# is matted fur that bad?



## cnstarz

does it really matter if your dog has matted fur? i know a lot of ppl want their dog's fur to be easily brushable, but does it serve a purpose besides simply looking good? 

i think my poodle looks cuter with matted fur. it's kind of a dirty/grunge/troublemaker look. i just wanna be sure that there isn't any harmful side effects to having matted fur other than a grunge-looking dog.


----------



## KamelotMom

Matted hair can produce skin problems, irritations, sores, etc... Curly or not blown dry would be a better "grunge" look than mats. IMHO


----------



## cnstarz

dang, guess i can't be lazy anymore.


----------



## spoofan

As the hair matts it gets tighter,pulling on the skin.
It can cause bruises and is painful.
If you go on petfinder,look up poodles and you will see some horrible images of matted dogs.
You can always keep your pup in a sporty,short clip,which requires considerably less maintenance.


----------



## cnstarz

i think i'm gonna get some electric clips and just shave her all over with a short-medium clip. her hair is so thick!


----------



## WonderPup

If you're poodle's fur is already matted don't fall in love with a with a clip that uses a snap on comb. Those will not go through the mats, nothing clips through a matt actualy. The only way to remove is to get between the matt and the skin, so it depends on how tight they are to the skin as to how long you can leave the hair. Sometimes if the matting is kind of bad, you have to clip all the way down to the skin. Sometimes if it isn't sooo bad you can use a #4 blade to clip. That will leave a short coat but still long enough to have a little bit of fluff. Either way if matts are present you cannot use a comb attachment, it won't work unless you are able to brush him out completely and then clip. 

Good Luck! Would love to see before and after pictures


----------



## creativeparti

*does it really matter if your dog has matted fur?* 

my view is pretty much the same as aboove matted fur is very uncomftable for the dogs and its such a shame to let them get in to a state like that sorry sont want to have a go at you but i really upsets me when i see dogs on a weekly bases matted so badley that they have sores on there skin and things buried in there coats 

personally i would take your dog to a groomer to be shaved down and start over to get the hair cut you want 

i know its sad but i have upladed some pics to show the state i see some dogs please dont let yours get that bad its not nice for the dog at all


----------



## creativeparti

:weep::weep::weep::weep:


----------



## Aidan

Matted fur can also give your dog a bad odor besides the already mentioned problems. You can only imagine what kind of stuff can get caught in the matts (dirt, grass, food) and even urine/waste around the potty area. It can get smelly pretty quickly!

There are some groomers who will cord a poodle for you but it's very hard to take care of. The impression I get from it is that it's basically organized matts, lol. It looks pretty nifty but if you're already not wanting to brush him it would be next impossible to keep the cords healthy and to keep the dog from smelling bad. The bathing process alone for a corded dog is a good day project.










I agree with the short/summer clip on your dog, it would be easy to maintain and easy to brush through to get dirt and such out. With a little bit of research it's something you could easily do yourself with the right blades and good clippers. I like using a #3 for a semi-plush look but still fairly easy to brush out and doesn't need daily maintnance like some of the longer cuts.


----------



## WonderPup

cords aren't supposed to go all the way down to the skin if I understand correctly. So they don't pull on the skin. They are also thin and lghter in weight that regular matts that may be very large and pulling on skin over a large area. 

There is a breeder/groomer about an hour from me that will cord a poodle for the barin price of 500.00 dollars plus boarding, bathing, and regular grooming fee (you're dog has to live with him for at least 3 months...) I don't think cords are in my future lol.


----------



## cnstarz

her hair isn't really that matted. there is a couple matts on her back legs but that's it. i guess her hair just kinda clumps or groups together. kinda like the 2nd pic in newpoodlemum's post. that pic doesn't really look like matted fur, it just looks long and shaggy, unless i'm not looking at it close enough. it looks similar to that pic, but it's not really matted.


----------



## Blue Fox

I know others like it but I wouldn't have a corded poodle. I don't like the look and the work to keep them dry and not going mouldy sounds like a pain. 

Unfortunately lots of dogs I see just look shaggy, and a lot of people like them to look that way, which is fine but as soon as you try and get a brush or comb therough you find at the skin it is just one felted mat. Doesn't sound like yours is anything like that cnstarz, don't get me wrong. I reckon every 3rd dog I see is like that and they seriously wonder why you won't spend the time to brush them out, people think your just going to brush the top fur like they have been!


----------



## highhorse

You don't say how old your dog is. If it's a puppy, then it's changing its coat and you are going to end up with a mixture of matted puppy coat and its final adult coat. Once the adult coat has settled down and you trim very short, then you will hardly need to brush.


