# All of a Sudden A TON of Mats



## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

So Casanova is 8 months...he definitely is changing coats b/c alot of hair comes off in the brush. His hair has always been super white and thick but not too unmanageable. We had a first grooming a couple weeks ago where the groomer used a slicker brush. I thought she wasn't supposed to based on stuff on this forum, but she said the pin brush won't get the few mats out. Anyway, now two weeks later I'm finding TONS of mats everyday. :smpullhair: I brush his hair everyday and have no idea why this is happening all of sudden. Could the slicker brush have made his hair so much mattier? Or is this like a coat change thing? Also what I'm doing is wetting with Ice on Ice and untangling with my fingers and then brushing out. Is that right? Should I buy a slicker brush as per groomer's advice? Thanks so much!


----------



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

YIKES! Sounds like the changing of the coat to me! This is where I have failed on both Archie and Abbey!!!!! If you can make it through this period, you'll be OK. Good luck.

I'm right behind you with Ava :w00t: . Life is so easy when there aren't any mats.


----------



## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

Welcome to the nightmare of coat change. :biggrin: One thing I found was that I definitely had to start trying different shampoos, conditioners and grooming sprays during coat change to see what works best. Dilute dilute dilute and be sure to have your groomer rinse rinse and when she thinks she's done rinse some more. 

I just used Dove Go Fresh (in yellow) for the first time yesterday (Stacy told me about it ages ago) and I have to say I LOVE IT. Silky coats and great smell. I diluted the shampoo about 15:1 and the conditioner about the same. I also use Plush Puppy Swishy Coat (super diluted!!!) to spray on the coat after towel dry before blow dry. I've heard great things about the Blow Dry Cream, but haven't tried it yet.

With mats, I also like Nature's Specialties Quicker Slicker to break them apart and ensure a smooth brush out.

Good luck with your little Casanova! :wub: :wub: :wub:

EDIT: I have the Chris Christensen tiny slicker, but mostly use it on their feet and sometimes on their facial furnishings. It will break hair, so you have to be very gentle. We love the Madan brush and also the Chris Christensen Wonder Brush and CC Buttercombs. And when I say, "we", I mean the dogs love them too and grooming became much easier with these tools.


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

I'm not fond of slicker brushes for the very reason that they can stretch and damage the shaft of the hair.
That can lead to breakage as well as matting. 
I'd do as suggested and find a good conditioning shampoo, stay away from whiteners for awhile, and use
a good moisturizing conditioner. Be diligent about bathing once a week (or more if needed) as dust and 
dirt do cause matting.


----------



## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

QUOTE (princessre @ Apr 16 2009, 01:33 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=763643


> So Casanova is 8 months...he definitely is changing coats b/c alot of hair comes off in the brush. His hair has always been super white and thick but not too unmanageable. We had a first grooming a couple weeks ago where the groomer used a slicker brush. I thought she wasn't supposed to based on stuff on this forum, but she said the pin brush won't get the few mats out. Anyway, now two weeks later I'm finding TONS of mats everyday. :smpullhair: I brush his hair everyday and have no idea why this is happening all of sudden. Could the slicker brush have made his hair so much mattier? Or is this like a coat change thing? Also what I'm doing is wetting with Ice on Ice and untangling with my fingers and then brushing out. Is that right? Should I buy a slicker brush as per groomer's advice? Thanks so much![/B]



I bet it was the shampoo she used. That happened with Coco when I used one particular shampoo on her. Try to get them out and bath him with the Pure Paws which I'm sure you have. Be sure to use it diluted, as the instructions say. Good luck, Sophia.


----------



## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

Pat- when you say "if I make it through this I will be okay"- how many months does the coat change take?  I'm literally spending an hour a day de-matting this week. I might have to quit my career and family soon...

Tamizami- I'll get all the brushes and try the things you recommended. Question-when you say rinse, do you mean completely rinse all the conditioner out too (not just shampoo?) I've been leaving a tiny bit of conditioner in b/c his hair is dry...

Brit- do I pull mats apart with my fingers? 

Coco- No! Really? The shampoo she used??! 

Another question: the groomer told me not to blow dry section by section with brush as I'd been doing. She said to point the dryer at the hair in the direction that you want the hair to lay just with the dryer and not brush. Is this right?? I'm afraid I'm doing it wrong and actually CAUSING the mats...!

I will die if I have to cut his hair!!!


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Oh yes, the nightmare of the coat change. When Gigi was 6 months old she went through this. And I had no idea about it. In a couple of days she had mats that were so tight and close to her skin. I literally spent 2-3 hours every day for a month getting those matt out all over body. I was soo ready to shave it all off and put us both out of the misery, but my mother wouldn't let me do it. LOL I promised Gigi it will never let it get that bad again. There was so much mats on her legs and chest that I cut most of them off. I joked around and called her "chicken legs" for months but all her hair is coming back on her legs much fuller now, thank goddness LOL Here's my thread on this topic from a couple months ago. It was very helpful: http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?...c=41112&hl=


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

You can pull them apart with your fingers if you can and/or use some detangler solution of your choice.
If that doesn't work try using the last tooth of a comb and start at the end of the mat working your way
up and through it. If it's felted you will have to make slices in the mat itself and then brush through.
Above all else, don't panic. You can save coat with patience and diligence. Work a little and then take
a break (both you and your baby). Then start again.


