Trisven13 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Archie the Cavalier is now 11 months old and is very used to being groomed. We are a little slack sometimes with his grooming but he always gets a 15-20 minute brush out at least once a fortnight, though I try for once a week. He has never gone longer than 2 weeks without a good brush through. He has a very, very thick coat for a Cavalier - he has always been a "fluffy" puppy. Our problem is that three times now we have needed to clip ear behind just one of his ears but he hasn't had matts anywhere else. His ear doesn't smell, doesn't appear to have a discharge at all and there hasn't been anything caught in his fur. The matt is always tiny - about 2cm square - but too matted to brush out and simpler to just clip off. Would there be a reason for it happening constantly behind one ear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rysup Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I find its just something that puppies get. He "should" grow out of it once he is in his adult coat. Unless of course there is infection in that ear, or mites or something, that he is specifically scratching at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Haven't seen him scratching at anything there - its really got me puzzled. I felt soooo bad the first time he had the matted hair behind his ear as I've always been so careful to keep his coat tidy. I have made a firm promise to him and I that I will brush him weekly but it has seemed strange that he has no matting anywhere else at all. He has also been desexed about 6 weeks ago - how quickly would that make his coat change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Could be that it is the side he sleeps on most. I have a dog that only matts behind one elbow - she always lies with her hind legs one way and slightly leaning towards the side that matts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 My BC's get matts behind their ears nearly daily as that is where they pull each other when playing. Can't explain only one ear though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 OMG Scarlet - I didn't think of the playing thing!!! Of course - that is what it is! He and Bartoo, the greyhound pup, play non-stop and Bartoo is always grabbing him around the head.... I'm an idiot!!!! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie-boy Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Does he wear a collar?? My 2 get small matts behind their ears due to them rubbing on the collar when they move, play etc. At the moment I am finding them getting knots in their tails all the time - no idea why - its never been an issue before. Ah the joys of long coated dogs...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kymbo Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 OMG Scarlet - I didn't think of the playing thing!!! Of course - that is what it is! He and Bartoo, the greyhound pup, play non-stop and Bartoo is always grabbing him around the head.... I'm an idiot!!!! Thank you! My pap is prone to this and I was tearing my hair out. The hair behind the ear is just so soft and puppy like, even though he is nearing 2 years old, and would matt seemingly overnight I use a leave in hair shine stuff now, and even though they still play, I have not had ONE matt!!! I was using a schwartzcoft anti frizz serum, but now am using Squirt hair shine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Got your answer, already, but I think coat change is around 12 months. Dogs matt much more easily at this time. Great time to get a hydrobath and force dry to get rid of coat. I'm not sure if a pet cav. can be clipped lightly, but this might also help as he goes thru coat change. Unfortunately, there's still the brushing. I comb the poodles after brushing with a slicker brush- this gets out more dead hair than brushing alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Archie has a very very heavy coat for a Cavalier to start with and the breeder said once they're desexed it changes again so I'm expecting his coat to become harder to care for now sadly. I can definitely tell that he is losing his puppy coat so we will just keep on top of it - I'm so paranoid about keeping his coat tidy as I always whing about the matted nightmares that come through the pound! I was so disgusted that he had a matt the first time and I blamed my teenage daughter, his owner, for not keeping up to his coat but when it was badly matted again only 2 weeks later, and then 10 days later again I started to wonder. I'm convinced its Bartoo but he is off to a new home tomorrow so hopefully we will see some improvement. I could clip him off but to me it seems like a cop out - I bought a coated breed so therefore I should keep him tidy - maybe I'm just being ridiculously stubborn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CavsRcute Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 My tricolour girl has a very heavy coat(just ask Dru LOL). I keep her under control by using a good conditioner, brushing her every 3 days and using a Mars Coat King approx. every 2 weeks. I also clip that little bit of hair behind her ear that can get matted(the bit against the head) and it's no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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