What am I doing wrong?

[Mrs Beblo]

Honestly, I know that I've asked this before but I think that you were all being polite...I need help! Clear & blunt help. (Please...)
My Bu Dog gets the most difficult matts. I brush him & comb him EVERY day. It seems like all of the sudden I wake up one day & he's just a matted mess!
How does this happen? Is anyone elses puppy clumpy?
Is it just the season?
Please...your honest opinions & experiences.

Poor Sue M is *always* left to clean up this mess...
(by the way Sue...let me know when you're available & feel up to tackling the Lil Baby Dog!)

 

[Emma & Nigel's Mom]

Where are his mats?

Last week I noticed Nigel had a few small mats in his groin area where the bare skin meets the fur, in his rear leg-pits if you will, I was surprised because it's not all that furry right there AND Emma has never gotten them there.

I'll occasionally find small ones behind the ears if they haven't been to the groomers in a while. I try and brush them at least on a weekly basis.

Edited to add: Last time I took Nigel to the groomers, 4 weeks ago, the lady told me that he would not go on the table for anything(so she had to groom him while he stood on the floor), and that he wasn't thrilled about his feet being done. He goes again this week, whereas before it had been over 2 months since he'd been there.

 

[urneighbour]

I have a landseer and now a black newf pupppy who is 6 months old and I can tell you that the two coats are as different as night from day. Everything sticks to the black newf where the landseer can get up from playing in the leaves, give a shake and look good as new. My black newf always comes in the house with twigs and branches and dirt stuck on him. My landseer has never had a mat and is good with a brushing once or twice a week...my black newf puppy is brushed several times a day to remove the debris stuck in his coat and still the brush catches on the kinky hair near his ear flaps so I can imagine mats will be collecting there when he gets his adult coat.

 

[ozzysma]

mrs.beblo ozzy being my first newf i was overwhelmed with grooming. it has been a big learning process over the last 4 years!! i have to tell you the best way to keep a dog matt less is to have a healthy coat. i was told this by a very smart man once also! not sure what you feed but i honestly find ozzy who now has been on orijen for about a year, so easy to groom i almost cant believe it!! that is my best advice "healthy coat/ easy to keep"! there were times while he was on nutro when he was way younger that i was sure i would have to shave him!! we would spend hours and hours weekly brushing and trying to get matts out!

 

[rcantor]

That and a good conditioning shampoo.

 

[Ursa]

I'm already discovering that a good conditioner is a must.

I have to say that I thought the only one who found that my landseer's coat is easier to maintain than my black dogs. Fargo has never had a mat but I have to watch behind Sadie's ears like a hawk!

 

[zennewf]

You need the right tools. You have simply got to get the Mars Coat King. I wish I had had this tool when I first got into newfs ten years ago. I was like you ... brush endlessly, twice weekly at least, and constant matts.

The thing is you are probably just brushing the easy. surface part and the matts are forming underneath.

Don't be embarresed, it's an easy mistake to make, especially if your dogs spend lots of time outdoors or in the water ... matting happens so easily.

Liz

ps ... you can also ask for a belly shave down to a short length to help you out with very matted areas ... some newfs have such bad matting on their tummies and both sets of armpits.

The newfs I have now have easy coats but my old Keely ... my lord, her matts had matts! She was the classic post--spay super hairy coat.

Also, I feed better food now (orijen) so their hair seems shinier and easier to manage.

Let us know how you make out...

Liz

 

[Mrs Beblo]

Thank you all for the tips & suggestions. My poor Bu-Dog was actually hiding his legs under himself last night. He's so tired of me picking at him!
I'm thinking that he just may need the MUCH FEARED (by Me!) buzz cut. My Poor Baby!!
I will let you all know what happens next....Thanks!! Mrs B & Buford

 

[zennewf]

Honestly, if you are dealing with a ton of matts and can't seem to get ahead of them (they are easier to prevent then to undo ... you know what I mean?)

I would consider shaving him down (not to the skin, but very short) on the entire lower part of his body ... and starting with a clean slate. Then buy a Mars coat king, and stay ahead of the matts.

With my oldsters we would shave down to an inch all over their whole bodies because they got so hot and their coats got thicker and thicker w/age). As long as your newf is not out in the blazing sun, it should be OK. They'll thank you when the summer comes.

Just remember, grooming a newf is actually, as its taken me YEARS to realize, a speciality skill. It is not something that a pin brush from Hertz from the grocery store is going to solve! Honestly, I struggled with matts for YEARS before I found the right tools to help me. I even accidently cut my Newf trying to remove a matt ... using kitchen scizzors .... NEVER do that again .... and that made me tripply shy. Now I use a cheap "Matt Breaker" from Petco and a "Mars Coat king" (about forty bucks .. .must order online), as well as a rake and a pin brush to finish.

