# Question: Blowing Coat and Keeping up with Matts



## m0rg4n (Feb 8, 2013)

First, let me apologize if this has been asked or talked about before and feel free to point me in the right direction.

Indy is my first long haired dog and he's currently 4 months so we haven't had any problems with matting (yet). I've read all sorts of horror stories about how hard it is to keep these fur balls knot free and just as many stories about horrible cuts at groomers.

So I'm wondering if there is anyone that has managed to keep your dog free of matts without keeping their hair cut short during the blowing coat phase (phases)? How?

Currently I brush Indy every other day and my 11 year old brushes him daily (which is more just for fun so I don't really count it - just don't tell her that). He still isn't thrilled with the combing and would rather chew on it than let me comb him but we're working on it.

He gets a bath once a week (after puppy playgroup which is held outside) and while he's really good with bathing he hates the hair drying (it's fairly quiet and has a cold setting but he hates the air being pointed in his direction at all so I've been turning it on and just letting him air dry in hopes that he gets used to the sound).

We don't have a groomer out here and because I don't speak the language (I'm in Germany for the next two years but only speak enough to know what I'm eating) I'm not sure what kind of a hair cut Indy would come out with. Because Indy ~is~ my first long haired dog I'm not overly optimist that I'll be able to keep up with his hair during an obviously difficult time but I'd like to have as much information as possible.

Thank you.

And here's a current picture of the fluff ball. My phone camera always makes him so much redder than he actually is. He's a pretty standard "crayola brown" but his muzzle and eyebrows are starting to lighten up. I just love this picture because the goof ball sleeps with his tongue hanging out.


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## HalleBerry (Feb 22, 2012)

Halle is my first long haired dog also - she was a year old in November and has never been cut back. It's not hard, it's actually easier than I thought it would be. I've always combed her out every day, and until recently bathed her twice a week - we're on the once a week schedule right now.


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

I think it is possible. My two Havs are in long coat and I haven't experience the horror stories of blowing coat. (They are 2 1/2 and 1 ) I brush and COMB them twice a day. It only takes 10-15 minutes for each one if I do it twice/day. I bath them once a week.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

You should take a look at the thread I posted in the grooming forum. It is a few video clips on brushing technique. During the coat change you should probably bump it up to twice a day. The key is being extremely thorough and preventing mats from forming. The people that brushed their dog twice a week experienced a lot of unnecessary grief. The people who faithfully combed out every square inch of their dog twice a day had a much easier time. It is much quicker to brush out a maintained coat than to detangle and demat a dog. Once mats form, if not taken care of right away they can spiral out of control and that's where people realise they're not able to get the mats out, take it to a professional groomer and the groomer tells them the only option is to shave the dog down because the coat is past the point of being saved. Good luck and keep us posted. Oh, and most puppies are fussy, you just need to work on making it positive (praise, treats, but don't reward unwanted behavior) and with maturity most puppies will come around to just tolerate grooming, which is good enough in my book.


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## m0rg4n (Feb 8, 2013)

atsilvers27 said:


> You should take a look at the thread I posted in the grooming forum. It is a few video clips on brushing technique. During the coat change you should probably bump it up to twice a day. The key is being extremely thorough and preventing mats from forming. The people that brushed their dog twice a week experienced a lot of unnecessary grief. The people who faithfully combed out every square inch of their dog twice a day had a much easier time. It is much quicker to brush out a maintained coat than to detangle and demat a dog. Once mats form, if not taken care of right away they can spiral out of control and that's where people realise they're not able to get the mats out, take it to a professional groomer and the groomer tells them the only option is to shave the dog down because the coat is past the point of being saved. Good luck and keep us posted. Oh, and most puppies are fussy, you just need to work on making it positive (praise, treats, but don't reward unwanted behavior) and with maturity most puppies will come around to just tolerate grooming, which is good enough in my book.


I've been watching that thread. The fact that the dogs just stand there and allow themselves to be combed out is still too distracting for me to pay attention to anything else


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## Seeker (Dec 9, 2012)

Hi. I am a new dog owner, a novice if you will. I saw a Havaneese and I fell in love. So pardon the question, but when you say "blow the coat" is that they are shedding. My Havi is 9 months old, and all of a sudden I have hair every where and I don't know what is going on. Is this "normal"? Your guidance is appreciated!


