# HELP! Matts!



## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Hi all!

I needs some helpful advice. Our male Hav, Cubbby, is 1 years old. He has straight and soft hair. He looks so cute with his long flowing hair. 3 weeks ago they cut his tummy short and left his "skirt" one length and long. So cute. But, while on vacation in Illinois with rain, he is matting badly on his legs, groin, and chest. A bit on ears too. My hubby loves the long look, but I am the home groomer. When I see a bad matt, I cut it out, and maybe that is bad. I do not want to torture him. So, I am stuck in the middle. Then there is my groomer at home, who threatens to shave him if he gets too many matts. If I put him in a puppy cut at 3 inches, how long will it take to get his long "skirt" back? Or should I continue to have the belly short and try to get the legs dematted? Is this a life long journey, or will it pass? I had a Maltese before, but it was never like this. Wet grass=matts. I am not neglectful, but perhaps inexperienced. I was told to avoid bathing if matts are not all out. Do I cut them out or wait a week for the groomer???


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## seesawhavanese (Jun 17, 2015)

We had to use a detangler and two people to comb some matts. We kept her short around 3 inches as well. We use clippers on the belly, arm pits and leg pits  If it is really bad, we would use thinning shears on some areas. Be gentle.


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## Askavi (Nov 5, 2015)

Sounds like Cubby is blowing coat. Working out matts can be tough and when there's a lot of them it can be rather time consuming (Raffy was approx 2 hours per day at this age). If you're going to cut them out rather than pick/comb them out, it might be best to go with a puppy cut until the blowing coat phase is over. You can regrow his hair when he's older to get that long look back if you really like it. It'll probably take 6 to 9 months to grow back, but it would grow back evenly rather than having chunks missing all over from you cutting out matts. There's some really good info on these forums on how to work out matts if you really want to take a shot at keeping the coat long. Try a search for 'coat blowing' and/or 'matts'. 

Also, yes, you want the matts worked out before you bathe. Additionally, extra baths will help keep some matts from forming because clean hair doesn't matt as easily. It won't stop the matts, but it will help.


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

In the future, absolutely do NOT cut mats out. The cut hair, which is already in an area prone to matting, will grow into the longer hair and make for an even worse mat. You need to teach your dog to lay still for grooming sessions. Saturate the mat with a grooming spray, and work it out with the first few teeth of the comb. I use a slicker to loosen the mat before going with the teeth. If grooming really is "torture" to him (many Havs are just dramatic), do one section at a time with treats and play between. If you can't keep up with the grooming, do what is fair to him and keep him short.


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Thank you for taking the time. I can see you understand, and yes I will be very gentle.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

The groomer always trims Scouts belly and lower chest. His coat is very thick. This prevents him from getting terribly matted. Truffles also gets a belly trim because her coat is long and she is pretty short. Both their coats were so long that it was never noticeable. Scout was cut very short for his surgeries recently. I'm thinking of keeping him on the shorter side. 😊 I think he is enjoying not being combed. 😊


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I needs some helpful advice. Our male Hav, Cubbby, is 1 years old. He has straight and soft hair. He looks so cute with his long flowing hair. 3 weeks ago they cut his tummy short and left his "skirt" one length and long. So cute. But, while on vacation in Illinois with rain, he is matting badly on his legs, groin, and chest. A bit on ears too. My hubby loves the long look, but I am the home groomer. When I see a bad matt, I cut it out, and maybe that is bad. I do not want to torture him. So, I am stuck in the middle. Then there is my groomer at home, who threatens to shave him if he gets too many matts. If I put him in a puppy cut at 3 inches, how long will it take to get his long "skirt" back? Or should I continue to have the belly short and try to get the legs dematted? Is this a life long journey, or will it pass? I had a Maltese before, but it was never like this. Wet grass=matts. I am not neglectful, but perhaps inexperienced. I was told to avoid bathing if matts are not all out. Do I cut them out or wait a week for the groomer???


