# "All over demat comb" any good for matt prevention?...



## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

Even with daily brushing, my pups cottony very fine hair gets matted everwhere. Right now it's an inch and a half long b/c i wanted to give him a bit of a coat for winter. But clearly that is not an option, i have to take him back down to 1/2-3/4 inch and keep him there. 

But as that grows out to even an inch, tons of matting, again, with daily brushing with a slicker.

I ran across this item while in a store the other day, sounded like it might be useful, but i have no idea.










Magic Coat Pro Dematting Tool | Mat Removers & Rakes | Grooming | Dog - ThatPetPlace.com

(sorry for the bad pic, no one has a larger pic)


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

Looks like that would take care of existing mats. Preventing them? I don't see how. Are you sure you get all the way to his skin? Does he wear clothes? Do you use conditioner at bath time? That's all I can think of.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

My groomer has a dematting tool but looks different than this one. It's for existing matts not to prevent them.


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

on the package it says it's good for mat prevention, which sounded like it made sense, b/c all mats have to form at some point, and if i could just get to them when they are a few hairs maybe it would help. 

"The Four Paws Magic Coat De-Matting Tool is designed for full body grooming, and even helps to prevents mats before they occur. Its stainless steel blades easily comb through hair. Designed for medium and fine hair."

I feel like whatever i do with the slicker just isn't preventing mats. 

as far as making sure i'm getting to the skin, i don't know. i must not be i guess? but the pins do seem like they're getting all the way down there. Yeah, i use conditioner for sure! and about every 10 days, and clothes very rarely, except starting this month he'll be wearing some b/c the NE gets so cold. 

the hair is just sooooo fine and cottony.


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

MalteseJane said:


> My groomer has a dematting tool but looks different than this one. It's for existing matts not to prevent them.


yeah, it probably looks closer to this...










That full body one i'd never seen before yesterday. I kept thinking it would be nice to have a demat comb i could use on the body that i could just use all over periodically to break up the beginnings of any, but the normal one (like the one above) just isn't shaped for that.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

It cuts through the matts which would make them worse when your hair starts to grow back. Anytime you have different lengths of hair, you are going to increase your matting problems. I would not buy that for maintenance. 

Brushing daily with a slicker is also not a good idea. Most of the time when you brush with a slicker you are tearing out hair and again ending up with different lengths. You need a good pin brush (none of those with balls at the end) and a daily routine with that. Save the slicker for dematting and then proceed with caution. Also, you might consider getting one of those wooden pin brushes for helping with the tangles. They tend to be more gentle.


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

CloudClan said:


> It cuts through the matts which would make them worse when your hair starts to grow back. Anytime you have different lengths of hair, you are going to increase your matting problems. I would not buy that for maintenance.
> 
> Brushing daily with a slicker is also not a good idea. Most of the time when you brush with a slicker you are tearing out hair and again ending up with different lengths. You need a good pin brush (none of those with balls at the end) and a daily routine with that. Save the slicker for dematting and then proceed with caution. Also, you might consider getting one of those wooden pin brushes for helping with the tangles. They tend to be more gentle.


Cool, thanks! i'll search the board for the best brush, b/c i know there are many posts about them, there are so many options out there, and i keep hearing so many things. ugh. i really am lost as to how to deal with his hair (even at less than 2 inches long.) Although i think i do have a pin brush, maybe i'll dig it out and try that exclusively for a month.


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

Another thing to consider if you are getting lots of tangles often is to try changing the shampoo/conditioner you are using. Sometimes build up from products in the coat will cause problems. Hair that is not clean will have more matting issues, and sometimes shampoo or conditioner leaves enough residue that it will leave your hair not "clean." It will tend to fuse together.


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## lilygirl (Jul 7, 2010)

I have always been told slicker brushed are a no no for dogs with no under coat. I was having trouble with mats on Lily's back legs/underarm area. I read a few posts about cowboy magic and must say it is awesome. It still takes time of course b/c you need to get all the way through the hair and pick out the mats carefully. I put it on, made dinner, then combed her out. What was taking hours before was easily cut in half if not more. Plus her coat is silky smooth now. She has cottony hair as well.