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Just adding my two cents of deciding to go with a puppy cut. Tim is a little over a year old and had his first groom at about six months old. I knew that as much as I would love to keep him in a long coat I couldn't consistently commit to bathing and combing as frequently as was recommended. Twice a day comb out was not in the picture. I do have to say that I am very happy with my groomer and am happy with the decision I've made, no blowing coat issues at all on my end. I do think that if I decide to go with keeping him in long coat I can do that in the future if time commits, but for now no matting issues and a positive experience for both of us in the grooming department was more important.

There are some on the forum who do their own grooming and I'm sure they would be more then happy to give advice on equipment and grooming instructions if you don't find a groomer you're comfortable going with. Do your homework on both ends and you will make the right decision for what works best for you. Oh and Indy is just beautiful and that tongue is too funny!


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

I honestly think that you will have to wait and see how bad it gets. You are doing everything right by brushing and bathing him often. Some dogs seem to have no trouble whatsoever with blowing coat. My dog never really had a problem - every time he got matted, it was because I had left it too long - and because I was patient and he was patient, we were always able to keep his coat long. And now that he's 2+, it's a breeze to keep him combed, and he's still never been clipped.

But some dogs will apparently matt horribly even with twice a day combing for weeks or even months during the blowing coat phase (so I've heard!), and sometimes in those cases it's better for the relationship between human and dog just to clip them during that phase. And even when blowing coat is over, some dogs also will require more work as adults than others do. Products (you'll have to experiment - a product that works great for one dog will make no difference on another dog's coat, and/or make it worse) and definitely technique (combing down to the skin) will help, but at the end of the day it will depend on the texture of the hair, how bad/long the blowing coat phase is, and the patience of both you and your dog.

He is adorable by the way!


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

i keep my baby girl in a puppy cut (which has helped tremendously!) - however I still comb her twice a day (she matts close to the skin, so regardless of the length of fur, its equally important to ensure she's combed thoroughly) - and plus doing it twice a day really gets them use to the grooming process. I try and bathe her every 7-10 days, although I must admit at times it is longer - but clean fur tangles much less. She is now 21 months and going through a 2nd blowing coat stage, not nearly as bad, and Im much better prepared this time around


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

PS: Indy is precious!!!!!


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Lots of people here have managed to go through blowing coat without having their dogs cut down. On the other hand, lots of people choose to get their Havs hair cut during that stage because it makes life easier. I think if you can manage it and grooming isn't having a negative impact on your dog/human relationship, then go for it.

I think it depends on lots of factors. Some dogs just have easier coats to manage than others. Some people are better at the grooming process than others and/or have more time to devote to it. Grooming tools can make a difference as well (I was still using my cheap comb at this stage and it definitely had an impact, in my opinion).

I did try to keep Brody's hair long, but it became really matted in several places and I had a tough time with it. For him the worst was on the sides of his head...it was basically a huge matt that I could never seem to get completely out. I do think that Brody has a more difficult type of coat to manage. In retrospect, I should have taken him in for a hair cut much sooner than I did because by the time I did, his hair had to be shaved. From my standpoint, grooming had become a really unpleasant experience for him because there were always loads of matts. I'd spend hours trying to get them out and by the time I was done they still weren't all out (or they were back!). It was definitely better for our relationship to have him cut down. For a long time I felt like a failure when he had to be shaved. I don't anymore. His hair is getting long again and I'm having a much easier time with it this go around without coat blowing in the mix.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Hello!
Everyone has given you great advice! I am one of the 'lucky' ones that experience the WORST coat blowing has to offer... nearly 3 hrs a day of combing just turn around and find MORE matts forming! it was freaking insane!! Tillie has a very light, thin coat and it was crazy how fast the matts formed. There was NO way I could have only combed her twice a day... every time I touched her I found a new matt!! After battling this for 3 weeks I decided to have her shaved down. She was about 11 months old at the time.
It was a shock, but honestly it saved our relationship AND we both LOVED the break!!! I have regrown her coat out, she'll be 3 this summer and I am considering trimming her down again...  lol As I have learned, hair grows. fast. have some fun, don't put too much pressure on yourself or your hav AND learn how to do all of your grooming yourself!! ...  OH and invest in a Chris Christensen Buttercomb #005. just sayin' lol


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I have survived at least 3 "Blowing Out" episodes. It was terrible, if I had to do it over again my Havs would be in a 1-2 inch groom for the first 2 years. Hair grows, just take a look at Tokie's Shaved Hav thread. 

It is not worth the stress, all the heartache, gray hairs, cursing beneath your breath (words you never heard), not worth the relationship with your Hav, not worth the hours you will spend combing out your Hav. It is just not worth it! Period.


