# Mats and Undercoat



## Alinos (May 19, 2014)

I need some help and education. Zorro suddenly went from silky coat to a snarly one in less than 3 weeks. And he's a nightmare to try and groom at home. I took him to the groomer's today for his summer cut and they struggled for 2 hours to get his undercoat brushed out. 

Is the undercoat issue a constant one or periodic?
How often should i brush him and what kind of brush/comb should I use? I have a regular flathead brush, a wide comb, a dematter and a undercoat rake.

TIA


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I think lots of pups start to matt up as they get their adult coat.

You need to be able to get right down to the skin when you are grooming him. I mostly use a comb as then I know I am getting right down to the skin and I can deal with any knots we find straight away. How often you groom really depends on how long the coat is left. I keep Molly short in the summer as she is a muck monster and like that she just needs a good comb through a couple of times a week. If you want to keep the coat longer you need to groom more often as matts can form very quickly.

If Zorro has had to have a short cut now is the time to start short grooming sessions with lots of treats so he is used to them when his coat starts to grow longer.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Oh dear, two hours is a big ask for a little dog! I think I'd go short and see how you find things. Do you want your spare time to be all grooming  Probably fairer for him in the heat too xx


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

Like 2nd I swear by a good comb. Jasper hates brushes of all types but If I use the comb he will sit and let me groom sections at a time. He does also try to eat the comb but I usually win! When jasper's adult coat came in was when I gave jasper a really good cut. I really didn't like him short but it was much more manageable after that. From reading posts on here all coats are different. I'm lucky in that jasper isn't too prone to matting. I only groom him once a week and if we get any knots I tend to run the scissors through them. It's much easier  detangle spray is good too x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

It will be harder now if that his coat has thickened up but I would say there does seem to be times when it seems worse than other. It is rare to find groomers that take so long de-matting, (and will shave under matts giving a really short coat) it is not fair to the dogs really as it is only us humans that care about the length of their coat! having said that as a cockapoo owner that prefers a bit of coat left I used to spend more time than most as I sympathised with owners, I have got much tougher now and won't do that as I noticed the dogs behaviour getting worse each visit - can't blame them can you as it is uncomfortable ....anyway. I like to use a slicker with long pins (tuffer than tangles is my fav everyday one) then a comb to go over checking, a detangle spray to help when finding a little bit of matting and a matt splitter to slice through matts and separate them before brushing out.(The Les Pooches/Activet brushes are best for that but they are expensive and you can use a usual slicker) If it is a thick matted area it is kinder to clip off and start again. It really does have to be a labour of love, think of it as your hobby - 2 - 3 times a week ideally. I am lucky as i know Dudley's coat is not as hard as some of the other dogs I groom. I can get away with a good going over once a week most of the time, but I do stroke him checking for matts every day and if I find any but haven't got time to sort it there and then I will do it as soon as I can after, and yes there is occasionally a couple of weeks when I have to brush him every other day.


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## Alinos (May 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone. Great advice as always. His coat has been cut short now. Less than an inch. Shaving him is not an option in our heat. In very hot condition, it helps to have short hair rather than go completely bald. 
I have started a daily comb regimen. He still has some mats around his neck that I am going to cut off rather than try and un mat them. He's going to look weird for some time but that's not a consideration at all. 
The main thing right now is that he remain mat free and that the hair doesn't make him feel hotter. 

With shorter hair around his face, he's looking a little girly . But still super grumpy. 











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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Grumpy but adorable.


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## caz3 (Mar 27, 2014)

Aww he is gorgeous !!!so cute I have just invested in a Lawrence slicker brush and metal comb after advice from people on here as I don't like Harley short either and the last time he went to the groomer she took him short as he was matted underneath ,what a difference this has made the hair that comes out when using these compared to before ,I thought I was getting through his coat before but obviously not these cockapoos are hard word !!but they are worth it


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

Oh Zorro, you do look grumpy! He looks very smart though and the shorter cut will allow you to get at the mats. Do you get a lot of humidity or is it dry heat. Just wondering if that could contribute to the matting. Like Dawn said look at it as a hobby rather than a chore, I do this and I tend to stress less about it. Jasper sits with me on the sofa and I comb through him in stages so he doesn't get fed up. And it's great advice to check for matts when having a cuddle. I do this all the time, this way you find them before they become a problem. Get some scissors and run them down through the mat so you don't end up with a chunk cut out (or matt splitter)


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## Alinos (May 19, 2014)

We get both kinds of heat. It's going to be super dry heat for the next few months and then the dreaded monsoon arrives. Then it's hot and humid. 
I did get a mat splitter. The next challenge is to get Zorro to be still for more than half a min. But he's gotten better at letting me brush him in the last 3 days. 


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