# Fuzzy Ear Hair on Long Coated Dogs



## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

How do you keep them from getting matted? 

I just spent 30+ minutes trying to cut the mats out at the base of the ear. She still looks beautiful but I'm thinking they should be brushed daily to keep the knots from forming.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Brush her.







(It wouldn't take 30 minutes total a month if you did it everyday.)

You could also try one of the products that are made for de-tangleing(sp) horses manes and tails like Show Sheen. (Though that might make her coat look a little greasy. There are some products that won't make her look "greasy".)


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

lol...

I know this isn't much help...but Marshall is a short coat and I always laugh at that fuzzy hair he still has behind his ears...like his puppy days lol!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

You could cut the hair. If you like the looks but not the matts you could use thinning shears to cut it:










They remove some hair but leave the rest at the same length.


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## maxsmom1229 (Apr 12, 2007)

yep! the only real solution is to brush everyday. i MUST brush maxs fuzzy ear hairs (hes a long hair) or they get very matted and i wind up snipping them out. he LOVESSSS being brushed all over and it keeps the shedding down a bit so it works out good for the both of us


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSDBrush her.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Easier said than done. She won't lie still and thinks the brush is a chew toy. I even tried wearing her out playing with a frisbee so she would be too tired to chase the brush. That didn't last long. lol. 

I just noticed the mats are closer to the roots and not at the ends. That doesn't make any sense.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

A de-matting comb. Works great if they get little tangles and it does not leave the hair looking cut.
http://www.petco.com/product/15400/Finishing-Touch-Dematting-Comb-for-Dogs.aspx


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: DHauEasier said than done. She won't lie still and thinks the brush is a chew toy.


Get some peanut butter and smear it on the front of your fridge - make a BIG circle with it. Line the dog up with the fridge, point her nose at the PB, let her clean the fridge while you work on her ears!


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## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

Wow, I have never had a matt by my coats ears. If I did have that problem I would figure regular brushings would take care of it.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

> Originally Posted By: MyoungWow, I have never had a matt by my coats ears. If I did have that problem I would figure regular brushings would take care of it.


Me either. I brush two or three times a week tho.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I only brush every few months, but it still hasn't been a big problem for me. Dena would occasionally get small tangles, tight little knots that couldn't easily be worked out, (the hair below her ears was particularly long, much longer than Keef's) and those I'd just snip out, but most of the time the undercoat rake takes care of everything. 

I hold the head out of the way with one hand and brush with the other. I did have a lot of trouble with dogs trying to bite at and play with the brush, but only as young puppies. They seem to like being brushed, especially around the head, neck, and chest, and find it relaxing. Where they do get tangles is the long hair at the rear, the britches.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

i don't have a mat problem with Tilden either and his ear fluff can do some craaazy things!

when he gets wet, whether its water or dog slobber, his hair curls up in really tight ringlets. once he's dry, just one or two quick swipes with the brush straightens them out.

with the foster puppy that we had here, she was on Tildens neck much like Halo is always on Keef and that resulted in slimey clumps behind Tildens ears constantly - after a couple days he got his first mat and i was able to work it out with one of these combs:










i ran the comb thru his hair daily after that. he is okay about being combed/brushed... the peanut butter trick mentioned sounds like it should work. if not... perhaps when she's asleep?


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## AK GSD (Feb 27, 2008)

We do a light brushing with a rake every couple weeks unless they are shedding, then it is daily. It keeps sessions short and they seem to enjoy the process and being told how handsome/pretty they look. 

Ear tangles have not been a problem for us. One time last summer the tail/britches on Boss was tangled and we sprinkled corn starch on the area and it did help brush them out. I do not know if it would work around the ears but you could try a little to see if it helps.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I love those big combs-I watched the groomer use one and was amazed. 

I finger comb my girls' ear fuzzies. There are three of them-none GSDs (as far as they've told me) so I don't know if there is a difference in hair type, but when I am petting them that's what I am doing a lot of the time. They have grown to like it a lot. It's relaxing!

Ava's gotten hers matted-but Ava is like a little doggy Pig Pen.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I do the finger combing thing too, but not so much to get tangles out, I just love ear fuzzies.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Cornstarch - worked into the base of the mats and into the mats themselves - then the matt splitter, then carefully work them out with a metal comb. It has to be the right metal comb. Finish with a slicker brush. Use a slicker often with a bit or cornstarch & you won't have many matts at all. Veteran of two long coated GSDs and a long coated X. I own every tool there is.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

I always used a bristle brush on my LC's ears- about once a week- --> worked great!


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The Gang
> Get some peanut butter and smear it on the front of your fridge - make a BIG circle with it. Line the dog up with the fridge, point her nose at the PB, let her clean the fridge while you work on her ears!


Or if you have kids, let them use the PB to paint a pretty picture on the fridge, then its fun for all....I only say this from experience, although it wasn't a decision that I made in any way shape or form. Shadow and Duchess have always loved when the kids decide to paint with peanut butter or play egg toss with their imaginary friends


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