It's really hard to keep a cottony soft coated dog in a longer coat...they mat very easily. If you keep their hair longer, they need to be brushed @ least once or twice a day, but there still will be tangles. If these little tangles are not worked out b4 a bath, the water will shrink the tangle & then they will become a tighter tangled mass. If this is not resolved & the dog continues to be bathed & not brushed, it will then get tighter & form a tight mass of matts close to the skin. Ultimately, they need to be shaved down. The owner needs to decide, keep them in a puppy/shorter cut or devote their time in grooming/brushing & caring for their hair.
Ok, w/that said, using a very good conditioning shampoo & a heavy conditioner once a week is imperative. Keeping the conditioner on them for at least 5 mins is best before completely rinsing it out. I wrap mine in a warmed towel, bc they will shiver & get cold. It should help keep them soft & fluffy for days. Daily brushing w/the Madan brush & comb along w/a good detangling/conditioning spray keeps the mats away!
Thanks Terri for linking my site!
