I bought some spray on conditioner that worked decent whenever his fur was seriously matted. I got out a lot of his mats but some I just couldnt get out(which is why he got shaved)

Thank you everyone! I was feeling like I must have been such a slacker and just "glossed" him over when I brushed or bathed him. Max's hair is so totally different!

I intend for him to be cut short when he's groomed, but I was ashamed to be taking him in there with such mats in his hair. I wish I could take a photo of it, but my digital is dead at the moment and I don't think the cellphone would really get it.

You said a metal comb....so before I go out and buy the wrong kind, is there a certain brand or style of metal comb?

I don't mind spending a couple (or several) hours to work the mats out, but it would be great if I didn't have to do it on a regular basis...just keep him mat-less once the big job is done! I worked on him for at least 2 hours last night, and he was SO GOOD! I know it wasn't pleasant for him, but he didnt' whine or yip or anything. I thought maybe he knew he'd feel better without them.

I had been using a Pantene conditioner on his coat, but rinsed it out. I'm going to get some Cowboy Magic when I can, but what is a good leave-in conditioner? It's been forever since I've used anything leave-in, so I'm clueless and I know there's a ton of them out there.

Is a dematting comb something that shaves the mat out? I hate to remove too much of any hair that he's got; poor little guy. He didn't get the good hair gene I guess. I was hoping it was a nutritional issue, but now that he's almost 8 lbs:eek: up from 2 1/2 in March:eek:, I'm not so sure of that. Someone did say though, that it could take them 4-6 months to recover from a starvation mode, so I'm holding out hope:).

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who responded. I don't feel like such a negligent owner now and am encouraged to take the time to just work them out! I really appreciate your help!

The dematting comb doesnt shave the hair but it does have blades on it and will cut through the matt. When I have used it I have had very little hair loss. But there was a little bit from the matt

I would suggest using a good quality metal comb. Try to find a small one (4" or so) since you're dealing with a puppy. Also, a metal flea comb helps to keep the puppy down pulled out as the adult coat comes in. You can try diluting any conditioner to help. I don't personally use it when combing but when I bathe mine I dilute the conditioner down to about a 10 to 1 ratio and work it in well and don't rinse it out.

Don't feel bad. No matter how much I brush Abby, she seems to get matted. I took her to the groomers a couple weeks ago and she gave me a good tip. Use those scissors that looks like it has teeth in it and cut through the mat. That way you only lose a small amount or hair.

Abby gets matted where her harness rubs along the top and under her legs. I hate it and I'm praying that her adult coat will be silky and not curly, like her baby coat.

I wish you lots of luck.

BTW, where to you buy a dematting comb?

Some time ago, someone suggested Cowboy Magic - I bought it and wow - it really helped with the mats. I also use E-Z Groom Silky Almond Conditioner and The Stuff to keep the mats away. Good luck! :D

Also, if your metal comb has long teeth on it be extra careful when combing out the hair. I tend to grab the base of the matt and slowly work it with the comb but Ziggy has very loose skin and sometimes I have "nipped" him with the comb (bad mommy!)

Don't feel bad about missing the matts; a year ago I was in exactly the same situation as you are thinking the daily brushing was doing the job. I felt terrible when I saw all the matts so close to his skin. Live and learn. One day you'll be the one giving advice to someone in the same boat.

What is the "the stuff to keep the mats away"?

I'll try to upload the picture of the bottle. You can find it at PetEdge.com Wholesale prices on exclusive dog grooming and pet supplies - it's called "The Stuff Conditioner and Detangler"

if your embaressed try this:
"i went on a mini vacation and our pet sistter didn't groom him so his hair became this matted"

Great advice!!!
Don't feel bad - the very same thing happen to Scruffy (my 1st yorkie) when he was 3-4 mths old. The Vet told me he was matted at the roots - But I brush him every day! He told me I would have to shave him - But I worked the matts out a little every day for a week.
I used Cowboy Magic from the feed store.
here is the picture of the metal comb - I have 2 sizes - one tiny comb for face & small for the body.

Oh, that's great! Wow, I'm going to feel almost like a professional groomer once I get all this stuff....too bad I'm so terrible at even trimming their hair:rolleyes:.

Oh, that's a good idea about diluting the conditioner and then leaving it in...I was making sure to really rinse it out good:rolleyes:. But this will probably work better!
Madison isn't really a puppy; he's about 2 yrs old the vet thinks. So, I suppose this isn't puppy down, unfortunately!

LOL, I was going to ask where do you buy those scissors??? I would think you can get a dematting comb either from Petco or Petsmart, but maybe there's better brands than they have:confused:

ROFL...I thought you were just calling it "the stuff" b/c you didn't remember the name of it:D and it was made by the same EZ Groom people, hehe. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to have to start saving for all this stuff, b/c I can see that it's probably going to be an ongoing problem and I don't want Madison to have to endure this all the time. PetEdge is great, aren't they?