I Cut Fenway...and a question

[elizabethann]

I feel so awful. Last night I noticed Fenway had some knots so I took my cuticle scizzors and cut some of the knots out. I went to cut one out, when I cut his skin! He screeched!! I looked at it and it appears I didn't puncture the skin, but there is a small scratch/cut so I put some antiseptic on it and hugged him and apologized over and over. I felt so bad I almost cried.

I still feel awful about it. I have to go and buy him a toy or something.

What does everybody use to cut their dogs hair (for knots)? Please let me know (especially people who have terrier type dogs). I need something gentle. Please help.

Thanks.

[wolf_Q]

Ouch! I've seen a few dogs with cuts like that at my work when people tried to use scissors. It's really easy to get the skin instead of the matt. I always use clippers to shave matts out if they are really close to the skin...maybe you could get one of those small pairs of clippers? (something like this http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.as...t=clipper&cp=3 )

[caseysmom]

I use an electric razor on bubba's occasional knot. I guess you could also buy baby scissors.

[Jessika]

They sell dematting rakes at Petsmart and PetCo for around $10, give or take, and are made specifically for this reason! I've always heard people advise against trying to cut away mats with scissors for that exact reason -- sometimes the fur will mat so tight and so close to the skin that it is impossible to cut without cutting skin as well since the skin gets pulled up into the mat sometimes. So that's what dematting rakes are for

[ParNone]

I've a Cairn Terrier and I've never had a problem with his hair matting tight to the skin. A big advantage of that wirey Terrier coat. So I use just a regular pair of scissors and just make sure my finger is between the mat and the scissors. That way, if anything gets nicked with the scissors, it's me not him.

I prefer doing this vs trying to brush or rake out any lil' mats he gets, because his skin is a lil' sensitive to any kind of tugging.

Par...