You echoed my issues exactly. Tux's coat was long and luxurious but the constant attention to the mats was causing too much misery too often. Heat is another factor. I bit the bullet yesterday and did the scissor cut to 3". I will get a before and after photo once he has a bath. What matters most to me is Tux is a much happier cooler camper now. He has new pep in his step. He doesn't have to undergo the "torture" of lying for hours while Mom delicately pulls mats apart. He seems to have more energy. (it's brutal in Florida now). At 1 year and 4 months of age, he is a "puppy" again. He looks and acts the part. PS My husband also loved the long hair, but he never held a brush. LOL


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

I would so appreciate a before and after photo. I see a picture above. Is that the before or the after? LOL His matts are really bad on his lower legs. There is dew on the morning grass, so his feet are wet which I think contributed to it too.


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> I would so appreciate a before and after photo. I see a picture above. Is that the before or the after? LOL His matts are really bad on his lower legs. There is dew on the morning grass, so his feet are wet which I think contributed to it too.


He gets a bath today, so I'll see what I can come up with. The photo above was taken at about 11 months. His undercoat began coming in after that. That is when the problems began.
On this reply the first photo is 11 months just bathed. Second photo is extremely dirty and unbrushed with full undercoat. The third photo taken yesterday is dirty and unbrushed but with new do. Once he has a bath I'll try to get a full shot.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Here's a couple pic's of Scout. The first one was taken last year. The second eight weeks ago before his first surgery. Last week the groomer trimmed him much shorter so we could get through eight weeks of no brushing or combing. I was so sad when his coat had to go, but I really like it and will probably keep it this length now.


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> I would so appreciate a before and after photo. I see a picture above. Is that the before or the after? LOL His matts are really bad on his lower legs. There is dew on the morning grass, so his feet are wet which I think contributed to it too.


Okay. Just finished with the bath. I accidentally cut off part of his tail hair thinking it was his leg hairs!!!! I was horrified, but it will eventually grow out. Anyway, here is what I consider a middle of the road compromise between long and short cut. I also included in the third photo his long hair (albeit dirty) look. Hope this helps.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

He looks just perfect!!! So cute!


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

I can't thank you enough for posting these pictures. He looks so cute! Mine has the same type of hair. I am really excited that there is an option! Was it easier to bathe, dry, and brush out. He must feel so great with this cut. Especially for summer. I LOVE IT! Where were his matts? Our dog had matts behind the front legs, lower area, that I totally missed. I copied the photos to take to the groomer. Cant get me in until Wednesday. I will post our pictures when I get it done. As you can see from my picture of Cubby, they always post upside down. LOL Have a great weekend and thanks again.


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

What an absolutely awesome job on the puppy cut! Did you use anything as a guide to get it so even? I'm taking baby steps with Bowie...still not blowing coat.


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

One more question: Did they use scissors or an electric shaver to trim him?


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> One more question: Did they use scissors or an electric shaver to trim him?


I do all my own grooming. It's self taught by slowly trying different methods and using a puppy photo to go by. I use only scissors. Jodi Murphy has a CD on trimming the Havanese that might help but self experimentation can work if you go slowly enough. You can pull up a really THIN long line of hair along the spine between your fingers and cut just a TINY bit (1/4" or less) of hair, then let it fall to see how it lays. You pull the next line of hair up to the first line you cut holding both together and cut the lower line to the same height as the top line. See how that looks. The secret is to cut teen tiny bits in thin lines to see how it falls and looks. If it looks choppy, you are cutting too much at one time. You can try lifting the hairs at an angle to even choppiness out. Go back and look for spots you missed and trim those. I describe how to cut the face in the HPCF "Havanese Puppy Cuteness Factor" thread.

I think if you WANT a puppy look, then trim the ears and beard shorter. If the ears aren't weighted down by hair, they tend to lift more and make the dog look perkier.

Tux's mats were everywhere with his long coat.....I mean everywhere, even though I brushed him a lot. One mistake was not using enough conditioner. I've learned not to be a minimalist now. Chris Christiansen makes ICE on ICE spray for mats. It works pretty well if used with patience and gentle finger pulling.

The shorter cut is immensely easier though!


