# Cockleburs



## Bentwings (Mar 30, 2015)

Samantha has a full brush tail with fur up to 8" long. Yesterday she flagged her tail right into a cockleburr plant. I got most of them out right away but a couple are right down to the tail bone. What a mess. 

Is there any good way to get these out? Last year it took a month before I got them out of her body fur. She doesn't like fooling with her tail. I gently comb and brush but it's a slow process.

These were stlll green so they are really stuck.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I think it's easier to pull the fur away from the burr rather than pulling the burr straight out.

But otherwise, no, there isn't really an easy way. You can try some detangling sprays like Johnson & Johnson No More Tears Spray (the one for kids). And the little sticky burrs come out pretty easily with the right pin brush. But the big spikey balls just suck.


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## Bentwings (Mar 30, 2015)

Oh what a day. I haven't heard anything I wanted to hear. My truck has a stuck door that is a very difficult thing to fix, my streetrod had a tire tread separation .. two new tires required, customer paid me less than half the bill. Now my beloved Aussie has nasty cockleburrs that there is no easy way to remove.

I'll pick up some No more tears tonight and try it.

Thanks for responding, the best thing that happened today


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Try a horse product like Cowboy Magic detangler or Show Sheen detangler. Horses get some serious burrs in their tails and sometimes manes and coats, like dozens at one time, and i have often carefully combed them out with the cowboy magic and used it on long haired farm dogs with major matts and burrs. Probably a good idea to wash it out if its an area the dog will lick though.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I am not sure what a cocklebur looks like but we have small really prickly little burs that the dogs get in their long hair and are almost impossible to get out except by separating the hair by hand. When Lucy was a puppy she got into a big bunch of them and I ended up clipping her there were so many in her coat. This year I have gone around my property and pulled any I found up and bagged them and sent them to the dump but the dogs still seem to be able to find some.


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## Bentwings (Mar 30, 2015)

You probably have them. They are about. 3/4 inch diameter and full of tiny fish hook spines. They start out green then get dark brown in the fall. They fall off the plant and lay on the ground waiting just for long fur dogs.

Sam gets them on her feet quite often. I just stop and pull those out. When they get in her tail or "pants" they are very hard to get out. They even stick to you hands or fingers. They are a real pest plant as they are hard to kill off

I have to go to tractor supply tomorrow so I'll check on Shell's suggestion. The Johnson stuff didn't do anything.


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## WTFCas (Jan 20, 2012)

Shell said:


> Try a horse product like Cowboy Magic detangler or Show Sheen detangler. Horses get some serious burrs in their tails and sometimes manes and coats, like dozens at one time, and i have often carefully combed them out with the cowboy magic and used it on long haired farm dogs with major matts and burrs. Probably a good idea to wash it out if its an area the dog will lick though.


I agree with this post 110%! I have horses and some times they have their forelocks and mane dreadlocked down to the skin with burrs. These products are a life saver! I recommend a fine tooth comb and some gloves because i've gotten burrs out of their manes and tails only because they stuck into my skin O_O


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## agility collie mom (Jan 26, 2008)

I use show sheen prior to a walk in the woods. It helps with removal of burrs if my dogs pick them up. I use to always put a flymask on my horses if they got burrs in their forelock while brushing them out to prevent "hooks" from getting in their eyes.


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## Bentwings (Mar 30, 2015)

Oh boy! She did it this time! Samantha goes to work with me when I work. I take her for a quick potty walk then we go into the shop where she stays in her crate while I work. There is lots of mouse poison around so she can't run loose. The shop is out in the country near a farm and woods.

So two days ago I was coiling up the long leash getting ready to go in the shop with her. Sam bolted after something and slipped out of her harness. Off she went into the woods which are a wall of cockleburs. Nice big brown ones full of sticky spines! She got something pretty big and ran off across the corn stubble then across the bean field. I followed her as far as I could but she disappeared into the far woods with what ever she caught. I was pretty sure I'd never see her again as she was over half mile away in strange woods.

I came back to the shop very disturbed. About 45 minutes later the boss said Sam was about 100 yds down the driveway laying down. I thought maybe she was hurt as she did run into a barbed wire fence in the woods. I walked towards her but she took off again through the woods and more cockleburs.

About a hour later the boss's dogs started barking at the back fence. Just past this is a stock tank that he keeps water in for the deer. There was Sam wading and splashing around in it. I went out and called her again holding a treat over my head but she took off again.

I went and opened the truck door thinking she may jump in.

Finally about noon she came up to the shop and walked over to me. She was filthy and covered with everything that sticks to fur! I gave her a treat and patted her mess. It wasn't appropriate to scold her so I just redirected attention. Gave her a bit of my lunch. I brought her in and cut off some junk around her head but she was a mess. My boss's wife is a dog groomer. She came out to the shop to see the damage. She had one more dog to do so she said bring her up and she would try and clean her up.

Well Sam had a nice winter coat, not any more! I think the longest fur on her is about 1/2 inch. The groomer said it was like shearing a sheep! There was nothing she could do. Sam also got a bath as the the stock tank doesn't smell too good. Her poor tail is almost down to the skin. So much for the beautiful brush tail. Haha. Her belly is just peach fuzz.

Sam was pretty subdued on the way home. She sat and leaned up against me part of the way then laid down on the seat with her head right next to my leg the rest of the way. At home it was like she was velcroed to me. She stuck to me everywhere I went.

Last night we went to herding class. The group thought I had a new dog! Sam did very well on our practiced items then got a bit excited in the pen with the sheep. It was the first time for me alone in the pen with her. She did stay with me on a loose leash and worked to sheep without scattering them. She just gets over excited and barks a lot. At least she is gaining control of herself some. She is very high drive and very strong. The trainer wants her to quiet down so we are working on that. 

It sure was different not seeing the flowing coat on her. You could really see her muscles flexing though. She looks about half the size.

Here is a picture of her....nude! Haha


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Wow, any photos of the lovely pelt taken off her?

Max wouldn't go in weedy fields, he knew a half hour grooming sessions came after and it just wasn't worth it. Bet he would have learned about cockleburs and stayed far away from any!


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## Bentwings (Mar 30, 2015)

Unfortunately no picture of the mess. It did fill a good size garbage bag however.

The fall ticks are finding her as a juicy target with the short fur. I used to be able to just brush her after herding or our long walks but now they really dig in. I even have had a couple on me. 

I put Frontline on her but I think it takes a couple days to activate.

We had a near perfect training session today. A stand from motion was excellent, backup nearly 50 feet, from heel position I start off on the right foot instead of the left foot and she remains in position. Then I had her walk about a 100 yds on the concrete guard rail going over the freeway. That had to be scary next to the road and the freeway below. She did it without hesitation.


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