# Oh dear - neglectful mother strikes again



## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Dylan is at the groomer's for his second hair cut and I've just had a call from her to say that his undercoat is so matted that this time she really advises having it cut very short. She's tried to comb it out but can't. So expect some photos soon of a scalped dog  
Resolution - Must take control of my unruly mutt and groom him every day!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

when you are brushing him do you just brush his coat in one go like base of his neck to his tail in one go like petting him. or do you take to coat in sections and seperate the fur so you can brush each section from rut to tip. for a full fluffy coat all over the body you are looking for atleast a good half our 45 mins of grooming time then a combe through at the end.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Yes you are right. I have just had a chat with the groomer who has just dropped him off and she says the brush I've been using is rubbish as well. So I really must get a grip, but he's just such a challenge to brush. Poor Dylan looks so SMALL. I'm embarrased to post pics.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Ok, here they are and I am suitably ashamed. Poor pup. I will allow him to file for someone else to adopt him 


















He even looks miserable!


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

I keep Flo matt free with just a 5 minute comb with a coarse comb each evening then another 10 min brush over with a slicker once a week to take out any loose hair. It doesn't take 30 mins! Either I'm doing something terribly wrong or Flo has a completely different kind of coat to others here!

I bet Dylan looks fine but just different to what your used to - it's just the same old Dylan without his winter coat and wearing his spring clothes.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

aww he still looks lovely, its fur it grows. 

what kind of brush were you using and what did your groomier recomend.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Awwwww he looks just fine, so sweet. But I must admit he does look a bit 'browned off'


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## parapluie (Dec 22, 2010)

I think he looks great! Nice and refreshed of the old and on to the new! It is warming up (someday... right?)


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## Roxy's Mom (Mar 29, 2011)

Yes what kind of comb/brush did they recommend? I just took my Roxy to the groomers and they totally poodle-fied her   I specifically asked for the teddy bear cut and that I wanted her legs to have longer fluffy (chaps like) hair BUT they shaved and her her legs to little skinny sticks. Said something about the transitional puppy/adult coats (she is 9 months old). I brush her daily with a slicker bruch so I too want to know how to groom her properly to avoid the matting in the future. She is such a sweetie but I miss her golden doodle looking locks.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Roxy's Mom said:


> Yes what kind of comb/brush did they recommend? I just took my Roxy to the groomers and they totally poodle-fied her   I specifically asked for the teddy bear cut and that I wanted her legs to have longer fluffy (chaps like) hair BUT they shaved and her her legs to little skinny sticks. Said something about the transitional puppy/adult coats (she is 9 months old). I brush her daily with a slicker bruch so I too want to know how to groom her properly to avoid the matting in the future. She is such a sweetie but I miss her golden doodle looking locks.


I found that a slicker doesn't always get deep down and the wires can just miss or flick over matts as the wires are thin and flexible. I use a coarse comb daily http://www.groomers-online.com/product.php/1069/karlie-coarse-comb. The coarse comb gets stuck if there are any matts so I then break up larger matts with a di-matter http://www.groomers-online.com/product.php/1098/karlie-de-matting-comb---small then use a slicker to pull out loose hair from di-matting. I then carry on with the coarse comb.

I think if you are only using a slicker it is going over the top of the coat which probably leave the dog looking great and well brushed but is missing and passing over matts building up at the base of the coat. A comb gets right down to the skin so any matts that are forming aren't missed.


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## alfiedoo (Sep 6, 2010)

Ah Helen I think Dylan looks lovely! They do look so much smaller with all their curls cut off! Take heart though, remember this time 2 weeks ago when I was beside myself after Alfie's scalp, well he looks great now and so much easier to keep matt free 

Dylan's a cutie... long or short  x


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

I've been using what I think is called a porcupine brush. She has told me to use a slicker and then a wide toothed comb, so sounds like Mandy is spot-on. I am resolved to do better in future but even she admits that he is such a wriggler! I don't think that bathing in stagnant pools every day is very helpful either.


