# MATTING?



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Hello all!

As you know Tillie went to the groomers last Thursday... I brushed her out late Saturday and noted that she had an awful lot of matting, thick matts that I KNOW weren't there when I took her in to the groomers (yes, I groom her BEFORE I take her to the groomers. LOL can't take in a matty dog, they'll shave her! gasp! :faint. I am wondering if anyone else has noticed matting more AFTER a visit to the groomer??
Also, i found an ENORMOUS matt between her shoulder blades this afternoon, it took me almost an hr to work it out, poor girl. I had to cut into it in 3 different spots and just when I would think I had it, I would do a comb through and the comb would get caught again! grrrrrrr... :doh: She has never matted there before and I am wondering if it could have anything to do with the flea meds I put on her on Thursday? Does anyone get any matting after treating for flea/ticks?

AND I am begining to wonder if the "blowing coat" that I thought she went through back in January was really just related to the stress of being spayed and maybe she is REALLY starting to go through it now? She will be 10 months April 12th ... sigh... that puppy cut is looking pretty appealing about now... not that Tillie's hair is all that long, but MAN these matts are ginormous!! :frusty:


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but this is the beginning of coat blowing. I remember when Milo was young, I would run a comb through him every night. It was like a knife going through butter. I couldn't understand what people were talking about when they talked about all this matting. Well . . . once it started I was ready to kill myself. It lasted for months and it was *bad*.

With each new puppy I found myself thinking it will be different with this one. Nope! Each and every one of them went through this nightmare time with matting -- *twice!* After battling it with Milo and then Bailey I finally gave up last winter (2009) and had both of them shaved down (except for their heads and tails). I was terrified, but it proved much easier for all of us.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

uhhhhhhh.. thanks? LOL


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

Uhh ohh for me too. Whimsy turned a year old this month and I'm holding my breath waiting for the matting to start. I groom her everyday and she gets a bath every other week and so far so good. But I can't believe I would be so lucky to have a dog that would be the exception to the blowing coat rule.LOL
So, I guess all I can do is hope for the best but expect the worst huh??


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

I have picked mine up from the groomer and found them matted and I do the same thing lol I do a comb through before I take them ever since Sissy got shaved (w/out my persmission).......so I don't know if they don't dry them enough or if the matt it when they are drying it? Sissy matts frequently and all the time but she has a thicker coat....Smokey rarely matts and if/when he does it is around the ear and on his belly............I have to admit when Sissy was shaved she was much easier to take care of but I just couldn't make myself love the look.........


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

After bathing most drop coated dogs shed a bit more (so it seems) at home we may brush them until the coat has little hair and maybe go back latter. At the groomers they don't have that leisure. Groomers usually brush and finish and our pups look nice. Only problem is they will continue to shed some hair that got loosen up during the process. Also remember this is spring even "non-sheding" (all dogs shed its just the degree, ours have less dander and have different hair) dogs lose some coat. We are lucky some dogs like my Lhasa loose most of their undercoat in spring and it will matt in the top coat it does not blow around in puff balls though. If it is blowing coat, hang in there you can get through it, if you have the time, I do understand not everyone has that leisure.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Yep..I looked back at a thread I started when suddenly it seemed matt's were everywhere and it was around Kiplings 8 month old mark

http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=10920&highlight=matt


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

So, did you survive it Silvia or did Kipling get shaved down!??


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> So, did you survive it Silvia or did Kipling get shaved down!??


He didn't get shaved down but it was a lesson for me to get on matt's the moment I see them...the groomer was not pleased. She took 3 hours de-matting him and I ended up having to bring him back a separate time for his actual groom. Not fun. We now groom him fairly short in the body and keep his face fluffy and round so that helps. Kipling's fur is almost chinchilla soft when he's short like that so he's pretty sweet that way and we avoid the matt's also. I also now take him every six weeks...religiously.

But what you're experiencing is hard to avoid. And know that it will/does pass. Hang in there!