----------



## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

I'am having the same problem here with shiloh ,this started last month and is driving me mad too ..behind her ears are the worse ..
shiloh is nearly 11 months old .... :grouphug:


----------



## 08chrissy08 (Sep 19, 2008)

Welcome to my world! Pixie is going through this and ick what a mess! I'm brushing her twice a day in an effort to keep the matting down, it's a real pain. She isn't so happy about it either. I was planning on waiting a little longer to get her clipped, but I think I may up that just to save our sanity. Bathing more often to keep the coat really clean seems to help like someone mentioned earlier. I've also been trying different detangling products. Right now, cowboy magic is my friend. I've also noticed a lot of hair coming out when I brush, but I've been reassured that this is normal and will pass when the coat change is done with. Pixie is super sensitive to her hair being pulled at all, so I use some of the cowboy magic on the mats and then very slowly and carefully work them out with the last tooth of the comb. It's brutally slow, but worth it. 

Casanova is such a doll!


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Sophia, regarding your drying question, I blow dry section by section beginning with the head, face and ears,
then working my way back. I dry by brushing while the air is blowing on the area. I brush every which way
ending up brushing the direction it is meant to be when finishing off. I always make certain to dry thoroughly,
especially the ears.


----------



## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Of course London is shaved now...but that wasn't my own fault. lol

When she was almost in full coat, I would usually focus on drying either her left or right side first, then switch to the other side, then make sure her bum/tail was dry, and then lastly I would do her head/ears/face.

I like to give the head as much time to dry naturally as I can because most dogs hate the dryer in their face.

I would brush continuously while drying (hold dryer in one hand and brush in the other) and just brush in the direction of growth, then opposite direction, etc, until it was dry.

I do not have a slicker brush, but anytime I would have a mat I would use a greyhound comb, making sure my fingers were grasping the mat tightly so it wouldn't pull on the skin.


----------



## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

I use Ice on Ice too, but I put coat handler conditioner in it because I feel without it it is too drying to the coat and that could also be causing more matts for you. I actually might look for another spray..maybe the Paul Mitchell detangler one has no silicone in it. The Ice on Ice has silicone in it. Ask what other sprays people are using...I would switch and see if his coat improves.


----------



## janettandamber (Jan 19, 2009)

Is silicone bad for the coat. When my maltese has mats I fill the sink with water and add a large amount of Herbal Essence hydration conditioner and I pour over the coat and work this in. It helps loosen the mats so they will pull apart. Then I shampoo with the Herbal Essence hydration shampoo and condition again. Hope this helps.


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (janettandamber @ Apr 16 2009, 10:42 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=763849


> Is silicone bad for the coat. When my maltese has mats I fill the sink with water and add a large amount of Herbal Essence hydration conditioner and I pour over the coat and work this in. It helps loosen the mats so they will pull apart. Then I shampoo with the Herbal Essence hydration shampoo and condition again. Hope this helps.[/B]


Silicone drys the malt's skin.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

1. Bathe more frequently. A clean coat is less likely to mat. I bathe every 3-4 days during a coat change. I also leave more conditioner in than I normally would during this time. 

2. ALWAYS brush when you blow dry or you will have a mess on your hands. I'd ditch this groomer. 

3. When you brush the coat, you need to then go back through it with a greyhound style metal comb to be sure you got everything. 

4. When you brush, you need to be sure to get to the skin. The easiest way is for the dog to lay on their side, flip the hair back with your hand, brush in small sections being sure you are getting to the skin. Keep your wrist level. Brush past the end of the coat. Never life the end of the coat or flick with your wrist. 

5. Trim the ends. I firmly believe that broken ends grabbing on things increase breakage and matting. Depending on how fast your dog's coat grows, trim every 4-6 weeks. I have one I trim every 2-3 weeks. The coat will look much better.


----------



## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

Wow, thanks for the great advice, everyone! I went back to blow drying with brush section by section yesterday and the pup's coat is already so much better. I'd like to try Quicker Slicker or Cowboy Magic but have only seen them online and I need them now! I'm so happy I've been given permission to bathe the puppy every 3-4 days. That's what I've been doing, but my friends all think that's crazy...I've not been doing the greyhound comb thing so that's my bad because I knew I should but it seemed so hardcore....BTW I asked her to trim the puppy repeatedly last time and she did NOT do it b/c she said we were growing his hair out...So to all those that I recommended this groomer to, now I'm not so sure. SORRY! :brownbag:


----------