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

CaroleG said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I needs some helpful advice. Our male Hav, Cubbby, is 1 years old. He has straight and soft hair. He looks so cute with his long flowing hair. 3 weeks ago they cut his tummy short and left his "skirt" one length and long. So cute. But, while on vacation in Illinois with rain, he is matting badly on his legs, groin, and chest. A bit on ears too. My hubby loves the long look, but I am the home groomer. When I see a bad matt, I cut it out, and maybe that is bad. I do not want to torture him. So, I am stuck in the middle. Then there is my groomer at home, who threatens to shave him if he gets too many matts. If I put him in a puppy cut at 3 inches, how long will it take to get his long "skirt" back? Or should I continue to have the belly short and try to get the legs dematted? Is this a life long journey, or will it pass? I had a Maltese before, but it was never like this. Wet grass=matts. I am not neglectful, but perhaps inexperienced. I was told to avoid bathing if matts are not all out. Do I cut them out or wait a week for the groomer???


We were in the same place a few months ago. I was spending over an hour a day brushing and combing trying to stay ahead of the mats, but failing miserably. Loki is wavy and has a cottony coat so it was impossible. I tried every detangling spray, conditioner, etc. I have a Chris Christensen G coral slicker (recommended by the groomer) and CC combs. We were both unhappy!

Luckily, I have a groomer willing to spend the time to get the mats out and not shave him. We did give him a puppy cut. I asked her not to cut his ears or tails and leave his beard long (we do trim it a little because I am trying to get rid of the staining slowly but surely). He stills need to be brushed and combed regularly but it so much easier. I spend about 10 minutes a day on him now.

He got groomed yesterday so you can see how cute he looks.


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

Barbara Levy said:


> We were in the same place a few months ago. I was spending over an hour a day brushing and combing trying to stay ahead of the mats, but failing miserably. Loki is wavy and has a cottony coat so it was impossible. I tried every detangling spray, conditioner, etc. I have a Chris Christensen G coral slicker (recommended by the groomer) and CC combs. We were both unhappy!
> 
> Luckily, I have a groomer willing to spend the time to get the mats out and not shave him. We did give him a puppy cut. I asked her not to cut his ears or tails and leave his beard long (we do trim it a little because I am trying to get rid of the staining slowly but surely). He stills need to be brushed and combed regularly but it so much easier. I spend about 10 minutes a day on him now.
> 
> He got groomed yesterday so you can see how cute he looks.


Loki looks adorable!.

About the staining: Tux has a white muzzle. He has never had staining. I suspect it is the way he eats. The raw food contains 78% pure organ meat and the rest veggies, fruit, bone, and supplements. There is NO coloring. This is where I suspect a lot of staining comes from.....the dye in kibble.

I feed him Primal Raw nuggets (by hand) in little bites. His entire meal is about 6 or 8 bites. I break off a bite that he can handle in one gulp, and have him do a command like "sit-up"; give a bite: "down and wait"; give a bite....you get the gist. I read once from a dog enthusiast/trainer, that dogs get bored having dinner set in front of them. If they work for it (like in the wild) then there is a human response and reward. Havanese LOVE to please, so even eating dinner becomes a fun event. It only takes about 30 seconds and no staining. I also give him two tablespoons of raw goat milk poured in a tiny dish for dessert. YUM! When the goat milk comes out, his lips go up and he almost smiles. It's hysterical. I'll turn around to give it to him and he is already sitting up. LOL


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Love the pictures! Will take them to the groomer. On the positive side, Cubby has no staining. I only give filtered water and feed him Orijen Adult dog food.


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## Barbara Levy (Apr 22, 2016)

Loki gets distilled water. Raw didn't work for us - his stools never firmed up. After 6 weeks of runny and soft stools I gave up. Now he eats Verus grain free canned food - Beef and Kiwi and Lamb and Veggies. I checked the labels and there are no dyes. He seems to like and he has nice firm stools. He always eats out of kong. 

I am trying probiotics and the Vet classics Tear stain stuff that ShamaMana uses. I think the stains are lightening (the camera flash makes them look darker.) 

Does anyone feed another wet food that doesn't cause stains?


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

*The cutest!*



Tux's Mom said:


> He gets a bath today, so I'll see what I can come up with. The photo above was taken at about 11 months. His undercoat began coming in after that. That is when the problems began.
> On this reply the first photo is 11 months just bathed. Second photo is extremely dirty and unbrushed with full undercoat. The third photo taken yesterday is dirty and unbrushed but with new do. Once he has a bath I'll try to get a full shot.


