# Grooming post



## scoobydoo (Oct 5, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Looking for some emergency grooming help. I wondered if there was a post already about this. No idea what happened not sure if its the melting snow, but Scooby's coat is one big mass of matts  
It seemed fine one day then "boom". It is really bothering him, but anything I do does not work to get them out. He is only about 1 1/2 inches long anyway. Its way to cold to shave him down. 

Please, please any tips........

Jo


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Someone on the forum (Karen maybe?) suggested corn starch in another thread and it really does work to help get them out. Piper was a mess from wearing coats/sweaters and the snow. I waited until the evening when she was tired and did it over the course of a few days but I was able to get them all out. Good Luck!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Are you sure he is not "Blowing Coat?"


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## scoobydoo (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you Julie I will try that. 
He is two In April do they "blow their coat" more than once?

Jo


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## dodrop82 (May 21, 2010)

Apparently they can blow coat as many as three times. Yogi will be 2 in May, and she's been really shedding alot lately, and matting out of nowhere! I've been wondering if she's not blowing coat also, cause for a non shedding dog, her hair sure is everywhere lately!!!


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## scoobydoo (Oct 5, 2009)

Scooby survived a four hour grooming session. The cornstarch worked really well. But I am thinking there will need to be many more sessions before I really get anywhere. He seems to rematt within minutes 
Hard to tell if its the brutal weather we have here, combined with static and snow, or he is blowing again. Poor little guy.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

If you live in a cold area and have a lot of dryness in the house you need to use some leave in moisturizer because their hair and skin can get dry usually it is shedding of the undercoat that causes the worse matts, not always. Do not use oil, you can get something like Bio-groom Moisturizer it is not costly and you can use it when you are brushing them out.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

scoobydoo said:


> Scooby survived a four hour grooming session. The cornstarch worked really well. But I am thinking there will need to be many more sessions before I really get anywhere. He seems to rematt within minutes
> Hard to tell if its the brutal weather we have here, combined with static and snow, or he is blowing again. Poor little guy.


Oh Jo, I feel your pain. I think it took 4 days to get them all out and it seemed like there were new ones everytime I felt her. After I got them all out I gave her a bath and used Pantene conditioner (left it on for 5 minutes) and that seems to have helped keep them under control. Unfortunately I think Pipers soft cottony coat will make it a constant battle in the winter.

Good Luck!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

You might try putting conditioner in a spray bottle and leaving it on the coat . Someone else told me about doing this at a show I just went too.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> If you live in a cold area and have a lot of dryness in the house you need to use some leave in moisturizer because their hair and skin can get dry usually it is shedding of the undercoat that causes the worse matts, not always. Do not use oil, you can get something like Bio-groom Moisturizer it is not costly and you can use it when you are brushing them out.


I LOVE Biogroom Silk. I use it as a regular conditioner after Kodi's baths and cut it 1/10 for his grooming spray. I tried Coat Handler's after many people raved about it, and honestly, I didn't think it did any better job on his coat, and it was a LTO more expensive. The Biogroom products have a coconut oil base.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Suzi said:


> You might try putting conditioner in a spray bottle and leaving it on the coat . Someone else told me about doing this at a show I just went too.


Make sure you dilute the conditioner... about 1 part conditioner to 10 parts water. (doesn't have to be exact... you can eyeball it)


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## graciesmum (Feb 5, 2010)

You can moisten the matts with what ever kind of conditioning product, then use a slicker brush and do a light "pat-pull" over the matt until it breaks up. Once fur has been matted and dematted, the hair cuticle is damaged and is likely to matt up easier/faster next time.


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## hheitman (Nov 13, 2006)

Hi all. 
I haven't been on in quite some time. but I noticed this post and thought I might share in some advice. As a professional groomer by trade-definitely use a coat conditioner on a regular basis and when removing matts comb through the matts while the coat is wet while the conditioner is on. It helps to loosen the matts and prevents breakage which can cause future matting. I use Natures Specialties in my salon and also a matt removal cream for severe matts. A leave in conditioner spray also helps really well


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## scoobydoo (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your advice. It was much needed and much appreciated. I will be trying the conditioner tonight as he has some really stubborn matts on his back.

Jo x


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