# Most Horrible Coat Ever



## momtothree (May 19, 2013)

I have a white Havanese that is 18 months old, and her coat is horrible. She mats constantly. Her coat is almost like a Bichon. I got her at 15 weeks old and it has always been like this. 
It is wearing me out trying to keep her combed and brushed. I usually keep her cut short but she is overdue for a grooming.
Any thoughts or suggestions as how to deal with this type of coat?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

momtothree said:


> I have a white Havanese that is 18 months old, and her coat is horrible. She mats constantly. Her coat is almost like a Bichon. I got her at 15 weeks old and it has always been like this.
> It is wearing me out trying to keep her combed and brushed. I usually keep her cut short but she is overdue for a grooming.
> Any thoughts or suggestions as how to deal with this type of coat?


My brother has a curly hav. He has to keep him extremely short and cut monthly. It wouldn't hurt to comb her daily or every other day.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Keep it short. I love Jack in a short clip.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Oh, where is the picture?


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## momtothree (May 19, 2013)

I do comb and brush her almost everyday and she still gets terrible, I am going to make an appt and get her cute really short. That is the way I usually keep her but have had some family issues going on and she has gotten longer than I like.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

She could be going through "Blowing Coat" too. Can you post a picture?


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## wildhilda (Oct 3, 2013)

Her coat is like a bichon because Havanese are bichons (bichon havanais) :wink: which means similarities between Bichon Frisées and Havanese are not accidentallly, sometimes there are more sometimes there are less depending on what genes prevail.

With 18 months she is now right in the period when her puppy/young dog fur changes into a grown up fur and that is the time where it mats most. 
Grit your teeth and get to it, because this period will end, and normally it will get better (I hope for you, she is not one of the seldom cases where it does not improve).

You can clip her short, but that will not prevent matting, it will make it easier to get the mat out, but it will not prevent it, because the mat is formed close to the skin. In spite of clipping short you will have to comb her fairly often, in order to prevent matting. So you have to get the old wool out directly on the skin - I have a video here that shows how you best do this, but it is in German - maybe someone else knows a video or anything like this in English.


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## momtothree (May 19, 2013)

Thanks, everyone for your replies. Can anyone recommend any type of product that might help with getting the mats out? I am at my wits end. Everyday, when I comb and brush her, new mats to deal with.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

use a good conditioner that detangles well, blow dry so it's straight (curly/frizzy fur will tangle more). After you brush her go over her with a find comb to get rid of all the lose hairs (the lose hairs that drop out of the coat are what starts the mats.

Hopefully it will improve as she ages. I lucked out with my hav's coat and she hasn't really developed bad mats (yet... she's still only 22 months and could be a late bloomer as far as blowing coats go).


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## momtothree (May 19, 2013)

Tuss said:


> use a good conditioner that detangles well, blow dry so it's straight (curly/frizzy fur will tangle more). After you brush her go over her with a find comb to get rid of all the lose hairs (the lose hairs that drop out of the coat are what starts the mats.
> 
> Hopefully it will improve as she ages. I lucked out with my hav's coat and she hasn't really developed bad mats (yet... she's still only 22 months and could be a late bloomer as far as blowing coats go).


Today is bath day, and as of last night I did not find any mats. Thank goodness! She also has a very thick coat.

The conditioner I use is Silk, and it usually does a pretty good job.

So hopefully, after her bath, I can put extra conditioner on her, comb her out really well and blow her dry. Maybe I will have a whole new dog?


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

A friend told me to use a leave on human conditioner. Just a small amount on your hands and rub it onto the coat. Neutrogina triple moister silk touch leave in conditioner. You add it to a clean dry groomed coat. It helps keep the mats from coming back as fast.


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## momtothree (May 19, 2013)

Suzi said:


> A friend told me to use a leave on human conditioner. Just a small amount on your hands and rub it onto the coat. Neutrogina triple moister silk touch leave in conditioner. You add it to a clean dry groomed coat. It helps keep the mats from coming back as fast.


Thanks I will try that.


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