[BrookeB676]

We went away for the weekend and we had Mike's mom watch our 3. When I came home they had diarhea (she seems to think that the natural dry dog food we give them they dont like, even though they do love it, isnt goo enough so she gave them Caesar wet food and who knows what else), well maya also has these huge mats, You cant tell by looking at her but when you pet her I can feel them and they are driving me crazy. Her hair has gotten longer but I wasnt ready for her to be groomed just yet. If I take her to the groomer will I get back a completely shaved dog all the way to the skin. Also, does it hurt her when the groomer shaves them out? I trust our groomer, she is great, but Maya hates going to the groomer and wont speak to us for the rest of the day when she gets back. She has never had mats before so I dont want her to be in pain while the groomer shaves her

 

[gigimom]

Not to horn in on your post, but I'm having the same problem. I've read that at a certain age, their coat begins to change and its during this change that mats tend to occur. GiGi has a terrible mat on one side of her coat on the underneath layer. I am truly considering shaving down the underneath layer and keeping the top (there are no mats there). I pretty much had the same questions you were asking regarding if it would hurt her if I cut the mats out with clippers. I also was wondering if scissors would be better.

I'm not sure about you, but I brush them daily and bathe them once a week but at this stage, I'm loosing the battle against the mats.

 

[BrookeB676]

well its good to know that my little Maya isnt the only one

I see you have a yorkie as well! Dont they go great together!

Originally posted by gigimom@May 18 2005, 01:35 PM
Not to horn in on your post, but I'm having the same problem. I've read that at a certain age, their coat begins to change and its during this change that mats tend to occur. GiGi has a terrible mat on one side of her coat on the underneath layer. I am truly considering shaving down the underneath layer and keeping the top (there are no mats there). I pretty much had the same questions you were asking regarding if it would hurt her if I cut the mats out with clippers. I also was wondering if scissors would be better.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=63294

[/QUOTE]

 

[Sylphide and Shrek's Mom]

Sylphide got mats after her spay and we just couldn't control them. Her first shave down was done by the groomer, but now we groom and clip ourselves.

I find that if there are mats, clipping them out with scissors first really helps the clipping go easier and faster. We use grooming scissors with rounded tips. However, the right sized blade just zooms through everything. The clipping per se doesn't seem to bother Sylphide at all.

We haven't had mats ever since I started using the Bless the Beasts shampoo, detangler, and pomade, but we still keep her in a rather short cut because she seems to like it.

 

[Chelsey]

Hi ,
If you want to save the coat without shaving it off. I suggest using Bless the Beast detangeling shampoo.
It will help you remove the Mats at least so if you want to cut the coat down you can do so without shaving.

There is also an other product... Please look at the link below.
http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?...topic=3146&st=0

both products are listed there.

I resently cut Chelsey's coat down too ,as it was changing and matting a lot .
Her coat is fine now. She still has a mixed coat but it is at a length that is good, so no matts for now. We still use Bless the Beast. I'm sure she would have been shaved without it.

Oh , I also use the shampoo on both puppies. I started using it on chester first and it was great. Chester is the yorkie.

 

[puppylucy]

ugh matts are so yucky aren't they?

we have an excellent dematting tool that doesn't hurt lucy at all. it breaks up the matt so that you can comb it out. lucy doesn't seem to notice.

just wanted to let you know that there might be an alternative to shaving if you're willing to be patient

 

[charmypoo]

You should always try to comb out the mat before washing her. It will take a long time but try picking apart the mat from the ends and work towards her skin. You should probably do one mat ... rest a bit and try again later. It will likely take several hours. Or you can start over and cut out the mats. I don't think the shaver go through mats. They usually cut them off first and then even it out with shave.

 

[jmm]

Clipping them out won't hurt her. I agree with Charmypoo and I would probably demat her myself and then take her in for a puppy trim of a managable length. If you can't demat, clipping them out is the easiest.

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

Originally posted by puppylucy@May 18 2005, 05:32 PM
ugh matts are so yucky aren't they?

we have an excellent dematting tool that doesn't hurt lucy at all. it breaks up the matt so that you can comb it out. lucy doesn't seem to notice.

just wanted to let you know that there might be an alternative to shaving if you're willing to be patient

<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=63323

[/QUOTE]


I have one of the dematting tools that I use sometimes too. Brink usually only matts behind his ears and at the base of his tail...but it does work pretty well. I have also used the thinning shears to clip into the middle of the mat and this seems to help thin it out some, and then most of the time I can comb the rest out without having to cut a chunk of hair. It may not be the pro solution, but it works for us. I also use the petsilk liquid silk and soak it up really well before I comb them out. Good luck!

 

[jmm]

I use a small pair of shears and open them, insert one blade at the base of the mat, blade facing away from the dog, and bring it up through the mat. I separate the mat into several pieces and then use the last tooth of a greyhound comb to separate it out bit by bit. For small mats, just the comb is a enough. I spritz with a detangling spray first, too.

 

[BrookeB676]

Thanks guys! I made her a grooming appointment and we are bringing one of our yorkies with her, last time she went by herself she was SO angry at the other two when she camoe home and ignored them for the day!

Originally posted by JMM@May 20 2005, 06:03 PM
I use a small pair of shears and open them, insert one blade at the base of the mat, blade facing away from the dog, and bring it up through the mat. I separate the mat into several pieces and then use the last tooth of a greyhound comb to separate it out bit by bit. For small mats, just the comb is a enough. I spritz with a detangling spray first, too.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=63929

[/QUOTE]