Knot in top knot

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

My groomer advised against cornstarch because some pups are allergic to corn. She said to use powder instead.
A slicker brush definitely works better with matts than any other brush or comb.

What powder???

[Elle]

Make sure you are using the right size bands. Don't leave it in over night when they barely have enough coat to fit in it.

You should never have to wrap pets. You need a conditioning spray. Never try to work out a dry one. Use a brush and butter comb with your fingers, patients.

Powder is good for some breeds. Stick with something that will wet it.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Elle

Make sure you are using the right size bands. Don't leave it in over night when they barely have enough coat to fit in it.

You should never have to wrap pets. You need a conditioning spray. Never try to work out a dry one. Use a brush and butter comb with your fingers, patients.

Powder is good for some breeds. Stick with something that will wet it.

Totally agree. Always spray the knot with a good detangler, let it set and work it out with a brush (not a slicker, it damages the hair and eventually you lose more hair than necessary), fingers and a good butter comb (I prefer CC facial comb)

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Beamers Mom

What powder???

Any bath type powder! It works!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

Totally agree. Always spray the knot with a good detangler, let it set and work it out with a brush (not a slicker, it damages the hair and eventually you lose more hair than necessary), fingers and a good butter comb (I prefer CC facial comb)

Oops...guess I gave bad advice about the slicker. I don't often get tangles, but use one when I do

Welcome back, Mary! Nice to see you!!

[gemy]

Not to get too techical about it, but topknots can contain to distinct type of "knots". One is a webtype mass, and the other is a tangle or two.

I spray in to top knot , a leave in conditioner or a lightweight oil. Always work from the ends inwards. I also use Vellus satin cream on the webtype mass. Leave in for a couple of minutes.

I work with fingers and the end of a rat tail comb, and a brush. Section off a small piece of hair to work with. Then start at the end of hair on this small section. Part or finger comb this section to see what you are dealing with. If a tangle use the rat tail end of comb to gently detangle. then comb with wide tooth comb, then smaller tooth comb then brush root to tip.

continue to whole top knot area done.

Don't Panic. It can look like an ungodly mess, but with a fair bit of patience you can detangle and get through it.

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Any bath type powder! It works!

Hmmm I wonder how Beamer would like my Chanel bath powder.........

So, the Johnson's baby powder that is pure cornstarch is not good.

Maybe I just better stick with my Crown Royale Magic Touch spray and Cowboy Magic if he gets a bad matt (which he did yesterday - he had been out in the yard and came in with a huge matt caused by sand spurs getting in his coat - those darn things are horrible). Took me almost an hour to get it out,

[Elle]

Originally Posted by Beamers Mom

Hmmm I wonder how Beamer would like my Chanel bath powder.........

So, the Johnson's baby powder that is pure cornstarch is not good.

Maybe I just better stick with my Crown Royale Magic Touch spray and Cowboy Magic if he gets a bad matt (which he did yesterday - he had been out in the yard and came in with a huge matt caused by sand spurs getting in his coat - those darn things are horrible). Took me almost an hour to get it out,

They love anything that's yours There isn't any conditioning benefit to having it in there. Give it to your best friend. She will like the Chanel powder.

I don't think it would take much time to get out a top knot if you have the right products. They usually look worst than they are. In the future, before he plays in the sand you should double band or give two top knots. This will help.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Oops...guess I gave bad advice about the slicker. I don't often get tangles, but use one when I do

Welcome back, Mary! Nice to see you!!

Not to worry.....We all use a slicker in the beginning it is the fastest way to break down a knot but, it also takes out more hair.

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by Elle

They love anything that's yours There isn't any conditioning benefit to having it in there. Give it to your best friend. She will like the Chanel powder.

I don't think it would take much time to get out a top knot if you have the right products. They usually look worst than they are. In the future, before he plays in the sand you should double band or give two top knots. This will help.

No, the matt wasn't in his topknot, it was in his "shoulder".
The sandspurs are what we call those little devilish things that seem to love the backyards in Florida. They are small green spiky things and they cling to the coat. They grow on grass like stems, and he must have got a whole stem of them in the one spot on his "shoulder".They are awful to get out. When you can work them loose, one at a time, you can usually comb the little devil out and then work on getting the next one out. There were at least a dozen in that spot. The hair sticks to them forming a "matt"

We try and keep them down, and the yard was just mowed last week. We daren't use weedkiller because of the Yorkies. So we try and keep them mowed down.

[Elle]

Originally Posted by Beamers Mom

No, the matt wasn't in his topknot, it was in his "shoulder".
The sandspurs are what we call those little devilish things that seem to love the backyards in Florida. They are small green spiky things and they cling to the coat. They grow on grass like stems, and he must have got a whole stem of them in the one spot on his "shoulder".They are awful to get out. When you can work them loose, one at a time, you can usually comb the little devil out and then work on getting the next one out. There were at least a dozen in that spot. The hair sticks to them forming a "matt"

We try and keep them down, and the yard was just mowed last week. We daren't use weedkiller because of the Yorkies. So we try and keep them mowed down.

You are on your own with those things. There's no strategy. Sand spur LOL

Shoulder is the worst.

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by Elle

You are on your own with those things. There's no strategy. Sand spur LOL

Shoulder is the worst.

Gee thanks Elle - I thought you would have run right over and got rid of the sand spurs for me

About half way through I just about reached for the scissors and cut the darn thing out, but I know I would have cried for a week if I cut his coat.

But almost an hour was good, the other day it was 1 hour and 15 minutes!

I just combed some more out of him a little while ago - and he was bathed and everything today!
Bruce says he is going to see where in the yard he is getting into the things and get rid of them tomorrow (I am not holding my breath as he said that the other day too).

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Beamers Mom

Gee thanks Elle - I thought you would have run right over and got rid of the sand spurs for me

About half way through I just about reached for the scissors and cut the darn thing out, but I know I would have cried for a week if I cut his coat.

But almost an hour was good, the other day it was 1 hour and 15 minutes!

I just combed some more out of him a little while ago - and he was bathed and everything today!
Bruce says he is going to see where in the yard he is getting into the things and get rid of them tomorrow (I am not holding my breath as he said that the other day too).

OK! Have you thought about braiding his coat before you let him out. Or better yet; and I know you're going to kill me for this one, wrapping his coat and putting him in a wrapping jacket.

[Elle]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

OK! Have you thought about braiding his coat before you let him out. Or better yet; and I know you're going to kill me for this one, wrapping his coat and putting him in a wrapping jacket.

LOL Now you know what happens to a dog that isn't used to being in wraps does when you wrap him? The jacket would have spurs stuck to it when he rolls on his back trying to get the wraps out.

Wonder if you soaked him in oil? I like braiding some sections or work a better offer with Bruce.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Elle

LOL Now you know what happens to a dog that isn't used to being in wraps does when you wrap him? The jacket would have spurs stuck to it when he rolls on his back trying to get the wraps out.

Wonder if you soaked him in oil? I like braiding some sections or work a better offer with Bruce.

Yeah! But, you'd have an easier time of getting the spurs out of the jacket instead of the coat.