# why now?



## sandyb (Jul 12, 2007)

My Molly is 7 months old and I never had any problems with her fur matting, but of course it was her baby coat. All of a sudden she is matting really badly. I am wondering if this is normal (the adult coat is coming in) or if you have any possible suggestions as to what is happening.


----------



## bruinkoala (Aug 18, 2005)

i was suprised with mocha also! she's 8 months and a few weeks ago, i noticed her matting around her feet and on her chest (other areas were fine). the matts were really bad so when i took her to the groomers, they cut her much shorter than i wanted. i guess around this age that's when their adult coat comes in. with bruno, i didn't see matts this bad... maybe it just depends. after she gets groomed, i would just try getting molly used to be brushed just so she won't get matts anymore.


----------



## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

yes, it's coat transition and normal! Frustrating, but normal.


----------



## KandiMaltese (Mar 27, 2007)

Like Stacy said, it's coat transition..hmmm, should I just repeat? Frustrating, but normal


----------



## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

I assume Karli is going through this phase also. Is there a product I can use which would reduce the tangles?


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I found that bathing more frequently helps. A clean coat seems to help. Otherwise just suffer through it...


----------



## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

I think you just have to be prepared to cut out chunks when they appear. I was also surprised when Midis began matting like that. I would think that I was doing a diligent job of combing and keeping him mat free and then all of a sudden a HUGE mat would appear underneath the bulk of his coat. I am not going to work through (rip through, pull, hurt him) these things when they occur, I'm just going to make it as easy as I can for us both. Otherwise I am afraid he'll really get a phobia about grooming. 

My last Malt did, and I bet it was because he had some really bad groomers along the way. As I have said before, in his first five years or so I had him in full coat and just took him to a groomer every two weeks. I had younger kids, worked full time and at that time could well afford to do that. We ran into some groomers that absolutely ruined him coat, and had to have him shaved. But I finally found one that did a good job. I'm afraid I did not do as good a job grooming him myself the first five years of his life, although I started him out well when I first got him (putting him in the bathtub with me and bathing and brushing him very often). I think some groomer or groomers along the way during those first five years made him so fearful of being bathed, combed and brushed. 

Anyway, Midis is 10 months and 3 weeks and his coat has been transitioning for the last couple of months. I am doing my best to keep it looking good, but sometimes those mats just sneak up on you. Stick with it. 

Cyndi


----------



## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

The same thing happened with Tillie. When she was about 7 or 8 months she started matting so badly that I finally cut her hair down short. It is much easier to manage now.


----------



## sandyb (Jul 12, 2007)

> i was suprised with mocha also! she's 8 months and a few weeks ago, i noticed her matting around her feet and on her chest (other areas were fine). the matts were really bad so when i took her to the groomers, they cut her much shorter than i wanted. i guess around this age that's when their adult coat comes in. with bruno, i didn't see matts this bad... maybe it just depends. after she gets groomed, i would just try getting molly used to be brushed just so she won't get matts anymore.[/B]


wow, it seems that all of us have the same problem and it's just his new coat coming in. I will try to keep up with the brushing....thanks for all your input.


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Happened to Ollie too. I took him to a groomer because the mats were SO bad...I thought she'd give him an overall short cut but instead she just seemed to hack off the mats and he looked all uneven. He looked horrible, actually. There's a pic of him here on the forum somewhere after that haircut...he was embarrassing for a while, lol. Since his adult coat came in, though, not a problem since.


----------



## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

Maggie is going through the same thing. It's not to bad though unless, I put a lil outfit on her or her harness. Her coat does seem to mat a lil less if it is more moisturized. It's a pain, but I may have to start bathing her more frequently.


----------



## Princess D (May 16, 2007)

It sounds like we are all in the same boat. Diego is 7 months old and his fur never matted before and he didn't have tear stains. Now we are trying to keep both under control :brownbag:


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

The problem with cutting mats out is that when you have 2 different lengths of hair growing, it tend to create even more mats. So as the coat grows back in, it may cause more difficulties. 

If you don't want to deal with it, cut them down and grow it back out.


----------



## mom2molly (Jan 26, 2007)

My Molly has been going through the same thing with the matts....it is very frustrating. I bought this de-mating tool and it actually works pretty good without hurting her. Getting her to sit still for me to get them out is another story. If she has a few I'll do one give her a little break and then come back later and do the others. Molly turned a year this month so I would think she already has her adult coat but maybe not???


----------



## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

> My Molly is 7 months old and I never had any problems with her fur matting, but of course it was her baby coat. All of a sudden she is matting really badly. I am wondering if this is normal (the adult coat is coming in) or if you have any possible suggestions as to what is happening.[/B]


The adult coat and puppy coat mingling is causing the matting. The adult coat is about 4 inches down just about even with the end of the body. I always call this the mat stage. Use of a good conditioner will help with the matting. This is the stage you need to be brushing more. It takes about 15 to 18 months for most Maltese coats to come all the way in. Anything put on the coat, coats, dresses, collars, bellie bands etc will cause matting from the friction. Another thing to think about is static friction. It can cause matting. A dry coat can cause matting. Again, use of a very good conditioner helps. You will want them to sit in it for about 5 minutes then rinse it off. 
Tina


----------



## Princess D (May 16, 2007)

Tina thank you so much for that information. I am so thankful for this forum, being new to the breed, it has been a wealth of information and it helps that others have the same issues and questions. :grouphug:


