Adult coat coming in...do I have the correct tools?

[Texas Doodle Mom and Molly Rose]

I feel terrible that Molly is matting now @ 9 mos. old. Funny enough, her white parts matte more than the chocolate parts. I'm not sure I have the right tools and wanted to show what I have on hand (doesn't mean I use all of these things). Is there a de-tangler spray to help with this? Which comb is best? Am I missing something? I had major surgery in November and Molly didn't get her regular brushings (though she did go to the groomer every 4 weeks as usual). I am just now where I can give her a bath myself and get her brushing back to routine. Thank you for the input! See two attached pics (she is just in from the rain here) -- on iPad, sorry photos don't embed into the text area.

[Texas Doodle Mom and Molly Rose]

Grooming tools--didn't upload the first time from the iPad:

[Paula]

Dear Molly and Mommy-

I'm an English goldendoodle and shed a lot on top and mat often on my legs. My Auntie is a senior show ring groomer and uses Aussie 3 minute mircle conditoner on me with John Paul pet shampoo and detangler spray. We also use a leave in conditioner. My brother is a tibetan mastiff mix and we also use the same tools and hair products, he mats every day! My mommy brushes him every day 2/3 times a day. I have a fleece under coat and wooly outer coat. I have 3 inhes of hair all around and my hair is super thick! All depends on your hair texture too but brush daily it helps :) I'm super soft, mat free with these simple tricks and oyher goldendoodle owners get so jealous. Little secret, with these tricks I never go to groomers! Once a year for a shaving and I only had 1 of those. 

My Auntie says when doodles mat quick, it's the inner coat growing a new one and if you dont shed at all or vey little, your mommy needs to help your coat shed. I shed a lot so dont need a lot of help :) the blue and black dematting you have, have mommy cut the mats with it, spred the mats with your fingers, hold the end closes to the skin so pulling is not so painful and brush/cut out. Use pin brush to fluff and comb out mats. Is your pin brush end tipped? If not, a tipped end brush helps pull mats out vs a straight one. Double teeth rake like my JW black and yellow one helps rake inner coat and it feels so good on my back too :) my light blue and black dematter has little teeth that curve in, it also helps take out the little painful mat balls. Lastly finish off with your slicker comb, the one with all the same length teeth :) I've attached a picture of everything my family and groomers use on me :)

Good luck

[Texas Doodle Mom and Molly Rose]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I appreciate the picture of the grooming tools as well.  My pin brush does have tipped ends on the other side.  Molly is not a shedder and so I am guessing she needs a lot of help to get this adult coat out.  I'm off to check out the hair products and then sit down to review the double-teeth rake, etc., which I may need to add. 

[Paula]

PS.....my auntie bought all my grooming tools on Amazon. It's much cheaper but I know not everyone likes ordering or can. Petsmart and Petco sell my grooming tools too. I hope this helps and if you need anything else, sure my Auntie can assist you. She's been grooming for 15 year's and specializes in long coats to make them show ring perfection :)

[Pat, Mary & Cooper]

We also have matting problems with Cooper our 18 months old Australian Labradoodle.

Seems like it comes and goes...

First time that happen was when he turned 10 months and now it's back again...

Detangler and dematting products do help and the safari dematting tool as well as the safari shedding comb.

The longer teeth goes deep in undercoat and smaller teeth brush the top coat.

We also just ordered Cowboy Magic detangler after many recommendations....

Good luck

[Deanna M.]

I use a steel comb on Sulley because I find I don't get down to the skin with a brush very easily, even when line-brushing.  I put Cowboy Magic detangler on matts and then cut through them with blending shears, with the comb between the skin and the scissors, and then turn my comb perpendicular to his skin and holding the matt, I pick it out.  I think I am going to try the Cowboy Magic shampoo and conditioner too as I have heard very good things about them.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have found that my rescue doodle has different textures for his two colors.  I would add Cowboy Magic - an ointment like salve that you put on specific mats, wait and comb the mat out.  And I would add Horse Mane 'N Tail Detangler Spray.

[Michele Kiss]

We have a metal brush, but by FAR the best brush we've found for dealing with the actual mats themselves is this: http://smile.amazon.com/Four-Paws-Grooming-Matting-Medium/dp/B003JV... 

We have bought everything else that people recommended, including the Activet/Les Pooches brushes that everyone raves about (and many others...) The Magic Coat brush has far exceeding everything. It seems to just cut through them. It's a lot cheaper too! We have bought multiple to have them around the house for when we pet him and just "find" mats and want to pull them out quickly! 

Our pup is caramel/apricot/white and the lighter fur does seem to mat more on him too, now that you mention it! Probably a science-y reason why :-)  

Fenway is 11 months and the matting has been really bad as his coat changes to his adult coat. We are trying so hard to stay on top of it but we can't stop him matting no matter how often we brush him. 

We try to get him bathed and brushed (either at his groomers, or at his daycare, who have a groomer on site) at least once every two weeks which helps. They definitely don't even brush all the mats out but him being SO clean and well-brushed elsewhere makes it easy to find them, and we can then brush the remaining ones out. 

I'll also confess - he HATES being brushed on his legs, so after a bath, it's SUPER obvious when he has mats on his legs because he's all wet. I just cut them out as I find them, when I'm drying him. So far there's never been an obvious hole and it just makes me feel better to know they're gone... 

[Pat, Mary & Cooper]

Oh nice, I will be ordering that brush for sure!

[Texas Doodle Mom and Molly Rose]

Thank you! My Amazon cart is filling up and I appreciate your experience with all of these tools. I think the white hair is coarser, just like the gray hairs working their way in on my own head :). Will definitely try the de-tangler sprays with the preferred brushes. I had tropiclean on my list and now Cowboy Magic, per Nancy above. Molly doesn't like the legs being brushed either, but she absolutely loves being wet. Good idea to snip a few mats then.

[Ollie's Mom]

Ok so catch me up, my doodle is 5 months old and I bribe him with peanut butter every night and brush through him with a SLICKER brush. Do I need other brushes? I am so confused! I cant afford to take him to get groomed every 3-4 weeks! 

[Texas Doodle Mom and Molly Rose]

Sorry, I didn't see this sooner!  I am trying all the things I purchased and I'm still confused, lol.  Yes, there are different brushes and combs (see Paula's pic above), sprays and salves.  If I can get organized, I'll take a picture of what I bought and how well I think each item worked.  It's true that the Magic Coat Brush mentioned above just cuts through easily (I'm not sure if I'm supposed to use it all over though as it seems to bring a lot of hair out with each attempt?).  I used a Tropiclean shampoo AND their detangler spray afterwards and that worked well (but just lead up to getting to work on the mats).  I bought a few other tools mentioned by Paula above, and tried the Cowboy Magic "cream".  I did call and bump her grooming to every 4 weeks to see if that helps through this rough patch.

I think the main problem is I can't get uninterrupted time to sit down and do this whole experiment, LOL.  I have three little boys and Molly (the pup) is 10 months old.  By the time she lays down to snooze, I'm right behind her!  And, I'll tell you this, I'm so tired lately that I've started imagining what she would look like shaved.  Gasp. =D