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

This gives you an idea of the body hair length..note head looks poofy..this settles after a few days...getting the balance right between poofy head and shorter body has been tricky - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not as good but for the most part it all settles in and he looks good. We loved him fluffy and longer but have come to really enjoy his shorter coat too. And it's been easier on him. Sorry the picture is sideways .. not sure how to fix that


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

awwww, he looks great!!
So, does the groomer scissor him or shave him?
Do you mind if I print this out and take it to the groomer tomorrow??


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

She uses a clipper on his body and then details with scissors...her blade is lavender for him but I don't know if they're all the same. Now I just say light purple body and rounded face...no poodle or wheaton look - make sure the beard stays rounded and the ears stay long...happy to have you use the picture...can send you a couple others if you like?


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Here he is, right side up.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Ugh! The dreaded blowing coat, we all hate it. Tucker gets a puppy cut twice a year. His coat is cottony and super thick. I know when it's time for the puppy cut because I start have a difficult time getting the comb through all the hair and I start finding little matts. We really like him in long coat, but spending more than 30 minutes each night combing him is not my idea of a good time nor his, but he does love the treats.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Thank you Geri!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

That would be great Sylvia, thanks!!


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)




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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Kipling is adorable and his groomer is great!


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

Lizzie turned one year old yesterday and she had this matting "problem" a few months ago. All of a sudden she always had a mat no matter how often I combed her. I did get a dematting comb and it is wonderful. It is the #1 All Systems dematting comb. I would give that a try. I seriously almost had her cut down, but I really want her in full coat. All seems to be well now, just the occasional mat.
I notice she mats more when she is dirty, but Tillie just had a bath.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

I am still waiting for Nellie to blow her coat,I thought it had started a month or so ago, but it came to nothing,she is now over 10 months old,I was wondering if it makes any difference if they have been spayed or not? Dizzie was around 8 months old when he went through his first coat blowing, then again at about 17 months old, and he has just had a bit of another go, touch wood none of them were very bad, but obviously I had to keep on top of it.Anyone any ideas about the being spayed or not?


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Blowing coat for sure! I survived the coat blowing. It is work and you will work on the coat for 2-3 months. It seemed like the worst was the 1st month, then it was not so bad when grooming. 

If you do not have the time or lotssssssssssssss fo patience for grooming, I would go for the short cut for your Hav.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie has an appt tomorrow morning. gulp. 
I spent an hour de-matting and grooming her this morning (on top of the hr I spent last night) and then we went and ran errands. Well between being in her carrier for an hr and then another hr in her harness, she is totally matted again. grrrrr.... we were driving to get the kids and I was petting her and finally had to STOP cause I was finding SO many HUGE matts, it was just insane!! She seems to be getting them particuraly bad where her hind legs bend, kind of there going under her belly. 
I am curious what she will look like shaved down... I think going into spring/summer it is going to be the best thing for both of us. Temps top 110+ during the summer...

I'll post pics asap!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Thank you Sylvia for the pictures of Kipling, he is adorable!!!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Oh, I have another question.. how far UP the back do I tell them to clip?? to the neck? taper to behind the ears? And what word do you use for the area between the short clipped body and the longer face and head? taper? blend?
thanks for the help, I am a nervous Nelly!!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I don't know if these help you at all, but you'll see Milo and Bailey shaved down and then Milo with a little longer puppy cut.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Yes...Geri's pictures were my inspiration pictures at the time..I like how the faces are still Hav and shaggy...my groomer just kind of blends the back into the neck and head but it's tricky - doesn't always look perfect but it grows out in a week or so and shags up nicely. Good luck tomorrow. I know what you're going through. It's horrifying finding the matt's - it got to the point where I'd just feel sick about them..things have gotten much easier.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

thanks for the encouragment! and the pictures!
I broke the news to my family tonight over dinner that Tillie has appt to be clipped down tomorrow and let's just say, it did NOT go well. LOL I basically told my husband that since I am the SOLE caretaker of Tillie (do ALL the grooming, training, walking, etc...) that it is MY desicion to make. I told him, if HE wants to take over, GO for it. He knows how much time I have spent grooming her over the past months (once a day) and over the past 5 days (3 times a day at least 45 minutes each time). So, i showed him the pic of Kipling and he said, "What, Tillie already LOOKS like that." LOL ummmm.... she has her full coat and is 9.5 months old. 'nuff said. I told him, if he wants to take over grooming, GO for it... and said in closing, "you'll be running her to the groomer 1st chance you get!" He said, but I LOVE her hair long. I said then YOU groom her and keep her matt free! MEN.
It will GROW back. It gets 110+ here and will be easier for everyone. YES, she is adorable, YES we love the way she looks and YES it will grow back. It won't change WHO Tillie is. sheesh.
Anywho, obviously I "won" ... T - 12 hrs and counting till shave down. gulp.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