----------



## Kayla2384 (Oct 26, 2007)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=459201
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Tina you ROck! Very informative.. I didn't know about the Malteses coat trully comin in at 15 to 18 months.. So wha can I expect with Miyoshi? He's 11 months, he has a wave by his neck that he never had before..Hmmm... I posted pics in the topi The Best..in groomin..Laterz


----------



## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I had the very same problem with Scooby, his coat was beautiful as a puppy and grew so nice and silky till aroung 7 months then the mats really started, I was brushing and combing every day but couldn't keep up so I then decided to keep him in short coat, no more mats  
Koko has a very dense coat, has from the beginning so he has also been kept short, thankfully he also is easy maintenance but I do have to watch his ears and tail and keep them combed daily to avoid matting.
I am sure it's the adult coat coming in that is the cause of your problems, perhaps keeping a short coat till the transition is over will ease your problems as it did for me


----------



## Kayla2384 (Oct 26, 2007)

> I had the very same problem with Scooby, his coat was beautiful as a puppy and grew so nice and silky till aroung 7 months then the mats really started, I was brushing and combing every day but couldn't keep up so I then decided to keep him in short coat, no more mats
> Koko has a very dense coat, has from the beginning so he has also been kept short, thankfully he also is easy maintenance but I do have to watch his ears and tail and keep them combed daily to avoid matting.
> I am sure it's the adult coat coming in that is the cause of your problems, perhaps keeping a short coat till the transition is over will ease your problems as it did for me [/B]


Your pink nose poochy is adorable(I forgot its name, Cocoa or Scooby)
I cut it in the summer so its about 2.5 inches..so its not that bad.. post more doggy pix..


----------



## giselle79 (Aug 8, 2007)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=459201
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Tina, what you say about clothing just happened to me about 2 weeks ago, the first mat in Maxi's life (almost 7 months) happened after I took off his tee (he hardly ever wears clothing). Now he's starting to mat a little, specially in the "underarms" and the transition area of his belly. I'm so sad :bysmilie: but other than that the rest of the coat is still nice.
I've never seen a flesh and bones adult maltese so I just wonder, how the adult coat feels like????? Is the same hair changing texture or is that new hair coming in. I'd love to keep Maxi's long hair, would that be possible???? Please help, I have so many questions since I'm a newbie in the maltese world


----------



## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

I used to get soooo tired of hearing from other Maltese breeders that you need to find what works for your dogs coat. That is so true. I pretty much stick to using Crown Royale #1 shampoo and a leave in conditioner (which I actually rinse 1/2 out) called Hansen's Re-Mo conditioner. It was some stuff I had left over from when I owned a grooming shop. I love the way it leaves the coats. I use differing amounts on different coats. 
The underarms is the first place to mat in most cases. You don't need the hair there, so you can cut it out. No one will even know. Coat texture can change with the use of shampoo/conditioner products. It can change with the coat change. A silk coat actually feels like silk clothing. Cool to the touch and falls into place when picked up and dropped. Cottony coats actually feel like a cotton ball. The key to growing coat is to keep it clean and brushed. When brushing use something to spray on your brush and coat before brushing so the coat won't break from static electricity. When brushing start at the ends and work up to the skin. Go through very carefully. You can do it. Just learn what will work for you and Max's coat. The other key is to not let your coat get dry. 

Tina


----------



## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

The only time I resort to cutting out a mat is if it is under the arms, as Tina said, you will never be able to see it.

For large mats, I try to split them up - be it by gently working in cornstarch baby powder & pulling them apart with my fingers, or sometimes I have used a seam ripper to slice through them - the seam ripper is one of my favourite grooming tools! Dakota gets them on her belly by constantly trying to jump up on the sofa & rubbing her belly. Its a constant battle for us - in fact, she has one there now .......


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> growing coat is to keep it clean and brushed. When brushing use something to spray on your brush and coat before brushing so the coat won't break from static electricity. When brushing start at the ends and work up to the skin. Go through very carefully. You can do it. Just learn what will work for you and Max's coat. The other key is to not let your coat get dry.
> 
> Tina[/B]


Like Tina said, its just something you have to persist through. It does end.


----------



## giselle79 (Aug 8, 2007)

Thank you, I feel that now I can better manage the matt-uation. Poor Maxi, he's sleeping here right now and doesn't imagine his mommy is going to cut all his underams hair, but it's going to be better for him.
I got the babypowder with cornstarch, but coudn't find the other products at Petcetera, what a shame.
I remeber reading in this forum that Garnier Fructis Conditioner was better than the Pantene's ones that tend to matt the hair. However, I'm planning on trying the Tressemme with silk protein, since many products recomended in this forum contain silk protein. I'll post a picture of Maxi after the Tressemme, even if he ends up looking awful. :shocked: :shocked:


----------



## inchiapas (Oct 28, 2007)

> My Molly has been going through the same thing with the matts....it is very frustrating. I bought this de-mating tool and it actually works pretty good without hurting her. Getting her to sit still for me to get them out is another story. If she has a few I'll do one give her a little break and then come back later and do the others. Molly turned a year this month so I would think she already has her adult coat but maybe not???[/B]


Please let us know which de-matting tool you bought.


----------



## mom2molly (Jan 26, 2007)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=459871
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It is called MAT Breaker by Comfy pet....I got it at Pet's mart. I had read about it online and it had some good reviews.


----------

