Preventing mats.

[Archie bean]

Archie is one of those pups who, despite my best efforts just hates being groomed. even just drying him is a complete nightmare. He has had one visit to the groomer which did not go well (he looked like a skinned rat and they said they couldn't do anything with his ears.    ) With all this rain and his love of water sports  his ears are constantly wet and are now unbelievably matted. He is booked in with a new groomer on Thursday and I suspect that his ears will have to be shaved. does anyone have any advice on how I can prevent mats from forming from now on. I know i need to keep brushing them but it's just impossible as he won't stay still. It's never been an issue with my previous cockers who loved being groomed. I love them to have their nice long floppy ears but I think I may have to resign myself to keeping Archie's short 

[c19unn]

Hey where are you located at?
You are best to build up the grooming with Archie
If he is not used to being groomed he will not sit if you try to do him all at once
If his ears are all matted they will be clipped if as bad as you say.
If he gets shave when at the groomers, spen even a couple of mins a dy running a soft slicker over hi
 And treat and build it up so that he is gettig used to it
Something that might help prevent te knots getting to bad is - if Archie is out on a walk and gets wet
The best thing to do is use a hairdryer (on cool and away from his body) and only brush the bit the dryer is on with a slicker brush
The dryer helps to seperate all the hairs when brushing
When he dry all over take a comb through him and you will find any remaining knots
Armpits are the areas most likely to get knots
If you use a cool air hairdryer and a slicker on him for a couple of mins a day then he will get used to it by its when they are wet that the knots get worse
He more you can build up archies confidence in grooming the easier it will be
Place him in a room that's quiet and does not have toys or distractions and do t there and build it up
Hope this helps

[ElaineH]

Do you have Archie on a table or are you trying to groom him when he's on the floor?

Before I got a grooming table I used to groom Morgan on the ironing board, it wobbles a bit which he didn't like and he quickly learned to stand (relatively) still. It might need to be a 2 person job - one keeping Archie's attention with nice treats while the other works on the grooming.I would cut out the mats it will all grow again anyway  

What sort of brush are you using? I have a slicker with ball-headed pins but it doesn't get through the hair, just strokes the surface really and a sharper slicker is too scratchy on his skin as his coat is fine. Only combs seem to get through the hair, I have wide and medium toothed combs and also a really fine one for when I'm sure there are no knots in him. Using them in sequence keeps him neat but I have to do it every day as he can knot up in his sleep  

[LinziS]

Tilly is another cocker that hates being groomed. Someone commented on one of her pictures on here that she looked like a womble...and what a womble  She looks like we have just stuck her in a furry suit...we have to wait another 4 weeks before our groomer can come and give her her first cut/clip.
At the moment the best i have come up with is a two person attack...we have a large chicken filled bone that my OH holds to keep her mouth occupied while i attack her with the comb/brush from varying angles. Cannot get her all done in one sitting so we do her daily ie back and bum one day then underbelly/chest ect the next so have never quite managed to see her looking all beautiful..just different bits 
I hoping that eventually she will get used to it and maybe after her first professional groom it will also be easier

[jennycockerspaniel]

I use a comb from Miki which has movelable teeth two rows one shorter than the other with one that moves I find it good for ears as it movesas  you comb I also put conditoer on and brush after every woodland walk on her ears ectThere is a lot of col who will give you lots of advice

[Archie bean]

Thanks for the replies. I will try putting him on the breakfast bar on a towel but staying still isn't his favourite pastime!! (my ironing board collapses under the weight of a pair of jeans so i wouldnt risk him on that  ) I think you're right about it really needing two people and as I live alone that's not an option. I have a normal dog brush and comb so I think I'll give the slicker a try and attempt to build up his tolerance to the hair dryer! By the sound of it I need to try little and often I think.  He's my first water lover and mud worshipper so maybe the long flowing feathers are just not his thing!!

[6thSense]

Do you have a metal comb as well as a brush as this will get deep into the ear hair better. You want to comb right through too not just on the outside. I use a conditioning and/or detangling spray depending on what's needed. This will help ease through the hair better. Another thing I would suggest is always to comb them through after getting back from a walk. You may even find he is to tired then to complain.  This gets rid of any muck, burrs, twigs etc that maybe in there and as such cause tangles. You are definitly better off brushing as a prevention rather than a cure as this can be a common cause of dogs not liking to be groomed as once there it's pretty uncomfortable to be combed out. Hope that's a help. 

