He is still adorable with his new haircut, but I'm sorry you were forced to have him shaved if you really didn't want to.
I have a dematting comb that works very well to loosen mats so you can comb them out, and it doesn't hurt them. I have to use it on Meika once in a while. Here it is:
Amazon.com: Safari De-Matting Comb for Dogs: Pet...