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04-04-2013, 06:50 AM | #1 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| Grooming rant and question: Which tool? I desperately need to buy a de-matting tool for Sam since his coat is so thick. I can't decide which would be best, so looking for opinions/advice. I took him to the groomer at his vet's. I had watched her interact with several animals during our visits and the animals all seemed to approve, so I gave her a chance. She didn't do what I asked her at ALL. I didn't want his face cut at all or his body. I wanted his ears clean shaven and plucked on the inside, and the backs shaved close about 2/3 down. Trim close around his anus, chest short but not shaved, and his belly shaved from the bottom of his breastbone down because he still pees on his belly when he squats. First, she shaved the top of his muzzle! I wanted a full mustache and topknot. She cleaned out his ears, but on the back, she just tipped about 1/8". They look ridiculous to me. She didn't trim his chest hair at all and left a lot of hair around his butt. The only thing she did the way I asked was shaving his lower belly. It's a good thing DH picked him up, because I would have made a scene right there when she charged $60 for this. Oh, and when she called to let me know he was ready, she got really snarky with me and told me I needed to do a better job brushing him because he had some matts starting behind his front legs. This was 2 weeks ago. Last week I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed, so wasn't really in any shape to keep up with the brushing and bathing routine. Monday night I sat down with him and worked for over an hour on him. He was better, but his chest is a hopeless, snarly mess. I don't want to cut it all off with scissors, so I remembered a thread about dematting combs . I'm crazy scared to try using this thing on a squirmer. They also have this one which is much smaller and seems like it would work better on the chest. Or should I just buy both? His hair is so woolly on his back, it seems like the bigger one would do a good job without taking off too much, and the smaller seems safer.
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien |
Welcome Guest! | |
04-04-2013, 06:58 AM | #2 |
and Shelby's too Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Millbrook, AL
Posts: 7,842
| How bad are the matts? The best way to get them out is actually with your fingers and some corn startch. However, if there are too many or they are too close to the skin for this to be doable, IMO - you really should just clip the hair with trimmers. It will be easier and more comfortable for both of you. I've never used a dematting tool. I've usually tried to work the matt out with cornstarch or just clip it out with scissors.
__________________ Terri, proud mom to Mandie & Shelby-Dale |
04-04-2013, 07:05 AM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| They are BAD, Terri. I only wish I could use the trimmers. We're still working on him being still just for brushing. He absolutely freaks when I even turn the trimmers on while I'm holding him, much less getting close to him with them.
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien |
04-04-2013, 07:09 AM | #4 |
and Shelby's too Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Millbrook, AL
Posts: 7,842
| If they are bad, I don't think you are going to have a choice but to use the trimmers. Can someone at your house hold him while you trim? I mean, you could do it just a little at a time, taking breaks, giving treats and such. Mandie freaks over the trimmers AND scissors. You should've seen her the other night. I was trimming around her feet with the scissors - constant battle. I get to her back foot and barely touch the hair with the scissors and she screams bloody murder LOL. I told her that unless she is a freak of nature with nerve endings in her hair follicles, she needs to cut the crap. LOL Anyway, back to trimmers. To do her butt, hubby has to hold her while I do it because she will NOT stay still. I have quiet ones but they still freak her out.
__________________ Terri, proud mom to Mandie & Shelby-Dale |
04-04-2013, 07:12 AM | #5 |
YT 2000 Club Member | Teeka has just started getting some mattes behind her legs. I have found that if I work it out with my fingers, she is more receptive, than with a comb. I just get the worst out and separate the matte and then comb. A spray detangler would also help. Do you shampoo and condition his hair?