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## Ewokpup (Nov 3, 2012)

m0rg4n said:


> I've been watching that thread. The fact that the dogs just stand there and allow themselves to be combed out is still too distracting for me to pay attention to anything else


Yeah I kept looking to see what magic trick they used to keep the dog so cooperative and quiet. 

I was inspired to get out the slicker brush. I had thought they were considered bad so had not been using it. But the line brushing seemed to go so fast using one in the video. I figure faster means you get more done before the dog wiggles away. Bama has certain sections that are always well combed because I can get to them while she is hanging out on the sofa. But her legs, chest and tummy...well, It's still a battle. :fencing:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ewokpup said:


> Yeah I kept looking to see what magic trick they used to keep the dog so cooperative and quiet.
> 
> I was inspired to get out the slicker brush. I had thought they were considered bad so had not been using it. But the line brushing seemed to go so fast using one in the video. I figure faster means you get more done before the dog wiggles away. Bama has certain sections that are always well combed because I can get to them while she is hanging out on the sofa. But her legs, chest and tummy...well, It's still a battle. :fencing:


Kodi was always very wiggly until I set up a grooming station for him with a grooming loop. With the loop, I had both hands free, and he quickly learned (lots of cookies too!!!) that he couldn't get away. Now I CAN groom him without the loop... for instance when we're in a hotel room for a show, but it's still LOTS easier with the loop. I even have a folding grooming table with arm and loop that I keep in our travel trailer.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

You wont have a problem if you keep up with what your doing. The blowing coat is puppy hair that gets tangled in with the new adult coat. It depends on the texture of the coat how much trouble you will have. His coat at 4 mo looks like its not a curly coat which is the hardest to keep up with. I bought a grooming table that has a grooming arm attached and helps keep the dog under control. The slicker brush really gets the loose hairs out great . I had more troubles with Zoey my black and white because she has a thick coat and is waver than some havanese. It did take me hours to groom her but I was one of those who just did it like twice a week.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Seeker said:


> Hi. I am a new dog owner, a novice if you will. I saw a Havaneese and I fell in love. So pardon the question, but when you say "blow the coat" is that they are shedding. My Havi is 9 months old, and all of a sudden I have hair every where and I don't know what is going on. Is this "normal"? Your guidance is appreciated!


Blowing coat means two different things depending on the type of coat. For example, a golden retriever has a shedding coat, and for a golden blowing coat means the hair will be coming out in clumps that you can literally pull off the dog. For our dogs, they don't shed like that, their hair is like people hair where they shed minimally, but it gets caught in the coat. It usually refers to an adolescent that has adult coat replacing puppy coat, and the two can get mixed in with each other and tangle. In some breeds like bichon, poodle and even doodles, you can see a difference in texture, but for my dog I didn't really notice a big difference, only that literally, if I didn't comb her out for 3 days her hair literally clumped up into balls. This happened twice where it got really bad, and it took hours to untangle her. Now that she's an adult and we're past the dry winter, I can go a couple of days without brushing her and she would be fine.

After I brush her my shirt is usually covered in her hair, but if your Hav is leaving hair on furniture etc and just falling out, that is not normal and you might want to bring your dog to the vet. Especially if there are visible patches of missing hair as that might indicate a health problem. Unless your dog is mixed with a shedding breed like a Pomeranian, then it could be normal.


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## Buzzys Mom (Sep 28, 2010)

Oscar will be 11 months old on Monday and we just had to cut his ears down. One day they were fine- I brush him every other day, and the next day I went to pick him up to brush him out, and his ears were 2 big knots! I was horrified, so I took him to the groomer, and there was no salvaging his ears  he looks like a completely different dog. I know it will take 5-6 months for it to grow all out- that's what it took Buzzy's hair to grow out after a bad haircut.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

atsilvers27 said:


> Blowing coat means two different things depending on the type of coat. For example, a golden retriever has a shedding coat, and for a golden blowing coat means the hair will be coming out in clumps that you can literally pull off the dog. For our dogs, they don't shed like that, their hair is like people hair where they shed minimally, but it gets caught in the coat. It usually refers to an adolescent that has adult coat replacing puppy coat, and the two can get mixed in with each other and tangle. In some breeds like bichon, poodle and even doodles, you can see a difference in texture, but for my dog I didn't really notice a big difference, only that literally, if I didn't comb her out for 3 days her hair literally clumped up into balls. This happened twice where it got really bad, and it took hours to untangle her. Now that she's an adult and we're past the dry winter, I can go a couple of days without brushing her and she would be fine.
> 
> After I brush her my shirt is usually covered in her hair, but if your Hav is leaving hair on furniture etc and just falling out, that is not normal and you might want to bring your dog to the vet. Especially if there are visible patches of missing hair as that might indicate a health problem. Unless your dog is mixed with a shedding breed like a Pomeranian, then it could be normal.


