# What is your grooming schedule?



## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Rather than take another thread off-track, I am replying here. For context, Ricky is in a full coat (which naturally isn't quite as long as some Havanese I have seen).



krandall said:


> Two of mine are in full (show) coat and one is in a puppy cut. They both have their pros and cons. ........................The two that are in full coat need to have their feet and "sanitary" area trimmed regularly too. I do that myself, at least once a month. And of course they all need their nails trimmed. I like to really keep on top of nails, so I trim them all with a dremmel at least every 2 weeks.
> 
> The ones in full coat need to be completely combed out every 2-3 days as adults. .....................They all get baths every 10 days to two weeks. (Unless they get into something stinky in between! &#128516. I do all the bathing and combing out myself.


We take Ricky to our groomer for most of his maintenance. We belong to a program called "Splash and Dash" that provides unlimited baths and brush-outs for a flat monthly fee deducted from our credit card.

Baths: once a week. Ricky is a 90% indoor dog and he is allowed on our furniture. therefore Momi wants him ****-and-span clean. We will give him a butt bath as needed. During the winter, if it has been raining, we wash his legs and paws if they get the least bit muddy on his walkies.

Brush-outs: twice a week (one of which is with his bath).

Trims: about every 3 months at the groomer - face, paws, nails, and sanitary. We do trim around his eyes and beard ourselves about once a month.

Nails: I need to get a Dremel. This is something we let go too long.

professional Vet teeth cleaning: twice a year

We really like the way Ricky looks and he gets tons of compliments. Oh! we ALWAYS schedule Ricky's groomer dates twice a week for 12pm, so Momi and Popi can go out for a lunch date. :thumb:

Ricky's Popi


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## cishepard (Apr 8, 2018)

Great thread idea!

Bingo is 14 mo. and blowing his puppy coat. I intend to keep him in full adult coat so we are sticking with good future habits.

Every morning - full comb out, fine flea comb on feet and face, using a detangle/grooming spray. Put in new topknot (taken out each night)
Once a week - Dremel toes, bath and blow dry.
Every two weeks or so - trim sanitary and round off feet. Clean ears if needed.
Whenever needed - extra face, feet and rear end quick wash.

I’m a stickler for keeping toes nail short! As a groomer I saw far to many people whose dogs nails were terribly long. Also for showing a breed like the MinPin, we need short nails to impress the judges, so I got in the habit of doing a weekly dremel ... by keeping up this way it takes mere minutes and far easier on both ther groomer and groomee!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

When they need it. Other than that, no schedule.

One thing to watch out for with the Dremel is that it can catch long hair, and twist it around, which is extremely painful for the dog. Pam bought one years ago, but didn't use it for long. She buys emery boards from Sally's.


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## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

I never thought of emery boards. Do Sally's emery boards offer any particular feature different from emery boards sold in the drugstores?


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## cishepard (Apr 8, 2018)

Tom King said:


> When they need it. Other than that, no schedule.
> 
> One thing to watch out for with the Dremel is that it can catch long hair, and twist it around, which is extremely painful for the dog. Pam bought one years ago, but didn't use it for long. She buys emery boards from Sally's.


Yes, you have to develop a technique, all right. Doing dew claws is the worst - I use nail clippers for those : )


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Henry&Kate said:


> I never thought of emery boards. Do Sally's emery boards offer any particular feature different from emery boards sold in the drugstores?


I think more of a choice in abrasive grits, and they're larger-probably for the nail salon market.


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

Tom King said:


> When they need it. Other than that, no schedule.
> 
> One thing to watch out for with the Dremel is that it can catch long hair, and twist it around, which is extremely painful for the dog. Pam bought one years ago, but didn't use it for long. She buys emery boards from Sally's.


I am so glad to read that. I was cutting Zumba's nails weekly, but the Vet and the trainer kept telling me they were still too long. I finally took her in to get her nails done professionally and the lady recommended that I just file them down with an emery board nightly. I do the nails after I have completely all the other grooming. After 2 nights of protesting, Zumba now lays quietly while she gets her nails filed. But I had started to worry if the emery boards are actually strong enough to file down dog's claws, so I am glad to read that Pam does do that.


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

My grooming schedule is very much like CIShepard. Soon, I´ll be able to add putting that top knot on her, too. I can't wait. I tried one a couple of days ago but it was really a side know on her forehead (think unicorn) rather than a top knot. 

I also want to thank whoever it was that recommended the Warren London Hydrating Butter in a past thread. What an amazing product! I just put a dab when I encounter a mat that is in a sensitive area like the tail, beard or chest, and the mat combs right out without any pulling!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Lately I feel like I’m always playing catch-up! He’s about 14 months and only 4” long but he’s blowing coat and his coat is so incredibly dense and frayed right now, i never feel like I finish for the day. My goal is to comb twice a day but it’s only happened a few times. I brush every morning and comb every afternoon right now. I’m about ready to cut him down even shorter because I only groomed him lightly on Thanksgiving and the next day his stomach was full of those teeny tiny little knots of hair from blowing coat. He hasn’t had a full mat in a long time, but he gets lots of those tiny knots. Right now he has a bath every 4 days and it seems to help, but I really need a more slick conditioner. What I have right now makes his coat very soft but it’s so dry and fuzzy I can barely get the comb to slide through it, even without any mats. Not much longer of this, I keep telling myself! 

Ultimately my goal is quick fluff brush in the am and wash face; comb in the pm and brush teeth. Bath on the weekends plus nails and any trimming. 

One thing I haven’t figured out yet is cleaning ears. Our breeder said to do it weekly but I always forgot. I asked the groomer once and she said they looked good, so then I really forgot about them - other than making sure the hair beneath is well rinsed and they are dry after a bath. Then at our last full grooming appointment they said his ears needed to be cleaned better, and he’d just had a mini-groom 10 days before. So I have to figure out how to do that and how often.