[julie1]

Do you have a metal comb as well as a brush as this will get deep into the ear hair better. You want to comb right through too not just on the outside. I use a conditioning and/or detangling spray depending on what's needed. This will help ease through the hair better. Another thing I would suggest is always to comb them through after getting back from a walk. You may even find he is to tired then to complain.  This gets rid of any muck, burrs, twigs etc that maybe in there and as such cause tangles. You are definitly better off brushing as a prevention rather than a cure as this can be a common cause of dogs not liking to be groomed as once there it's pretty uncomfortable to be combed out. Hope that's a help. 

This is the way I do it too. the comb is the best along with the antitangle spray  (which she doesn't like) I just hold the ear away from her face in the palm of my hand & one short spray. I also find if you start with the fine round ended metal comb at the very tip of the ear (furthest from the head) & work on small short bits at a time, when the first piece is knot free move up an inch or so until you reach the head, when that is all running nice & free I comb across the ear.   If a knot is so bad I just cut it out alltogether. I put the fine metal comb between the skin & Knot & using small embroidery or nail scissors chop it off.   A better job is done with thinning scissors, but if it is so bad better off than on.   Some knots you can cut vertically & tease them out.

[6thSense]

Do you have a metal comb as well as a brush as this will get deep into the ear hair better. You want to comb right through too not just on the outside. I use a conditioning and/or detangling spray depending on what's needed. This will help ease through the hair better. Another thing I would suggest is always to comb them through after getting back from a walk. You may even find he is to tired then to complain.  This gets rid of any muck, burrs, twigs etc that maybe in there and as such cause tangles. You are definitly better off brushing as a prevention rather than a cure as this can be a common cause of dogs not liking to be groomed as once there it's pretty uncomfortable to be combed out. Hope that's a help. 

Also great advice. Yes be very careful if cutting out matts. I also always put the comb between skin and knot before I go anywhere near with scissors of any kind. 


This is the way I do it too. the comb is the best along with the antitangle spray  (which she doesn't like) I just hold the ear away from her face in the palm of my hand & one short spray. I also find if you start with the fine round ended metal comb at the very tip of the ear (furthest from the head) & work on small short bits at a time, when the first piece is knot free move up an inch or so until you reach the head, when that is all running nice & free I comb across the ear.   If a knot is so bad I just cut it out alltogether. I put the fine metal comb between the skin & Knot & using small embroidery or nail scissors chop it off.   A better job is done with thinning scissors, but if it is so bad better off than on.   Some knots you can cut vertically & tease them out.

[karen488]

I'd invest in a grooming table. Get someone else to hold a treat and get a comb with rotating teeth. Much gentler on mats. (none of my ideas, these are all from COL  ) little and often x

[Jonnydog]

I have two dogs withtwo different approaches to grooming. Jonny only likes having his chest brushed, and the rest if the time makes a noise like a spaniel being severely mistreated. I have to hold him in a half nelson under my arm, gently but firmly and calmly if you see what I mean, to do his back end. He grumbles when I do his ears but I've managed to keep them matt free by combing them through most days. I've also found having him up on a table the easiest way. We have an old garden table that I use. With Penny, who has to be brushed every day, I make grooming time smooch time and she enjoys it. I do her on a small three drawer chest with an old rubber car mat on top. Someone on here recommended a spray called 'The Stuff' which I bought from Amazon. You dilute it, so although it seems expensive, it's not really. If there are any tangles or matts I spray that on and use a wide toothed comb followed by a fine one. For bad matts I have a Miki Matt Buster which is brilliant. So far so good, despite her habit of 'skating' on her ears and her acting as a magnet for large parts of the forest floor.

Maybe there's someone near you who could recommend a good groomer. Even if Archie just had a bath and a brush out to start with to get used to the groomer, then progressed gradually to the full works, it would make things easier for you.

[jennycockerspaniel]

I had a bad matt once or twice with Jenny and instead of cutting it straight acoss i cut it down wards to end of hair. y
You can buy have a matt splitter. but never used one Hope this helps