__________________ Proud Mommy to Max, Teeka, Tatiana and forever in my heart Tameka! My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from my puppies eyes! |
04-04-2013, 07:33 AM | #6 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| Deb - I use Nature's Miracle grooming spray (do not recommend!) and Nature's Miracle Gentle puppy shampoo, and BioGroom So Gentle Hypo-allergenic Creme Rinse. I never had a problem with his hair tangling so badly until the grooming trip. I don't know what she used, but he was sooo dry afterwards. Not being able to give his grooming the attention he needs only compounded the problem. Terri, LOL at poor Mandie! Sounds like me talking to my 2 year old.
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien |
04-04-2013, 07:51 AM | #7 | |
YT 2000 Club Member | Quote:
__________________ Proud Mommy to Max, Teeka, Tatiana and forever in my heart Tameka! My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from my puppies eyes! | |
04-04-2013, 08:44 AM | #8 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| Trust me, there's no way in heaven or hell I'm taking him back to the same groomer.
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien |
04-04-2013, 09:42 AM | #9 |
YT 2000 Club Member | I groom all of mine myself.....it is really not too difficult once you teach yourself how. I do bathe them once a week and that seems to help keep the mattes to a minimum.
__________________ Proud Mommy to Max, Teeka, Tatiana and forever in my heart Tameka! My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from my puppies eyes! |
04-04-2013, 09:44 AM | #10 |
Princess Sophie's Choice Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Clinton, IL, DeWitt County
Posts: 2,758
| We've been very blessed with Sophie but she still gets tangles in the cottony fur under her front & back legs. I've been using all Espree products with their Aloe Hydrating Spray when I comb her twice each day with great results. She still wiggles a lot but it's getting easier. Haven't even turned the clippers on yet. Like it was said before, a detangling/hydrating spray while combing really helps. I don't even use a brush, too dry in our house just yet.
__________________ Diane owned and loved by Hansel and Princess Sophie |
04-04-2013, 10:29 AM | #11 |
♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 25,041
| I don't think either of the tools you linked to are really what you want. A really good slicker brush would be preferable, and a mustache and leg comb. Use them with a good detangler, either a spray or corn starch as suggested above. I like to use Pet Silk Silk Serum as a detangler. It is actually a coat dressing, but I use it to give the hair slip when undoing knots. Jenny, Mimimomo, sells the Madan mustache comb on her site toplinepet.com A really good comb makes a big difference when carefully undoing knots. I sell the Doggyman small slicker, which is a favorite of groomers. A pricier choice would be the Les Pooches slicker which you can buy directly from them or at Wayfair. Usually slickers aren't recommended for breeds that don't have an undercoat, but these slickers are gentle. Work on small sections at a time and always hold the hair so that it isn't tugging the skin.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy |
04-04-2013, 10:36 AM | #12 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| Quote:
I have safety scissors, so it looks like he'll get an impromptu trim just so I can bathe him until I can make an appointment with the new groomer. I have a card for a groomer at the boutique store I go to. If she doesn't work out, then I'll seriously consider teaching myself to do it. I groomed my Shi Tzu for years. The only difference was she loved getting groomed and would actually fall asleep during the process!
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien | |
04-04-2013, 10:38 AM | #13 |
I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Posts: 37,147
| I have a dematting comb a regular one and love it. Its not hard to use or dangerous. A small one would probably come in handy for matts that are close to the skin. You just put the dematting comb in toward the skin and at the beginning of the matt and pull the comb through the matt gently. you do lose a tiny bit of hair because your breaking the matt but it isnt noticable or anything your gonna give a second thought to. I have used it on jewels and she has never yelped in pain from cutting through the matts. People that dont use them think they dont need them but they sure do save you from having to get them shaved down.
__________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427 |
04-04-2013, 10:42 AM | #14 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 646
| Quote:
Holding the hair isn't possible at this point because it's so tight against his skin. Some of the knots are about 1/4" away, so just enough room to get the scissors in there.
__________________ All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. - JRR Tolkien | |
04-04-2013, 10:42 AM | #15 | |
and Shelby's too Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Millbrook, AL
Posts: 7,842
| Quote:
__________________ Terri, proud mom to Mandie & Shelby-Dale | |
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