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

You guys are going to flip :laugh:

Mario is on a strict 6 week schedule at the groomer for a bath, brush, and blowout. He is kept short, and this is all we need to stay ahead of matting for him. He gets cut down every 2 or 3 trips.

My dogs in full coat are only combed out when they are bathed...and I do it after they are bathed. Appalled yet? I was on the full comb out every couple of days schedule when a show friend of mine suggested I try only combing clean coat, as it is far less harsh on both the coat and on the tools. Initially it took everything in me to not remove tangles before bathing as I have heard time and again that it completely felts the mats. I have been doing this for 3 months now and love the results. Any tangled areas are given a little extra bit of conditioner, and I work them out while drying the damp coat. Easy peasy, and about 25% of the hair left in my comb as when I combed dirty coats. Obviously not a good choice for dogs who don't get frequent baths, though.

Nino gets a weekly bath. Brisket gets one every 4 to 5 days. He's gross and currently being shown, so I put in work to stay ahead of damage. Nails are done every few days...I hate the sound of clicking on the wood floor  Paws get trimmed every couple of weeks and before shows and trials.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

KarMar said:


> You guys are going to flip :laugh:
> 
> Mario is on a strict 6 week schedule at the groomer for a bath, brush, and blowout. He is kept short, and this is all we need to stay ahead of matting for him. He gets cut down every 2 or 3 trips.
> 
> My dogs in full coat are only combed out when they are bathed...and I do it after they are bathed. Appalled yet?


Nope, not in the least. Every dog is different. In my opinion, there is no one "right way" to maintain your dog. So much depends on genetics, environment, diet, and personal owner preference. I love the look of EVERY Havanese posted here regardless of how they are maintained. I just find it interesting and educational how people do these things. Keep posting your routines!

Ricky's Popi


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

KarMar said:


> You guys are going to flip :laugh:.


... with envy!

Any reminders that an adult coat might a little easier make me happy right now!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> When they need it. Other than that, no schedule.
> 
> One thing to watch out for with the Dremel is that it can catch long hair, and twist it around, which is extremely painful for the dog. Pam bought one years ago, but didn't use it for long. She buys emery boards from Sally's.


Absolutely!!! I didn't use my Dremel for a long time because I was so afraid of catching hair. Not the foot hair... I had that under control. But Kodi ONCE reached down to see what I was doing, got his mustache caught in the Dremel, flung his head, which ripped it out of my hand then ripped out the hair and sailed the Dremel across the room. I didn't use it for 3 years after that! But my vet kept urging me to get back to it, because even with very regular trimming, Kodi grows REALLY long nails, and the vein comes down a LONG way. If you take much off with clippers, you quick him. She says the Dremel causes the quick to retract so that, over time, you can get them shorter.

More recently, the gal who clips Pixel for me showed me how to do to a long-haired dog right. You and Pam will get this, Tom, people without horse experience would probably need to be shown. You face the back of the dog, with their head under your armpit, then hold the foot in the position you'd hold a horse's hoof for trimming. Then you have full control of all the excess hair. But it is something I needed to learn from a person who was experienced in Dremeling long-haired dogs. In the beginning, I practiced with them wet, because that gives you even more control over the hair. But I don't need to anymore.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

cishepard said:


> Yes, you have to develop a technique, all right. Doing dew claws is the worst - I use nail clippers for those : )


Yes, I do NOT use the Dremel for dew claws!!! Not on our hairy dogs! I'm not sure it's even possible. My groomer uses clippers for those too. (and by far and wide, the clippers suggested to me by Pam King, (Resco) are far and away the best. They are so sharp there is no "squeezing" like with cheaper clippers. They cut through nail like butter. As long as you are careful not to quick them, they don't mind, because there is no pinch.

These are all I will use, and they aren't even expensive!: https://smile.amazon.com/Resco-Nail...&sr=8-5&keywords=resco+dog+nail+clippers&th=1


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarMar said:


> You guys are going to flip :laugh:
> 
> Mario is on a strict 6 week schedule at the groomer for a bath, brush, and blowout. He is kept short, and this is all we need to stay ahead of matting for him. He gets cut down every 2 or 3 trips.
> 
> ...


I don't worry AT ALL about taking out small knots before bathing. Like you, I've found it is very easy to remove them while I'm drying them after the bath. I think the warning about felting is for those people who have let the dog get matted down by the skin. And the PROBLEM is, that those people don't seem to be aware that they are matted down to the skin. I think you really are in danger of serious felting in a situation like that.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> ... with envy!
> 
> Any reminders that an adult coat might a little easier make me happy right now!


DEFINITELY, *100%* adult coats are easier!!! I can comb out both of my coated dogs and put up their ponytails in under 15 minutes now that there is no one blowing coat.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Perry gets a bath about once a month and gets cut every 6 weeks +/-. He is in a puppy cut. I don't brush/ comb him out every day, but I do check for mats when I'm petting him and will do spots as needed, and will comb out the longer parts (ears and legs as much as possible) more often. 


Karen - what dremmel do you have? I have a small one but I have been afraid of it. Plus Perry really really really hates anything being done to his front legs/ feet (especially the left one which is the twisted one) that it's hard enough hold it to clip nails - but I used to use a dremmel on my Dal's (short hair!) feet and she was fine with it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> Perry gets a bath about once a month and gets cut every 6 weeks +/-. He is in a puppy cut. I don't brush/ comb him out every day, but I do check for mats when I'm petting him and will do spots as needed, and will comb out the longer parts (ears and legs as much as possible) more often.
> 
> Karen - what dremmel do you have? I have a small one but I have been afraid of it. Plus Perry really really really hates anything being done to his front legs/ feet (especially the left one which is the twisted one) that it's hard enough hold it to clip nails - but I used to use a dremmel on my Dal's (short hair!) feet and she was fine with it.