----------



## creativeparti

* i guess her hair just kinda clumps or groups together. kinda like the 2nd pic in newpoodlemum's post*

hope its not as bad as that as that dogs coat came off in one big peice


----------



## SnorPuddel

WonderPup said:


> cords aren't supposed to go all the way down to the skin if I understand correctly. So they don't pull on the skin. They are also thin and lghter in weight that regular matts that may be very large and pulling on skin over a large area.


Cords don't start to mat until about an inch from the skin.


----------



## WonderPup

Ah, see that's cool.  I haven't actually had my hands in a corded coat since I was about 16 or so and it was a puli not a poodle but I guess a cord is a cord?? I thought I wanted a corded poodle *eye balls her silver spoo * but my husband doesn't like it and it takes sooooo long. I am not very good at waiting on things like hair growth. I get board quickly and want a new style. Would sure be helpful though with Saleen.. I just petted my hand down her neck and shoulder and got a big surprise she is matted ... again. It's been a rough week and wouldn't you know she's got another ear infection. (Sometimes I hate this poor dog, but of course I wouldn't trade her for the world) Ugh! Guess I have a project for tomorrow :doh: I hope I don't have to clipper her, I worked hard on the clip she has  Stupid rain. Cords are sounding like a good option... except truly they are more work than her current trim and require more time than I currently have. I think they are neat and would like to learn more about them at some point.


----------



## frostfirestandards

matting can keep moisture close to the skin, it can mildew, itch , smell awful, harbor maggots and bugs, pull the skin and cause irritation,or brusing, cut off circulation and more. 

If you are going to clip her yourself, you will need to invest in a good professional quality clipper that uses detachable blades The cheap pet grooming kits from walmart or petsmart really do not do a good job, and usually go dull after the first couple of swipes. 
Whatever you do, do not use sciaaors to try and get the matts off of her, either use clippers or take her to a groomer.


----------



## WonderPup

*shudders at the thought of maggots* 

Can we say gross. I've seen that and it's naaaassssstttttyyyyyy. Plus I am easily creeped out by stuff like that so if it were an unexpected find I'd probably run screaming from the room.


----------



## flyingduster

generally the 'clumpy' rough look may not be pelted into a really solid mat yet, but it is still invariably matted together with webbing sorta knots all through it; the type that could be brushed out eventually on a really good dog, but is still NOT an option to brush out in one session at a groomers unless you have a lot of money to cover the hour or 3 needed to do so... Few dogs belonging to the general public have the temperament to tolerate that amount of brushing anyway so the only option is to shave 'em down short! The owners swear they brush (they floof about over the top with a brush, but don't get THROUGH the coat to the skin) and an un-experienced hand won't realise that 'thick' feeling coat is actually a thoroughly tangled coat, as they cannot feel actual hard "knots". For clients like that, I do one of two things: hand them a steel comb and tell them if they can run that through their dogs coat then I will do whatever they want with their dog, OR I put their dog on the table and turn the blow drier on the dog while it's dry, as it parts the coat and you can clearly see the extent of the tangling through the entire coat. If they don't get it after then, then they can take their dog somewhere else to be kept long and fluffy, cos I will NOT put a dog through a de-mat like that for the sake of an owners vanity.


----------



## fjm

Here in the UK I believe letting a dog's coat reach the stage where it is causing pain and discomfort is now covered by animal protection law. It can so easily become a vicious circle - dog's hair left till it is tangled, so it hurts when it is brushed and the dog fights the whole time, so becomes even more of a chore and is left even longer, so it hurts even more - and on and on. Have a complete shave down while the weather is fine, and then work out how short you need to keep the coat to be able to brush and comb it through in the time you have available. An all over clip is not difficult with good clippers - especially if you actually prefer the rather uneven, ragged look! - but plan on doing it every 4 - 6 weeks if you need to keep the coat really short.


----------



## SnorPuddel

WonderPup said:


> Ah, see that's cool.  I haven't actually had my hands in a corded coat since I was about 16 or so and it was a puli not a poodle but I guess a cord is a cord?? I thought I wanted a corded poodle *eye balls her silver spoo * but my husband doesn't like it and it takes sooooo long. I am not very good at waiting on things like hair growth. I get board quickly and want a new style. Would sure be helpful though with Saleen.. I just petted my hand down her neck and shoulder and got a big surprise she is matted


Cording does take a loooong time and patience, and you have to be able to get over the fact that they look a bit like a hot mess for awhile.... We have been having very humid weather this summer and it is making Baldr's hair very prone to mats, I just took 3 inches off of him to help. Both brushed and corded poodles need maintaining and both are work. I am not looking forward to the day when I have to trim Foxxy's cords again, thats a lot of cords


----------

