I don't know what else to do!!

[Karen]

My baby doodle (1 year) is now quite matted thanks to the snow and the fact I think he would live in a snowbank if I let him!

I have bought so many products, Cowboy Magic (did nothing), Chi detangled, 4 different brushes/combs but he still has mats that I cannot get rid of. I afraid to bring him to the groomer who will want to shave him.  He can't be shaved. It is winter and I just can't do that to him.  He was shaved down once and took it very hard.  

I guess my inquiry with all of you is... is it ok if his hair is a bit matted (mainly belly and bum)? He is such high maintenance :) 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This is living with matting.  This is a shelter dog we fostered.  Obviously these mats hurt.  Little mats grow and spread. That is why you work on a mat before you have this mess. This guy had to be  shaved to the skin which exposed him to sunburn.

[Ginny Nightingale]

That coat near the skin is the adult coat coming in--your dog's appearance and coat type may totally change in the next 6 months or so! The puppy coat is temporary! So this could change things..I groom doodles and many of them have to be shaved at this age unless I have warned the owners to get them under control at an earlier age--clipping short and then COMBING the coat! The brush is not going to get down to the skin. Have you heard of mat combs? They are combs that can cut out mats, but you have to be careful with them as one edge is sharp--it won't cut the dog, but could cut you!  This is a good maintenance tool once you get this coat under control.

And cowboy magic only works when you have a fairly mat free dog--it will help to remove small mats or prevent mats, but I have a feeling your doodle's coat is what I call FELTED--one solid mass of mats--and no product will help with that. I once shaved a dog with a felted coat and the hair on the body came off in one piece! Like a coat!

That dog got much better after that one year old coat was a thing of the past--hope that works for you too.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

You mean like this? This is Ace/Romeo/ Charlie, the rescue that lived on his own for at least 6 months. When Elizabeth and I rescued him he had the most horrible matts and the darker red spots you see on his fur was where they pulled on his skin and caused "bruises". He doesnt have those dark color markings today and is very happy with his new forever family!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

This is his "before" photo