Heavy under coat, miracle solution?

SingItOut

Hi all, hopefully someone here can help me out. My dog is an almost two year old CollieXSpringer, she has a thick under coat that is literally like wool! I've been using a long coat furminator on her, along with a grey hound comb to take it out and today I spent €25 on a large slicker brush.

They all work but there's just no end to the thick hair on her back end and its making her itchy. I've been brushing her every day and giving her a bath every two weeks to help but it's not working. We live with my parents and she and my other dog sleep inside and her hairs are sticking to everything. She goes to a groomer every few weeks to get her ears tidied up but i'd rather be able to groom her coat at home if I can.

Is there a miracle solution to getting the under coat out easier? luckily she loves baths and being brushed. Her coat is a bit heavier than the picture, Thanks if you can help!

tk123

This double row rake is brilliant. I got it to replace the furminator after it cut Bailey's coat years ago A few friends have gotten one after seeing it in action on Bailey!

VonVix

tk123 wrote: »

This double row rake is brilliant. I got it to replace the furminator after it cut Bailey's coat years ago A few friends have gotten one after seeing it in action on Bailey!

This. Bloody love rakes.

Wouldn't touch a coat like her's with a Furminator, using it too much can irritate the skin as a furminator pulls out hair that's even not ready to come out.

SingItOut

VonVix wrote: »

This. Bloody love rakes.

Wouldn't touch a coat like her's with a Furminator, using it too much can irritate the skin as a furminator pulls out hair that's even not ready to come out.

I'll have to try one of those out, it looks a lot like the long coat furminator, just a lot cheaper. Pity I didn't see that before

I'm only using the furminator on her back end not her front as the hair doesn't shed so much near her front. The long coat one has a double row like the rake above

VonVix

SingItOut wrote: »

I'll have to try one of those out, it looks a lot like the long coat furminator, just a lot cheaper. Pity I didn't see that before

I'm only using the furminator on her back end not her front as the hair doesn't shed so much near her front. The long coat one has a double row like the rake above

"Furminator" is just a brand, you can buy the same tool under a different name for almost 90% cheaper in most well stocked pet stores.

If you pinch her hair with your index finger and thumb in the area you're trying to target does a lot of it come out or hardly any?

SingItOut

VonVix wrote: »

"Furminator" is just a brand, you can buy the same tool under a different name for almost 90% cheaper in most well stocked pet stores.

If you pinch her hair with your index finger and thumb in the area you're trying to target does a lot of it come out or hardly any?

Too late now I'm stuck with it

Not much, her coat is too long to pluck it out. The grey hound comb or wide tooth comb (not sure what everyone calls it) seems to work best but I was hoping for an easier way.

mymo

Do it in layers, like when you go to the hairdresser and they clip back the hair and comb/cut in sections.

I groom my dogs and Oliver wasn't clipped until almost a year old, so I had to groom him a lot (hair was near to the ground), lay her on her side, hold back the hair and start brushing/combing in small slices.
Often you're only getting the top layer out, small allow you to get right in there.

tk123

SingItOut wrote: »

I'll have to try one of those out, it looks a lot like the long coat furminator, just a lot cheaper.

They're the same color but that's about it. The furminator is a blade where a rake is long pins.

SingItOut

mymo wrote: »

Do it in layers, like when you go to the hairdresser and they clip back the hair and comb/cut in sections.

I'll try this thanks

peasant

In case the undercoat is really matted, you need to go through with a coat king first before you do any brushing/raking.

This'll cut the mats and make the hair removable.
If the mats stay in place, regular bathing and combing will only make them felt up more

SingItOut

She doesn't have mats, she is brushed nearly every day or second day so need for a mat breaker. She has a thick undercoat, not mats.

VonVix

Do you ever brush her coat against the grain? Some dogs don't like it and some don't mind, but I find it's good at getting loose coat out.

Or are you just trying to thin her coat out generally? I get the impression she's well brushed, so I'm kinda confused as to why you want to get hair out of her if none is coming out?

SingItOut

VonVix wrote: »

Do you ever brush her coat against the grain? Some dogs don't like it and some don't mind, but I find it's good at getting loose coat out.

Or are you just trying to thin her coat out generally? I get the impression she's well brushed, so I'm kinda confused as to why you want to get hair out of her if none is coming out?

I don't brush against the grain as its her coat is long on top and tends to rip if back brushed. It tends to knot if I do.

She has a heavy under coat on her rear end and hips that does drop out on its own but she needs help with getting the rest of it out. Her back and front are not heavy so that's easy to keep. As I said above I was looking for a better method to remove the under coat as its making her uncomfortable in the heat like most dogs this time of year with a thick under coat. I've had a heavy shedding Labrador but his coat was short so it was easier to keep him comfortable this time of year, hers is long natural hair on top, heavy undercoat under neath. Keeping the under coat groomed would prevent mats I'd imagine.

tk123

Don't clip it anyways - you should never clip a double coat because it's for cooling the dog too. The rake is the way to go - you won't believe what comes out and it's actual dead undercoat unlike the furminator that just hacks through everything.

SingItOut

Of course I wouldn't clip it, I know that much. I was just wondering if there were any special shampoos or products that would remove the dead hair easier for her. I'm using the pet head shampoo on her but I water it down as it clogs in her thicker fur. I find the furminator great when used right, seems to work better on the cats though. I'll give the rake a try thanks.

