Ear matting- 10 month old doodle

[jenn D]

Hi all,
I'm just starting to get around DK and found the grooming group. I'm pretty good about grooming my doodle but things are hard currently. When I got him, I researched here, read up, got the brushes and comb that was suggested, etc. I line brush him every week from toe to head and in between I slicker brush every other day.

Anyway I not sure if its the coat change thing or what (Brisby is almost 10 months) but he is matting more often. I find his ears (not inside but the outer part) are matting all the time. I'm constantly getting down to the skin but I feel like I am dematting daily.

He's a standard, wavy thick fleece coat.

I'm just wondering of this is coat change or what. He's a good boy when grooming but I'm currently keeping him clipped to about 2 1/2 inches because I don't want him to mat.

Help!

Thanks!

Jenn and Brisby

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Hi Jenn and Brisby

I keep the back and underside of my dogs' ears trimmed. I use a clipper with a no. 10 blade for the side of the head under the ear flap and scissors to keep the back of the ear short. These places easily get matted and trimming them close doesn't show.

[jenn D]

Hi Barb,
Thanks for the response. Do you me under the ear on both the ear and the head where the ear lays or on the top too (the outside of the ear where it's on the outside of the body/head where everyone can see)? I've got the underneath clipped short both on the ear and the side of head but its the top (outside) of the Ear that's matting.

Ah the joys of grooming!

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Sounds like you are doing everything right. Have you layered the hair on the outside of the ear? I keep the length of the hair there the same length as the top of the head. I also cut the edge about 1/2 inch shorter than the ear leather and finish that edge with blending shears to get rid of the 'fresh cut' look.

[jenn D]

Ahh, thanks for the picture. I need to trim/layer the outside of the ear a bit more. Great advice. Thank you!

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

oops I mean longer than the ear leather. Hope no one cuts a dog's ear. :(

[Bonnie and Kona]

Jenn, I am pretty sure you are jumping head first into the dreaded coat change. Kona's ears were a nightmare! When I bought the Les Pooches brush the first thing I did when it arrived was brush his ears out. Kona has really thick ear leather and his ear hair is thick and luxurious (on the outside of his ears). Through the coat change his ears were hard to demat. I can only advise you to comb them daily. I started cutting them just below the ear leather so that there was less length to deal with. Kona's ears are not a big problem any more. He is 6 years old. Brisby is adorable!

[DJ & Chance]

Most likely this is from the coat change and so temporary.  Same thing happened to Chance at about that age, and now at 13 months his ears mat much less often.

[jenn D]

Thanks everyone! This helps a lot! :)

[jenn D]

Here is a few pics of Brisby: