Removing burrs?

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Sarah83
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Removing burrs?

Post by Sarah83 »

Can anyone tell me the easiest, least uncomfortable way to remove these horrible things from Ruperts coat? We've dealt with the odd one or two stuck to him now and then but last night it took two of us around 20 minutes to remove about a hundred of them. Rupe was very good and we tried to make it as non painful as possible but he had loads of them in rather sensitive areas such as between his paw pads and in his ear tassles (he has a narrow strip of long hair on each ear lol) which must have caused some discomfort when we removed them.
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Mattie
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by Mattie »

I just gently tease the hair away from them until they are free, it does take time and can hurt the dog if you are not careful. If there are a lot I will have a break or several breaks for my dog.
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josie1918
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by josie1918 »

Have you considered a matt comb?
Sarah83
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by Sarah83 »

Josie, I'd rather not use a brush or comb on him for it unless it's necessary. He's anxious about being brushed at the best of times and I can't seem to get him past that.

Mattie, that's the way we got most of them out but some between his paw pads were so tangled I'm sure it must have hurt for us to do that. He didn't seem overly upset about it though, just lay there with his head in my lap and ate treats.
Fundog
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by Fundog »

Gently prying the individual hairs away from the burr one by one (try using a toothpick) is about the only and gentlest way to do it, unfortunately. And 20 minutes for 100 burrs is really good time! It can take us a couple of hours just to get half that many out of Dottie! And for the ones in the worst places, such as her groin and armpits (she's even had them stuck to her lady bits! :shock: ) only her Daddy can get those. He's the only one she will allow to touch her bottom. For her tail, she has a chunk of feathers missing from her lovely plume because it was just too painful to tease them all out, and we ended up just cutting them out. Horrid burrs. :evil: We also let Dottie get as many as she can reach out on her own-- like the ones in her paws. She's actually much faster and more efficient than we are, and can remove a couple dozen burrs from herself in a matter of minutes.

Oh-- one technique we do use, a two (or even three person) technique: we lay Dottie on her back, and spread her legs all out. One person is holding open the leg being worked on to expose the armpit or groin, and another person is rubbing her belly and crooning softly to her, while Daddy gently works out the evil burr. This method is probably why she is so good to let us do this for her. And yes, as Mattie mentioned, when it gets to be too intense, we let her go and have a break, and come back to it when she's ready.
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wvvdiup1
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by wvvdiup1 »

Fundog, that sounds like a "tag team" procedure for you and your family on your dog, Dottie! :lol:

Usually, I do as Mattie had suggested, but sometimes I'll use whatever is handy such as an old hair pick, toothpicks, and depending on the amount of burrs on one part of Karma's fur, her furminator, but I use this very, very carefully, and usually as a last resort, unless I have scissors handy, then I just cut them out.
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by emmabeth »

Baby oil or a grooming spray (oil based though, one thats just water based wont help) on really tricky ones, though you do then have a greasy dog (but that is preferable to one all matted up!).
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Sarah83
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by Sarah83 »

Thanks everyone :D Most of the time they're not an issue, they just tend to sit on top of his hair rather than tangling in it so we can remove them easily and without him even noticing. The ones in his paws, beard, ears and his private parts the other night were tangled though.

Fundog, Rupe made no attempt to remove the burrs himself, he was actually asleep when I noticed them all over his belly and legs. Usually it's just the odd one or two on his head or back but he'd been in the bushes and I assume that's where he picked them all up. We had him on his back with me rubbing his belly and feeding him icky smelling treats while Calvin got the majority of the burrs out.
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by Whitefang »

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Last edited by Whitefang on Sun Feb 20, 2011 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
ladybug1802
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Re: Removing burrs?

Post by ladybug1802 »

I find either I hold the hair so it doesnt pull and gradually tease the fur off the burr....but a matt stripper is excellent for any little matts or if the burrs are stuck fast. Its not a comb, but a little hook shaped plastic thing with a blade hidden in the bend of the hook...you hook it into the matt and when you move it through it cuts through the fur and the matt. I got it when I first got Dylan as he had matted clumps of fur all over him, and massive ones behind his ears. It took me weeks to get through them all but they were so solid a comb wouldnt get through them, and I certainly didnt want to have scissors near his ears!
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