Oh, my gosh! He is so cute, in all of the 3 shots!


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## CaroleG (Aug 13, 2016)

Is the shorter cut easier to maintain, or does he still Matt as often?


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Carole,

Make sure you comb down to the skin. brushing does not get all the mats out. After trying lots of different combs with some of the teeth bending and others breaking, I finally listened to people who said to buy the Chris Christensen #005 Buttercomb. I never thought I would spend $50 on a comb, but it is worth it because it is strong and has long coarse and fine teeth.


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## rorythehavanese (May 24, 2017)

I've been having mat issues too! Rory had to be shaved because he had so many  I feel so bad! He's my first Havanese and I'm very inexperienced with grooming. Any brand recommendations for tools or just any will do?


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

Oh, my gosh! He is so cute either way. That summer cut is precious.


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## rorythehavanese (May 24, 2017)

Jeanniek said:


> Oh, my gosh! He is so cute either way. That summer cut is precious.


Thank you so much!!


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

He looks beautiful even with his short cut!

I've heard a lot of people rave about this one (including StarrLhasa, just above).

Chris Christensen #005 Buttercomb

We bought a cheaper comb from Amazon (I'm sure I named it in one of my posts) and a wooden bristle brush. I spritz with detangler/conditioner, then brush, then comb out mats. I did end up buying a little rotating table, but I still just hold Shama on my lap while grooming her. She mats a lot on her rear end because she sits when I try to groom her there! I know I'm doing good enough, however, because our groomer doesn't scold me . . .

Good luck! More photos are always welcome!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I would be lost without my Oscar Frank Universal slicker for mats. I brush my two everyday with the slicker before combing with the CC #005 Buttercomb. I also use the CC face and feet comb daily.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

[Tucks Mom: Okay. Just finished with the bath. I accidentally cut off part of his tail hair thinking it was his leg hairs!!!! I was horrified, but it will eventually grow out. ]

LOL!!! &#128514;

My 14 week pup is going to the groomer tomorrow and I don't know what to do. We are leaving for the mountains for 2-3 mos where it will be cool during the day and and cold at night.

Do I ask for the face to be trimmed, under belly and bottom and keep the coat long on the back. It's not long yet. Its growing. I'm concerned about put the blowing hair that comes in? What age is that? I won't get back to the groomer until she's about 7 mos. she's almost 4 mos now.

Suggestions!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Mikki said:


> [Tucks Mom: Okay. Just finished with the bath. I accidentally cut off part of his tail hair thinking it was his leg hairs!!!! I was horrified, but it will eventually grow out. ]
> 
> LOL!!! &#128514;
> 
> ...


You're still probably safe from blowing coat at 7 months. None of mine started to blow before 10 months. I've HEARD of it starting as early as 8 months, but not before that. I can't say it can't happen, but I think it's rare.

If you are planning to keep her in a puppy cut anyway, you might ask for a SHORT puppy cut now, and let it just grow out for the next 3 months. Then, if it's cool in the evening, you can put a sweater on her.

We camped with all three of ours as puppies, and just groomed as necessary. No cuts on any of them. I did cut Pixel down at just over a year, but it's really not that much work to keep up with the coat on a 6-7 month old puppy. But it depends on what you want... either way will work!


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

krandall said:


> You're still probably safe from blowing coat at 7 months. None of mine started to blow before 10 months. I've HEARD of it starting as early as 8 months, but not before that. I can't say it can't happen, but I think it's rare.
> 
> If you are planning to keep her in a puppy cut anyway, you might ask for a SHORT puppy cut now, and let it just grow out for the next 3 months. Then, if it's cool in the evening, you can put a sweater on her.
> 
> We camped with all three of ours as puppies, and just groomed as necessary. No cuts on any of them. I did cut Pixel down at just over a year, but it's really not that much work to keep up with the coat on a 6-7 month old puppy. But it depends on what you want... either way will work!


Good idea! I've got a couple of pics to show the groomer. And, something else I need to buy ... a Coat. Oh! my. Thanks!!!


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## rorythehavanese (May 24, 2017)

Heather's said:


> I would be lost without my Oscar Frank Universal slicker for mats. I brush my two everyday with the slicker before combing with the CC #005 Buttercomb. I also use the CC face and feet comb daily.


