Starting over :(

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

I am so bummed!!! We picked up the girls Sunday after grooming and although we have been raking, brushing and combing several times a week, they have mats on their legs. It's recommended that they get buzzed down to start over. We can wait a month or two according to our groomer. We are now in agreement that letting them grow out for the winter is not worth it - the NE winter elements have won!

I am dreading this upcoming buzz-down. She will leave the face and tails fuller, but the rest is going down to what sounds like next to nothing. If you have pictures of your "shaved" doodle, please share with me here so I can prepare myself!                                           Thanks and boo-hoo :(

Picture taken last week, before the trip to the groomer. BTW, the grooming before this was Dec 30th.

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Barb, aren't you glad you found out about those people when you did! The thought of not wanting a dog because of a haircut is inconceivable. When he grew out in a month, did they think they'd change their mind? Well, guess it takes all kinds.

I have found that using your Magic Lemon spray when I brush/comb my dogs is good for freshening and also seems to cut down on the number of tangles. Connor rarely mats, but Simon can get terrible if let go a few extra days. I'm brushing him twice a week and with the spray, haven't found a mat large enough to even need cutting. :-) Thanks for the recipe.

[Jennifer and Jack]

That is the most disgusting thing I have heard in a while I can not imagine returning a member of my family because he had a bad hair cut. They win the moron of the year award

[Becky & Sheeba]

You'll be shocked at first, but then you'll become use to it. I have Sheeba cut down each spring and summer. Just took her in yesterday for her grooming & they said she'll need to be cut next visit. Even though I take her in every 2-3 wks her coat is so curly and matt's easily. Just buy them some sweater's to keep warm. I really don't think they mind it, but it affects us as we love the doodle look. Good luck & remember it doesn't take long for it to grow back.

[2qnpolyp1871h]

my doodle gets matted SUPER easily as well. you *can* brush even the toughest matts out though if you would rather that than get them shaved. i use a les pooches brush to get the matts out. it takes a little bit but it does get it out completely. once she had a matt the size of a small ball (being at my moms while we were away) and i was still able to get it out.

the only downside to not shaving is that the matts just keep on coming :(. 

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

We left our Dolly with a fellow doodle owner when we went on vacation but when we got back, she was completely matted. Now we are just waiting for it to grow back.....

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

But look at that tail! So shiny :)

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

THANKS everyone!

I'm going to cut the mats out and have them clipped to the one inch Summer length in 4 weeks. It worked before and the mats were much worse - I'd rather have them a little lumpy on the legs than bald all over. Let's hope it works again :/

Snipping begins tonight!

I'll post back next month with pictures. It may work for others too.

[Lynne B]

sometimes you can cut through mats with thinning shears and then brush them out, especially if you use a de-mat spray or lotion.  I have done that for large mats, or mats that are in really conspicuous places- but I think your idea is a good one.  I live in Northern Nevada- plenty of snow here but I never let the boys fur get too long because of the weather and they don't seem to suffer from the cold

[Kyoko]

I was told that Charlie would need to get cut down pretty short because of some matts on one leg. The groomer told me that after the matts are cut out, her coat length will have to be even, that is why she have to get short all over. Plus they are not permitted to wash her while some matts are still present, because they will get even tighter. After the discussion, I told the groomer to just spend the time she would spend shaving her on brushing only. She said, in that case, she will be able to get all of her matts out and keep her coat longer. They don't want to spend hours working on one dog, that's why they more suggest cutting them short / shaving them....( You can get more dogs done within the same amount of time.)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If you can wait a month, it must not be that bad now. Just trim shorter, and brush and comb NOW.  IMO If you waited a month on mats you would have a solid cotton ball dog who would have to be buzzed to the skin. Slice vertically through the mats in several places and cut what you can't possibly comb. I would rather have some 'dents' where mats were cut than a buzzed to the skin dog.  This is just my opinion of course.

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

My thoughts exactly, thanks! I started cutting them out last night. I got 3 legs done in less than 45 minutes. Maple (choco labradood) is the worst with her long fleece. She's looking a little lumpy legged this morning. However, she loves the attention and massaging associated with finding the mats :)

Some of the places are a drastic drop from 4" to 1/4" so I've decided to dust off the electric shears and trim her all over to about an 1" this weekend. Then when we go back to the groomers in 4 weeks, she can even her out.

I may be able to get away with just cutting mats off of Lucky (cream goldendood) and not shearing since she's a tight curly wool. That crazy hair springs back to fill in the voids! Then I'll let the groomer take her down to a civilized (compromised) length.

It's a plan, and I'm workin' it baby!!!!

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yep, the poodle in them makes them love attention.  My F1b goldendoodle will stand for literally hours while we work on him.  Both my husband and I tire out from grooming before he does.  We do him in shifts and over several days.  He will also lie down and roll over for us to get his underside.  It is funny as he lies there with his legs spread while we shave his belly.  You might try scissors cutting instead of using the shears, and just pull a matt cutter through the mats before cutting them out.