Sure. Clothes can cause mats, but so can a harness. There's no need to avoid clothing or harnesses. You just need a good metal comb with wide teeth at one end and narrow teeth at the other. After you brush your puppy, you should take the comb and see if you run into any mats. You can't always see them. You can work them out by holding the hair close to the root so it doesn't pull. Good luck. Welcom to YT. I hope you'll like it here.