Tuesday's Tip #18 Saving Matted Ears

How many times do you hear; 'Leave the ears long.'

                                          'I don't want you to cut the ears.'

                                          'I like the ears left long.'

                                         'The ears aren't matted.'

                                           Ect.

The ears don't look bad... at first, then you run your fingers down the ear.

Good.

Good.

Goo...uh oh.

You get down to the end of the ear leather, and you feel it.

A big mat wrapped around the very end of the ear leather.

It's big.

It's tight.

It's matted on the front and back of the ear leather.

And, it would be too dangerous to split it and demat it.

Actually , I like these kind of mats.

Why?

I am goofy that way?

That's beside the point.  :-)

It's simple, I can very easily save these types of matted ears.

First, I pull all of the good, unmatted hair up or to the side, out of the way.

Then I find the beginning of the mat.

  I lightly and carefully start to clip off only the mat.

Remember to keep the good hair out of the way, even the hair on the underside of the ear leather.

Clip until you reach the end of the ear leather.

 

 Also remember to very carefully clip to the edge of the ear leather.

Use your fingers to feel through the mat so that you always know where the edge of the ear leather is.

  

Leave any and all hair that is not matted or could easily be combed out.

This is what the ear leather will look like once both the front and back have been clipped.

 

Let go of the hair you saved.

It will fall over the top of the ears leather where you clipped the mat off.

The shaved part of the ear will disappear under the longer hair.

Always let the owner know that the ear was matted and how you were able to save the ear.

I would even show them the mats that you cut out, and where you shaved the ear so they won't forget and panic if they see the shaved part of the ear later at home.

 The ear will look and feel thinned out, but at least you will be able to keep it long for the owner.

You know how those owners love long ears.  :-/

I hope this tip helps.

Happy Grooming, MFF