They can blow their adult coat under certain circumstances too, as I (sadly) found this winter, after Kodi was sick with Clostridium. Whether it was being ill, the antibiotics, or both, he started blowing coat like MAD. And unlike when he lost his puppy coat, it was NOT coming in underneath as fast as it fell out. So not only was I removing knots and handfuls of hair daily, but his coat looked awful. His bottom (and the underside of his tail) is still all pink skin, where you could see nothing but his "skirt" before. Fortunately, his hair IS starting to grow back, but I've been told by other people who have had their Hav blow their adult coat that it could be 6 months or more before he's back to his full, beautiful coat (and no bare bottom!!!) again.

The good news is that at least he's not losing any MORE coat now.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Buzzys Mom said:


> Oscar will be 11 months old on Monday and we just had to cut his ears down. One day they were fine- I brush him every other day, and the next day I went to pick him up to brush him out, and his ears were 2 big knots! I was horrified, so I took him to the groomer, and there was no salvaging his ears  he looks like a completely different dog. I know it will take 5-6 months for it to grow all out- that's what it took Buzzy's hair to grow out after a bad haircut.


Yeah, when Kodi started blowing coat as a pup, it started behind his ears too.


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## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Buzzys Mom said:


> Oscar will be 11 months old on Monday and we just had to cut his ears down. One day they were fine- I brush him every other day, and the next day I went to pick him up to brush him out, and his ears were 2 big knots! I was horrified, so I took him to the groomer, and there was no salvaging his ears  he looks like a completely different dog. I know it will take 5-6 months for it to grow all out- that's what it took Buzzy's hair to grow out after a bad haircut.


Most groomers will not demat ears as the skin is paper thin, sensitive and delicate. It's also possible for the matted ears to develop hematomas (sp?) so when the groomer shaves the mats off it is like a dam wall coming down and the returning bloodflow can cause the capillaries to rupture. Ears like this are called "ketchup packages" because the ears swell up and can bleed. It is very uncomfortable for the dog and most shake their heads violently, making it worse. Fortunately this is rare and the dog would have to be matted for quite some time.

But yes, ears are one of the first places to mat up on a dog and it is a high friction area. It's got to be quite a shock to see the ears so exposed. The one breed that actually looks good if the ears have to go is the wheaten terrier, since it is the breed cut to shave the ears (most owners go for the round fluffy look but wheatens are a nightmare to keep fluffy). Hopefully the hair comes back in quickly and he'll be back to normal!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

lol, I gave Tillie a bath on Saturday (full blowdry, combing, etc), combed her out on Sunday ... left her with my mom on Monday ... last night as we were settling in for bed, Tillie came up for her nightly snuggle and I found an ENORNOUS matt sort of on the outside of her elbow.. that area? It was massive, to the SKIN, the size of a mandarin orange! I PANICED and screamed for my husband to bring me her comb ... he was like WHAT? WHY? I was like it's an EMERGENCY!! lol he brought me her KONG. lol He's Russian. and tired and thought I said KONG. lol I was like WHAT? ha ha. 
Anywho, totally combed her out while she was on my chest, laying in bed. lol that's a first! whew. what the heck!? where did THAT come from!?


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Maddie didn't come from the best of Havanese stock. She was easier to groom her first couple years than she is now for some reason. She didn't have much of an undercoat the first couple years and she is developing more now. But it gets tangled just like blowing coat. I combed out a big pile last month now she doesn't have much under coat left. It may also be that I don't have as much time as before to keep her as groomed.:blah:


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## Ewokpup (Nov 3, 2012)

atsilvers27 said:


> After I brush her my shirt is usually covered in her hair, but if your Hav is leaving hair on furniture etc and just falling out, that is not normal and you might want to bring your dog to the vet. Especially if there are visible patches of missing hair as that might indicate a health problem. Unless your dog is mixed with a shedding breed like a Pomeranian, then it could be normal.


Bama is half pom...so far (10 months) I haven't noticed major shedding (the way cats or golden retrievers do). I have been finding more loose stray hairs around, mostly of the longer type. The same way I will come across strands of my own hair.

