Is it worth it?
 

I'm trying to let Maddie's hair grow out and now I am wondering if it is worth it. I really want her to have long pretty hair but I hate having to torture her when I have to brush her little mats and tangles out. I have no problem doing it, I just feel bad for her sometimes when she has a really big tangle and little baby yelps because it hurts. I brush her at least 2-3x a day, but she gets little tangles on her belly and her armpits that need to be brushed out, which again, I don't mind taking the time and effort to do this, I just wonder if she would be happier shaved so she doesn't have to be de-tangled all the time. What are your opinions?

Oh wow, I feel your pain... Uni has the thinnest most fragile hair ever! I want to grow out her hair b/c she has such loooooong legs and if she where short or shaved she would be mistaken for a reindeer or giraffe!

Her hair is about 5-6" long now, BUT she itches and breaks off her hair in some spots. :thumbdown: anyway, I have been brushing her since she was a baby while she was sleeping, so she doesn't mind. If your pup if yelping... you're too rough. Try it while he's sleeping and use a light hand! :D

She looks like she has a cotton coat? Those are much harder to maintain.

I think you can be reeeeeeaaaally gentle and slow on the matts. I use conditioning spray and a flea comb and pull them apart one hair at a time. Thor doesn't even matt all that much, this is something I do every one or two weeks. I can't imagine 2-3x per day!

Thor needs a long puppy coat to keep him from looking completely pitiful and rat-like. :)

Well, she only yelps when I try to get the knot out, but if I don't be a little rough with it, it will never come out! I try to brush it to the point where I can hold the bottom of the hair so it doesn't pull her skin. I try to get her while she is sleeping too! :p Although, I kinda have the opposite problem because Maddie has a super thick, cottony coat...

Yes, cottony coat for sure. I try to go really really slow, but little stinker doesn't sit still! I tell her that if she would just hold still it wouldn't hurt, but she doesn't understand what I am saying :p Maybe I will try when she is really really tired and not able to put up a fight. I don't do her entire coat at one sitting. I space it out over 3 or so times a day. Face one time, belly next, and then legs at different sittings. I just feel bad when she gets a knot and I have to brush it out. I took her to the groomers today so I have a fresh start and I bought a stainless steel comb that they use per their recommendation...so I guess I'll see how that works.

Oh. Uni has the thin silky coat. Ooh, cottony coats are a lot of work, they are nice and fluffy but from what I have heard, yes, they are more "mattifying". Have you tried a conditioning spray as you brush? How about madan brushes? there are YTers that sell them. I've never used them, but I have read numerous raves about them. ;)

Also,... if it is a really fluffy thick coat, if there is a mat, I'm sure you could cut it out and no one would be the wiser, tee hee.:p

If you like the long coat look, then I think it is worth it. I am growing out Josh's hair. I like to give him messages and treats to make the grooming a good experience. There are some grooming sprays to help get out knots in dog's fur. I think this link How to Brush Matts out of Dog Hair - wikiHow might give you some advice on how to comb or brush your dog's hair.

:cheer: Yeah, this post is my 1,000 post. :cheer:

Wait how old is Maddie?

I have a madan pin brush that I use first to get the big tangles out. When I picked baby girl up from the groomers they recommended a conditioning spray too but said not to use it too much because it would build up. Any recommendations on sprays, preferable one that could be used once every day or two?

It is a fluffy coat :) so cute! If they tangles are big enough I cut them out, (and you totally can't notice) but I am trying to prevent the tiny ones from getting big! The only problem areas I have are her belly (which I placed an order for chattiesmom silk harness so hopefully that will help), her little booty, and arm pits...ugh..I really want to grow it out but I don't want Maddie to dread everytime I brush her...

Thanks for your help!

16 weeks on Thursday :D

Congratulations on your 1,000 post! :cheer: Thanks for the link and great ideas. The link looks really interesting and am going to bookmark it. Bella also will get mats on her tummy from her harness or if she wears any clothes.

