# Adult coat coming in -- matts!!!!!



## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Well, Gracie is officially moving out of the puppy phase.... I think this must be her awkward teenage phase LOL

Her coat is changing, and the last few weeks it's been matt city here.

Even with daily grooming she is matting like crazy.

I know Gus went through this when his coat changed (his changed 3 times so it happened 3 times). Now that his coat has settled, I have no problems with matts (daily brushing required).

But I know Grace's coat is going to be different that Gus's.

Remember she is a maltipoo.... So her hair isn't 100% malt. it is maybe 65% malt... and I think she is more of the straight/fine coat (not cottony) of the malt - but it has big curls from the poodle... She's getting more apricot with age.... I love her hair 

But the matts.... gah. The matts.

Do I need to shave her down completely? Get the baby hair off so her adult coat can grow?

Poodles have to be shaved down, yes? So their adult coats can come in?

I just know the matts are insane. She's starting to look like she's had a bad run in with a weed whacker LOL

Planning to keep her topknot and ears, as they seem fine.

But wondering if I need to do a poodle face and body cut just once.... and if I do it I need to do it now before it cools off.

Any thoughts on this?


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## Lilly`s Mommy (Sep 2, 2012)

I totally understand what you are going through...I´m in right now too. Lilly is matting like crazy and sometimes on the weekends I have been brushing for about 4 - 6 hours every day...that was pure horror!!! Even though I was doing it every day the matts were too fast and way too big to brush through the whole dog in one day...I couldn´t do this anymore so I decided to cut her coat about half it´s length. It was about 13 cm. Now it is better, but I will have to cut a little bit more. I noticed that with more frequent bathing it is easier to brush because the coat is more silky without dirt like dust etc...I know a Maltipoo breeder and she gave me the advice to bath more often - just use a completely organic shampoo and conditioner. I´m not sure if this is available in the US - but this is currently the best of the best in Europe.

shampoo : K 9 C O M P E T I T I O N ? State Of The Art Coat Care, Made In Sweden

Lilly is a Havanese though and has slightly wavy hair. I wanted to upload a picture, but I´m still too stupid managing my new apple computer...


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

I did have Laurel's cut pretty short when she had her adult coat coming in. Even though her hair is more cottony, I don't have much of a problem with mats. I see the products mentioned by Lilly 's mom is available in the US.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Lisi is 13 months tomorrow & she doesn't really mat. I don't do anything special, she just has a really nice coat now. It isn't as heavy as Kitzel's but it has always been so easy to manage. I don't know if her adult coat is in or not as we have not had matting yet. I think humidity also plays a part in matting---meaning if it is too dry it mats more.


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## maltese#1fan (Feb 20, 2012)

Tori, I know exactly what you are going through. Bella is going through that right now as well. I brush her everyday, but the matts keep coming back with a vengance. It's an ongoing battle - and I think I'm losing.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

LOL... yeah... battle of matts.

I just clipped her. After I posted this I noticed another big mat on her chest and that was the last straw.

I gave her a cute koren cut.... shaved her body really, really short, left her some "boots" from knee down on her legs.... cut her muzzle short and round. Kept her top and ears.

I love the cut on her  Will probably keep it for awhile.... grow her ears and top out more.

The only part I'm struggling to groom is her eye line... where her nose meets her head... the line at the bottom of her eyes? .... not sure how I'm supposed to clip that. I try to keep it tidy so it doesn't get in her eyes and make her tear... but also thinking I'm clipping too much? Gah...

Will try to post a photo... she's a bit "over" listening to me at the moment LOL She had to sit still and behave for a full hour! The torture!

She looks adorable tho....


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Photos?????? I can't wait!


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## CheriS (Aug 19, 2010)

I can relate to the matting, although Hallie Lu's hair is still matt free as long as I brush / comb her every day, but when Harlow's adult coat came in, she went from brushing once a day being sufficient to matting if I blinked. The only two things that kept me sane were "Cowboy Magic" Cowboy Magic®- Detangle Your Hair and "Yorkie Sheen Detangler /Coat Conditioner" Yorkie Sheen - Yorkshire Terrier Detangler / Coat Conditioner 
Cowboy Magic is made for "equines and humans" and you don't need much of it to detangle a Maltese, and it is probably safe to leave on, but I only used it to comb out the matts and then gave her a bath. The Yorkie Detangler is a spray and you can get small, sample bottles of it.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Can't wait to see a picture !


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Okay, here is the picture 

A few months ago I had to trim her top.... the bites she had her on head... Also did her ears to match her head.... am going to let both grow out.

I could probably go a little shorter on the body, but will keep it like this for now. Thinking this will be a great clip for winter when she will have to wear a sweater regardless of her coat....


Ignore the spots on her nose... tissue thief LOL











She looks so sweet.... really love this cut on her


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Grace'sMom said:


> Okay, here is the picture
> 
> A few months ago I had to trim her top.... the bites she had her on head... Also did her ears to match her head.... am going to let both grow out.
> 
> ...


 
Oh my goodness what a pretty little girl :wub: I want to smooch that face!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

edelweiss said:


> Lisi is 13 months tomorrow & she doesn't really mat. I don't do anything special, she just has a really nice coat now. It isn't as heavy as Kitzel's but it has always been so easy to manage. I don't know if her adult coat is in or not as we have not had matting yet. I think humidity also plays a part in matting---meaning if it is too dry it mats more.


Lisi sounds like my Bailey. I was terrified of the coat change that happens later in that first year, but it never really happened. Bailey has an amazing heavy silk coat and as long as I spend about 5-10 minutes every night brushing him I really don't have a problem with mats.

Lady had a cottony coat and it was just easier to keep her short. She also looked adorable in her puppy cut.

Just do what works for you and Grace. Since she's a mix, she probably isn't destined to have a long coat. With Lady it was my excuse to buy her cute clothes!


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

She looks SO CUTE Tori! Nice work!!!


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## ladodd (Jan 8, 2012)

Ooohhhh....she's so cute. I love her cut, you did great!


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

So cute!
Tori you did a great job! I love her ears!


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

She looks so cute in her new korean-style 'do! That was a great solution to her matting issue


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks all 

When her hair is down she looks like a Fraggle :HistericalSmiley:

But one cute Fraggle :wub:


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## SweetMalteseAngels (Oct 16, 2011)

Great job!!! She looks sooooo stinkin' cute!!!! I really like the Korean-style cut in her more than her with top knot. Keep up the great work!!


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## socalyte (Nov 15, 2010)

Wow, you did an amazing job! I don't trust myself to do my girls. I've tossed around the idea of getting rid of the topknot, but haven't had the heart to do it yet. I don't think I posted pics of their recent grooming, but Cozette and Pippa's face is much shorter-- not as short as a Korean cut but definitely short in the face, though with the topknot. 

If I could just figure out how to keep their topknot hair from breaking and being uneven!


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