CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: sazzysue on April 12, 2010, 10:39:58 PM
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I've recently brought a Fleece Harness for Marlo as seen them on other dogs on the meet ups, but after using it yesterday I've discovered massive matts on Marlo's front and both sides of his body where the harness straps lay. Has anyone else had this problem?
He has a full coat so I'm wandering that perhaps it not suited for him if I want to keep his coat in show coat condition altho I'm not intending to show him, I just love having his coat that way :dunno:
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Indie used to wear the fleece ones when she was a pup and it made the matting under her armpits far worse from wearing the harness. She could probably get away with it now shes clipped though.
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Belle had a harness (not fleece) until she was 6 mths old, she developed terrible mats under her arms and had to stop using it, but she was great on a collar and lead after using the harness so never missed it ;)
I am using a harness with Monty now as I don't like pups pulling on a collar afraid of their delicate necks, I don't have much of a worry as yet about matts though as he has no where near the fluff Belle did ::)
Try him without the harness you might be pleasantly surprised and not really need it ;)
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No advice hun, I never got one of these for Chloe after reading other threads about matts possibly caused by them :huh:
I'm sure someone with experience will be along soon....there's nothing worse than having to tease out matts, especially when doggy isn't too keen on the procedure :005:
sorry, posted at same time as Jo and Jeanette :005:
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William occasionally wears a Dog Games fleece harness and it's never caused any serious matting, even before he was clipped.
Louis has a Mekuti Balance Harness, which is made of nylon. He's only worn it a couple of times and it hasn't caused problems, but I take it off him when he's off lead just in case it tangles or matts his coat as I'm showing him at the moment and don't want to spoil his coat.
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It may have been because he was wearing it all afternoon yesterday at the Highcliffe Meet, running and rumbling around with other puppies, I never thought of taking it off him, Thanks Elaine. perhaps I shall give it another go.
Just didn't want to go through unmatting him everytime we used it.
He has been ok on his collar and lead but because sometimes I walking at a slower pace, he makes choking noises and I don't want to damage his neck or throat in anyway.
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I have a slightly different problem with the same fleece harness, in that it I now have nice pink patches on Maggie where the red has rubbed off on her.... didnt think at all about washing it before I let her wear it and she's been in water each time since :005: Re matting - she's clipped right now so not an issue.
But, I know before I had her clipped I did use a different harness on her and she matted with that as well, under the front legs and where the clips were. After that the groomer clipped under the legs and I had to be very careful where the clips were. Had the same problem to be honest with her coat where the bottom part clipped up to the top, it rubs and matts up...
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With a full coat, every harness I tried caused matting.
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Wilf has a fleece harness (the hi-viz one) but its the Snugglepets (http://www.snugglepets.co.uk) one that doesn't go under the armpits - its fine on him but then he doesn't have a full coat which is most likely the problem here
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Sue, it may also be if Marlo got wet on sunday. :-\ I know it makes Alfie's coat matted if he has the fleece harness on, and gets wet. :shades: I've had to clip him all over this morning, 1st time ever but sadly his coat had got quite matted in the armpits/underneath, and just thought rather than try to get them out i would clip all over and start growing it again after the summer. :embarassed:
Jo Jo's coat is fine with a harness....Nina occassionally does get a matt, although not enough for me to stop using it.
Thats a good idea that Elaine suggested, to remove the harness when he is playing etc... :D
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I think Ted is probably to blame for the worst of the matting. ph34r :005: That was quite an extended wrestling session!
I haven't had any problems with Ted's harness, but then he's still all silky puppy fluff. :luv: I've not really known him to matt..... yet!
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I also have the fleece harness from Dog Games and have never had a problem with matting and Mason is very fluffy on his chest.
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Can understand your worries/frustration Sue because Marlo has a fabulous coat on him :luv: (maybe that's part of the problem :005: )
I think Wendy is right when she says if they get wet, it could make matting worse with the harness on aswell. Out of my 3, Livie gets the most matts but it's not a real problem because she enjoys the grooming afterwards. I saw it on Sunday but didn't have a close look but what type/shape is it Sue - the ones the girls have don't actually go under their arms but down the middle of the chest bone IYSWIM - as modelled by Tinker :005:
(http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss173/ladylou_p/Highcliffemeet110410214.jpg)
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Lindsey, Marlo's is like Tinker's harness.
But looking at the slideshow on the highcliffe meet, the harness looks quite alot bigger on him the straps look wider, it's set on its smallest setting I think I've brought the wrong size :dunno:
Altho I think that he still has got some growing to do, width wise and maybe a bit of height as he's still a young dog.
The matts are where the strap goes down the middle of his front and then where the straps go around his belly it's matted on each side of his belly.
There are no matts under his legs. I still have abit more to do to clear them as Marlo gets fed up after awhile and they were very large matts, but I don't want to chop them out if I can tease them out.
It maybe a combination of him wearing it for more than 4 hours, wrestling with puppies, getting wet, having a full coat and being abit on the big size for him. I'm now in 2 minds whether to use it again :-\
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Understand what you mean now Sue ..... could be a combination of all those factors couldn't it :shades:
Maybe use the collar when he's going for a full on play session with Ted & Louis :005: & try the harness again when it's just your usual walk with him.
(hope you manage to get all the knots out ;) .......Marlo - behave for mummy ;) )
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Have you got a rotating tooth comb Sue? I've got the one with the red handle shown on this link
http://www.petcompany.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Combs__Rakes___Shedding_Blades_80.html
and it's one of the best bits of grooming equipment I've ever bought. It really helps with gently combing through matts.
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Thanks Elaine :D I already have one, I managed to get the last ones out this morning before work :cool4: may retry the harness again after he's been to the groomers for a trim.
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We used one years ago for ours but whilst Maddie was wearing it on the beach it got wet and because she was so active the friction of the wetness/sand etc caused her to get horrible sores under her front arm pits.
I felt so guilty they have both never worn harnesses again.