# The Matts have come!



## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Jake is almost 9 months old and I had never seen a Matt until today. I brush him every other day. Sometimes he would have some tangles on his paws that I could just brush through, but he never shed or anything.
Tonight when I got to his ears I was in shock.  HUGE lumps and when I combed through them, gobs were coming out. Must be his puppy coat "letting go" or something? 
Poor Jake! Half an hour per ear. Guess it is time to let the groomer take the length off them because I can't put him through that every day.


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## Skyesdog (Jun 7, 2012)

We are the same with Lola, the amount of hair that comes away is incredible and as you say it is little tufts or clumps. I have been brushing her most evening but find that the matts behind her ears and her armpits seem to re-appear as fast as I brush them out! She has been like this for about a month now (she is 10 months old), hopefully it will pass soon! Good luck!! How will you manage with a new puppy and matts?!!


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

dmgalley said:


> Jake is almost 9 months old and I had never seen a Matt until today. I brush him every other day. Sometimes he would have some tangles on his paws that I could just brush through, but he never shed or anything.
> Tonight when I got to his ears I was in shock.  HUGE lumps and when I combed through them, gobs were coming out. Must be his puppy coat "letting go" or something?
> Poor Jake! Half an hour per ear. Guess it is time to let the groomer take the length off them because I can't put him through that every day.


Sounds like he is losing his puppy coat. The matts may be worse at the moment because of the weather and his ears getting wet from the snow. Equafleeces are fantastic coats, but they can contribute to matts in friction areas, eg Equafleece collar and behind/under ears. This seems to happen if the weather is continuously wet, and there is also some shedding going on anyway. You may find that once you've got this lot out you can keep on top of them. If not, as you say, a shorter trim until his puppy coat is through might be the best option. Happy days!! Less hair for new puppy to hang on to!


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Welcome to the world of Matts. Unfortunately there is no going back to that lovely easy care puppy coat


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Skyesdog said:


> We are the same with Lola, the amount of hair that comes away is incredible and as you say it is little tufts or clumps. I have been brushing her most evening but find that the matts behind her ears and her armpits seem to re-appear as fast as I brush them out! She has been like this for about a month now (she is 10 months old), hopefully it will pass soon! Good luck!! How will you manage with a new puppy and matts?!!


looks like hubby is going to have to start helping out. 

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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Ah yes, world of matts - we know it well, I have also found big clumps around Dudley's ears, I don't know how long they take before they get into those big soft clumps (very different from the individual little knots), but I always feel bad that I have missed them as they always seem like large clumps. Dudley has had them right on the edge of his ears, near the top and it is hard to work out where the edge of the ear is sometimes. I have cut huge amounts of hair away from under his ears as I figured it doesn't show anyway, I shall certainly use the clippers under there when I get some. I can't help smiling to myself when I read posts from people with younger dogs that are hoping their dogs won't get many, in a sympathetic kind of way you understand - I really though with Dudley being less curly we may get away with it, I was wrong.


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

Von said:


> Sounds like he is losing his puppy coat. The matts may be worse at the moment because of the weather and his ears getting wet from the snow. Equafleeces are fantastic coats, but they can contribute to matts in friction areas, eg Equafleece collar and behind/under ears. This seems to happen if the weather is continuously wet, and there is also some shedding going on anyway. You may find that once you've got this lot out you can keep on top of them. If not, as you say, a shorter trim until his puppy coat is through might be the best option. Happy days!! Less hair for new puppy to hang on to!


This made me smile ( the - "less hair for puppy to hang on to") remark, as yesterday we had Merlin groomed and Bess can no longer jump up and hang on to his muzzle. It was quite funny because Bess seemed stunned and kept looking up at him and then lunged at his legs instead.


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

All the Matts were in that extra hair at the end of his ears. I have been letting it grow cause it is the last of his black but it looks like willow will be out of luck. 

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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Max has had a couple now. They are the texture of felt (like fuzzy felt) but they just seem to fall out in a clump. It's weird.


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

So tonight it was full on invasion of the matts. How on earth do they multiply so fast!!!
It's surreal. His neck was so loaded I was almost crying.  Every time I would pause to catch my breath Jake would bolt. :behindsofa:
2 hours, a pile of fur and a half bald poo later, Jake an I are both traumatized.
Needless to say he is going to the groomer to get a lovely puppy cut ASAP!!!!


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

Oh poor Jake, and poor you  Have you got a matt breaker amongst your grooming stuff? If you haven't, it would be worth investing in one. Hugs to you both!


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## TraceyT33 (Jun 25, 2012)

Millie is 8months old now and I noticed matts in January... I always brush her but find matts behind the ears and armpits mostly. Millie goes to the groomers every 6 weeks now and it is much better. Some of the matts have had to be cut away but it doesn't bother me. I have a slicker brush but I havent got a matt breaker, not sure if to invest in one of those. x


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

I am on my way out today to get better equipment. Jake goes to the groomer at least every six weeks. I comb him every other night thank God because I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had not noticed for a whole week! I am sure the matts were nothing compared to what they can be but I had just never run into one so it seemed so very bad!


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## njml (Apr 21, 2012)

10 months was the problem age for Alvy. I swear he would develop matts overnight. It has calmed down a bit thankfully but that could be because I tend to keep him a bit shorter now. Life's too short for all that de matting!


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

njm said:


> 10 months was the problem age for Alvy. I swear he would develop matts overnight. It has calmed down a but thankfully but that could be because I tend to keep him a bit shorter now. Life's too short for all that de matting!


Amen I am waiting for the groomer to open now


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I find a matt splitter really useful too, they are cheap and effective. I frequently think 'why on earth do I keep his coat long?' it is so much work, I think i'm afraid that once he is cut shorter his coat will change and will never go back to how it is now if I change my mind. So I think i'll persevere for now. I said to my agility trainer 'I guess I should give him a short cut for the summer, especially if we keep this up' (as he was panting after running the course), but even she said that his coat was lovely and he should be fine if I keep plenty of water with me and something to cover him with, so now I don't know what I will decide!


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Dawn Jake's coat has already changed so much I am almost use to it.  I am the ding dong who thought I was buying a black and white dog.
If I can get the correct tools and I am able to maintain (I will brush every night instead of every other.) I will keep him longer. I just can't put him through what I did last night. I really was caught off guard and there was a lot of combing, tugging and cutting. It is my fault for thinking it would not happen to us. 
I'll know better next time. 
(I am glad it waited until equafleece season was just about over.)


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