Full Coated Maltese... HELP!

[SilverStarWing]

A new client just moved into the area from Manhattan where its humid. They have a petite full coated maltese. They said they have it groomed once a week.

Last week was the first time I met them and did their dog. Dog had a lot of thick mats, and pin mats all over the body. I was NOT allowed to cut or use any type of dematting tool or mat splitter on the coat. I charged him double digits for this one.

I was about to get it all out by soaking her in a thick deep conditioner, and using Paul Mitchel's demat spray, and a comb and slicker brush. I had the dog for almost 6 hours, giving her breaks in between dematting sessions.

She came in today (6 days since her last groom) and again is matted, but not as bad as last time. Same large mat on her shoulder and base of tail as last week. Other smaller areas of pin matting on her sides. Today, I soaked her again in the conditioner, then used a leave in conditioner from Quadruped before dryer her. Use the Paul Mitchel dematting spray again when brushing out the mats. Her arms pits were matted today, and I know I didnt get them all out. I will try more next week.

I live in Vegas, where we have high winds, and dry heat, causing static. When the guy picked him he complained about the static in his dog's coat. Is there anything I can get or do differently for this? Full coated breeds dont thrive in Vegas so I've never had the opportunity to work one on.

Also, a medical type question. I've noticed last week and this week that by the time I'm done grooming her her under belly tuck up area into the inside of her back legs has been getting bruised when I hold her up. I have small hands and just hold her belly to keep her in place, but I'm afraid with all the tugging I'm doing, that maybe the pressure is causing her to grind into my hand? Or maybe she has an unknown medical condition that causing the slightest pressure to bruise? I've never seen this before.

[woofus]

Matted Maltese, aren't they fun? I have one that comes in and I brush her out, wish she was a once a week dog... I bathe in a basic shampoo, condition during the bath, and then I put her on the table, wet. I spray some ice into her coat and use a small slicker and a metal comb to comb out the matting while she is still wet. Using the pat and pull method with the brush helps a lot too. Having conditioner in the wet hair helps to comb it much faster. Then I dry her with a small hand dryer, no heat, with a solid wood pin brush so she isn't static-y. OH, I have also found that using Les Pooches creme rinse on her, full strength during the bath part works really well. It's not too heavy of a conditioner but stays in the coat nicely.

[cockerlvr]

I find with a lot of matted dogs I see from other groomers I can still smell product that they used four to eight weeks ago. To me that says there is either a lot of product buildup or they aren't rinsing. Once I get them for a couple of times, with clarifying shampoo, and Coat Handler conditioner, they no longer come back matted. It also works as an anti static. I'm a 38 year Nevada resident (Washington transplant) so I'm quite used to the super low humidity, and I never had static using CH.

There is no way a dog should be matting that bad in six days. Change your product. Are you bathing before brushing? Are you using a stand dryer when you blow her out brushing as you go?

[SilverStarWing]

We just got a gallon of Coat Handler this afternoon (after her bath of course) so I'll be using that next week.

We dont have a stand dryer either. Never have dogs to fluff (until now) and its not worth spending the money on a piece of equipment that will hardly get used (and take up space).

I'll try the combing technique while the CH is in her. Thx!

[Doubledogdare]

Try putting a heavy creme rinse solution on the dog after you bathe it and leaving it in. The dog will look a bit over-conditioned but it might help prevent the static and matting, seeing as how mummy and dada want a long coat on the dog but clearly have no interest in brushing between groomings.

We used to face this problem all the time when we got imports from England where it was always cool and clammy. Bringing coated dogs from that climate to the warmer, dryer areas of the US played h*ll with their hair. They'd mat up and blow coat like crazy. So what is going on with this little dog is not a surprise.

[cockerlvr]

To use it most effectively you should mix it 15-1 and pour it on and leave it. Don't spray it in like the instructions say.

[Debbiedogs]

OMG - bruising!

Liver problems very likely - don't wait - send them to vet for liver panel blood check. Could be VERY serious!

[cockerlvr]

Seriously DDD? They are bringing this dog in every week. What more could you expect an owner to do?! A dog shouldn't be matted in one weeks time. Your advice is going to send them down the street to another shop.

totally missed the bruising. Yes, i would definitely send them straight to the vet.

[azoci]

Humm, sounds like one I have

that will soon be moving to CO. I do her once a month, and she's always matted! But she brushes out super easy. What I do for her....bath with SS ProTeK, Speed Dry and Chrome (yea mixed together) with the Bathing Beauty. I've tried all kinds of options, heavy conditioner, you name it. OK, so once the bath , rinse is done. I use a Shamwow to get as much water off as possible, then I use just a tiny bit of Chris Christensen Silk Sprites, rub it in good on the damp coat.

The she's off to my table with me pulling as many mats open as I can, then using a super soft slicker, I use warm (not hot) air froim my stand dryedr and brush as the force of the air keeps the coat open. ((making sense?) I let her lay on the table as is comfortable for her and me. She take maybe 40 minutes to do out. And yes she's always a matted mess!

I'm finding that the Silk Spritis is a wonderful product and it eleminates the static...the maltese is less matted every time I do her now. I have a full coated Havanese I do ever 2 week, using this same formula, used to be a matted mess, now, she has maybe one or two mats...love this proiduct.

[stewiedog]

Demat the dog while wet using a stand dryer, not too hot, a greyhound comb, fingers & pin brush. Her coat is probablly damaged from all the dematting causing it to mat quicker.
I'm also in Vegas, and have a weekly client with 2 maltese. YES!! They can get that matted in a week. The static is a nightmare. I told my customer to get a finishing spray with anti-static. And, to just mist them with it.
That & dematting different has helped a lot

Sent from my LG-P509 using Tapatalk 2

[Doubledogdare]

Seriously DDD? They are bringing this dog in every week. What more could you expect an owner to do?! A dog shouldn't be matted in one weeks time. Your advice is going to send them down the street to another shop.

Yes. Seriously.

Depending on the background of this dog, Maltese coat can be like spun silk and mat up very quickly if not attended to.

I worked with a lot of show Maltese and, yep, if not brushed and combed thoroughly every couple of days they would wad up just as badly as what is being described per this Maltese.

Dirt, static, weather conditions, wet grass in the morning, wrastling with other dogs, scratching and chewing could easily turn a completely mat-free Maltese into a matted mess within a few days.

[SilverStarWing]

We dont have a stand dryer. I think i should invest in those of those hose holders for the force dryer. Anyone know where to get one?

[Doubledogdare]

We dont have a stand dryer. I think i should invest in those of those hose holders for the force dryer. Anyone know where to get one?

I got mine from Groomer's Helper.

[Cyn]

I used to groom 4 malts once a week ( this was 20 years ago) ans YES they can become a solid mat in one week. These poor dogs were so used to being dematted weekly they just laid there and let me pick and tug and bush and comb and blown dry with stand dryer untill they were once again mat free. I groomed these dogs for about 5 years and never did I find a product that would keep the mats out for even a week. So yea, they need combing everyday. Of course, since there were 4 of them ya just knew it was from them playing all week.

[cockerlvr]

Definitely get yourself the holder for the dryer. It will make all the difference. I would really stick with the Coat Handler alone too. I handled Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos and of course cockers, when I was in Nevada and it's all I ever used, with fantastic results.