It's just a normal, hardware store type cordless one. I was warned by several people not to even bother with the "pet" ones... that they just aren't strong enough, so take forever and wear out fast.

It does take some work getting them used to the noise and vibration. But mine learned very quickly that they would NEVER get quicked, so it NEVER hurt, and they are all good about it now. And it took me SIX YEARS to get to where I could clip Kodi's nails without someone else holding him! (though I am sure that was more my ineptitude ad anxiety over the process than anything else  )


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## katscleancutdogs (May 18, 2016)

I didn’t keep Kati in full coat until she was 4 so didn’t have the nightmare of dealing with her blown coat... Actually being used to bichons frisés I found Kati way easier to maintain because her coat just brushed out like a shedding dog. When we moved to full coat I bathed and brushed her once a week. Brushing after her bath and changing her braids then. Now she is being kept short again so it is a bath and brush every two weeks and no braids but the girls in the salon want me to grow those again. So I’m trying it out. But pretty sure I won’t keep them (they are my least favorite part of her full coat). Being the ‘curly’ coat it was the only way to keep her silky mop to stay out of her eyes. We may actually be replacing the carpet in the next year with a hard surface floor and I’m getting a professional grooming tub at home next spring so I may bring Kati’s coat back. Debating 

Lollipop’s routine just follows Kati’s because I have to keep her short due to her oversensitive skin. 

Nails for Kati get done when I bathe her if she needs them. She has always naturally kept them short. Not sure how. Wouldn’t believe a dog could except for her. I used to dremel (and still do occasionally) but the clipping makes her less nervous and I’ve learned on hundreds of paws now how to trim around and expose the kwik. 
Lollipop gets her nails done when I can get the courage to torture her. It is excruciatingly painful for her. We’re not sure why but probably related to her oversensitivity in general. I did an experiment after the last snowstorm and clipped them after she came in with frozen paws (she doesn’t tolerate boots anymore) and it was Way better. She didn’t struggle after the first clip and looked at me like ?! It didn’t hurt mom! I was in tears. So now I need to figure out how to numb her paws so I can do it more often. 

I have an ear cleanser that we use at the salon (Espree brand) that I wipe their ears out with during their bath (It smells like peppermint which I can’t stand so I do it before the bath but if you like the smell of peppermint you can use it after the bath too) It breaks up the wax. They got an ear infection once when we moved from Washington state to Phoenix due to the humidity change but not one since then. I have actually always plucked their ears as well. I started this from the day I got them and actually just plucked some out of Lollipop this morning but it is not always necessary to pluck a dog’s ears. It is actually a highly debated topic among vets and groomers. I just have always done it with my dogs. 
I trim their eyes, feet and rear as needed with every bath and they get clipped short every other month or so. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

katscleancutdogs said:


> I didn't keep Kati in full coat until she was 4 so didn't have the nightmare of dealing with her blown coat... Actually being used to bichons frisés I found Kati way easier to maintain because her coat just brushed out like a shedding dog. When we moved to full coat I bathed and brushed her once a week. Brushing after her bath and changing her braids then. Now she is being kept short again so it is a bath and brush every two weeks and no braids but the girls in the salon want me to grow those again. So I'm trying it out. But pretty sure I won't keep them (they are my least favorite part of her full coat). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Why do you dislike the braids? I was thinking of doing a braid instead of a top knot once Zumba's hair got long enough. I thought it would stay together better.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jeanniek said:


> Why do you dislike the braids? I was thinking of doing a braid instead of a top knot once Zumba's hair got long enough. I thought it would stay together better.


Braids take a long time to put in, and if the dog rubs AT ALL, they can break a LOT of hair. Normally, braids are just for the show ring. (and you'd have two, one over each eye)


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## katscleancutdogs (May 18, 2016)

Jeanniek said:


> Why do you dislike the braids? I was thinking of doing a braid instead of a top knot once Zumba's hair got long enough. I thought it would stay together better.


I liked that they kept the hair out of her face. But it looked like she had two little horn's. I'd put in two braids and then I'd pull them up together with the top not&#8230; She was not in any show rings. But because she has the curlier type coat if I just braided them and left them they looked like horns. Especially if I put them along her eye like in the pictures of official Havanese braids. Kati's :
















Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jeanniek (Mar 20, 2018)

katscleancutdogs said:


> I liked that they kept the hair out of her face. But it looked like she had two little horn's. I'd put in two braids and then I'd pull them up together with the top not&#8230; She was not in any show rings. But because she has the curlier type coat if I just braided them and left them they looked like horns. Especially if I put them along her eye like in the pictures of official Havanese braids. Kati's :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think she is adorable!! And I love that little ponytail ring you used! I guess I don't understand why it has to be two braids above each eye if you don't like that look. The From Nose to Tail Book shows pictures of Havanese with one fat braid using the entire topknot. If you make it like a French braid, it won't fall freely, it says. I'm attaching a page from that book on "Other Styles". Now those I can see why you wouldn't want to do. I think they may make you laugh.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I’m not bad at braiding hair, but a lot of my skill relies on handing a 3 year old an ipad while I braid. I tried braiding my dog’s hair when it was long and it did not go well! I was concerned about braiding it wet, which gives the cleanest braid, because of shrinkage. Dry, my dog’s hair is so thick I couldn’t see to make the French braids without parting and clipping, and if I clipped his hair he’d immediately shake the clips out!

My favorite ended up being double pigtails. I could part down the middle, tie them a little bit loosely, and angle them to almost follow the way the the hair should lie naturally if it was left down. I liked how it framed his face. If they were too loose, or too far forward, though, they’d pull out too easily. 

