Hi Natalie, A bath this time of year will loosen the undercoat and cause matts in the fur. With the accompanying dampness this sets up the right environment for hot spots. Before bathing the dog should be combed out thoroughly and even then matting can occur. Always best to blow dry and use a slicker brush while doing so to help blow out the dead coat. Now you have a lot of work to get those clumps out so use a slicker and keep surface brushing and then work down in the layers, do not drag a comb through as the dog will resent it quickly. You can buy a matt comb to help or just use the end of the comb to gently pick at the clumps starting at the outside and working in. One of the best investments a Berner owner can make is to buy a Commodore Blow Dryer, they vary in type and price and can be used without bathing the dog to facilitate layer brushing and getting the dead hair out as well and a good tool to have to dry them.
Also you can buy coat dressing which you spritz on and that may help with the stubborn bits. My afternoon is prepping two hairy bears for their summer bath so I'll be thinking of you while I stand with my wind machine running:-)) Rose T. -----Original Message----- From: Natalie Waters Seum [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: August 2, 2003 9:33 PM To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List Subject: grooming question Greetings - I'm hoping someone can help me out with this. We gave George a bath today at a grooming facility and decided to let him dry naturally... the room was a bit warm. Seven hours later he is close to dry, but I've just discovered terrible mats across his back and on both shoulders. Could this be because we didn't blow dry him? He's never had mats in that area - only a bit behind his ears. I worked on him with a comb for about a half hour - until he was obviously uncomfortable. I'll resume trying to get them out tomorrow - any advice? Many thanks, Natalie and George (Mom, I've had enough already... a brushing, bath and combing all in the same day... ph-lease.)
