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Knots

Learn everything you need to know about poodle's knots.


Hair becomes twisted if you provide a wrong grooming. It concerns brushing. If your pet has already knots, they become bigger and bigger involving more and more hair. This article tells you how to brush correctly and if there is such a problem how to untangle hair. You know, forming knots on the poodle’s coat is contagious: if you have one knot, the other appears very soon. It often happens that the only way to get rid of these troubles is to cut the fur off. Needless to say, an examination of this issue is quite useful.

The reason of knotted coat

What is the point in buying a proper equipment for brushing if you do not know how to use it correctly? You know, patting the top coat with the brush does not work. In this case, you leave the dead hair mixed with those which ‘still alive’ and, as a result, you have a lot of knots closely near your pet’s skin.

Relax, proper brushing causes mats as well

Have you ever heard of ‘tangles stages’? It is a period during which knots are caused in any way despite proper combing. Why does it happen?

  • A lot of rain and high humidity
  • A snowy weather
  • Being wet without combing and drying as required

sad poodles eyes

The period when the poodle changes its coat means the age of transition from puppy to grown-up. The poodle has too sparse fur ending, while the coat itself is thick. Thick hair substitutes thin puppy using the same follicle. While new hair grows, it is slightly mixed up with the previous puppy coat which is so soft and tender. This is the way knots form. And it is not your fault. Though you can make this situation easier brushing it every day not to let huge mat formation.

Places good for knotting:

  • The neck
  • The shoulders
  • Behind the ears
  • In the armpits
  • Under the front legs
  • Between the hind limbs

Changing coat drives crazy the owners who have the show poodles as this period is important to make a decision whether your poodle is really born in this or this is only a hobby for your pet. By the way, the majority of owners simply gives up and explain this by difficulties which show coat cause.

A mat structure

If you can cope with twisted hair, it would be great to know what the mat consists of. To start with, the hair consists of the root which is deep in the skin and the stem which we actually can see and touch.

The poodle’s hair consists of three layers

  • The cuticle is outer
  • The cortex, middle
  • The medulla, inner

The cuticle consists of a firm, smooth scale similar to what fish or roof has. The scales remind teeth which move in the direction of hair growth. If you comb the hair properly, you see that the scales lie smoothly and is shining. Nevertheless, they decoy dirt and dust. The uneven, raised and extremely dry scale means that the owners do not take proper care of the poodle’s hair. Hair dryness and unevenness cause tangles as easy as pie. Do not ignore the little knot because tomorrow you will have more troubles. This is the problem you are to solve.

Hair electrifying

Have you ever met the problem with fluffy fly-away hair ends? So, knotted hair is on the horizon. This is because of static electricity accumulates on the cuticles and makes hair negatively charged. In addition, thin hair is prone to be matted more often than thick.