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How long does blowing coat last?

3K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  Suzi 
#1 ·
Hello,
My pup, Cody, is just over 9 months. I believe he's started blowing coat. He's getting more and more matted and I can't get them out. I usually cut them out but even that is becoming more frequent. I usually keep him in a fluffy 3 inch coat. How long can we look forward to this? Wondering if it's weeks, months, or a year?
I can't comb through him everyday but do brush him with the pin brush each day. I bathe him usually once per week and blow him dry. I try to do a through comb through as often as I can but we may go a day or two.

I'd rather not shave him down but I would if I thought our grooming was becoming tortuous for him. At this point he looks displeased and is starting to find somewhere else to be when I have the brush or comb out. Before it was kind of bonding time for us and I'd just brush/comb through his hair.

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Or words of encouragement😓
 
#2 ·
15 years. LOL , no I don't even remember , others will give you some answers.
 
#3 ·
You are making a mistake by bathing a matted dog as the water makes the tangled hair collapse and form into a tight wad. Blowing coats are best kept in check by combing out twice a day before mats have a chance to form. You are most likely hurting your dog and also risking slicing your dog open by attempting to cut mats out with scissors. Also, by now the coat has big holes in it from all the chopping and is not a flattering look. Do your dog and yourself a favor and get him shaved. Try to grow the coat out after the coat is done changing, as it will grow back and it won't damage the texture. There is another groomer Tokipoke and she is documenting her dog growing his coat out after being completely shaved, minus tail.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I agree with the above post ...

that being said, you NEED to comb to the skin with a GOOD quality metal COMB not a pin brush a minimun of twice a day during blowing coat. The matts form in a nano-second, before your eyes. lol
These dogs are high matinence and if you can't keep up with the grooming during blowing coat, you really should have him shaved down, it's in the best interest of both of you. :)
After dealing with HOURS a DAY over the course of a couple of weeks of de-matting/grooming/obsessing during blowing coat, I finally had Tillie shaved down. Saved our relationship and my back! lol

I think the average blowing coat lasts 1-3 months...
 
#6 ·
It lasted us a few months - and it was bad, like all of the sudden matts just appeared. What worked best for us was investing in a good comb (cc #005), comb thoroughly 2x a day (and extra if its wet outside) and keeping her fur to an inch in length (kept the tail, head, face longer). I also picked up a gentle slicker brush made for sensitive skin (for $10 at the pet store) and it helped a lot, in addition to combing. I don't think it's fair to put a dog through hours of daily grooming, and dematting ... Once you get thru this phase then you can keep the fur at whatever length you like.
 
#7 ·
Thank you for the quick replies. Dave, you made me laugh! I do have CC grooming tools, but I don't thin I was using them correctly. I was brushing neveryday, not combing. I also am thinking with the snow and the snowballs that he accumulated, that probably added to the problem. But he loved playing in the snow!!!!!! Will try all you suggestions. Thanks.
 
#9 ·
Snow seems to make mats form! Gemma is just over a year and has never really been bad blowing her coat. SHe's never been cut and i just find a few small mats now when i comb her. I'm combing her twice a day to stay on top of it. When she was covered in snow balls it left her with the worst mats I've ever seen in her coat (and she's not bad as far as matting goes). I can't imaging what a bad blowing coat combined with snow would do.
 
#10 ·
Can anyone suggest some good tools I could get to ensure I am using the right equipment for the job. I have a comb and brush however would like to get something a bit better particularly before the 'blowing coat' phase begins.

Pictures would be helpful or websites that I could purchase from as my availability to products may differ in Au.

Thank you! :)
 
#11 ·
Get a short trim, your Hav will love you for it. If you do not have the hours......to come through the hair each day, it is best to get a short trim.

Blowing Coat gets worse before it starts to get better, I would say at least 2 months. We need some pictures too!
 
#12 · (Edited)
Maddie wasn't nearly as bad as Zoey but she did have a real bad matting session about two mo ago go figure she is going on three?
If you can somehow look up how to line comb that is a good way to really get to all parts of their coat. I'm not a very good writer and its hard to explain but I'll try. Use a good comb one that has small tooth and large tooth. Everyone loves their CC Butter comb. I start at the bottom and work my way up by pushing up the hair and taking very small sections at a time. You want to get all the way to the skin because thats where the worst mats form. Sometimes you cant even feel their is a mat. A good line combing can take a couple hours or more. I will sometimes start with a slicker brush to try to loosen the mat some I alternate between the two. I really thing the new adult coat is either a different texture or it is that the puppy coat is falling out. I never really noticed signal mats with Zoey it was more like a thick felting and wasn't like tangled so bad that I couldn't just comb it out. I start at the bottom of the thick mess and work upward. Small sections at a time and pulling down the next layer. Then I use the small section of the comb to get the loose hair out. The slicker brush should be a soft one . I like to test both slicker brushes and pin brushes on my arm to feel what it would be like if I accidently hit their skin. An area that some forget is their hole head and around their ears. Every time I have had to deal with a coat change I wounder how can such littles dogs be so much work. Then I thank god I don't have a old english sheep dog in a full coat.
I hardly ever use my pin brush and own a CC wooden one that I felt was a waist of money. It is suppose to keep the static down. I do use my wire one after I've gotten all the mats out to fluff . I own a small comb with about 4 inches long. I probably use it more than the other because its easier to hold and I can work on smaller areas at a time. I sometimes turn the comb at an angel to brake up the mat if its more tangled. I try to hold the skin so I'm not pulling and hurting them.
Anyway try to see if someone has pictures or a better written direction on line combing. Good luck you guys with all the new puppy's going into adolescents!:)
I started a trend called support group wanted when I was going threw the dreaded coat change. Zoey had about four over a period of two years. She has a much calmer coat these days and its not nearly as thick or frizzy.
 
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