Potentially dumb question-what is the difference between the CC face and CC #005 Buttercomb? I have the CC face comb already. Is it really worth the $50?? If it's worth it, I'll get it but that's a lot of money for a comb! Lol


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

If it were me I'd still go with a puppy cut, despite the weather in the mountains, and take a sweater in case you think she'll be too cold at night. That's what I do with Perry. Even when we visit the US in the winter, he's in a puppy cut - I just put him in his fleece when we're going out if it's really cold and he's fine.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

rorythehavanese said:


> Potentially dumb question-what is the difference between the CC face and CC #005 Buttercomb? I have the CC face comb already. Is it really worth the $50?? If it's worth it, I'll get it but that's a lot of money for a comb! Lol


The CC#005 Buttercomb is a regular sized comb coarse/fine 7.5 inches. The CC face and feet comb is great for the face, but not for combing a long coat to the skin. I definitely think it is worth $50. It's the comb I use everyday. I have other combs, but for some reason the Buttercomb seems to slide through the coat smoothly.


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## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

*Bowing Mind*

Zoey at 10 and 11 months. I took her to groomer for first time and Kos along with her. His matting was not that bad, and groomer said she could leave his coat longer. When I got back to groomers early, Kos was on the table and just as bald as a billiard ball. So, I teared up and then went out to my car to boo hoo like vain baby. Came in afterwards to face groomer with dignity, then paid and tipped.

Should have been titled blowing mind, but I was of a bowing mind before the shave, so that one works as well.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

He still looks very cute, although I know just how you are feeling. I went through that shocked experience numerous times with my first Havanese Sparky. I wouldn't say anything, take a deep breath, pay and tip. I was younger then... Now I would be asking what happened and not tip! Poor Sparky was shaved all the way to his pink skin just before Christmas one year! I was so upset! 😭 My husband was shocked and wouldn't walk him until I bought a coat! We have had the same home groomer for six years. There have been many times when Scout and Truffles have been matted. After my wrist fx surgery last Sept. I wasn't able to comb because it was my dominate hand for seven months. I was fortunate Scout's coat was already short due to his ACL surgeries. It was a big problem with Truffles because DH doesn't understand the concept on combing to the skin. They had to groomed very three weeks and there was still a lot matting. Our groomer never would think of shaving them. She is very gentle with them. It did take a lot more time which she anticipated. Doesn't take long for them to get furry again! 😊


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

rorythehavanese said:


> Potentially dumb question-what is the difference between the CC face and CC #005 Buttercomb? I have the CC face comb already. Is it really worth the $50?? If it's worth it, I'll get it but that's a lot of money for a comb! Lol


The face comb is a very small comb with very small spacing, specifically for faces and feet. The 005 is a body comb. I tend to use the face comb on puppies, and it might work as an over-all comb on a short-clipped puppy cut. But you really need something a bit bigger, with a bit wider spacing of the teeth for a longer adult coat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

rorythehavanese said:


> Potentially dumb question-what is the difference between the CC face and CC #005 Buttercomb? I have the CC face comb already. Is it really worth the $50?? If it's worth it, I'll get it but that's a lot of money for a comb! Lol


Here is a photo of several of my Buttercombs. The small one on the left is a face comb. The middle one is an 005, and the one on the right is an 001. The 001 is fine for the girls' coats, but the longer teeth work better on Kodi's denser, longer coat.

I also have an 000, which is out in the car, in my training bag, so not in the photo. That is sort of mid-way between the 001 and the 005. They have that on Amazon for $32 and that's a very good all-round comb too if you want something a bit cheaper.

https://smile.amazon.com/Chris-Chri...mr1&keywords=Chris+Christensen+001+Buttercomb

The real issue is the way the Buttercombs are manufactured, they glide through hair better than ANYTHING else.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

krandall said:


> Here is a photo of several of my Buttercombs. The small one on the left is a face comb. The middle one is an 005, and the one on the right is an 001. The 001 is fine for the girls' coats, but the longer teeth work better on Kodi's denser, longer coat.
> 
> I also have an 000, which is out in the car, in my training bag, so not in the photo. That is sort of mid-way between the 001 and the 005. They have that on Amazon for $32 and that's a very good all-round comb too if you want something a bit cheaper.
> 
> ...


