# matt tools...



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Hello!

As everyone knows, Tillie was spayed on Tuesday. So, the last time she was bathed and brushed out was Monday. I changed her onesie today and O.M.G. she had horrible matts. Probably mostly from the onesie, rolling it up nd down for going potty, and from any medical equipment they had on her for the surgery.
She seems to get them easiest in her chest fur and at the bottom of her sides, rolling under her belly (does that make sense?). She is 7 months. Could she be blowing coat on top of being spayed!?? poor thing... if I would have realized this, i probably would have shaved her down on Monday... but as I was doing so good keeping up with her coat I though (foolishly) that I would be able to keep up... but this surgery threw me for a loop!!
SOOOO, what are the MUST HAVE de-matting tools, combs, sprays, etc??
I know brushing several times a day is the best thing, and I have been doing that since we got her, but right now, i feel SO overwhelmed and I don't want to bother her to much right now since she is still recovering... HELP!!:ear:


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Because she might be tender be careful with her belly area. I would use a wide tooth comb and cornstarch and work in small sections over short periods of time. You want to do make for sure you keep the parts that are matt free brushed. This sometimes happens just before a show and their is no choice but to work the matts out. So just don't get overwhelmed. Breathe there will be a few matts that you maynot be able to get out. The trick is to do them over time (I don't mean days) just every few hours. Also you can use a detangler spray just do a little bit at a time. Front paws, bellies, armpits and base of the tail are common matt places. After you get most of the matts out you can always cut down just the belly it won't show. Hope this helps some.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

thanks for the advice! I think I am going to try to leave the onesie off as much as possible, cause I KNOW that is where the matts are originating from. I just discovered a HUGE one around her arm (where the onsie sleeves end.) sigh. I'm going to wait till my husband comes home to help get that one out. I will work on the ones on her belly area as she "allows" ... the comb got STUCK in the one in her arm and it took me a few seconds to get it out, so she is DONE for now. poor thing... I wish I could just 'leave her alone' but I can't knowing that the matts will just get tighter. sigh...


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

sigh, make that BOTH arms. uggggggg.... and I thought matts wouldn't happen to ME. LOL ummmm, ya.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Matts happen to everyone. Work the cornstarch in to the matts and leave it awhile some hairs will slip out. Its kind of like a fine chain that has become twisted. You just need to work in small sections do it while watching tv keep rubbing with your fingers the cornstarch. As you free up 1 inch sections you can then go over them with a pin brush. You can always use the pin brush but be sure to then use the comb on small sections.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

thanks you so much, I need to make sure we have corn starch! LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> thanks you so much, I need to make sure we have corn starch! LOL


As far as I'm concerned, corn starch is better than ANY of the expensive spay-on de-tanglers!


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## TrishK (Nov 29, 2010)

Cornstarch...good to know...I've lots in the house from pre-Christmas shortbread baking  Sammy's hair is still pretty short, but I can feel the little knots along his chest and in his armpits and the hair doesn't seem long enough to untangle...kinda like having a knot at the end of a sewing thread.


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

After eyeing this brush for some time I finally gave in & ordered it. So glad I did! It breaks up the matts with much ease. Starla is a crybaby when it comes to grooming as she cries at the littlest of matts. Not to mention she is also a woolly mammoth! I spent nearly 2 hours just brushing her the other day and still had more to go. She has yet to cry when I've used this brush on her. Its been a lifesaver with 4 older puppies going thru a coat change.

I found my Les Poochs Mat Zapper on ebay for $30 cheaper!







http://cgi.ebay.com/LES-POOCHS-GENUINE-MAT-ZAPPER-RED-SINGLE-GROOMING-BRUSH-/150433298445?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230685f80d


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

O.M.G. 4 going through a coat change!? you poor thing!!!
thanks, I'll look into that brush, I spent over an hr on her tonight and am no where near finished. I am DREADING putting her onesie back on, cause I KNOW that is adding BIG time to the matts. I am already researching puppy cuts... sigh... if I would have realized all of this I would have shaved her down before her spay on Tuesday... sigh..


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

oh and did use the corn starch!! yay!! the longer it sat, the quicker they came out when I brushed them... if I could REMEMBER where they all 
were! LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> O.M.G. 4 going through a coat change!? you poor thing!!!
> thanks, I'll look into that brush, I spent over an hr on her tonight and am no where near finished. I am DREADING putting her onesie back on, cause I KNOW that is adding BIG time to the matts. I am already researching puppy cuts... sigh... if I would have realized all of this I would have shaved her down before her spay on Tuesday... sigh..


I guess this is a good reason to spay them when theya re younger!:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

I don't know how I've missed this cornstarch/matt remedy???? I'm having so much trouble now that Piper is wearing coats and sweaters. I've been torturing her every night!

Can someone explain exactly how the cornstarch works? I just sprinkle it on and work it in, then comb out? How long should I keep it on? Does it have to be washed out?

Thanks so much. I'm really excited about an easier method than yanking her poor hair out!


