Snarls behind the ears

corbinam

corbinam

Moderator
I know we may have exhausted this topic, but I'm looking for advice.

Lexi is prone to a lot of little snarls behind her ears. They will turn into mats if we don't comb them out. I know most shelties are prone to mats in this spot, but Lexi's are particularly bad.

I combed them all out about 3 days ago, and now she has them again. It isn't really one big mat, just a bunch of little snarls. 3 days ago when I combed them out, I put baby powder on the fur hoping that would help. It didn't.

Any advice? I really hate to keep making her go through these uncomfortable combing sessions every few days! Any product (other than baby powder since that didn't work) keep these snarls from forming?
 
Oh my GOODNESS I can not wait to hear what the others say on this topic because baby powder doesn't work for us either :cool:

You are not alone in this, poor Megan has to have grooming sessions every few days because of this. She even gets knots, just a day or two after I used a furminator to get them out :rolleyes2:
 
I want to join this group. Emma is the same. She has such soft silky fine fur behind her ears that I comb one day and the next there are snarls, growing to mats. I too tried the baby powder - didn't work. I have used L'Oreal detangler too which helps a little to get them out but doesn't prevent them. She absolutely hates to have me comb there. In fact, she sees me reach for the basket with the grooming tools and she has disappeared before I touch it.

Looking for advice too.
 
When you say the baby powder doesn't work, do you mean as a prevention?

I use the baby powder to help comb out the snarls. It seems to help separate the fur. And I prefer to comb out the snarls "dry" vs. "wet" with a spray conditioner. I usually start with the slicker brush, and then go to the comb, and switch back and forth. Always start at the bottom and work your way to the top.

If the snarls are particularly big, I'll do a couple of vertical snips (not to cut out hair, but to separate the snarl into smaller, more manageable sections. And then repeat the process above.

Also, when you are brushing out pinch the top part of thesnarl between two fingers next to the skin to control pulling. You want to pull the snarl, not the sensitive skin behind the ears.

If "dry" doesn't do the job, I'll massage in Ice on Ice. And do the same process again.
 
The only thing that works for me is to be diligent about combing behind their ears. I try and just comb them out at night. Chloe gets the mats within days if I do not comb her every night.
 
1. is she shedding? this may actually be causing the snarls that the fur is coming out and knotting on the way out.
2. How long is the fur behind her ears? If its too long its going to tangle and make knots.
3. Is someone petting her there and if they are they could be causing tangles...I know my best friends brother lived with her for a few months and he used to pet her Himalayan (sp?) cat the wrong way and she ended up having to shave her (after she screamed at her brother:lol:) because she couldnt get the mats out..
4. when all else fails go buy Johnson and Johnsons de-tangle spray it will get out the snarls without pulling too much and should help in the re-forming of new ones for a few days.
 
Thanks, all. I suspect I'll just have to be really good about brushing and combing every night. I feel bad because I am soooo careful, but I still catch it a little (even when I'm going slow and holding the hair close to her ear) and she whimpers :(

Lightplum said:
1. is she shedding? this may actually be causing the snarls that the fur is coming out and knotting on the way out.
2. How long is the fur behind her ears? If its too long its going to tangle and make knots.
3. Is someone petting her there and if they are they could be causing tangles...I know my best friends brother lived with her for a few months and he used to pet her Himalayan (sp?) cat the wrong way and she ended up having to shave her (after she screamed at her brother:lol:) because she couldnt get the mats out..
4. when all else fails go buy Johnson and Johnsons de-tangle spray it will get out the snarls without pulling too much and should help in the re-forming of new ones for a few days.
Click to expand...

I wonder if she is shedding...because there really is a lot of hair that comes out...even if it's just one ear!

Also, I don't really cut the hair behind her ears...and she has a lot! I know how to cut the front...but I'm a little hazy on the "extra" behind it. Any suggestions?

I'm using a metal comb back there because I feel like I have more control over what I'm combing through. I don't use the pin brush because I feel like it's a bit too big for the little knots.
 
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