Tried to groom a matted doodle with just a slicker brush and a prayer

Last month, a client brought in their 8-month-old Goldendoodle, completely pelted. I thought I could save the coat with my usual method: a slicker brush and some detangling spray, aiming for a 2-hour session. After 90 minutes of the dog being stressed and me making zero progress, I had to stop. I switched to plan B, using a set of professional clippers with a #7 blade and just shaved it down, which took 20 minutes. The failure taught me that sometimes the kindest and most efficient fix is to start over, not fight a losing battle. Anyone else had a dog where you just had to admit defeat on the coat and go short?

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2 Comments

barnes.shane6mo ago

That 90 minute fight sounds like the real problem, not the matting itself. Sometimes you just gotta pick the tool that gets the dog comfortable fastest.

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stellac976mo ago

The fight shows how bad the matting was though, @barnes.shane. Getting it off quickly was the kindest thing for the dog.

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