Mats/Hair falling out in chunks... Normal? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 02:00 AM

My four month old Yorkie gets really matted on her legs and neck, the two places she doesn't like me to brush. The past couple weeks she has been itching a TON. She will stop playing, running, etc just to itch. Then I find chunks of hair - usually one end is matted - on the floor. Is this normal, or could she have a skin condition?

MollysMum54 · 02-03-2009, 02:14 AM

Molly wouldnt let me brush her when i first adopted her, so she ended up with lots of matts. They tend to get tighter and tighter as they get worse, and its probably that which irritates her.
It can be especially bad when you bath a dog with matts, because they tighten up and pull so it becomes very painful. i had to keep mollys fur really short untill she learned to trust me and allowed me to brush her.
I have to make sure i brush and comb her everyday and she will never be able to have very long fur as its fluffy and matts very quickly.
Could you get your pups legs trimmed really short for now? (i do mollys when she has had a long walk and is sleepy and rested). I used give her little treats as i groomed her but now she lets me do it without any rewards.
Good luck.

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 02:23 AM

Thank you, MollysMum! I had no idea that matts tighten up after a bath, but it makes sense. I was wondering if Meg was allergic (?) to the shampoo I was using on her. I just got her grooomed and they ended up having to cut quite a few of the matts out, but I just felt her legs and they are coming back already. Maybe I will go back and have them cut her shorter.

So... if she matts easily, does that mean she has a cottony coat? She is really soft and silky, but has pretty fluffy and poofy fur. I always read posts where "cottony coats" are mentioned, but I have no idea what that actually is.

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 02:27 AM

And what is the best type of brush to use?

chachi · 02-03-2009, 02:40 AM

I agree it is irritating her where the matts are. I use a Metal comb and a pin brush

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 03:03 AM

Hello again, Chachi! I just saw that you wrote back to both of my posts. Thanks!

I have been using a pin brush on her. How would I use a metal comb?

chachi · 02-03-2009, 03:08 AM

The metal comb is what I use most. Just glide it through the hair. If the hair is too matted you might also get a dematting comb. It has blades on it and wwwill cut through the matt. Google dematting comb and you will find one thats how I got mine

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 03:16 AM

Thanks~

MollysMum54 · 02-03-2009, 04:34 AM

I have a special comb for matts...the pins spin round, and it works really well. i got mine from ebay.

mk97 · 02-03-2009, 05:04 AM

Bamboo Rotating Medium/Coarse Tooth Comb - Grooming - Dog - PetSmart

I use this comb on my yorkies, I start at the back and work my way front. My older girl will lay on her back in my lap and let me comb her--she sometimes gets wiggly and mad, but I know that the alternative is severe matting that will be more painful to comb out later. BTW, mine is a cotton coat-I comb her daily or sometimes every other day. Good luck.

desaree · 02-03-2009, 05:06 AM

I have the same problem with Daisy. She will not let me brush her neck or belly. I shaved her belly over the weekend, but I just can’t shave her neck. When I brush her she will cry and act like im trying to kill her, but when I take her for her shots she's fine. At first I thought I was hurting her, but when I took her to the groomer and saw how rough they were I knew there was no way I could be hurting her. I also have a metal tooth comb and pin brush. Ill give her treats while im brushing her and once Im finished. But she's not even close to letting me do it without putting up a fight. I just don’t know what to do.

So I know what you’re going through, here’s to hoping our babies will grow out of it!

Nikitta34 · 02-03-2009, 05:25 AM

Yes, here's to hoping! I'm about to try to brush Meg.... wish me luck!

desaree · 02-03-2009, 06:21 AM

Good Luck!!!!

jennzy · 02-03-2009, 07:50 AM

when mickeyw as a lil lad, his hair used to get matted and avoided the brush...
(wonders if he hates me cuz i used to brush his hair) anyways, every time i brushed his hair, i'd get chunks of the matted knots.. i dont know if this is what you are referring to... but i think this is normal because it happened to mickey and he's fine lol

i suggest brush the hair every day. i started off with the paddle brush very gently thenw ould get the metal comb with two diff width start with the b ig one then go through with the smaller width and slowly work out thw knots.

try giving treats to mag if she does well during her grooming.

good luck

jeanietoo · 02-03-2009, 08:49 AM

If you can't brush and comb every day it is really better to keep them short in a puppy cut. It is actually cruel to let them get this matted as the one poster above said if the mats aren't combed out before bathing they can get even tighter. Think how your hair would be if you didn't comb it every day