I almost always did a double ponytail because it was faster, longest lasting, and kept the topknot from flopping over in his face. I wish I took pictures of his hairstyles before he was cut!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I did find a hysterical picture of when he had his first burst of blowing coat. It started while we were camping and I brought a brush but not a comb, and there was an incident with a marshmallow that created a huge mat. The groomer had to shave him except for his head and tail


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jeanniek said:


> I think she is adorable!! And I love that little ponytail ring you used! I guess I don't understand why it has to be two braids above each eye if you don't like that look. The From Nose to Tail Book shows pictures of Havanese with one fat braid using the entire topknot. If you make it like a French braid, it won't fall freely, it says. I'm attaching a page from that book on "Other Styles". Now those I can see why you wouldn't want to do. I think they may make you laugh.


For a pet, it makes absolutely NO difference. You can do whatever you want with their hair! 

This is what proper Havanese "show" braids should look like.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I'm not bad at braiding hair, but a lot of my skill relies on handing a 3 year old an ipad while I braid. I tried braiding my dog's hair when it was long and it did not go well! I was concerned about braiding it wet, which gives the cleanest braid, because of shrinkage. Dry, my dog's hair is so thick I couldn't see to make the French braids without parting and clipping, and if I clipped his hair he'd immediately shake the clips out!
> 
> My favorite ended up being double pigtails. I could part down the middle, tie them a little bit loosely, and angle them to almost follow the way the the hair should lie naturally if it was left down. I liked how it framed his face. If they were too loose, or too far forward, though, they'd pull out too easily.
> 
> I almost always did a double ponytail because it was faster, longest lasting, and kept the topknot from flopping over in his face. I wish I took pictures of his hairstyles before he was cut!


Yes, I like double ponies too! I think they are adorable! Here is Panda at a show, with her hair down, then after her class, with her hair up, watching "big brother Kodi" in Obedience.  Oh, and another cute one with "higher" ponies at Christmas time.

For every day, a single pony is fast and easy, and keeps the hair out of their eyes, so that's what I do.  Last is three DIFFERENT ways of "dealing with hair" depending on the dog! LOL!


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## cishepard (Apr 8, 2018)

For those who show in conformation, what is your routine like for right before a show and for maintenance in between? 
Do you keep your Havanese wrapped and oiled while in show condition?


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

cishepard said:


> For those who show in conformation, what is your routine like for right before a show and for maintenance in between?
> Do you keep your Havanese wrapped and oiled while in show condition?


I don't, and I have found very few do. The Havanese coat is hardy and much easier to keep in condition than breeds that do get wrapped (Maltese, Coton, Poodle, etc). I think our breed standard also allows for a dog that's less impeccably groomed. Banding the mustache isn't uncommon, but that's typically to prevent staining.

I can't say my routine changes too much between maintenance and prior to a show. I occasionally use whitening and CC Black On Black right before a show, and I may use a little less shampoo so I'm less likely to need to re-rinse a dog, but otherwise things stay the same. My primping routine once I'm at the show is different (often involves spraying down and re-drying, consistent spritzing with conditioning spray for static, brushing up legs that have been lied on, brushing hair back, etc), but nothing fancy to keep dogs in coat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Panda hasn’t been in the conformation ring for a while, though I keep saying we’re going to get back to it. I don’t do anything really different than I do with Kodi and Panda on a regular basis. I do use a rinse-out conditioner on Kodi’s thicker coat when I bathe him, but Panda’s usual shampoo doesn’t need a conditioner... at least on her coat. If she has been tramping around in the woods prior to a show (which has certainly happened... my dogs get to be dogs) I might very well use a whitening shampoo on her feet and legs before a show. Neither Kodi or Panda would benefit from Black on Black shampoo, because I’m lucky to have dog with very dark, non-fading black.

I trim feet at least a week before shows, because I’m not very good at it. A week ahead gives me time to fix things and go slowly. If it’s bad I have Havanese friends who will help me with feet at the show. ��

For AKC, I do what Sophie has talked about, with a small amount of hairspray brushed through the hair on her head just before going in the ring. I intend to show her in UKC also, and NO product is allowed (and will get you excused from the ring) in UKC. So if we show ther, she will show in braids. 

Except for how I deal with the topknot, my dogs are prepared for Obedience and Rally events exactly the way they would be for conformation. For agility, they are clean, their hair is out of their eyes, but I wouldn’t bother with any ringside prep. (and I don’t run my dogs on dirt. If I did, I wouldn’t bathe before agility at all! LOL!)


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2018)

My Lu gets a bath every 6 or 7 days unless she has been outside. Then I bathe her that evening. At each bath time, I dremmel the nails, clean her ears, and check her paws. I clip them as needed. I tend to comb her out daily since she is blowing coat and getting mats.

I too use the warren london hydrating butter. I use an oatmeal shampoo and conditioner. Then when I am ready to dry Lu, I apply some of the hydrating butter in her tender spots and wherever she seems to be matting. I am getting a lot less mats. I tend to do all of her grooming.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> My Lu gets a bath every 6 or 7 days unless she has been outside. Then I bathe her that evening. At each bath time, I dremmel the nails, clean her ears, and check her paws. I clip them as needed. I tend to comb her out daily since she is blowing coat and getting mats.
> 
> I too use the warren london hydrating butter. I use an oatmeal shampoo and conditioner. Then when I am ready to dry Lu, I apply some of the hydrating butter in her tender spots and wherever she seems to be matting. I am getting a lot less mats. I tend to do all of her grooming.


My guys tend to spend LOTS of time outdoors! LOL! ...The last photo was (unfortunately!) right AFTER a bath!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I'm late to the thread, but I'm reading with interest the posts about not worrying about tangles before bathing. I always thought they had to be thoroughly combed out before a bath. With that in mind, I might be inclined to give Willow a bath more frequently. I would love a full coat but I've always thought it would require a ton of daily maintenance to keep it from getting matted and tangled. Willow is in a longish puppy cut and she still gets mats and tangles. I'm wondering maybe if she has a curlier than normal coat for a havanese. Sometimes when she comes in from the rain she looks like someone with a bad perm!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> I'm late to the thread, but I'm reading with interest the posts about not worrying about tangles before bathing. I always thought they had to be thoroughly combed out before a bath. With that in mind, I might be inclined to give Willow a bath more frequently. I would love a full coat but I've always thought it would require a ton of daily maintenance to keep it from getting matted and tangled. Willow is in a longish puppy cut and she still gets mats and tangles. I'm wondering maybe if she has a curlier than normal coat for a havanese. Sometimes when she comes in from the rain she looks like someone with a bad perm!