TilliesMom said:


> Hello all!
> 
> As you know Tillie went to the groomers last Thursday... I brushed her out late Saturday and noted that she had an awful lot of matting, thick matts that I KNOW weren't there when I took her in to the groomers (yes, I groom her BEFORE I take her to the groomers. LOL can't take in a matty dog, they'll shave her! gasp! :faint. I am wondering if anyone else has noticed matting more AFTER a visit to the groomer??
> Also, i found an ENORMOUS matt between her shoulder blades this afternoon, it took me almost an hr to work it out, poor girl. I had to cut into it in 3 different spots and just when I would think I had it, I would do a comb through and the comb would get caught again! grrrrrrr... :doh: She has never matted there before and I am wondering if it could have anything to do with the flea meds I put on her on Thursday? Does anyone get any matting after treating for flea/ticks?
> ...


 _ just wanted to let you know that I was told with a havanese you have to apply the flee medicine in several parts of their skin not just where the directions say like it 4 to 5 different points . I was also thinking that she was sort of young to be blowing coat. Maybe you are right that it was stress. I havn't taken the sisters to a groomer but I bet they are doing something to cause more mates.It could be that they aren't using conditioner and tangeling with the dryer? _


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

possibly. but she was at the groomer a week ago and she is still really having problems and she IS almost 10 months old.... a full coat isn't as important to us as a happy, healthy puppy!! It will be better and easier for both of us! 
And thanks for the tip about the flea meds, makes TOTAL sense, I'll do it that way in the future for sure!


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## marlowe'sgirl (Jun 17, 2010)

I hated the idea of cutting my pup's full coat during BC. But I did get the belly and armpits shaved - it was a lifesaver. I just cut the mats out from behind the ears. The only mats I ever worked on were the body coat which wasn't so difficult. They have so much hair, you really didn't notice the extensive shaving of the underside. It was a good intermediate step for me and I never had to go all the way with a puppy cut. And I liked the shaved belly so much re:grooming, I decided to keep it.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

this is also a great thread with wonderful pictures - look how beautiful Tori looks

http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=13935


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

BTW, an aside, my vet never said to do the flea medication any other way than on the upper back as usual. I don't want to jinx us, but we've never had fleas.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Geri, You are so wonderful for bringing up the flea meds!!!! I have been keeping my mouth shut and feeling guilty. The number one cause of death from spot on flea meds is using them wrongly and not in keeping with package directions. By not following the directions you but your dog at risk and not a little risk. These are powerful!!!! If the brand you are using seems not to work make for sure your using them properly (not right after a bath) or try a different brand, as the one your using may not work in your area.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

interesting arguements! We have always just put them at the back of thier neck, but I do recall, for BIG dogs you put it on several areas along their backs??
Once we actually USE the flea meds, fleas are gone! LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

pjewel said:


> BTW, an aside, my vet never said to do the flea medication any other way than on the upper back as usual. I don't want to jinx us, but we've never had fleas.


Same with me.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Here is a link to a video on proper use of 'Frontline' 





Hope this helps.


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## JMGracie (Mar 30, 2011)

What about the size of the flea and tick medication? I've been hesitant to apply it because the stuff my vet gave me looks like a small juice box. Probably perfect for a Lab or a Golden, but I think it would cover my Hav from head to toe. Then I was in the dog section of Target the other day and noticed these tiny little pouches of flea/tick medication.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Suggest starting a new thread on the flea med piece of it - seems meaty enough and could be getting lost on the threat about matting.


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