02-03-2009, 02:00 AM	#1
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	Mats/Hair falling out in chunks... Normal? My four month old Yorkie gets really matted on her legs and neck, the two places she doesn't like me to brush. The past couple weeks she has been itching a TON. She will stop playing, running, etc just to itch. Then I find chunks of hair - usually one end is matted - on the floor. Is this normal, or could she have a skin condition? __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 02:23 AM	#3
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	Thank you, MollysMum! I had no idea that matts tighten up after a bath, but it makes sense. I was wondering if Meg was allergic (?) to the shampoo I was using on her. I just got her grooomed and they ended up having to cut quite a few of the matts out, but I just felt her legs and they are coming back already. Maybe I will go back and have them cut her shorter. So... if she matts easily, does that mean she has a cottony coat? She is really soft and silky, but has pretty fluffy and poofy fur. I always read posts where "cottony coats" are mentioned, but I have no idea what that actually is. __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 02:27 AM	#4
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	And what is the best type of brush to use? __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 02:40 AM	#5
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	I agree it is irritating her where the matts are. I use a Metal comb and a pin brush __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

02-03-2009, 03:03 AM	#6
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	Hello again, Chachi! I just saw that you wrote back to both of my posts. Thanks! I have been using a pin brush on her. How would I use a metal comb? __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 02:14 AM	#2
MollysMum54 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: England,UK Posts: 1,176	Molly wouldnt let me brush her when i first adopted her, so she ended up with lots of matts. They tend to get tighter and tighter as they get worse, and its probably that which irritates her. It can be especially bad when you bath a dog with matts, because they tighten up and pull so it becomes very painful. i had to keep mollys fur really short untill she learned to trust me and allowed me to brush her. I have to make sure i brush and comb her everyday and she will never be able to have very long fur as its fluffy and matts very quickly. Could you get your pups legs trimmed really short for now? (i do mollys when she has had a long walk and is sleepy and rested). I used give her little treats as i groomed her but now she lets me do it without any rewards. Good luck.

02-03-2009, 03:08 AM	#7
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	The metal comb is what I use most. Just glide it through the hair. If the hair is too matted you might also get a dematting comb. It has blades on it and wwwill cut through the matt. Google dematting comb and you will find one thats how I got mine __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

02-03-2009, 03:16 AM	#8
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	Thanks~ __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 04:34 AM	#9
MollysMum54 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: England,UK Posts: 1,176	I have a special comb for matts...the pins spin round, and it works really well. i got mine from ebay.

02-03-2009, 05:04 AM	#10
mk97 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Herndon, PA originally--Jacksonville, FL currently Posts: 169	Bamboo Rotating Medium/Coarse Tooth Comb - Grooming - Dog - PetSmart I use this comb on my yorkies, I start at the back and work my way front. My older girl will lay on her back in my lap and let me comb her--she sometimes gets wiggly and mad, but I know that the alternative is severe matting that will be more painful to comb out later. BTW, mine is a cotton coat-I comb her daily or sometimes every other day. Good luck.

02-03-2009, 05:06 AM	#11
desaree Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: PA Posts: 130	I have the same problem with Daisy. She will not let me brush her neck or belly. I shaved her belly over the weekend, but I just can’t shave her neck. When I brush her she will cry and act like im trying to kill her, but when I take her for her shots she's fine. At first I thought I was hurting her, but when I took her to the groomer and saw how rough they were I knew there was no way I could be hurting her. I also have a metal tooth comb and pin brush. Ill give her treats while im brushing her and once Im finished. But she's not even close to letting me do it without putting up a fight. I just don’t know what to do. So I know what you’re going through, here’s to hoping our babies will grow out of it!

02-03-2009, 05:25 AM	#12
Nikitta34 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 764 Blog Entries: 1	Yes, here's to hoping! I'm about to try to brush Meg.... wish me luck! __________________ - Nicole, Megatron, and T-Bone Check out our blog! http://nicoleandtim.blogspot.com

02-03-2009, 06:21 AM	#13
desaree Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: PA Posts: 130	Good Luck!!!!

02-03-2009, 07:50 AM	#14
jennzy YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: TOronto, Canada Posts: 804	when mickeyw as a lil lad, his hair used to get matted and avoided the brush... (wonders if he hates me cuz i used to brush his hair) anyways, every time i brushed his hair, i'd get chunks of the matted knots.. i dont know if this is what you are referring to... but i think this is normal because it happened to mickey and he's fine lol i suggest brush the hair every day. i started off with the paddle brush very gently thenw ould get the metal comb with two diff width start with the b ig one then go through with the smaller width and slowly work out thw knots. try giving treats to mag if she does well during her grooming. good luck

02-03-2009, 08:49 AM	#15
jeanietoo YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 783	If you can't brush and comb every day it is really better to keep them short in a puppy cut. It is actually cruel to let them get this matted as the one poster above said if the mats aren't combed out before bathing they can get even tighter. Think how your hair would be if you didn't comb it every day