It's hard to say from your sig photos how curly Willow's hair is. For sure, curly Havanese are more work.

But both Panda and Kodi are in full coat and are not even remotely related (any more than any two Havanese in the world are!  ) and with both of them, I can EASILY go 4 days or more if necessary between combing out. I like them to look nice, so I typically do them every couple of days. But it's not because they have any mats at that point. Pixel is in a longish puppy cut, (they next to longest comb, and trimmed every 7 weeks or so) and I only comb her out when I want her to look spiffy for company or a class.  (tends to end up being about once a week and takes less than 5 minutes) She never has any knots unless she goes WAY over on her trims.

I bathe them all about every 10 days or so, but that's because I like them to smell nice. They also do get less knots the cleaner they are. That is true of all three of them.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> My guys tend to spend LOTS of time outdoors! LOL! ...The last photo was (unfortunately!) right AFTER a bath!












Ja, ja, ja , jah! Kodi, amigo, bofe yu an mi likes it down an dirty. Les hab a roll in mud contest!

Su amigo, Ricky Ricardo


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> I bathe them all about every 10 days or so, but that's because I like them to smell nice. They also do get less knots the cleaner they are. That is true of all three of them.


Yep, that's one more reason Ricky gets a weekly bath (tomorrow). The cleaner he is, the fewer tangles he has. He IS NOT brushed out before bathing. He is brushed out after bathing and then given a blow dry to fluff him up. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow after the bath.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Ja, ja, ja , jah! Kodi, amigo, bofe yu an mi likes it down an dirty. Les hab a roll in mud contest!
> 
> Su amigo, Ricky Ricardo


:dance:


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

krandall said:


> Neither Kodi or Panda would benefit from Black on Black shampoo, because I'm lucky to have dog with very dark, non-fading black.


Unfortunately, I have get to find a dark dog in any breed that's immune to sun bleaching. Fading isn't the issue...that's something I wouldn't feel necessary to correct. Some of the most famous dogs in our breed's history have been a charcoal or silver leaning black, after all 

Luckily, new growth since it has gotten colder (and since I have been diligent about using a grooming spray with SPF as most do and not just frankensteining my own) is nice and rich.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarMar said:


> Unfortunately, I have get to find a dark dog in any breed that's immune to sun bleaching. Fading isn't the issue...that's something I wouldn't feel necessary to correct. Some of the most famous dogs in our breed's history have been a charcoal or silver leaning black, after all
> 
> Luckily, new growth since it has gotten colder (and since I have been diligent about using a grooming spray with SPF as most do and not just frankensteining my own) is nice and rich.


Hmmm... Pixel (who is in short coat so it doesn't matter anyway) gets a BIT of sun bleaching, but VERY little. I haven't seen ANY on either Kodi or Panda. Our yard is mostly heavy shade, and I tend to avoid the hot sun (for myself!). I wonder if that is the difference. And I do ALWAYS use Ice on Ice, which contains a sunscreen. Maybe that helps too? I haven't PURPOSELY done anything to prevent it...

And yes, I know there are fading blacks that have done very well in the ring. (silver is different, and a very pretty color) Judges are SUPPOSED to be pretty "color blind" as long as it isn't a DQ color and the pigment/eye color is correct. But my personal preference is for non-fading black and non-Belton white.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

krandall said:


> It's hard to say from your sig photos how curly Willow's hair is. For sure, curly Havanese are more work.
> 
> Pixel is in a longish puppy cut,


In looking at the photo of Pixel chasing Panda, Willow's coat does resemble Pixel's. I should try and find a photo online of a curly hav. I think, after seeing Pixel's photo, that Willow is just the typical wavy coat.


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## katscleancutdogs (May 18, 2016)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> In looking at the photo of Pixel chasing Panda, Willow's coat does resemble Pixel's. I should try and find a photo online of a curly hav. I think, after seeing Pixel's photo, that Willow is just the typical wavy coat.


Kati's coat doesn't actually curl it just doesn't 'drop' it poofs out. Although in full coat it does lay down her sides more























Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> In looking at the photo of Pixel chasing Panda, Willow's coat does resemble Pixel's. I should try and find a photo online of a curly hav. I think, after seeing Pixel's photo, that Willow is just the typical wavy coat.


Yes, Pixel is definitely NOT curly. Not only does she not carry the gene genetically, but her hair is the straightest of my three. Still wavy, but the straightest.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

katscleancutdogs said:


> Kati's coat doesn't actually curl it just doesn't 'drop' it poofs out. Although in full coat it does lay down her sides more
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She just looks like she has a ton of undercoat. Not a "curly" coat.


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## katscleancutdogs (May 18, 2016)

Hmmmm. Her relatives (her sister and the others from the breeder) all had the standard coat. Her coat isn’t curly like a poodle, more of a tight wave, like a crimping wand would make. Maybe a heavy undercoat explains why she just brushes out. Actually I don’t know of any other dogs with a similar coat to hers and I have groomed hundreds of dogs. The closest are my curly Havanese duo and some Pomeranians. But I’ve never seen my curly Havs in a coat longer than an inch. I have a maltapoo that seems similar in looks but the texture is not even close and Kati doesn’t mat like other coats. She does brush out similar to the Pom although she doesn’t shed either. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Very helpful thread. Just what've I've been looking for.

