Grooming

[Lilyortega]

Lily is very matted and before I have her shaved like one groomer suggested, I want to try the cornstarch method but I need to know the type of comb to buy. Please help. Thanks.

[Lovetodream88]

Matts can really hurt it may just be best to shave her and start over.

[yorkiejunkie]

Start at the outside (ENDS) of the matt, and work slowly, and carefully... days NOT minutes... I have not tried cornstarch, but pick, and pull apart, don't try to brush thru... I use oil, but turning them loose partly done is messy!!! I use a plastic comb (Always... cuz they break, if they get a tough spot... or bend...)

[Mom of 3]

I just took my Rosie to the groomers and we decided to have her shaved to one inch all over her body. It's summer, and hot here in Florida, so she will feel much better. After they get matted some, sometimes it's just easier to have them shaved. Now Gracie seems to be snarle and matted free. Her hair is long, and thin. Rosie has thick fur.

[baby yorkie]

I have two girls, each with different hair types. Ally has long thin hair that tangles, especially when she wears sweaters. Tia has thick hair that matts uncontrollably. Both had long beautiful hair. I felt so sorry for the terrible matting with Tia that I asked the groomer to trim her shorter. The groomer jokingly refused several times because both were so beautiful. Tia was in agony every day as I ask to comb her. I finally trimmer Tia a bit and took her back to the groomer to fix my artwork. It helped quite a bit. Then I tried some of my Paul Mitchell 'Super Skinny' on their hair on day when I was giving them a bath. It worked wonders. Ally almost never has tangles, even wearing clothes. They comb right out. Tia has less matts and I'm lettering her hair grow back out to see if it'll work. I know they have something similar for dogs, but I love what I have. We three girls share everything! lol GIRLS RULE!

[navillusc]

I think there are lots of ways and methods to remove mats, but my aim is first to gently remove from the mat all the hair that is merely caught but not part of the tangle. I just removed a huge, fist-sized snarl from a show-coated Shih Tzu last night...she got a bit of stick caught behind her ear on her morning walk and it buggered her and she scratched all day trying to remove it unsuccessfully and made a huge mat before I got home.

I started with a wide tooth comb using just one or two teeth to pull out the looser hairs, always working from the ends back and holding the mat so that any pulling was from my hand toward the ends of the hairs. She was still ready for me to quit long before the mat was completely out, but it had to be removed as soon as found and before she could make it worse.

There are commercial de-tangle products, including Cowboy Magic and Mane n Tail...both of which I have but have never had to use for tangles...I have not tried cornstarch, but oil will help, too. It makes the hair slick so it will slide out more easily. I use coconut oil, which is not only non-toxic but completely edible and nutritious and good for skin and coat...it doesn't take much, either...and it's good for your skins, too.

If your baby is matted terribly bad and really close to the skin...lots of mats...shaving may be the best (easiest? safest?) option, though. I had a long haired dilute calico kitty that matted terribly in all 4 of her 'armpits' at shedding time...she would mat horribly within just a few hours...and I had her shaved by a groomer twice before I learned how to do it myself. I had to check her frequently during shedding 'season's' and remove even the tiniest tangle, though, or she would be horribly knotted by the time I got back to her. She would let me clipper her, but she would also let me scissor her so I often did a bitty scissor clip while the hard knotted mats were still tiny.

Good luck...I am sure you will make the right decision and if you choose to de-tangle, I hope you are quickly successful.