Even if you brush daily, and don't have the right tools, it's' hard to do if your Newfer has that kind of hair...

Liz

 

[Jeannie]

You have gotten many good answers already. Are you combing (not brushing) from the skin out. Maybe you should talk with your groomer (Sue) and have her show you the proper way to comb as well as the utensils needed to do the job right. Half of a groomer's job is to educate their clients. It makes the groomer's job much easier.

 

[Bär]

I found by daily brushing, there are no matts to deal with. Also the use of a rolled leather collar instead of a buckle collar elliminated the matts behind the ears.
I use a rake, comb, pin brush & slicker. About an hour a day does the trick for me.

 

[2newffamily]

Mrs. Beblo, don't feel bad. I thought I was keeping on top of it all until Tuesday when I took Caera to the groomers. I had been trying so hard to keep Caera from getting too matted and I honestly thought it wasn't too bad. I was so wrong. I couldn't believe all the undercoat he was getting out that I had no idea was there. My sweet girl got shaved down, very short. At least the weather is starting to warm up and it will come back, but I will do whatever I have to do so she won't have to be shaved down again. Misha though has a very different coat from her sister and is so much easier to maintain. It's amazing the difference. However, there has been some suggestion that the coat can change after spaying so we'll have to wait and see on that one with Misha.

 

[ardeagold]

After he's completely combed out or the mats are cut out....spray down the areas that get mats with Ice on Ice by Chris Christensen. Rub through with fingers. Comb through. Let dry (or blow dry). I put it behind ears, on front and rear feathers, in groin, and on either side of the butt...down to the skin. I WET those areas with it.

Repeat in a week, even on dry fur, just spray, comb, let dry (or blow dry). In between, feel through his fur, and if you find a little tangle, just comb it out.

I spray lightly as I comb all over when they're dry. I spray heavily (wet) the feathers again.

Ice on Ice is NOT silicone, is NOT slippery, does NOT make them feel sticky, or slick, or oily.

It keeps dirt out of the coat too. It's excellent stuff. I use it here, on all the dogs (with long fur...Goldens and Newfs) and have no mats. Ours swim, roll in dirt, play in mud, etc daily.

Their worst areas were always on the butt feathers. They'd get wet, then sit, swivel, etc. That's where they'd mat. No more.

I get the concentrate and mix as instructed into a spray bottle. One bottle of concentrate goes a LONG way.

Christine (SAR) started using it when I told her about it...and she tried it straight. She said there was no residue at all, and it worked great! I do mix it.

Here's the Chris Christensen site. Ice on Ice is the same price everywhere, so I get it here.

http://www.chrissystems.com/iceonice1.htm

 

[Mrs Beblo]

~ It's just SO frustrating & embarrassing!! He looks like nobody loves him , and TRUST ME, He's *quite* the adored Lil Baby Dog!! (Well...He's not "Nanook" or anything, but he's MY Precious!!)
I know that it's going to happen and that it's really for the best interest of his hind end, but the thought of My Precious being shaved is just enough to throw Mrs B right over the proverbial cliff that is 'the edge' in her life right now!
My Poor Precious...My Poor Sue M!! ~ He's SO mean to her...Pray for us all....xoxo Mrs B, SUE M & Buford...

 

[Alicia]

What Donna said about the Ice and Ice is absolutely true...try it, you won't be disappointed.

 

[Angela]

Yes to Ice on Ice, wonderful stuff.
Gracie has a very spayed bitch coat and it works wonders on hers.
That, and comb, comb and more comb.

 

[victoria1140]

we recently bought the mars coat king and a coat spray that has mink oil in it and boy what a difference. Beau is so soft and his coat is so shiny now and I have two carrier bags of undercoat just from the back area from him. Have to do a little bit every day but we used to find Beau would mat behind his ears,legs and back end constantly before and so far havent had any more problems.

Dont worry I think most of us must have been through reoccurring mats at some stage before we found the right tools to do the job. I also find that blasting Beau at least once a week before combing has helped tremendously as well.

 

[Tricia2]

I use EQyss Avocado Mist leave in spray for tangles and matts. It smells great, conditions the coat and has no silicone or alcohol. It's excellent for Noof belly and ear tangles. I get it at my tack shop and use on my Friesian's very long, thick mane and tail but I think Aubuchon hardware carries it, if you have one near you.