I've been taking Patti whose 11-months old to a groomer every two weeks since she was about 3.5 months old. I'm going to start bathing her and will let the groomer do the hair cut and styling and nails about every 6 weeks. 

She can use a bath about every two weeks. I want to keep her body in a puppy cut but would like the hair around her head and ears to be longer. I don't want to mess a pony tail on the top to keep the hair out of her eyes. I think, the hair on the legs should be around the same length as her body. I have hair clippers I can use in-between if needed ... when I get the nerve to use them. 

Patti loves playing outside with our Golden-doodle. She's mostly inside but goes in and out during the day and evening. 

Attached is a photo of how I'd like the head hair, ears and body to look a ... NOT the legs. Patti's coat is wavy. Do you think this will work?

Please, tell me what products to use when bathing her. Shampoo, conditioner, etc. Thanks!!!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I missed the last couple of posts on this thread during the holidays and Kati’s coat looks very much like my Hav. He’s blowing coat so it may change, and made it even more confusing. It does seem like he has an undercoat to me, but it’s possible it’s his adult coat coming in. What seems like undercoat to me is hair that is more fine but has a tighter wave than the rest of his coat. It makes it look like he’s curly towards the roots and straight towards the end. I’ve had a lot of improvement with managing his coat by using a finer comb and brushing even after I comb to capture fine hairs that are loose. I don’t know if this is the “right way” to manage an undercoat on a Havanese.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I did find a hysterical picture of when he had his first burst of blowing coat. It started while we were camping and I brought a brush but not a comb, and there was an incident with a marshmallow that created a huge mat. The groomer had to shave him except for his head and tail


This is HYSTERICAL!:laugh2:


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Mikki said:


> This is HYSTERICAL!:laugh2:


DD just named it "The Great Grooming Catastrophe of 2018." She came with me to pick him up from the groomer back then and cried. Now she says whenever she sees the pictures she wants to laugh and cry at the same time. I think she might be projecting because of her own Haircut Catastrophe of 2017, when she impulsively told the stylist to cut 8 inches off of her hair when she was planning on a trim.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Is Ricky put under anesthesia twice a year for the teeth cleaning? Anesthesia scares me. Trying to minimize how often this is done. The vet checks their teeth thoroughly and they have only needed their teeth cleaned twice in 10 years. As they get older, I fear the anesthesia more. I do feed them a raw diet which I believe helps their teeth.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

mudpuppymama said:


> Is Ricky put under anesthesia twice a year for the teeth cleaning? Anesthesia scares me.


Yes, Ricky goes under anesthesia twice a year for cleaning. The Vet who cleans Ricky's teeth agrees with you. That's why he puts Ricky under a very mild anesthesia that doesn't put Ricky completely under, but in la-la land. Although the cleaning only takes 15 minutes, He keeps Ricky under observation for a minimum of 4 hours and as much as 8 hours afterward.

I share your concern, but nothing in life is certain with dogs or humans. We try to do our best for Ricky realizing that everything is a compromise and we weigh the risks carefully.

Ricky's Popi


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

So far Willow hasn't needed her teeth cleaned. She just had a vet checkup and she still looks good although he is seeing some tarter starting to show on the back upper teeth. He said probably she would need a cleaning next year. I brush her teeth daily but it's questionable how well I do. She doesn't tolerate it for very long. The vet said the front teeth and canines on dogs don't need brushing as much as the very back teeth, especially the top row. Of course that is the hardest to get to. She's so little I can hardly get my finger back there. I don't look forward to having her put under.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm going to have Scout and Truffles teeth cleaned again this year. Scout has had two cleaning and Truffles once. I brush their teeth daily and they still develop a little tartar on the very back molar. One thing I have learned that it is very important to have x-rays done. Last year Scout and Truffles had to have the very back upper molar on both sides extracted. They both had abscesses that would have been missed without x-rays because the teeth looked ok. Truffles went to a dentist and she thought the teeth would just need a routine cleaning. The front middle bottom tooth also had to be extracted because it was cracked under the gumline. One of the molars had a chip and was smoothed out and sealant was applied to her teeth. Without x-rays there is a lot that would have been missed eventually causing bigger problems! The dentist said it is important to never give your dog anything to chew on that cannot be indented with your thumb nail.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Thank you. Just wondering if you can visualize see tartar buildup after only six months? I know certain dogs and humans do get tartar faster than others and good to stay on top of it. Glad the anesthesia is lighter than the heavy duty stuff.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

cishepard said:


> Great thread idea!
> 
> Bingo is 14 mo. and blowing his puppy coat. I intend to keep him in full adult coat so we are sticking with good future habits.
> 
> ...


What shampoo, conditioner and grooming spray do you recommend?

How does one describe to a groomer the "havanese haircut"? Such as how to cut the legs and tail? I want to keep the body in a short but longish. The ears and mustache long. I don't want a top-not because I don't want to have to pull the hair up out of the dogs eyes. My groomer is good but wants to do a Maltese hair cut.

I'd love to take a short class on bathing and how to use grooming tools. Is there such a thing? We go the mountains during the summer months and I need to be able to bath and do some touch up grooming during that period.

Thx!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Truffles is pretty much in a full coat. The groomer only does a sanitary trim and shaves the lower abdomen area to prevent matting. She shapes the paws to be evenly round. Recently Scout has been getting a shorter haircut. His haircut takes a lot of time especially around the face! After taking the hair off with a blade she uses scissors to balance and finish the coat. She likes shape the legs like a column. The last grooming she couldn't do that because with all the rain he got matted. The tail is never trimmed. She always makes sure everything is in proportion. I think Scout's head is cut like a Maltese. Once the beard is trimmed they do look more like a Maltese. I like his muzzle trimmed short so it doesn't get wet and drip water everywhere like Truffles. 😊


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Mikki said:


> My groomer is good but wants to do a Maltese hair cut.


