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04-25-2012, 01:25 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Emmaus, PA, USA
Posts: 17
| Is his coat soft or silky? How can I tell? My pup is 7 months old and has a bunch of mats in his hair. I keep working at them, but they are tough to remove! He gets them under his arms, behind his ears, and on his sides, just where his belly starts. Why there? Those are the places that are harder for me to get at while brushing! It seems that you need three hands to brush. One to hold the Yorkie, and two for the comb, so you can hold the hair in one hand and comb with the other. I only have two hands! So, mats keep forming. I've found that it is easiest to brush/comb him first thing in the morning while he is asleep. That gives me a minute or two before he really wakes up. But, I'm not getting to all the areas that need attention. Are my mat issues because his hair is soft instead of silky? Or, is it like this because he is still a puppy? What is a puppy coat and what is an adult coat? Are they really different? He does need a haircut, but I haven't been able to find any recommendations for groomers in my area. I don't know anyone else with a Yorkie. How do I find a good groomer? Any help would be appreciated! |
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04-25-2012, 05:23 PM | #2 |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| Cotton coats tend to tangle easier than silky coats, but that doesn't mean silky coats can't tangle. You may be dealing with puppy coat. Individual yorkies develop their coats at different rates. Max's was gone very early, whereas Teddy's coat took almost 2 years to become fully silky. Grooming when your pup is tired is a very good plan. Keep working with him every day to accept grooming. I find it easier to put the dog on a counter, and I body block the dog and I am always prepared to stop any attempt to jump. Safety first! Make grooming a positive experience: talk to him, praise him. Be patient and confident. If you are anxious, he will sense that and really want to get away. Keep coaxing him to stand in place and allow you to work. I know what you mean about 3 hands, maybe 4 hands. That would be nice! I have learned how to use my hand to hold the section of hair and steady the dog a bit while I use the other to comb or brush. To reach those difficult spots takes a little practice. For the chest and armpits, I have my guys sit and I do as much from the front as possible. Then I have them stand and I get the back of the armpits and the undercarriage. I have found that the best defense against tangles is to keep my boys as clean as possible and to use a good conditioner. When there is a tangle to be undone, I like to use the tail of a rat tail comb first (Mimimomo, Jenny, sells the Madan comb at her site toplinepet.com) to carefully break it up and follow up with a comb that has medium and then closely set teeth. If the tangles are really bad, I would recommend shaving or cutting them off and starting over (be very careful with scissors, work in bright light, and put your fingers between the scissors and skin to avoid a cut). Finding a good groomer is a difficult quest. That is why I do all of my grooming at home myself. Hope this helps.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy |
04-25-2012, 05:28 PM | #3 | |
Donating YT 500 Club Member | Quote:
You can try a little corn starch rubbed into a mat, it makes the hair slippery and mats will work easier. You're most likely dealing with a puppy coat which will mat daily even with combing/brushing. Have patience, use lots of encouragement while grooming and before you know it, this stage will pass.
__________________ ~Ruby, Reno, Razz, & Jack~ | |
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