Just an idea, since Bonnie has never had really long hair. But would she look odd if the hair on her belly was cut short? I keep Bonnie's belly almost shaved (since her spay) because she is so hot-natured and never even notice how short it is.

Would that be an option?

Oh, and I remember reading on TY that using cornstarch on a mat helps to brush it out.

I highly recommend you purchase a CC wooden bristle brush. It is fabulous and goes right through mats. Best money I have ever spent...and trust I own oodles of brushes.

Pin Brushes

For my pups who have full coats, I keep the belly and underarms very short to avoid matting. You really do not see that hair and it is much easier on them!
That link that someone posted about removing mats it a good one. If you hold the hair at the root, the chances of pulling the skin is minimized greatly.

She's pretty young, still in her puppy coat :)

If you brush her gently every day, she will get used to it, but at this young age, you are probably going to have some protesting for awhile. ;) Just keep at it, be patient and gentle and treat/reward her every few minutes when you are brushing her. Keep the sessions very short :)

It is hard to know at sixteen weeks what her hair will be like at 2 or three years. You can shave her belly and under her armpits, and that area will be a lot easier to take care of while you are growing it out, and it won't be noticeable. :)

Wow...I feel stupid. I didn't even think about shaving her belly! Now that she is mat free I am going to try and maintain it. I keep her brushing sessions to removing only one or two knots at a time. I think her harness is what is causing some of them (come on chattiesmom!! I'm DYING for my new harness!! I'm sure it will TOTALLY be worth the wait :p) Thanks so much for your help. I reserve cheese strictly for grooming time, so she knows when the cheese comes out, it times for work!

I know it is a lot of work but I love the long coats. Pixie is a dream, thin silky coat, my other 2 are cottony and thick so I shave their tummies and sometimes their legs if they get badly matted and have even cut out bad mats on their bodies and you really can't tell.

i have a cotton coat girl too and its just way too much of a pain in the .... to keep her long. her hair grows outward instead of down. i have a madan brush and it really doesn't work for us. i now use it on my own hair, hehe. i use a soft slicker brush and a greyhound comb to keep it tangle free. I shave her armpits to prevent mats and if i have to i elongate the sanitary trim on the belly so it reaches further up the chest to prevent mats there too. She usually wears a collar all the time but if i'm growing her hair out i'll keep the collar off. I too use a harness by Cindy. its great. clothes are a no no with her long hair. she'll mat right up if they're left on for a few hours.

for conditioning sprays i use CC Ice on Ice or The Stuff. both are great.

Your pup is still really young so she just may be going through that difficult puppy hair stage. continue what your doing and brush her a lot. you may be able to get through this stage or you may need to shave her in a month or so and start over.

a good way to know your fighting a losing battle is to watch her hair when you blow dry it. every section of hair parts down to the skin then your mat free. if its clumping and you can't see skin then its matted down deep. only way to fix it is to shave.

Try some No More Tangles spray on conditioner while you are brushing. It will help the tangles come out. You can also buy the stuff special for dogs. I have John Paul Instant Detangling Spray for Pets that works well. If you have a bad mat, try rubbing a little Cowboy Magic Detangler or some "The Stuff" (really that is the product name) on it. It is slimy and will let you just pull the mat apart. It needs rinsed out though the Detangler sprays do not. I have also read that a little corn meal rubbed into a mat will allow it to release too.

If your baby is still a puppy, it may get a lot better as she ages. Rocky is almost 6 months old now and he is still matting up easily. Ben did that as a puppy too but now has a silky coat that will occasionally tangle but rarely get a mat. I have gotten too lax on Ben though and had to fight a mat or two. Puppies though, you are going to get mats. You really need to use the products to help and then it doesn't hurt them.

Have you tried braiding (which i always think is cute!!), or wrapping her hair for days you need time off from grooming? That should help a little bit!! We always braided Macy on off days (she was actually buried in braids). It made our lives 1000x easier! :)