Yes! Most groomers in my area are more familiar with Maltese and Shihtzu cuts so we get a lot of variations of those. I think there are more variations of the puppy cut for Havanese than for a lot of other breeds. For instance, I like a shorter, rounder face and I hate it when there's a break of short hair between the top of the head and the ears. See, is don't even know how to describe that, so it would be really hard to communicate it to a groomer. I think it's better to be able to show the groomer pictures - especially because your groomer is good.



Mikki said:


> I'd love to take a short class on bathing and how to use grooming tools. Is there such a thing?


There should be! I'm sure there is somewhere. We watched lots of YouTube grooming videos at my house! I know a lot of groomers will take the extra time to show people how to brush and comb properly to prevent mats. I wouldn't be surprised if you could just call ahead and explain and ask if the groomer can help you out - let you observe a little or just schedule 10-15 minutes to answer questions. You could also schedule with a drop in or mobile groomer. It might be easier to get guidance because they won't be stacking and overlapping the grooming of multiple pets. I would still let them know ahead of time that you would like to be able to manage some of the grooming while you're away for the summer and ask if they can give you a little direction.

As far as trimming, you'll probably be fine just doing her feet for the summer. If you're comfortable and she's pretty cooperative you could do a little around her face if you need to, but if you get a really good cut before you go out of town I don't think you'll really need to do much.


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## aroq (Dec 14, 2018)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> There should be! I'm sure there is somewhere. We watched lots of YouTube grooming videos at my house!


So many videos..... I mean like a ridiculous amount of videos...


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

aroq said:


> So many videos..... I mean like a ridiculous amount of videos...


What can I say, I'm a visual learner!

Plus, once you start watching one grooming video, the other dog related videos that start showing up in the feed are hard to resist.

I drive my family crazy with a wide variety of YouTube videos


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Mikki said:


> What shampoo, conditioner and grooming spray do you recommend?
> 
> How does one describe to a groomer the "havanese haircut"? Such as how to cut the legs and tail? I want to keep the body in a short but longish. The ears and mustache long. I don't want a top-not because I don't want to have to pull the hair up out of the dogs eyes. My groomer is good but wants to do a Maltese hair cut.
> 
> ...


There is really no such thing, specifically, as a "Havanese haircut". It's what you like and what works with your dog's coat. I suggest that you look through a lot of photos on the forum, and find cut you like, trying to keep in mind your dog's coat texture. Then take those with you to discuss with your groomer. Remember that different hair looks different when it is clipped. I LOVE the Havanese that end up looking like little powder puffs when they are clipped. Pixel doesn't have that coat. Her coat is very, VERY fine. If she were clipped to that length, it would just hang on her and mat. She needs to be shorter. Then we call her "velvet dog" and it looks really pretty and is easy to manage.

Likewise, some people like ears left long. I think that looks funny. Puppies don't have long ears, and I want her to look "puppy-ish", so we ask the groomer to trim her ears too. Her face gets trimmed sort of rounded, along the shape of her head. again, sort of like a puppy. Nothing extreme anywhere. But that's what _I_ like. Other people do it differently.

Oh, and the other thing I am rabid about is that the groomer NEVER clipper between her eyes or the bridge of her nose EVER. That needs to be left to lie naturally, or as it grows out, it sticks straight up. IMO, that should be a rule for ANYONE grooming ANY Havanese.

This is what I like her to look like right after she is clipped. Yes, it's short, but then it looks great the next week and looks good for another 7 weeks:


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> There is really no such thing, specifically, as a "Havanese haircut". It's what you like and what works with your dog's coat. I suggest that you look through a lot of photos on the forum, and find cut you like, trying to keep in mind your dog's coat texture. Then take those with you to discuss with your groomer. Remember that different hair looks different when it is clipped. I LOVE the Havanese that end up looking like little powder puffs when they are clipped. Pixel doesn't have that coat. Her coat is very, VERY fine. If she were clipped to that length, it would just hang on her and mat. She needs to be shorter. Then we call her "velvet dog" and it looks really pretty and is easy to manage.
> 
> Likewise, some people like ears left long. I think that looks funny. Puppies don't have long ears, and I want her to look "puppy-ish", so we ask the groomer to trim her ears too. Her face gets trimmed sort of rounded, along the shape of her head. again, sort of like a puppy. Nothing extreme anywhere. But that's what _I_ like. Other people do it differently.
> 
> ...


I'm glad you posted this picture! I didn't realize that what I don't like is when the ears are left longer and the head is trimmed shorter until you described it and then I could see it in the picture.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

I keep Perry in a puppy cut and I completely agree with Karen about clipping between the eyes (I told the groomer not to this last visit, but she did, so now we're growing that back out). I also get Perry's ears shortened when we go to the professional groomer - but don't do it as much in between myself so they do end up getting longer in between groomer visits (he sees the professional groomer twice a year when we're in the US and I groom him myself in between). I try to keep his legs a little more column-like (mostly to disguise his really crooked leg), but not too fluffy because then they start matting too quickly. I also tend to let his tail long though last time she did trim it up a little bit because it was getting straggly. 

The first two pics are the last time I groomed him myself (which is why the ears are a bit longer than when it's done professionally). the legs are still 'column' but not too fluffy/ wide and his chin is roundish but not too round. The 3rd is his first cut at 8 months after I adopted him (liked it mostly but the ears were a weird angle and a little too short), and the 4th picture is the absolute worst/ horrendous haircut that we had done here in Kampala (and the main reason I groom him myself in between US professional visits!) showing his head, face, and ears MUCH too short and his legs clipped tight/ no column (and his tail was cut really short too in that one).

Luckily even bad haircuts grow back so you only have to deal with the awful ones for a month or so .


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

I think Perry looks cute regardless of his haircut. And the picture of Pixel brings a warm glow to my heart. I remember how she would shyly come up and lick my hand when I wasn't looking. 

