Matting

[deshni]

I feel like a very bad mother because I have found matts under Roark's arms and his birches. I brush him everyday but I must admit that he hates being brushed under him arms and around his birches so i just glide the brush over those parts and never get an opportunity to have a good go down there.

I have cut out the one matt which was quite awful under his one arm and I tried brushing out the other and he hated it (even hissed at me!). I think the matts are gone now but I am trying to get into a system where this does not happen again.

I have (in terms of brushes):
- a pin paddle brush
- a wide tooth metal comb
- a slicker paddle brush (has very fine thin needle like bristles)
- a small comb with thick short metal combs
- a black bristle brush

The pin brush is what I use most of the time but now I have started using the slicker brush because apparently that removes dead hair and the down coat. The small comb seems to be okay for under his arms.

Does anyone else have any tips for me or if I should be doing something differently? He has a little skin patch under his arm now that makes me so sad!