Anyone ever use those rubbery brushes that use static to remove loose hairs? I got one on sale recently to add to my grooming stash. Now if only I could find my missing buttercomb...


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## Ewokpup (Nov 3, 2012)

krandall said:


> Kodi was always very wiggly until I set up a grooming station for him with a grooming loop. With the loop, I had both hands free, and he quickly learned (lots of cookies too!!!) that he couldn't get away. Now I CAN groom him without the loop... for instance when we're in a hotel room for a show, but it's still LOTS easier with the loop. I even have a folding grooming table with arm and loop that I keep in our travel trailer.


I got a grooming arm attachment thingy. Gotta figure out the best place to attach it to. Hoping it will help. Bama makes the weirdest noises of protest when I try and do her arms and chest. Sounds kinda like a cat. So I don't get very far before I have to stop.


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## BFrancs (May 17, 2012)

TilliesMom said:


> Hello!
> Everyone has given you great advice! I am one of the 'lucky' ones that experience the WORST coat blowing has to offer... nearly 3 hrs a day of combing just turn around and find MORE matts forming! it was freaking insane!! Tillie has a very light, thin coat and it was crazy how fast the matts formed. There was NO way I could have only combed her twice a day... every time I touched her I found a new matt!! After battling this for 3 weeks I decided to have her shaved down. She was about 11 months old at the time.
> It was a shock, but honestly it saved our relationship AND we both LOVED the break!!! I have regrown her coat out, she'll be 3 this summer and I am considering trimming her down again...  lol As I have learned, hair grows. fast. have some fun, don't put too much pressure on yourself or your hav AND learn how to do all of your grooming yourself!! ...  OH and invest in a Chris Christensen Buttercomb #005. just sayin' lol


It sounds and looks like Canela has the same kind of hair as Tillie (very thin, light and silky). How old was Tillie when she went thru her coat blowing phases? How long did it last each time?

Lately she has been matting more and more; about a two weeks ago I want to shave it all off but I just can't I love her long hair plus its cold and she would be freezing at night.



krandall said:


> And unlike when he lost his puppy coat, it was NOT coming in underneath as fast as it fell out. So not only was I removing knots and handfuls of hair daily, but his coat looked awful. His bottom (and the underside of his tail) is still all pink skin, where you could see nothing but his "skirt" before.


......That's exactly how canela is right now.

She's never really had much of an undercoat but her coat overall seems very thin


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

BFrancs said:


> ......That's exactly how canela is right now.
> 
> She's never really had much of an undercoat but her coat overall seems very thin


How old is Canela? I thought she was an adult? If so, and she is blowing coat that heavily, I wonder whether you should take her to a vet and just make sure an illness isn't causing her to blow coat, the way it did with Kodi.

With that adult coat-blowing he did (because he was sick) it was never as hard to manage as his puppy coat-blowing, but he looked a LOT worse!!! Fortunately, I'm happy to say that within about 3 months, he looked a lot better, and at this point, you'd never know it had happened!


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## BFrancs (May 17, 2012)

krandall said:


> How old is Canela? I thought she was an adult? If so, and she is blowing coat that heavily, I wonder whether you should take her to a vet and just make sure an illness isn't causing her to blow coat, the way it did with Kodi.
> 
> With that adult coat-blowing he did (because he was sick) it was never as hard to manage as his puppy coat-blowing, but he looked a LOT worse!!! Fortunately, I'm happy to say that within about 3 months, he looked a lot better, and at this point, you'd never know it had happened!


Funny, you mention the vet because I have had concern in the back on my mind but I thought this might be her second coat blowing phase. She is 20mo (1yr and 8mo). She is acting normal another reason why we haven't gone to the vet.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

BFrancs said:


> Funny, you mention the vet because I have had concern in the back on my mind but I thought this might be her second coat blowing phase. She is 20mo (1yr and 8mo). She is acting normal another reason why we haven't gone to the vet.


That is DEFINITELY an age where it could just be a "normal" coat blow.


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## chataboutthat (Jun 6, 2013)

tippi has been through coat blowing twice, i think, but the first time was so easy i'm not really 100% sure it was a real coat blow. there was no question the second time. i can only describe it as trying to comb a cotton ball. but once we got into the twice daily routine, things were a LITTLE better. if you live through the coat blowing, things are great. i comb tippi every morning and she rarely has a significant mat. sometimes i even miss a day.


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## jcbpaisley (Mar 6, 2013)

We have kept Diva long and are mid coat blow. She does get mats but I have always been able to get them out. Her ears aren't too bad fortunately! They do tangle but it combs right out.


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