[Napathedoodle]

So, I THOUGHT I was doing a great job getting the matts out of Napa. Well last night I took advantage of his passed out doggie daycare self and brushed him again, and this time after I was done, I TRIED to use the matting brush we bought..... HIS MATTS ARE HORRIBLE! I feel terrible. I don't even know where to begin or how to go about getting them all out? Is there a tool out there that I can run through his entire coat that won't damage the long non-matted hairs, and attack the matted bunch? Or do you think I should just give it up and let the groomer do whatever she feels is necessary on June 10th? I really appreciated the advice in my other post! But now I need the "big guns"!!!

Thanks!

 

[DaDoodle]

UGH! I am having the same problem! I brush Bailey at least three times a week....he loves it and I love the quiet time with him. I thought I was doing a terfic job until my husband started rubbing underneath his collar and all around his neck. It is like one giant matt all around! I felt awful!!

He has a grooming appointment on the 6th and I am afraid my only option is going to be to have him shaved. Going forward I will pay MUCH closer attention!

Good luck with Napa!! ( The one good thing is that we can start with soft, velvety new hair!!!)

 

[Napathedoodle]

Yea, I know. I can't wait until he's cut back. I'm seriously not a big fan of him long.... I like to be able to run my fingers through his coat.

But Napa's front leg is very deformed looking without him being cut down.... So, I was hoping to keep SOME length on him and possibly letting his legs be slightly longer than his body, to minimize the look of the poor front legs.... so I'd really like to save his coat!

 

[DebBrown]

Honestly, if there is alot of matting, it is probably kinder to your doodle to get it cut short. Now that you know about the problem, you can do a better job of keeping the mats at bay. But trying to brush out a big mat problem can be tedious and uncomfortable.

Charlie never had a matting problem until lately. The belly hair was constantly getting matted so I grabbed a pair of scissors and just cut it down short. He's getting a 1/2 cut in another week anyway.

I'm going to buy a better brush!

Deb

 

[MaxandMe]

Kristen.....i am with Vanessa: DO IT! cut Napa down short

Peanut my GD with nice fleece, matted horribly just recently. I did everything I could and ended up with new groomer who understood Peanut needed grooming asap.

We decided a 1/2 in cut would do the trick., though i let the groomer have the final say if it needed to go shorter..they worked on Peanut from 1:30pm till 5pm :shock:
know what? I learned a lesson as peanut's adult coat changed a bit, thus matted severely. Had i waited any longer she would have been shaved shorter as the matts were down to the skin.

POINT: just get it done. I could care less how Peanut looked, i cared more about geting rid of the bad matts.
2 weeks later her coat is already filling back in and she's fluffy again

 

[Napathedoodle]

Ok..... I'm going to go buy one of those long combs to get down to the skin to see exactly how matted he is.... I figure he's alright to be brushed tonight thoughly after what he did today.... see other post...

 

[csphelm]

Dewey went through the same thing- I tried and tried to get the mats out but eventually gave up because all the pulling was making him so unhappy, and he just got a very short haircut...I did learn from the groomer though that a rolled leather collar will prevent the mats around his neck- we got one, and voila, no more mats! on the less tough mats, I've tried rubbing cowboy magic in and steadily working them out with a fine toothed comb, but that is a slow process and takes a patient doodle- and that's not dewey's specialty!

 

[annieG]

I think having him buzzed short and starting over is the kinder way to go...just my opinion :roll:

 

[Diane at DVL]

Yuck! I hate mats!

I love the longer hair - but it does come at a price ! I've found a way to get through them that has been working pretty well for me.... using a pair of sharp scissors, open them up and holding the long blade parallel to the skin (sharp side up), slide the point through the mat as close to the skin as possible being very careful not to nick the pup. Then pull up on the scissors to make vertical cuts through the mat (I have found this to be more effective than just making vertical cuts down towards the skin and safer too). Do this many times through the same mat and then brush it out. It doesn't leave any gaping divots in the coat and my doodles don't complain (too much). Every once in a while there is a little chunk that just needs to be cut out but it is a lot better than cutting out the whole thing! Good luck

 

[lmtoth2]

Honestly...I'd buzz him. It will be rough getting those matts out (on both you and him)...we realized this past week Dex has some serious head matts...we are contemplating a full shave