# Brush my Bichon/Shi-tzu mix daily, but tangles galore



## gertzse (Feb 17, 2009)

I'm hoping for some help. I'd prefer my Bichon/Shi-tzu mix (Darwin) in a longish coat, and I brush him daily, but *every* day he is tangled so much I can't get all the tangles out without taking a couple of hours. His hair is more cottony than silky, except for his head, ears, and tail. Many days I just have to stop brushing because he becomes so restless. He is 2 years old. Should I just give up and keep him in a short cut? I use a tangle spray and a wire brush. I forget the brand, but it is similar to this one: http://www.petedge.com/Master-Grooming-Tools-Flexible-Slicker-Brushes-TP224.pro. Its the only one that will even make a dent in his tangles.
You can see him at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gertzse/2648271068/sizes/l/in/set-72157606043599161/. Here, his hair is shorter than now.


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## bluesbarby (Apr 10, 2007)

Riley is also a Bichon/Shitzu. When he was long I always used a comb. It works better than a brush to get out all the tangles. Usually took me about 30 minutes every night. Riley spends alot of time outside and we had a problem with burrs so I started cutting his body to about 2 inches, his head and tail are long. This means I only have to comb once a week.


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## flipgirl (Oct 5, 2007)

I also have a Bichon x Shih-tzu and she just turned 2 in December. What are you feeding her? Sometimes a low quality diet can wreak havoc on a dog's coat. My friend used to feed his Wheaton x poodle Beneful and his coat was greasy and matted very easily. When he changed his food to a better one, his coat improved immensely. I'm feeding my dog raw and also give her a wild salmon oil capsule every day. I only brush her maybe once a week and her coat is pretty long right now (I like it better when she has the teddy bear look and I can't afford to go to the groomers every month to keep it short). Most times, I can just comb her out. I used to feed her Innova and her coat was nice on it too.

You can also try a conditioner after shampooing her. I use Earthbath Aloe and Oatmeal conditioner. 

I sometimes will use an undercoat rake to get rid of dead hair. The one I use is from Mat King. It has curved blades which cut through mats and strips out the dead hair from the undercoat. Mine has 16 blades, which is supposed to be good for her type of coat. I find that any tangles usually come from the dead hair mixing with the 'new' hair. Unfortunately, with a bichon x Shih-tzu, the dead hair doesn't fall out; it just stays on the dog and gets tangled. Of course, your dog's coat could be different than my dog's since it is a mixed breed.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

gertzse said:


> I'm hoping for some help. I'd prefer my Bichon/Shi-tzu mix (Darwin) in a longish coat, and I brush him daily, but *every* day he is tangled so much I can't get all the tangles out without taking a couple of hours. His hair is more cottony than silky, except for his head, ears, and tail. Many days I just have to stop brushing because he becomes so restless. He is 2 years old. Should I just give up and keep him in a short cut? I use a tangle spray and a wire brush. I forget the brand, but it is similar to this one: http://www.petedge.com/Master-Grooming-Tools-Flexible-Slicker-Brushes-TP224.pro. Its the only one that will even make a dent in his tangles.
> You can see him at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gertzse/2648271068/sizes/l/in/set-72157606043599161/. Here, his hair is shorter than now.



If you're brushing every day and still getting mats, then something is very wrong. If the coat is at all damaged, it will mat. I can let my adult Poodles go for several days without having matted hair, and they have a lot of coat. I put a tiny bit of EQyss Survivor on the palm of my hand, rub my hands together, then go over the dog, and use CC's pin brush to brush out, and then go through with a stainless steel comb. (Don't think I'd ever use a Mat King on Poodles or Bichon's or Shih Tzu's!) My puppy (5 mo. Standard Poodle) is growing show coat, and has very long hair all over, topknot has to be banded, and do the same as I do for my adults. No mats. . .yet! Dreading coat change! LOL


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Its possible to be a combination of things. Being a mix breed, the coat may be very soft and cottony. If that is the case, you are going to have a very hard time keeping it long and knot free. Some coats are just better off shorter. 

If its not the texture that is the problem, it could be coat damage. If you have been pulling out the knots, and dematting, brushing harshly, (using a slicker) the coat can be damaged. Every time there is a knot or matt, getting those out causes the cuticle to be split and damaged, which makes the cuticle rough and more prone to matting/tangling. A vicious cycle. 

It there are varying lengths of hair, it is more prone to knotting and matting. If every hair is the same length, (and hair does not necessarily grow at the same pace) then it can matt faster. If he has not been trimmed in more than 8 weeks, a slight all over trim can help things out. Even when growing out, dogs can benefit from a trim..just like our hair. It looks better, feels better, and is less apt to tangle. 

Make sure your tangle spray is doing more good than harm. There should be NO silicone ingredients in it. Silicone coats the hair shaft, and makes knots slide out easier, BUT when left in the coat, causes breakage, thus damaged coat, and more knots. 

And I second the comb...you MUST use a comb after the brush to separate the hairs, and get down to the skin.


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