened edges never point at the dog.
Chewy owners rate it 4.6 out of 5 across nearly 700 reviews, and many describe it going through mats that stalled every other tool they tried. The same reviews are honest about the cost of a cutting tool: hair comes out with the mat, so the coat can look choppy where you’ve worked, and the blades can’t be replaced once they dull.
Coarse, long coats that mat hard are where it belongs. For routine upkeep on a lightly tangled coat, the blades are overkill — that job belongs to the Andis or a rake.
Pros
- Serrated blades cut mats a straight-tooth comb can’t
- Reversible for left- or right-handed use
- 4.6 of 5 across nearly 700 Chewy owner reviews
Cons
- More aggressive than needed for light, routine maintenance
- Cuts hair out with the mat, leaving uneven patches
- Blades are not replaceable once they dull
6. Docrok (Best Value Combo Tool)
Best Value Combo Tool
Last update on 2026-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- TypeDeshedding brush + metal comb combo
- Best ForBudget-conscious buyers wanting two tools in one
Two tools in the box: a dual-sided undercoat rake — the same 9-and-17-tooth layout as the Pat Your Pet — plus a separate 7.5-inch steel comb with wide and fine sections, close to the Andis format. For less than most single rakes here, the rake handles mats and shedding while the comb stays clean for finishing.
Both handles are wrapped in TPR rubber, so the grip stays put through a long session, and the tooth tips are rounded to keep the metal off the skin.
Docrok is a young brand without the record of Andis or Mars, and no independent outlet has tested it. The one blog reviewer who worked with it found the rake did little on short-haired breeds like pugs and beagles. This is a kit for medium-to-long coats with undercoat.
Pros
- Rake and comb in one purchase — one for mats, one for finishing
- TPR rubber grips, rounded tooth tips
- Low price for two tools
Cons
- Young brand with no independent test record
- Little use on short-haired breeds
Which Dematting Comb Should You Buy?
| Situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| Not sure where to start | Pat Your Pet |
| Thick coat groomed often, want maximum durability | Mars Coat King |
| Dense double coat, mat prevention | FURminator |
| Want a comb instead of a rake | Andis |
| Long or coarse coat, tough mats | Safari |
| Want two distinct tools at a low price | Docrok |
Matted Dog Hair FAQ
Is matted hair painful for dogs?
Yes. Mats pull constantly on the skin, and in severe cases can restrict blood flow enough to cause a hematoma — most often on the ears, where skin is thinnest and blood vessels most fragile. Matting also traps moisture and dirt against the skin, creating conditions for infection.
Should I shave my dog if the mats are severe?
If mats are extensive and tightly twisted, shaving may be the only safe option, and a professional groomer is worth the cost over DIY removal. Be aware that shaving a double-coated breed carries its own risks — increased sunburn and overheating risk, since the coat provides insulation and UV protection.
Can I just cut the mats out myself with scissors?
Not with sharp-tipped scissors close to the skin — mats sit closer to the body than they appear, and it’s easy to cut skin accidentally. If a mat needs to be cut rather than combed out, use blunt-tip scissors or clippers, or see a professional groomer for anything severe.
What dog breeds shouldn’t be shaved?
Double-coated breeds — Golden Retrievers, Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, Newfoundlands, Shelties, and Bernese Mountain Dogs among them — generally shouldn’t be shaved. Their coat provides insulation and sun protection that shaving removes, and the undercoat doesn’t always regrow evenly afterward.
Final Thoughts
Match the tool to your dog’s coat — a comb for light maintenance, a rake for real mats, and a serrated blade for coarse, long, heavily-matted fur. Whatever you pick, work with a detangler spray rather than a dry coat. And leave a severely matted, twisted section to a groomer; their fee costs less than treating a cut or a hematoma.
Pat Your Pet tool is already cost-effective and I have got even a better deal with a discount. It’s by far the best comb with the rake at an affordable price, I like it, it’s very good for my german shepherd.
continue with the the nice work on the site. Do like it! :p Could use some more frequent updates, but im sure that you got better or other things to do like we all have to do unfortunately.