I spent an over an hour brushing her hair last night then put the grooming bag away when I was finished, she ran over and brought the bag back out to me, she wasn't finished

muddypaws

I feel your pain, I have a wooly husky and his coat is so hard to keep. I got him groomed on Saturday for the first time, and they told me he has red sores on his back, probably from the air not getting through to the skin I use an undercoat rake, and do it in layers, but it is so hard to keep it under control.

tk123

SingItOut wrote: »

Of course I wouldn't clip it, I know that much. I was just wondering if there were any special shampoos or products that would remove the dead hair easier for her. I'm using the pet head shampoo on her but I water it down as it clogs in her thicker fur. I find the furminator great when used right, seems to work better on the cats though. I'll give the rake a try thanks.

I spent an over an hour brushing her hair last night then put the grooming bag away when I was finished, she ran over and brought the bag back out to me, she wasn't finished

Furminator do "de-shedding" shampoos/conditioners - I think the same amount of hair is left in the bath/on the ground out side (in warmer weather ) as normal shampoo so don't know if they're a gimmick or not? I use tropiclean and leave it to soak for five mins or so and a to of hair comes out anyways. With Bailey you can see that you're getting somewhere with him especially with the rake - I could brush him a few days in a row and after a few days hardly anything would come off... with Lucy it's always coming off. She's a terrible poo roller so I can't wash her very often or she'll roll in retaliation! She's the smelly one too so I'd LOVE to be able to wash her more regularly but not worth it when she rolls in something particularly nasty!

SingItOut

muddypaws wrote: »

I feel your pain, I have a wooly husky and his coat is so hard to keep. I got him groomed on Saturday for the first time, and they told me he has red sores on his back, probably from the air not getting through to the skin I use an undercoat rake, and do it in layers, but it is so hard to keep it under control.

My boyfriend is having the same problem with his husky, he's got a lot of dander from his coat drying out his skin. They started putting some cod liver tabs in his food and it seems to have helped with the dry skin, the huge chunks of fur on the floor not so much the new slicker brush I got works great on him too, it's a new design from safari that uses softer more flexible bristles and has a push button to remove the dead hair from the brush. I think you'd be better with the rake though, it seems to work better.

SingItOut

@TK123 I've seen those furminator shampoos in a few places, their a bit pricey but I'll find some reviews first and see what it's like. If it works I wouldn't mind paying it. I've used tropiclean before but our petmania don't seem to stock it anymore, it's a pity because after the dogs are dry the pet head has a wet dog smell.

My terrier is a serial poo/muck roller I feel your pain!

muddypaws

SingItOut wrote: »

My boyfriend is having the same problem with his husky, he's got a lot of dander from his coat drying out his skin. They started putting some cod liver tabs in his food and it seems to have helped with the dry skin, the huge chunks of fur on the floor not so much the new slicker brush I got works great on him too, it's a new design from safari that uses softer more flexible bristles and has a push button to remove the dead hair from the brush. I think you'd be better with the rake though, it seems to work better.

Vince's coat is completely different to a normal husky. If he lived in a cold climate, he would actually freeze to death, his coat would ice up. I get the chunks of fur from the other huskies, but not off Vince, he's fairly unique.

liquoriceall

I just want to say she is such a pretty girl! Sorry no advise....

Kamili

I am having similar problems with my little Pom Echo, so I have just bought the rake and the coat king, thank you all for the recommendations. Can't wait for them to arrive. (I can use the coat king on my horses too! delighted!)

He is regularly brushed but likes to go swimming in a local river so it wreaks havoc on his coat. He does love a good groom but is getting a little frustrated when I spend too long trying to loosen his undercoat to get it to come out when he starts shedding.

SingItOut

I was having the same problem with alli, she loves to swim but the fur in her ears always knots after it

tk123

2 mins with the double rake this morning :

Kamili

I can't wait for mine to arrive... Poor Echo will be tormented!

tk123

Kamili wrote: »

I can't wait for mine to arrive... Poor Echo will be tormented!

I think I have a brush somewhere for my own hair - it's short though so I'd rarely use it. For the dogs - rake, slicker, pin brush, zoom groom for Lucy's top coat etc etc

SingItOut

tk123 wrote: »

2 mins with the double rake this morning :

I have the same lead and matching collar for my terrier

tk123

SingItOut wrote: »

I have the same lead and matching collar for my terrier

€6.99 in Mr Price lol

SingItOut

tk123 wrote: »

€6.99 in Mr Price lol

Is it the rogz one? I'll be so annoyed if it was cheaper in Mr price :eek:

tk123

SingItOut wrote: »

Is it the rogz one? I'll be so annoyed if it was cheaper in Mr price :eek:

Yep They had loads of Rogz stuff at one stage that were €10-15 cheaper across the road in MaxiZoo. Most of it's gone but they still have a few leads left in Blanch

SingItOut

Oh that's sickening! their so expensive in maxi zoo, she's had her collar a while now so it was worth it. Alli has the pink version

Well Allis coat has now turned to the undercoat just falling out in chunks by itself, makes it easier to remove though. Strange coat type.