Help. Doodle Groomer Needed

[Pauline Mooney]

Hi Everyone,
Well as you might now, I have Mr Bentley who is the most beautiful dog ever (I'm biased I know) Something has happened with his coat that is really worrying me. He has started with really bad matting, and it's REALLY not because I don't groom, or take him for his monthly groom. Every night we sit down for our grooming session, and I don't let him get wet and dry without combing out, but something different is happening. My groomer in Tomball has said she will need to clip him down to his skin!!!! My husband just won't have it. He's a big furry teddy bear and everyone who meets him loves him. I don't want him clipped also, but what can we do? Is there a specialist doodle groomer? am I doing something wrong? He has never been clipped since we got him, he's now 11 months old. Please anyone who can help I would be so so happy.

[Sarah]

Hi Pauline,

Sound like Mr Bentley may be going through his 'coat change' where the adult fur starts growing through the puppy fur which causes matts. Alot of people take this opportunity to clip them back real short as the matts just become an endless problem until the coat change is complete.

Sorry i couldnt be more helpful as to what to DO, my pup is only 4 months old, but at least you know its not something you are causing to happen.

Sarah & Rocco

[Adina P]

I'm afraid you've hit that awful stage that some doodles go through where no matter WHAT you do there will be matting. He's probably losing his puppy coat and the new coat is coming in. I'm not a groomer so I don't know if they TRULY have to go down to the SKIN...but there probably is no way out of a short cut of SOME kind. Some doodles are very prone to matting...I'd look through some of the discussions on "matting" we've had in the past. Just type in the word "matting" into the search box on our Forum discussion page and you'll get lots of tips from the past.

[Diane]

So is it the nonshedding doodles that have the biggest problem with matts at coat change time? A friend of mine said it never happened to her F1 goldendoodle, but he sheds a lot (she thinks). I've been wondering why some do and some don't. Ringo's only 7 mos. so we haven't encountered it yet but I've been stocking up on products and mentally preparing myself for the short cut! ;o)

[Adina P]

Pretty much it's just the nonshedding ones...not all but many. Since shedders' hair falls out regularly...and typically isn't of the right texture to mat...then they don't mat. But the nonshedders do NOT lose hair and often it is the right texture to get tangled. That is why you rarely see long hair on poodles...too hard to keep up with.

[Mommy2Max]

I just went through this. I work at a dog boarding/daycare/grooming. The groomer whom I trust and does a wonderful job at keeping him shaggy was willing to brush him out but, it would cost me and it wouldn't stop the mats from reappearing since he is blowing his puppy fur. I was shocked she was willing to do it for me. I tried at home and even with the right brushes and grooming products, it was close to impossible. If I brushed six hours straight - he would have still been a knotted mess. I would need a dematting brush (with blades) and that is not good for the coat according to my groomer. She prefers not to use them often. While brushing Max, he began to cry and Max never complains during grooming. I decided to bite the bullet and have him shaved very short...and I'm talking short. LOL I'll post a before and after.

She did a wonderful job at making the best of a situation she knew I didn't really want to face but, it's the price we pay for having dogs with fabulous personalities and drop dead gorgeous coats! :)

I don't know where you live. I'm in South Snohomish County, WA. If you live near here, I'm sure she would work with you no matter what your decision.

On a positive note, Max has provided hours of laughter and entertainment while me mock his scrawny little legs - poor thing. :D

~Danielle

[Mommy2Max]

BEFORE

MAX AFTER

MAX WONDERING WHERE HIS FUR WENT AND WHY THE SUDDEN DROP IN TEMP.

MAX BEGGING FOR FOOD IN HOPES THAT THE EXTRA FAT WILL WARM HIM UP.

[Chris & Boys]

Max STILL looks adorable!

[Mommy2Max]

Thank you! I prefer the long curls but, it's cute to see him differently for awhile.

[Trowby]

Max does still look adorable. We had to do the same thing with Sage. The groomer said the dematting would be extremely painful for her so she scissor cut her close to the skin. Her fur is growing back - a curly fleece that shouldn't mat as much as the puppy fur. She is also darker- much darker apricot. Max will grow his fur back and be mire handsome than ever!

[Holly St Pierre]

I don't know what my groomer does, but she gets all the mats out of Gunner without even cutting him short. She is AWESOME. As far as the coat, it doesn't matter what you do. She said they go through that & get mats no matter how much you brush. She doesn't charge me any additional nor does she keep him any longer. It can't be too stressful for him either, when he gets there, he loves to go straight back. I can't tell you what she uses, just letting you know there is hope. Goodluck!

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

At around 9 months we went through the same thing with Whopper. She had a really long beautiful coat and no matter how much we brushed each night, in the morning she was matted. We decided to have her cut pretty short because we didn't want her to suffer through trying to brush it all out which ultimately would have been pretty impossible in some areas anyway. We used mobile groomers so that we could monitor and provide guidance every step of the way. It was hard to accept at first, but we were thankful her head, tail, and ears were not shaved. Her body was done slightly uneven in some areas but that was because we wanted to keep as much length as we could in each area figuring in a few weeks it would all blend in together. It has done just that and while her coat will never probably be like it was because it's coming in a bit curlier, we think Whopper has appreciated the approach. Once all the mats were gone she had a lot more spring in her step and was jumping like I had never seen her jump when she was playing outside. I think the mats were pulling and she felt freedom when they were gone. If you really don't want to cut him down, I recommend you invest in some high quality detangling products. We now use a couple to try and prevent any matting with her new coat as it comes in.

[Nina]

Hi Pauline,

My dog, Sadie, is now 14 months and still gets matts. So, I am assuming she is still getting rid of her puppy coat. She goes to a great groomer (in SF, not Houston) and he cuts her hair to about 1 1/2 inches every month. I thought I wasn't going to like her coat shorter, but I do. It is easier to find the matts with a shorter coat. I have to bribe Sadie with cheese to get her to let me comb her out. She is going to the groomer today with lots of matts around her neck. I am hoping he doesn't have to shave her. I am going to tell him to cut her close where there are really bad matts and then 1 1/2 inches everywhere else. She has so much hair that a few bald spots on the underside of her neck won't be too bad. Some one on doodle kisses suggested to me that I ask the groomer to cut the hair behind her ears short. I have done this for many months so no matts are every near her ears. Good luck. And, your dog's hair will grow out quickly in the event that it does get cut really short.