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## weez74 (Feb 9, 2011)

Aw, I think he looks lovely - it's nice to have a change once in a while!


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## Roxy's Mom (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks so much for the information. I am sure that is what I did...thinking that her coat looked great but really the matting was at the root.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

oh poor boy looks fine! not too skinny looking! he is adorablr


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## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

I use this brush: http://76.162.106.95/images/retail supplies/Greyhound comb.jpg

It's like Mandy's but closer teeth. 'Lo's hair is even less maintenance then Flo's, she doesn't need any brushing just small long (outward forming) lump removal, normally two a week, and she's done. her fur is really loose and thin.

But with D I have to brush him fully weekly, it's slow going. I hold down his coat, tease forward a fraction of a inch, bush it, get another fraction of hair, and again and again. I always brush with a movie on so I don't go nuts lol.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Oh Helen I think he looks lovely.. I like Wilfs body short like that lovely and soft and managable ... is he more actuve if thats possible for Dylan . Wilf gets very warm in the summer and needs to be kept a bit shorter. i do like his legs chunkier almost like a bischon. Snuggly Dylan .. it might grow on you x


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

It feels lovely, but he looks too much like a poodle for my taste. But it will grow and in a couple of weeks it'll be ok. Yes I agree, they definitely get more lively when they are clipped and he doesn't look overweight anymore!


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## baking mama (Jul 11, 2010)

I think he looks very sweet. I had Freddy "groomed" last week and I am very sad about it. He had a lot of matts underneath and the lady assured me she had cut a cockapoo before. I showed her a picture of a cut I like, but she ended up shaving out his matts from underneath (so he now has bald bits all over) and cutting his legs short (like a poodle, which makes him look like he is walking on his toes). She also managed to nip his bits with the razor (he is intact!) and I didn't notice until after she left because she claimed his bits were all matted and were "hanging free" for the first time - which was why he was spinning around trying to get to them - in fact it was because they were grazed by the razor and probably very sore. I was very proud of him though because he stood there for 2 1/4 hours while she gave him his "cut" and didn't make a fuss at all, even when the above accident took place.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Some of the grooming stories on here are so dreadful. Poor Freddy, especially if he just stood there while she did all that. Makes you want to grab a razor and give them a No. 1 to see how they like it. I hope you didn't pay her!


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Dylansmum said:


> It feels lovely, but he looks too much like a poodle for my taste. But it will grow and in a couple of weeks it'll be ok. Yes I agree, they definitely get more lively when they are clipped and he doesn't look overweight anymore!


Although not to your taste I still think you have a brilliant groomer after seeing a lot of the stories about bad grooming practice in the threads here. I met up with a friend today who has just had her cockapoo cut right back due to matting and he is very short but looks great and his coat is lovely and soft. She said he was really bouncy and lively when he came out so I think they must love have the weight of their long coat taken off.


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## baking mama (Jul 11, 2010)

I did pay her - it cost me £32!! He was such a good boy, I hope it grows out soon! The best bit that she did was to tidy up his beard. But I forgot to say, she also cut his ears short and she also cut his lovely long eyelashes 

She told me his feet needed to be short because that is where the worst matting happens? But she went half way up his leg.

He is my first dog and this was my first experience with a groomer, I do feel bad, but she was recommended to me - I guess you live and learn.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

I think that it's important to find a groomer who is a dog lover and owner. Then you know that they will be more caring. My lady has about 4 dogs of her own and Dylan runs around playing with them before his haircut. I pay £28 which includes pick-up and drop-off if I want it.


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## marzy (Aug 20, 2010)

hi all grooming is adaunting experience untill you find agroomer right for you!!
i always tell mine less is more .....................
id rather come back in 4 weeks then to have him shaven and hate it
my groomer was lovely and hes going back fri 5weeks after 1st cut!!!!!
marzy xx


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