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## jacqui (Aug 7, 2007)

rdanielle said:


> I found my Les Poochs Mat Zapper on ebay for $30 cheaper!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I found one too at Petco. I'm sure I didn't spend more than $20 either.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

ha. ha. ha. Ya.... i thought 6.5 months was young enough to avoid blowing coat. guess I was WRONG! LOL, this too shall pass!
and thanks for the petco recommedation.. i'll check there first!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Tillie's Mom, I am so glad the cornstarch helped. The truth about matts is you just need patience and time. I often bring home some of the small long haired rescues and dematt them because I really feel that people just walk by and don't even give them a chance. The matts that can't be taken out are the long term dirty growth that when shaved looks like a coat. Cornstarch slips through the hairs helping to make easier to part. Be careful with the dematters they take off a lot of hair by cutting trough the matts. Just remember small sections and patience.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

awesome, thanks so much for that heads up about the de-matting tool. I think I have a handle on the matts. for now. I am only putting her onesie on when I can't watch her and am combing her the rest of the time. LOL I'm just glad I discovered it before it got tooo bad... although it was bad to me! and to her too I think, I can tell she feels tons better now that I got most of the matts out. she is SO patient, lets me pick at her for hours... even fell asleep during the de-matting session this morning! sweet girl.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Pipersmom said:


> I don't know how I've missed this cornstarch/matt remedy???? I'm having so much trouble now that Piper is wearing coats and sweaters. I've been torturing her every night!
> 
> Can someone explain exactly how the cornstarch works? I just sprinkle it on and work it in, then comb out? How long should I keep it on? Does it have to be washed out?
> 
> Thanks so much. I'm really excited about an easier method than yanking her poor hair out!


It doesn't need to be "left on" to work, and it just combs out along with the mats. You don't need to wash it out. But I have to ask... it her hair is long enough to mat, why does she need to wear sweaters? As soon as Kodi's coat got long enough to keep him warm, we stopped dressing him in anything that wasn't meant to protect his coat. He has a snowsuit for really sticky snow, and a rain coat for if it's pouring. Otherwise, this boy is much happier (and gets many less knots!!!) nekkid!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> ha. ha. ha. Ya.... i thought 6.5 months was young enough to avoid blowing coat. guess I was WRONG! LOL, this too shall pass!
> and thanks for the petco recommedation.. i'll check there first!


Wow! from her photo, I figured she was older than that. That's one hairy pooch!!!!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Lol, karen, ya, she has a VERY cottony coat, like I swear if we had a "loom" we could turn her hair into yarn! LOL When I bathe her she is probably about 1/3 the size she is with her hair dried and fluffed out! she is tiny, only 7 lbs at nearly 7 months. Her breeder was very picky about the home she went to BECAUSE she knew she was going to be very small and didn't want to sell her to a breeder because of that.
Although, I am planning on having her trimmed down in a few months, for summer time. it gets REALLY hot here!
As far as the matts, they are under control, I guess I freaked when i started finding them, but they are down to a minumum and I didn't end up buying any new tools, just my trusty comb and corn starch! yay!! I just have to be sure to fully comb her out, arms, arm pits, hind legs, sides, etc... after I take her onesie off to catch any matts before they start to tighten 
thanks for all the advice!!


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

krandall said:


> It doesn't need to be "left on" to work, and it just combs out along with the mats. You don't need to wash it out. But I have to ask... it her hair is long enough to mat, why does she need to wear sweaters? As soon as Kodi's coat got long enough to keep him warm, we stopped dressing him in anything that wasn't meant to protect his coat. He has a snowsuit for really sticky snow, and a rain coat for if it's pouring. Otherwise, this boy is much happier (and gets many less knots!!!) nekkid!


Thanks for the info Karen. I put a coat or sweater on her because she shivers if I don't. I would think dogs are like people with different tolerances for cold and hot. I would love it if I didn't have to bother with a coat but she really loves to be outside and I can't let her shiver.

I bought the cornstarch this morning so hopefully this makes our life a little easier, thanks again for the tip!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

The reason I said to leave the cornstarch on a spot for a minute is because when one is new to this the tendency is to sprinkle and not work it in. It take a while to get a technique working. Some of us have been doing this for years so we forget what its like just starting. I was reminded of this when I was at a obedience/rally show and a woman was attempting to get a matt of of her Beardie with spray starch LOL. She really did not know the difference...or that there is a difference. She just heard starch so she went for the easiest. The mean thing until I spoke up no one ash or cared.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> The reason I said to leave the cornstarch on a spot for a minute is because when one is new to this the tendency is to sprinkle and not work it in. It take a while to get a technique working. Some of us have been doing this for years so we forget what its like just starting. I was reminded of this when I was at a obedience/rally show and a woman was attempting to get a matt of of her Beardie with spray starch LOL. She really did not know the difference...or that there is a difference. She just heard starch so she went for the easiest. The mean thing until I spoke up no one ash or cared.


I appreciate idiot-proof instructions Robbie! I'm one of those people who would be doing it totally wrong and wonder why it wasn't working. Any tips would be appreciated.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> The reason I said to leave the cornstarch on a spot for a minute is because when one is new to this the tendency is to sprinkle and not work it in. It take a while to get a technique working. Some of us have been doing this for years so we forget what its like just starting. I was reminded of this when I was at a obedience/rally show and a woman was attempting to get a matt of of her Beardie with spray starch LOL. She really did not know the difference...or that there is a difference. She just heard starch so she went for the easiest. The mean thing until I spoke up no one ash or cared.


That's really pretty funny!!!ound:ound:ound:


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## jetsetgo! (Aug 3, 2010)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> The reason I said to leave the cornstarch on a spot for a minute is because when one is new to this the tendency is to sprinkle and not work it in. It take a while to get a technique working. Some of us have been doing this for years so we forget what its like just starting. I was reminded of this when I was at a obedience/rally show and a woman was attempting to get a matt of of her Beardie with spray starch LOL. She really did not know the difference...or that there is a difference. She just heard starch so she went for the easiest. The mean thing until I spoke up no one ash or cared.


ound: I laugh, but this could totally be me! 
Clear instructions are always appreciated!


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