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## reanut1379 (Oct 10, 2011)

I've never used a tool like that, but I have only ever seen it used on dogs with thick undercoats. I've used a detangling spray before. It worked at first, but after a while, it started to make her hair greasy. I just decided to brush more often.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I wouldn't use it.I use a comb and comb them down to the skin and keep the coat conditioned..it really helps on the matts...Usually they get them under the armpits the worst...
I use Cowboy Majic,watered down 50%,it also works great on those "hitch hikers" that tend to stick on their bums after poo pooing.


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

lilygirl said:


> I have always been told slicker brushed are a no no for dogs with no under coat. I was having trouble with mats on Lily's back legs/underarm area. I read a few posts about cowboy magic and must say it is awesome. It still takes time of course b/c you need to get all the way through the hair and pick out the mats carefully. I put it on, made dinner, then combed her out. What was taking hours before was easily cut in half if not more. Plus her coat is silky smooth now. She has cottony hair as well.


 
I bought the magic cowboy after reading posts on this board, it seems like it will be good stuff. Okay, so tell me more about how to use this magic cowboy? Are you putting it only on knots, then waiting, then combing?


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

michellerobison said:


> I wouldn't use it.I use a comb and comb them down to the skin and keep the coat conditioned..it really helps on the matts...Usually they get them under the armpits the worst...
> I use Cowboy Majic,watered down 50%,it also works great on those "hitch hikers" that tend to stick on their bums after poo pooing.


Hmmm. yeah, i had a comb, then someone told me not to use a comb on a cottony dog so i threw it out. lol. So I guess i'm getting a new one?

I have the magic cowboy. After you dilute the 50%, is that just for serious mats, or do you do something else with it?

Egads the underarms are the worst. But my poor pup also gets them on his legs really badly. 

Are there any combs that are better than others for these types of problems? I keep seeing combs "with rotating teeth", are those actually useful for my issue?


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

tobysmom said:


> I bought the magic cowboy after reading posts on this board, it seems like it will be good stuff. Okay, so tell me more about how to use this magic cowboy? Are you putting it only on knots, then waiting, then combing?


I work out the knots gently , give them a bath if they need it,to help moiturize the hair... if they had a bath recently,then I just then use the CM.
I take a rat tail comb ,pierce the matt and loosen it break it up. then slowly work teh comb teeth through. I use combs instead of brushes,atleast once per week to get all the hair combed through to the skin,I use the Madan brushes through the week for maintenance.

I figure getting the CM on it afterwards will moisturize better. some might do it differently,I figure what ever works best for breaking up matts w/ minimal damage... I use it 50/50 mix as it will really slick up the hair full strength....

My Emily has cottony hair and matts the most. with CM,I can go a week w/o combing through and have little if any matting... found that out when I had the flu and couldn't do anything but sleep and sneeze for almost a week. I figure they'd all be giant matt monsters by then and they only had a few small ones that worked out easily...


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## tobysmom (Jan 1, 2011)

michellerobison said:


> I work out the knots gently , give them a bath if they need it,to help moiturize the hair... if they had a bath recently,then I just then use the CM.
> I take a rat tail comb ,pierce the matt and loosen it break it up. I figure getting the CM on it afterwards will moisturize better. some might do it differently,I figure what ever works best for breaking up matts w/ minimal damage...
> 
> My Emily has cottony hair and matts the most. with CM,I can go a week w/o combing through and have little if any matting... found that out when I had the flu and couldn't do anything but sleep and sneeze for almost a week. I figure they'd all be giant matt monsters by then and they only had a few small ones that worked out easily...


If i went a week, he would be one big mat. lol. Alright, i guess my new plan then will be do a search every other day for any mats and breaking it up right there and then. for some reason i find them hard to find until it's too late. Like i brush his legs every single day, b/c he will get huge mats all over them, so i checked and thought things were doing okay, then we took a walk in the rain and huge mats made themselves quite apparent. 

Thanks.


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

I use a stainless steel comb with rotating pins. It's from Oster. Found it at WalMart. Works really well for me. I use their brand (equate) detangler spray, helps break up the mats really quickly, doesn't leave a residue.


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