We have noticed over the years that there appears to be a "Westminster Havanese cut" for dogs competing there in conformation. It appears to be a more Shih Tzu/Lhasa type of cut and coat. Those dogs are beautiful but they are not typical for most Havadoggies I see in daily life. We think all of those are beautiful too! We don't discriminate much. Let's face it, Momi and Popi are Havanese lovers however they are groomed!

Ricky's Popi


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Perry looks very cute! I loved Scout's fluffy coat, but for his two ACL surgeries and then my fractured wrist he really needed a short haircut. My husband wasn't happy, but I really like his coat short now. So much easier for him and me. His hair is wavy with a few cowlicks on top of his head so it's challenging for the groomer. I like to keep the hair trimmed around his eyes and beard short. He's never had his fluffy ears trimmed. &#128522;


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*hair around the eyes*



Heather's said:


> Perry looks very cute! I loved Scout's fluffy coat, but for his two ACL surgeries and then my fractured wrist he really needed a short haircut. My husband wasn't happy, but I really like his coat short now. So much easier for him and me. His hair is wavy with a few cowlicks on top of his head so it's challenging for the groomer. I like to keep the hair trimmed around his eyes and beard short. He's never had his fluffy ears trimmed. &#128522;
> View attachment 160282


If I could cut the hair around / in the corner of his eyes myself then I might consider doing it all the time - when it's long the right side can't decide if it wants to go up or down - but putting scissors that close to his eyes freaks me out so I can't do it


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Melissa Brill said:


> If I could cut the hair around / in the corner of his eyes myself then I might consider doing it all the time - when it's long the right side can't decide if it wants to go up or down - but putting scissors that close to his eyes freaks me out so I can't do it


Trimming the hair around his eyes needs to be done once a month to keep it up. It blends in better since his beard is trimmed short. The groomer requires quiet with no movement when she is trimming around the face just for the reason you mentioned.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

I am not a groomer but I do my own dogs. It is probably best to leave the eye hair grow as others have suggested, however I also prefer the beard short and so I have been trimming the eyes but tempted to try growing it out again. Anyway, I finally conquered my eye trimming fears. Here is what I do. I use a long scissors with blunt nose tip. I comb the fur forward on nose and under eyes. With my left hand I sort of do a pinching position of their upper nose so that my fingers are in front of their eyes to prevent any possible eye poking. I then trim pointing the scissors away from the eyes. There is no way I can point the scissors right across their eyes without my fingers protecting them like I have seen groomers do. I am sure groomers may find this technique horrid but it works. I probably do not get it as short this way so have to do it more often. Anyway, just wanted to share what works for me.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

The groomer and I discussed this the last time she was here. She has a technique of covering the eye and holding the head still. Scout has always been head shy. He will all of a sudden try to shake his head when trimming around his face. She said it is important to have it quiet with with no distractions while using scissors. She started combing Truffles on the grooming table when she was eight weeks old. Truffles stands like a statue on the table. 😊


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*grooming manners*



Heather's said:


> ...Truffles stands like a statue on the table. &#128522;


When my Mom got her scotty a family friend who was a groomer did him and taught him amazing grooming manners. She had a stroke a few years ago so now Mom does him herself most of the time and we take him to a professional when I'm in the US and taking Perry, twice a year. Everyone comments on how wonderfully Duncan stands. Even when she's doing him at home he jumps up to the table himself (onto a chair then the table) - even though he'd never do that any other time and then will stand there perfectly still - no leash, no tether, etc which she takes her time doing him.

Perry's not bad, but I do need the grooming stand/ tether because he does want to wander during grooming and my sister's small dog has always been funny because he prefers to lay on one side like a rag, lets her clip him then flop over onto the other side  so her biggest challenge is getting the center line of his body!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> my sister's small dog has always been funny because he prefers to lay on one side like a rag, lets her clip him then flop over onto the other side  so her biggest challenge is getting the center line of his body!


Yes! I do more structured grooming a few times a week where I expect him to stand still and I do his whole body all at once, along with his teeth. On the alternate days, in order to fit in as many quick combing sessions as possible, I'm in different parts of the house or even in the car during one of my kids' lessons. My Hav will direct me to his preferred area of combing depending on how he sits or lays. Usually he flops down on his side, so getting the middle is the hardest! Sometimes, though, if I'm taking too long on his back legs or backside he'll sit so his legs are tucked under him and put his head on my lap like, "Here, comb my head now." If I have treats, he'll roll right over on to his back to have me alternate combing, belly rubs, and treats. It's working well to do it this way right now because with lots of quick sessions I end up getting to everything by the end of the day, and I still have our regular grooming every other day or so. It just seems like lately I have 5 minutes s few times throughout the day but a full 20 minutes is harder to come by.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> When my Mom got her scotty a family friend who was a groomer did him and taught him amazing grooming manners. She had a stroke a few years ago so now Mom does him herself most of the time and we take him to a professional when I'm in the US and taking Perry, twice a year. Everyone comments on how wonderfully Duncan stands. Even when she's doing him at home he jumps up to the table himself (onto a chair then the table) - even though he'd never do that any other time and then will stand there perfectly still - no leash, no tether, etc which she takes her time doing him.
> 
> Perry's not bad, but I do need the grooming stand/ tether because he does want to wander during grooming and my sister's small dog has always been funny because he prefers to lay on one side like a rag, lets her clip him then flop over onto the other side  so her biggest challenge is getting the center line of his body!


I have to say, I think part of this may be training, but part is just basic disposition. Two of mine put up with grooming, but just. Panda is the diva. She LOVES "spa treatment" and will stay on the grooming table all day, handing me each foot to do her nails. And, really, I have done NOTHING different with her than the other two. And I KNOW Pam King works with all her puppies on grooming and nails before they go home, so it wasn't early exposure, either. Panda is just different. LOL!


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