# Grooming question



## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

Betty had to have a very short cut back in May as her coat had a number of mats (felt like a terrible owner!). It took 3 months before she needed grooming again and she then went about 8 weeks again after that with no problem mats until today!

She's at my parents and they dropped her at the groomers and the groomer said she had some bad matting around her neck and shoulders and may need to be cut short. I am so upset! I have spent minimum 15 mins grooming betty every day for the last few weeks and she was sat on my knee when i was out on Saturday and i had a really good feel through her coat and really thought it wasn't that bad. However i appreciate if the mats are close to the skin then it may be difficult to brush them out but can groomers blend in the shorter parts and keep the rest long? She seems to want to cut her quite short and got a bit stroppy when my dad said that i didn't want her cut too short.

Just wanted your opinions as I don't know if i'm expecting too much from the groomer of if blending in the shorter bits is possible. I just really don't want her cut too short now as its winter and given it took 3 months to grow back last time she could have a very cold winter (lucky her equafleece has arrived). It does look like every 6 months (probably linked into seasonal coat changes) Betty's coat gets more difficult to manage so maybe i need to get her groomed every 6 weeks.

So the final part of my post is how often do your cockapoos have a full groom?

Your thoughts are appreciated and i am just hoping the groomer doesn't cut her too short or i may be looking for a new groomer!!

x


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I had to cut weller short about a month ago as despite my grooming he was a bit matted. I usually keep him short but had decided to try a long coat....big mistake! I think it was kendal that said while brushing is good it doesn't get down to the roots, so you need to comb from root to tip, to keep the matts at bay. I will say though that I will be keeping weller short through the winter, as he gets much less dirty, dries much quicker if he gets soaked and with a short coat I don't seem to have to bath him as much. He doesn't smell either.
Short gets my vote....just for practicality!!! 

Good luck with your groomer.


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

I agree short is practical, i just like her a bit fluffy!!

I'vebeen using the Les Pooches brush and then combing which was why i was surprised she had mats.

Should hear from my parents in an hour as to what the grooming result has been!!!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

for my lot it vairys depending on when i get round to them or if im taking them somewhere. 

sometimes i miss having a set date where they get done, and i also miss getting the all done in one go, but i just cant get all 4 done in the one day. this time i have 2 done one week and the other 2 the next. 

but as for taking them to a grromers, you need to asses how often and how well you brush her at home,
how long you want to keep her coat(she may look fab and long coming out but remember her coat will get longer between trips sol you need to be relistic)
you also need to take into accound weather, summer is easier to keep a longer coat, but the dogs c an suffer during the heat, winger its nioce to theing a longer coat willl keep them warm but the rain, mud, snow and wind realy makes it harder to keep a longer coated dog. 

so to be honest your situation and your groomer determans how often she needs done.


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## Happyad (Oct 5, 2010)

You could have just the neck cleared but may look a little odd and unbalanced. 
The challenge is that the mats may be able, and that's only a maybe, to be brushed out. 
However it can be awfully painful to the dog, whereas some are fine. 
Also it takes more time. 
I have a cockapoo in every four weeks, whose brushed by the owners and he still gets mats and knots. 
So not every dog can have the same requirements. 
Also do you have a nylon collar?
This causes friction and a lot more knots and mats in that area. 
Cheers


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Honey has a DIY lamb cut at the moment .. and equafleece on its way .. much easier for our woodland muddy walks 

Picnic is a cute fluffy ball with her puppy coat.. ahhh 

My parents are keeping Oakley trimmed and more managable ... he has had another trip to their groomers ... he looks gorgeous ... short cut still showing off his tight curls on his head ...


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

No nylon collar so that can't be it. I take her collar off when i groom her to make sure i get the bits underneath.

What's confusing me is how she can go 3months with no mats, then 8 weeks and no mats, then this time 8 weeks and she is apparently very matted yet i am grooming her now more than ever!! 

Thanks for all your responses! Just hoping she's not too short!!!

x


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

JulesB said:


> No nylon collar so that can't be it. I take her collar off when i groom her to make sure i get the bits underneath.
> 
> What's confusing me is how she can go 3months with no mats, then 8 weeks and no mats, then this time 8 weeks and she is apparently very matted yet i am grooming her now more than ever!!
> 
> ...


the weather, she was a puppy this time last year, so she has had not to bad summer weather druing the trouble part of her coat change, now its just bad weather causeing mats.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Oh Jules I know how you feel .. matts just spring up so quickly ... After Honey's season I did noticed some big matts in her coat ... prior to this she only had a few little ones here and there .... I run a comb through her every other day at the moment and her short cut has helped .. she gets matts in her paws and under her front legs ... grrrr


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Jules

It really is a constant battle...I brush Betty every day for up to 20 mins..but
am finding mats on her legs on a daily basis. I hate tugging at them as she
hates having her legs and feet groomed at the best of times ( not too bad with
the rest of her body). I'm not sure if it is the Equafleece causing the new
mats round her legs , the halti harness ( as this goes under her armpits and have found BIG knots there this week) a change in her fur or a combination of all three!! I groom/clip myself- at least that way I am in control - I would rather
try to cut out the mats ,even if it is a little uneven than have her scalped!
I was warned on the grooming course that I would have trouble with Betty's coat because it is so soft...this has proved to be true..it reminds me of candyfloss when you get the sticky bits in it


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

Both of mine go to the groomers for a full groom every 8 weeks.

They are both cut short as well- but it does grow back quickly.

If I wanted to keep Montys coat a bit longer then my groomer has advised him to be cut every 6 weeks but not as much cut off. He has a poodle coat though and this is what she does for poodles too.

8 weeks suits us fine- although to be honest Milly could be cut at 6 weeks as she is a scruffy madam.


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

Well Betty survived the groom but is shorter than i would choose - no pics as she's still at my parents.

i think if i want to keep Betty longer then she will need grooming every 6 weeks too but in this weather shorter is easier to manage!

x


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I am still finding my way around having a dog with lots of coat needs and I do keep Molly fairly short but as I am doing her coat myself I am finding it works best to give her a bath and trim around every four weeks. In between I mostly use a comb to go through her coat rather than a brush as that way I know I am getting fully through her coat every time I groom her.


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## Butter (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi, Jules, I know exactly what you mean. I groomed Butter daily with a comb- brushes just don't work on matts- and got her matt-free; in the morning, there they were again- all over her. I think it's a combination of the coarseness of the hair, and the length. I then had her groomed, trimming her coat to around 1/2". And I check on her coat all the time to make sure there are still no matts; her coat is now around 1" long and it's close to the time to groom her again, although no matts have yet appeared (I do take a comb to her regularly just to keep the coat tangle-free; so far so good). I'd suggest you just keep watch and see when the matts begin to set in; that's when your pup needs her next beauty treatment. Hope this was helpful.


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