Very ashamed of myself

[EmmaA]

       
I am not the best at keeping up with grooming but I do my 2 at least twice a week. However for some reason Lucy seems to have got very matted all of a sudden    We have had a lot of bad weather recently and they have both been getting mud up 2-3 times a day. Lucy's tummy is in a right state  I feel really bad but I really don't know how it has got so bad  Luckily they are both at the groomers on Friday and I think the best thing for me to do will be to have her clipped quite short and maybe try to get a bit of a skirt left on. Poor girl 

[JennyBee]

Is Lucy spayed? I've had the same thing happen with Brodie, her coat is so thick since she was spayed that she knots very easily . I now have to brush her a few minutes every day, otherwise she gets covered in matts. I'm sure Lucy will look just as good with a shorter coat (think about how much easier it will be to keep her clean in the winter ) and it will soon grow back

[EmmaA]

She has quite a fine coat really 
I am guilty of brushing down the sides and missing the awkward bits (especially arm pits and tummies) it doesn't help that she gets really moody and growly when being groomed (whether she is matted or not) and I don't trust her 100% not to bite me 

[GinnyB]

I think Mali was about the same age as Lucy is now when she suddenly had an explosion of mats. I'd brush her three or four times a week at that point so was horrified when it happened. Lucy's coat is similar to Mali's too so I think it's just that she's hit that stage when the damp weather and other things conspire against us. Don't be too hard on yourself, Mali has never got in that state since and I'm sure Lucy won't either.

[sharonmansfield]

You are not alone my two all of a sudden seem in a state again. I bathed them Saturday and before that I got most matts out. Then yesterday we went on a 2 hour walk, it was a real mud fest but with lots of sand and swimming in rivers too. I showered them off when we came back and tonight I have been cuddling them and Bellas ears have set solid at the bottom and her armpits are so matted with small bits of twigs and sand. Jasmine does not usually matt but she is the same although not quite as bad, Its going to take me all week get them back to how they were and then I suppose it will be mud fest again next Sunday!!!
They seem to go from odd knot to total matted mess in 24 hours. 

[JennyBee]

She has quite a fine coat really 
I am guilty of brushing down the sides and missing the awkward bits (especially arm pits and tummies) it doesn't help that she gets really moody and growly when being groomed (whether she is matted or not) and I don't trust her 100% not to bite me 

I tend to do the same thing . Her ears are nice and smooth with not a knot in sight (she loves getting them brushed), her belly and armpits are another story as she does not like being brushed there and puts up a bit of a struggle . I agree with GinnyB that it's probably just the time of the year, if Brodie's coat is anything to go by it's unbelievable how quickly matts appear when the weather's bad

[BigJim&Kate]

Emma, we have Bailey and Millie clipped under their armpits and down the belly, but keep the skirt. You cant tell that theyve been clipped underneath because of the skirt ifswim. Its great for stopping knots. Not the best description sorry, Michelle (topazbilly) on here would be able to explain it better as shes our groomer 
Kate

[Michele]

Emma, we have Bailey and Millie clipped under their armpits and down the belly, but keep the skirt. You cant tell that theyve been clipped underneath because of the skirt ifswim. Its great for stopping knots. Not the best description sorry, Michelle (topazbilly) on here would be able to explain it better as shes our groomer 
Kate

This is what I was going to suggest you ask your groomer to do. Clip under the armpits and a panel up the belly, leaving the feathering as 'curtains'.

[BigJim&Kate]

Emma, we have Bailey and Millie clipped under their armpits and down the belly, but keep the skirt. You cant tell that theyve been clipped underneath because of the skirt ifswim. Its great for stopping knots. Not the best description sorry, Michelle (topazbilly) on here would be able to explain it better as shes our groomer 
Kate

This is what I was going to suggest you ask your groomer to do. Clip under the armpits and a panel up the belly, leaving the feathering as 'curtains'.

See i knew someone would be able to describe it better  Thanks Michele 

[silly milly]

milly has a shortback and sides cut!!!!!!!

very little grooming for me and less stress for her - quick to dry - neat and tidy!

what more can i ask for?

[elaine.e]

Emma, we have Bailey and Millie clipped under their armpits and down the belly, but keep the skirt. You cant tell that theyve been clipped underneath because of the skirt ifswim. Its great for stopping knots. Not the best description sorry, Michelle (topazbilly) on here would be able to explain it better as shes our groomer 
Kate

That's what I do with William's armpits and tummy. He still has a bit of manly chest feathering  and some tummy feathering, but has what I call his air conditioning strip clipped out. It cuts down on possible matting, keeps him a bit cooler in summer and helps him to dry more quickly after wet walks.

[minimoo]

Emma, we have Bailey and Millie clipped under their armpits and down the belly, but keep the skirt. You cant tell that theyve been clipped underneath because of the skirt ifswim. Its great for stopping knots. Not the best description sorry, Michelle (topazbilly) on here would be able to explain it better as shes our groomer 
Kate

That's what I do with William's armpits and tummy. He still has a bit of manly chest feathering  and some tummy feathering, but has what I call his air conditioning strip clipped out. It cuts down on possible matting, keeps him a bit cooler in summer and helps him to dry more quickly after wet walks.

same here having three i keep them quite short too,some feathering left on their skirts and legs  as i feel its better for them, ive now started to cut kiz short all over as she has always hated being groomed and shes over 12 yrs old now and i dont stress her out having to do it very often 

[sharonmansfield]

I clip my own and am in no way a groomer so could I ask please how would I go about clipping their arm pits. This is their worst area for matting and this advice is a really good idea.

[Mittens]

I brush eddie every single day, and in this weather and with his sudden found passion for swimming, he has matts under his belly and armpits, on his matts!  I have fought against clipping for 8 months now, but we have a groomer visit booked in for saturday and I might just suggest this funky panel and curtains trick! You learn something new every day 

[Maria n Dennis]

Dennis has had a few little matts recently , i manage to snip them out and hes not too bad now , he has a terrible coat , its like a magnet to anything that can get tangled in it  the weather isnt helping either