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Old 06-10-2008, 11:34 AM   #1
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Default Matted fur- I feel HORRIBLE!

Last night I gave Madison a bath b/c I knew it would be awhile before he can have another one, and for the first time I noticed his fur is all matted right up against his skin!

I've bathed him several times before and didn't notice this, but it can't just have happened. His fur is always kind of wonky....it looks really good right after a bath, but one or two days later, it sort of sticks out away from his body. It's quite thin and fine, but feels coarse after a day or so.

As I said, it's thin, so when it starts sort of clumping the way it does when it starts sticking out, you can actually see his skin.

I've never seen anything like this before and I'm not sure if his hair has been matted like that all this time (since I got him in March) and maybe that's why it's so thin (like, maybe if it wasn't all matted, his hair would grow better?). Or, he has a habit of rubbing his body all over the carpeting and rugs (like if your back itched and you were trying to scratch it). and now I wonder if maybe that's what causes the mats, OR, if he's doing that b/c the Mats are bugging him?

When I bathed him, I used a hair conditioner, but it doesn't seem to have helped much. I can comb the mats out somewhat, but it's like almost his entire body is like that right at the skin. It doesn't seem to hurt him (I tried to be very gentle, but his skin is thin too, and the mats are so close to it, that it's difficult to hold onto them so I don't pull his skin.

I know that maybe the best thing to do would be to shave his body...only his hair is so sparse, I'm afraid that he'll just be totally hairless.

Has anyone else encountered this? If I did shave him, do you think his hair would grow back better? I'll be taking him to be professionally groomed as soon as I can after his surgery, but I want to know what I should do first! Is there anything I can use to try to get those mats out?

It's so weird, b/c if you looked at him, you'd never even know he had those mats and when I brushed him everyday, the brush must have just gone over them but not into them.
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:25 PM   #2
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I have one that mats really bad too. I use cowboy magic and it works great. The hard part is getting him to be still while I work the mats out.
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:39 PM   #3
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Yes, yes, yes! I can say I totally understand what you're saying. I was very naive with Yorkie hair because I had a poodle before Tatum and always used a brush. I learned when Tatum was several months old and had already had several baths that the brush I was using on her wet hair immediately after her bath was NOT getting to the roots. What you need to do is this...... first, get a metal comb (very important). Then after you bathe him next time, put a real good leave-in conditioner in (for this time, I would say use Pantene leave in or Infusium is the one I used) and comb him out - all the way down to the roots. I did NOT have to shave Tatum down. It was rough for both of us to do it and I got quite a bit of hair out with the comb but we survived. You need to maybe hold the hair at the roots and just pick, pick, pick with the comb at the root in little bitty sections. Also, the leave-in condition..... put it on liberally. You can always rinse him out again after using it to get the matts out. Then, each time you give him a bath, use a good shampoo, good conditioner and some kind of leave-in conditioner AND comb wet hair, brush dry hair. I think that's how it goes..... that's what I do anyway. Good luck in getting it all combed out. I know it can sound daunting but really, there's usually no reason to shave the dog down. I know people do it because they think there's no other way but with a little work, you can save his hair. Let me know if you have any questions because like I said, I've been there!
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:43 PM   #4
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Most mats can be worked out with a comb. The above post gives good info. I would add that you should never bath a dog that hasn't been freshly combed. The water will only tighten the knots.
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:53 PM   #5
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Most mats can be worked out with a comb. The above post gives good info. I would add that you should never bath a dog that hasn't been freshly combed. The water will only tighten the knots.
But wouldn't you "brush" the dog first since combing is supposed to be for wet hair? Just trying to verify what I think I've heard before.

I think once you get those matts out of his hair with the extensive conditioning and combing, it will be SO much easier the next bath time. I don't usually brush Tatum before a bath because I'm real diligent about combing out the matts at her roots. But then again, she really doesn't get matted anymore.
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:56 PM   #6
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One of my boys mats like that in a day. Im sure you didnt not miss his mats, it could easily happen in a day or two. I have a matbreaker comb ... but I also use Johnson & Johnson no more tangles baby shampoo to bathe him with. I keep his hair pretty short when he gets groomed too. This just keeps him nicer looking and feeling for longer. I know this baby will never have long hair, but he has lots of hair.
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:00 PM   #7
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[QUOTE=TatumsMom;2042397]But wouldn't you "brush" the dog first since combing is supposed to be for wet hair? Just trying to verify what I think I've heard before.

I know I do things a little differently than most. I started using the comb on my puppies as it works better than a brush. Now I find that combing works better (for me) even with my adults. I don't get the split ends that I used to and I tried several types of brushes before starting with the comb. I just start at the ends (with the coarse teeth) and work my way toward the roots. I finish off with the fine teeth. So far, I'm getting good results.
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:09 PM   #8
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[quote=Woogie Man;2042415]
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Originally Posted by TatumsMom View Post
But wouldn't you "brush" the dog first since combing is supposed to be for wet hair? Just trying to verify what I think I've heard before.