Got my 4 month old groomed in a puppy cut. So, Cute!!! Will post pics tomorrow. Looks like she dropped two pounds of hair. I asked my groomer what comb to get and she suggested Andis steel comb because it gets down to the skin and gets out the matts. Looks like the CC Buttercomb but the cost is a whole lot less than $10. How can there be such a difference in price!? It's what my third generation of family groomers use ... so I'll give it a try.The Andis company was out of stock but Chewy had them.
https://www.chewy.com/andis-steel-p...yuzv2JADdt6oKx0ZAeK8MlxycCQ5LYCBoCsjkQAvD_BwE


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Mikki said:


> Got my 4 month old groomed in a puppy cut. So, Cute!!! Will post pics tomorrow. Looks like she dropped two pounds of hair. I asked my groomer what comb to get and she suggested Andis steel comb because it gets down to the skin and gets out the matts. Looks like the CC Buttercomb but the cost is a whole lot less than $10. How can there be such a difference in price!? It's what my third generation of family groomers use ... so I'll give it a try.The Andis company was out of stock but Chewy had them.
> https://www.chewy.com/andis-steel-p...yuzv2JADdt6oKx0ZAeK8MlxycCQ5LYCBoCsjkQAvD_BwE


That's what everyone thinks at first. I did too. So we ALL waste money on lower quality combs and then spend the money on CC combs. Groomers don't buy CC equipment or products, because they are less concerned about preserving coat, and more concerned about keeping their over-all cost of equipment and supplies down. There is no question that the initial cost is higher. But there is also no question that there IS a difference. Then again, if you are planning on keeping her in a puppy cut, it might not make a difference to you! 

I've had my initial CC combs for 8 1/2 years now (after first spending a fair bit of money on cheaper combs) They are as good as new. The cheaper ones are gone. I don't even use them as "extras" at this point, because they eventually got rusty and pulled coat more than they did in the beginning. (which was more than a CC comb ever does) I've added combs because I like having them in different places. (my office, my training bag, beside my bed as well as on the grooming table) But I've never had a problem with one.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

krandall said:


> That's what everyone thinks at first. I did too. So we ALL waste money on lower quality combs and then spend the money on CC combs. Groomers don't buy CC equipment or products, because they are less concerned about preserving coat, and more concerned about keeping their over-all cost of equipment and supplies down. There is no question that the initial cost is higher. But there is also no question that there IS a difference. Then again, if you are planning on keeping her in a puppy cut, it might not make a difference to you!
> 
> I've had my initial CC combs for 8 1/2 years now (after first spending a fair bit of money on cheaper combs) They are as good as new. The cheaper ones are gone. I don't even use them as "extras" at this point, because they eventually got rusty and pulled coat more than they did in the beginning. (which was more than a CC comb ever does) I've added combs because I like having them in different places. (my office, my training bag, beside my bed as well as on the grooming table) But I've never had a problem with one.


I'm sure the more expensive combs are better. I'll check this Andis comb out. It'll work for a while with her shorter coat and puppy hair. My groomer is a third generation family owner. Their tools are good and I suspect are top notch. She didn't think for my use I didn't need a $50 comb. The Buttercomb hasn't been crossed off my list.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

krandall said:


> That's what everyone thinks at first. I did too. So we ALL waste money on lower quality combs and then spend the money on CC combs. Groomers don't buy CC equipment or products, because they are less concerned about preserving coat, and more concerned about keeping their over-all cost of equipment and supplies down. There is no question that the initial cost is higher. But there is also no question that there IS a difference. Then again, if you are planning on keeping her in a puppy cut, it might not make a difference to you!
> 
> I've had my initial CC combs for 8 1/2 years now (after first spending a fair bit of money on cheaper combs) They are as good as new. The cheaper ones are gone. I don't even use them as "extras" at this point, because they eventually got rusty and pulled coat more than they did in the beginning. (which was more than a CC comb ever does) I've added combs because I like having them in different places. (my office, my training bag, beside my bed as well as on the grooming table) But I've never had a problem with one.


