Awww...what a good mommy :) Are her mats close to skin? If there are a lot of mats close to skin & you do have to shave her, the good news is it grows back really quickly. Also, when you shave a "puppy coat", a new adult coat grows in that's typically a lot easier to manage. Puppy coats are usually more coarse & tangle more than adult coats. A lot of groomers offer "de-matting" services. They'll untangle the tangles for you. You could try that. The only thing is, you don't really know how gentle they'll be with her. Anyway, good luck with everything! You'll LOVE the Madan ;)

It's weird because she doesn't feel matted to me just snarly on the roots. Is that matted?? I'm sorry I'm a first time yorkie owner and am clueless :confused: I brushed her tonight with her new brush and she actually didn't mind it :). She is so soft now! There was some hair in the brush so maybe there is hope I can detangle her I hope??!!

Don't shave her if you don't feel the matts. Every groomer I went to told me to shave her and have a new start. I finally went to one after long search who said she did not need to be shaved. You actually don't need to take her to groom just learn yourself. Groom her after she has eaten and start brushing her then comb her until you don't feel any matts.

Do you have a metal grooming comb? If you can put that comb down to the skin and run it through the hair then she is not matted. Yes, you may hit some tangles but if you have dampened the hair ahead of time you should not have trouble getting them out. A mat is when the hair is so tangled that there is a lump of hair there that you cannot get the comb through. Sometimes you can get a mat out with cornstarch or a conditioning spray. You can also cut it out if need be.

If you decide to have her shaved you may want to have some warm shirts or sweaters ready for her to wear. Where I am it is still quite cool. She will need something to help hold in her body heat.

Many groomers just have never learned how to do anything but shave a dog. Sadly, many pet owners don't groom their pets. They just wait until the fur is a mass of mats and take them to the groomer to have them shaved again. That's why you have to really shop around for a groomer that knows how to actually groom. Some of the best I have had are people who groom show dogs. They know a lot more than just shaving. Don't let them tell you your girl is matted if she is not.

Snarly at the roots might mean matted. Gracielove gave you some great advice. You need to comb to the skin. Tangles can start deep into the hair close to skin. And yes, a mat is a tangle that is so knotted up that it can't be combed through. If you wet it with something slippery, like water mixed with conditioner, it makes it easier to untangle. It's pretty amazing how much easier it is to comb through when it's wet. Sometimes you need to work the comb through many times, put it will eventually slide through. If the hair is so tangled that it's "matted", you can even cut it out with a little pair of scissors. If she has many little mats, you can try to work them out or cut them out. That way, she won't need to be shaved. I wish I could brush her out for you! I feel for you, being a first time Yorkie mom. I went through the same thing. A LOT of us have.

I looked on Angie's list to try to find some groomers for you. Best Old Town, ME Pet Groomers | Angie's List I'm not at all familiar with your area, but I'm hoping it might help. I would visit the ones that you think you may be interested in - without Ellie. Just talk to them & tell them what you need done, the thing about the mats & how you REALLY want to avoid shaving. Ask if they offer a de-matting service. You'll probably be able to get a good vibe from at least one of them. It took me over a year to find a groomer I felt comfortable with. I just groomed them myself until I found "the one".

That mustache comb I was telling you about is great for mats & tangles. Any metal comb will work. Just make sure it's metal, so that it's strong & slippery enough to glide through a tangle. It also helps to spray the comb with your conditioner/water mix.

Good luck!!!! Keep us posted, okay? I'm sure you'll have little Ellie fixed up & looking like a princess in no time :)

Thank you! I sent you a message. I got the mustache comb with my new brush the other day from Jenny and the brush is amazing! Ellie is such a wiggle worm and wants to bite the brush and comb but is getting a little better. I will try the water and conditioner because the detangling spray doesn't seem to help much. I am determined to get those knots before I take the frastic route of shaving her! Thanks for the kind words and offer to call groomers for me, that was very sweet :). I am so glad I found this site it is awesome!

I haven't read this all the way through so I apologize if I repeat something. BUT your puppy is going to loose all that black hair anyway. I think it is called puppy fuzz here.

If you run into a really bad tangle a product called Cowboy Magic works really well if you massage it into the knot. You can find it in the horse section at Petco. I don't know if PetSmart still carries horse products but they used to.

Your little one is adorable and you make me want to be a new puppy mama again. LOL

Thank you I will look for that! I know my puppy will lose that beautiful black hair but I wanted to keep it for as long as I could because it's so pretty :). Your babies are adorable too!! Then again I've never seen a homely Yorkie haha :D

I live in horse country, so maybe it's just here, but Cowboy Magic is at all of the breeder supply stores, and the wholesale business. You might find it at farm supply stores, too. Mane & Tail has a detangler as well.

LOL
Thanks for the compliment.
I think you will find fewer tangles when that puppy fuzz comes out. My Skeeter had so much of it I could barely get a comb through it. He still has thick hair but it is easier to manage now. I also use Johnson's detangler at times.