I know I do things a little differently than most. I started using the comb on my puppies as it works better than a brush. Now I find that combing works better (for me) even with my adults. I don't get the split ends that I used to and I tried several types of brushes before starting with the comb. I just start at the ends (with the coarse teeth) and work my way toward the roots. I finish off with the fine teeth. So far, I'm getting good results.
Hey, whatever works for you! I was just curious. I say that not everyone's Yorkie is going to respond the same way as others so we have to find what works for each one. I actually very rarely brush (or comb) Tatum before a bath and to be completely honest, don't brush her but maybe once between baths. I got very lucky in that she just really doesn't mat up - nice silky hair! She even plays hard outside with our Aust. Shep. and it's quite windy up on our hill (which would usually cause tangles) so we got very lucky with her hair type. I can usually just run my fingers through her hair while petting her and get any little tangles out.
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:25 PM   #9
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I have gotten matts out by working through them If they are really bad though I use a dematting comb and the blades on that cut right through the matt. I always comb wet hair and bush dry hair
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:26 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nvnvgirl View Post
Last night I gave Madison a bath b/c I knew it would be awhile before he can have another one, and for the first time I noticed his fur is all matted right up against his skin!

I've bathed him several times before and didn't notice this, but it can't just have happened. His fur is always kind of wonky....it looks really good right after a bath, but one or two days later, it sort of sticks out away from his body. It's quite thin and fine, but feels coarse after a day or so.

As I said, it's thin, so when it starts sort of clumping the way it does when it starts sticking out, you can actually see his skin.

I've never seen anything like this before and I'm not sure if his hair has been matted like that all this time (since I got him in March) and maybe that's why it's so thin (like, maybe if it wasn't all matted, his hair would grow better?). Or, he has a habit of rubbing his body all over the carpeting and rugs (like if your back itched and you were trying to scratch it). and now I wonder if maybe that's what causes the mats, OR, if he's doing that b/c the Mats are bugging him?

When I bathed him, I used a hair conditioner, but it doesn't seem to have helped much. I can comb the mats out somewhat, but it's like almost his entire body is like that right at the skin. It doesn't seem to hurt him (I tried to be very gentle, but his skin is thin too, and the mats are so close to it, that it's difficult to hold onto them so I don't pull his skin.

I know that maybe the best thing to do would be to shave his body...only his hair is so sparse, I'm afraid that he'll just be totally hairless.

Has anyone else encountered this? If I did shave him, do you think his hair would grow back better? I'll be taking him to be professionally groomed as soon as I can after his surgery, but I want to know what I should do first! Is there anything I can use to try to get those mats out?

It's so weird, b/c if you looked at him, you'd never even know he had those mats and when I brushed him everyday, the brush must have just gone over them but not into them.
You got good advice from the others. No, no, no! Don't shave him. His hair just gets mats. Harnesses and clothes will cause them, too. Once you get used to dealing with them, then it is quite easy. It will take you awhile to get used to it (him, too ), but it really is easy to deal with. Take care!
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:42 PM   #11
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My yorkie Jamie was my first and I thought I was being such a good mommy and brushing him everyday. Then 4 weeks in I noticed that where his puppy coat met his incoming coat it was a mess of tangles and I was devastated about how I could have missed it. I spent forever trying to brush them out using oils and conditioners. Finally I got a pair of scissors and a comb and cut all the puppy coat off(which got rid of all the matts!) and left his hair as long as possible. Now I comb him everyday from the roots and he has such a silky coat and it hardly ever matts. So I definitely say use a comb rather than a brush because you're just brushing over the top of those close to the skin matts.
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:48 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by JPop & Taz 2 View Post
I have one that mats really bad too. I use cowboy magic and it works great. The hard part is getting him to be still while I work the mats out.
any tips on working out mats from tears?
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:51 PM   #13
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any tips on working out mats from tears?
Take some warm water and wet it then take a flea comb through it
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:52 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by RebelBelle View Post
My yorkie Jamie was my first and I thought I was being such a good mommy and brushing him everyday. Then 4 weeks in I noticed that where his puppy coat met his incoming coat it was a mess of tangles and I was devastated about how I could have missed it. I spent forever trying to brush them out using oils and conditioners. Finally I got a pair of scissors and a comb and cut all the puppy coat off(which got rid of all the matts!) and left his hair as long as possible. Now I comb him everyday from the roots and he has such a silky coat and it hardly ever matts. So I definitely say use a comb rather than a brush because you're just brushing over the top of those close to the skin matts.
how old was he before he got his adult coat in. I'm hoping teddy's curly hair turns into long silky coat.
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Old 06-10-2008, 01:54 PM   #15
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Ziggy also gets very bad matting and what really helps for the big matts is to pull them as flat as possible and make a few small cuts with a pair of scissors. It frees up the matt and you don't lose as much hair as if you just cut out the matt.

I easily spend a half hour or more each evening combing out his hair-its a real committment but worth it to see his lovely coat.
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