I agree with what Karen said. I've had my CC combs for six years and they are just like new. The combs do not pull on the coat. Groomers have to buy many different combs not just one. When it wears out or breaks they have a replacement. I know our groomer comes with a large carry case full of all different combs, brushes, slickers etc. I always keep a few of the Oscar Frank slickers which are inexpensive and the groomer recommended. I bought all the nice ones, but this one is great for mats. The only problem is the plastic handle can break after months of use. During the puppy stage you can use any brush or comb. The CC combs are definitely the best once you hit the blowing coat stage and for the adult coat.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

krandall said:


> That's what everyone thinks at first. I did too. So we ALL waste money on lower quality combs and then spend the money on CC combs. Groomers don't buy CC equipment or products, because they are less concerned about preserving coat, and more concerned about keeping their over-all cost of equipment and supplies down. There is no question that the initial cost is higher. But there is also no question that there IS a difference. Then again, if you are planning on keeping her in a puppy cut, it might not make a difference to you!
> 
> I've had my initial CC combs for 8 1/2 years now (after first spending a fair bit of money on cheaper combs) They are as good as new. The cheaper ones are gone. I don't even use them as "extras" at this point, because they eventually got rusty and pulled coat more than they did in the beginning. (which was more than a CC comb ever does) I've added combs because I like having them in different places. (my office, my training bag, beside my bed as well as on the grooming table) But I've never had a problem with one.


I agree with Karen. I've had my CC combs for six years and they are just like new. They do not pull on the coat. Groomers have to buy many combs not just one. If the comb wears out they have a replacement. Our groomer comes with a carry case of many brushes, slickers, combs and other tools. Any brush or comb will work for a puppy. The CC combs are definitely the best once you hit the blowing coat stage and for the adult coat.


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## rorythehavanese (May 24, 2017)

krandall said:


> Here is a photo of several of my Buttercombs. The small one on the left is a face comb. The middle one is an 005, and the one on the right is an 001. The 001 is fine for the girls' coats, but the longer teeth work better on Kodi's denser, longer coat.
> 
> I also have an 000, which is out in the car, in my training bag, so not in the photo. That is sort of mid-way between the 001 and the 005. They have that on Amazon for $32 and that's a very good all-round comb too if you want something a bit cheaper.
> 
> ...


This is SO HELPFUL thank you!!


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## ptgrin (Feb 17, 2018)

Has anyone used this type of comb with rotating pins? I have CC butter combs, but have had better success getting mats out with this comb. Resco Professional Anti-Static Dog, Cat, and Pet Rotating Pin Comb, Best for Removing Knots and Mats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EQ1S312?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ptgrin said:


> Has anyone used this type of comb with rotating pins? I have CC butter combs, but have had better success getting mats out with this comb. Resco Professional Anti-Static Dog, Cat, and Pet Rotating Pin Comb, Best for Removing Knots and Mats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EQ1S312?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


Yes, I've had a couple of rotating pin combs. I have;'t liked them as much as my Buttercombs, they have ended up in the bottom drawer with the stuff I think I MIGHT use "someday"... but never do.


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Thought I would give my feedback on the Buttercombs.

I, like everyone else, believe that the investment is 100% warranted. Between shows and owning full coated dogs that like to get dirty, I have found that the ease of grooming (and the fact that the combs are gentle on the coat) are well worth it. That said, my preference lies outside of the 005. I got it at the suggestion of those in the forum after damaging my trust no-brand comb I had purchased at a show a couple years before and found myself a bit disappointed at the size. It should be noted that I am small in stature, and my hands follow suit (to the point that I have gained the ironic nickname "Mitts" when with family). In late 2017, I purchased the 00R, a smaller comb designed to be inconspicuous in the show ring. I have been MUCH happier with that one. I believe the spacing of the teeth are the same, they are just a bit shorter and there is 2.5" less comb. For those with smaller hands that feel the need to be able to control the entire comb, it may be a good option (and it's a good 4 fancy coffee drinks cheaper  )


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

I also like a small comb. I got two of these from Amazon (for $10.99 each) and like them just fine:

Master Grooming Tools Steel Pet Rainbow Greyhound Comb, Face and Finishing, 4-1/2-Inch 

If I ever decide I need a new comb, I'll try a CC.


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