They had to shave Lucy :(

[yorkiegirl83]

I have had the same issue with McKenzie and what I do is use human conditioner on her and I slather it on, massage it in really good and let it sit for a few minutes.

It literally makes the little tangles melt away and makes brushing a lot easier. Also, if I have a big matt in my group, I will trim away at it with little scissors until I can detangle it. It's a pain, but it works.

[Rubybabysmom]

You know that happened to us almost 3 weeks ago and I was so upset when I went to pick her up, she was not completely shaved but was far shorter than when I left her there and I was so devestated! I don't know if I am just used to it now or what but it seems to be growing. Glad to hear I am not alone with this happening.

[JiggityJig]

I think you're experiencing something really normal! That puppy hair as it grows out can be really impossible....not to mention that's when most of us are still learning about grooming, ourselves!

If you're not already, I highly recommend using a steel COMB, rather than a brush. That really gets down to the skin, rather than just skimming the surface.

If you do get mats again, esp. on or under the legs, often it's better to just snip them out, then to make your doggie hate grooming at this age.

Kiki's hair was very thick and cottony, and in spite of daily grooming, I could barely get the comb through it. I finally broke down and shaved her....and yes, it's traumatic to lose all the black baby hair all at once (sniff!), but she looked so cute.

I'll sound in with the others....yes, their hair does seem to grow quickly! I bet you love her hair in no time.

[crystalsmom]

One other thing if you are not doing or someone else hasn't mentioned, never brush a dry coat. Get a squirt bottle and use the mist part of the nozzle and give her a mist of water or some may put a teaspoon of conditioner in it too while you groom each section. I'd hate to tell you how mistakes I've learned from............

[sallen15]

Thanks for all the advice. Yes I know to never brush a dry coat I have been using Four Paws conditioning/de-tangling spray something like that, and I make sure to always brush her out before she gets a bath, but now that I'm starting her coat all over it'll be easier to see those little mats before they get bad.

On the bright side of things it is about 100 degrees outside and at least she won't be too hot!

[scoobiedooiscoo]

Originally Posted by crystalsmom

One other thing if you are not doing or someone else hasn't mentioned, never brush a dry coat. Get a squirt bottle and use the mist part of the nozzle and give her a mist of water or some may put a teaspoon of conditioner in it too while you groom each section. I'd hate to tell you how mistakes I've learned from............

I never knew not to brush a dry coat, i have done it a couple of times but lacey usually gets a bath like 2-3 times a week so mostly when its wet. what happens if you do it when its dry?

[TatumsMom]

Originally Posted by scoobiedooiscoo

I never knew not to brush a dry coat, i have done it a couple of times but lacey usually gets a bath like 2-3 times a week so mostly when its wet. what happens if you do it when its dry?

Does she really need a bath that often? Bathing TOO often can dry out their skin. I can see if she spends a lot of time outside in the dirt or something but maybe she just needs a brushing every day or every other day and cut the bathing down to every week or two weeks. Just a thought.

To answer your question though, brushing them dry can cause the hair to break. Just a little spritz of water mixed with leave-in conditioner will do the trick.

[KathyinCali]

Hi Sallen - I had Lucy cut very short her first time at the groomer and she grew out within 2 weeks! I have the same problem with her getting those little knots and matts. I brush her everyday but she still gets them. Here she is fresh from the groomer, then 14 days later...We just came back from Mexico where she had a blast

[Chelle]

Originally Posted by sallen15

Wow yeah I guess it is a postive that her face didn't have to be shaved, do you have a recent pic of Eury? When did she get shaved?

Eury got shaved exactly 2 weeks ago today. If you notice in this picture that I just took she looks very fuzzy LOL. She is 5 months old and the groomer at our vets also told us that shaving the puppy fur off is a good thing, especially if they have cottony fur. He said that the cottony fur tends to mat very easily and that as her fur grows in now it will be softer and easier to manage, so far he is right. Of course that may be simply because it's so short. LOL

[qingleng]

well, just to share my opinion to get tangle free from our yorkie coat.
ultimate rule is to groom them everyday, but to comb them is a big task as they will be struggling with us. So u have to train them to lay down still and not to move while you are grooming them, this need consistent training. Encourage them for grooming with treats. After every session of combing give them a small piece of treats this to let them understand that they will get juicy treats after grooming and make them to look forward for grooming session, and give them treat provided they really listen to your comman

Next make sure use a good conditioner, as for me i am using laser lite conditioner plus drape in it. Drape is a very highly concentrate conditioner so u have to mix 1 to 10 ten of water. After mixing both conditioner n the drape leave it for 2 to 3 hrs b4 bathing them. This makes the contioner really absorbs into fur and u will feel the immediate different.

And once a month i do clariying for them to remove the residue and later that i drap them with oil, it's like human hair.... we go for hot steam or anything to make our hair shine.....

i myself is practising this way to maintain my both yorkies and they are tangle free most of the day unless i'm out for outstation and left them under my mums care. hehe.... to untangle them its pretty easy too.... just srpay on some midst of contioner water and loosen the tangle with your fingers thn brush lightly on it to avoid breakage.....


sorry for the bad english... but i hope it will help u guys a little to maintain their hair....

[For My Coby]

It took a couple of "intensive" brush/comb sessions with lots of treats and the will power to resist that climbing-up-wanting-on-mom-to-be-held thing they do. But Coby actually seems to like the brushing now. I think secretly, he likes it because I put his blanket and him right on the kitchen table to make it easier. I think he likes the "naughty" feeling! Now, he doesn't even need the treats throughout the whole thing. The other night, he actually just closed his eyes and went to sleep, upon which I annoyed him by trying to get the other side, his belly, etc.

A question - a lot of you talk about using conditioner. Coby's hair gets really greasy pretty easily. Does the frequent conditioner make that worse? Or is their a conidtioner that doesn't lend to that? Or do you live with that until the next bath?

[KathyinCali]

I had no idea that dry brushing is bad. Thanks for the tip. Question - Do you spray on a conditioner each day when you brush? Lucy gets knots on her legs and belly no matter what I do...

[aka_yorkie_mama]

Originally Posted by Chelle

At least Lucy got to keep the fur on her face. My Eury had to get completely shaved due to skin irritations that are gone now... YAY! She looked like a Chihuahua for a while but now looks more like a Terrier. It's only been a couple of weeks for her and it's definitely growing fast and her cottony fur feels SOOO incredibly soft right now, not to mention grooming is a breeze. Here are pictures before and after she got shaved.

omgosh that is the first shaved yorkie i have ever seen thank you so much for sharing that i may have to save this pic

[AngieGA]

Tye has a cotton coat, it is never long like some Yorkies, it is just bushy - but he is CUTE anyway !!! He seems to always have some mats, especially around the groin because he has to wear a belly band. Of course him rolling on the floor all the time and playing helps with matting him I am sure.

We rescued him at the age of 2 (he will be 5 in December) and he had to be cut so short then that you could see skin. The people before us were HORRIBLE to him and he was a huge mess.

Since we have had him he usually stays medium length but the last time at the groomer he had some mats too close (despite our brushing and conditioner) and with the almost 100 degree weather here, we chose to have him cut short.

His hair grows back fast though and a little shirt always ups his cute factor

[sallen15]

Okay. I took some pictures of Lucy last night after I attempted to put a new bow in her hair (my order from Pampered Rotton just came!) She's still cute I just miss her black puppy fur! What do you guys think...the groomer said she thinks she'll have a cottony coat but I think her face hair seems silky...what do you guys think?