# Grooming Curly Hair Havanese



## ApexMyles (Jun 1, 2021)

Any advise/grooming tips for curly Hair Havanese? 
I use to take my dog (Myles) to Petco to get groomed but he would always come back shaved.
He doesn't seem to like the groomers either. So, I'd rather groom him myself. 
I recently bought the Wahl U-Clip and found it to be not that great on my dogs coat. I tried oiling it but that didn't work. It seemed like it took forever to cut his hair with the attachments on and at some areas it was almost grabbing and pulling the hair. I tried with the attachments off and it was scary as the shave was too close and was still pulling hair. I had to be very careful with it. Anyway, I plan on returning it. I don't think it's good for a curly hair Havanese.
Even their video that came with the Clippers showed a Bichon Frise being cut with a different type of Wahl Clippers.
If anyone has experience with this same situation please let me know. 
Any suggestions on what type of clippers are best for the curly hair type without breaking the bank?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ApexMyles said:


> Any advise/grooming tips for curly Hair Havanese?
> I use to take my dog (Myles) to Petco to get groomed but he would always come back shaved.
> He doesn't seem to like the groomers either. So, I'd rather groom him myself.
> I recently bought the Wahl U-Clip and found it to be not that great on my dogs coat. I tried oiling it but that didn't work. It seemed like it took forever to cut his hair with the attachments on and at some areas it was almost grabbing and pulling the hair. I tried with the attachments off and it was scary as the shave was too close and was still pulling hair. I had to be very careful with it. Anyway, I plan on returning it. I don't think it's good for a curly hair Havanese.
> ...


I think you might be best off talking to someone who grooms Poodles or Bichon. Very few Havanese have curly coats these days. Since it has been possible to test for the curly gene, most breeders have purposely bred it out of their breeding programs specifically because it's really difficult for people to deal with on a day-to-day basis. The few people I knew Back when curly coated Havanese were more common kept them VERY short, because otherwise they matted so badly. That is PROBABLY what is catching in the blades, and also probably why the groomers have had to shave him so close.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

If you had asked me two years ago I would have said you can find a good pair of clippers for between $50-75 and if you can afford more to go for it. In fact, I definitely have said that! But I’m not sure you can get a good pair of clippers for much less than $100 anymore. I recently bought an electric razor for DS and noticed a price difference compared to when I bought almost the same model for DH a few years ago. But it could be that I’m hyper aware of price increases because they’re front and center right now. As a former hair stylist I don’t have a particular model recommendation but I’d say look at Andis or Wahl, if you’re sticking within a specific budget passing on cordless might help, and look at models for humans, not those marketed for pets.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Since Karen mentioned he might have a curly coat, if he does it will be even more important that you get the best clippers you can afford. At least you know you will recoup your cost after enough home haircuts! With curly hair for humans, combing a lot while cutting is helpful, and making sure the blades are oiled and replaced as needed so they glide better.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Since Karen mentioned he might have a curly coat, if he does it will be even more important that you get the best clippers you can afford. At least you know you will recoup your cost after enough home haircuts! With curly hair for humans, combing a lot while cutting is helpful, and making sure the blades are oiled and replaced as needed so they glide better.


She said he had a curly coat…


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## ApexMyles (Jun 1, 2021)

I read somewhere that young Havanese usually have a wavy curly coat and will outgrow that stage to a straighter coat after 2 years of age. Is that true? I'm trying to find that article. Myles has a puppy cut and looks like a Bichon when he is fully brushed out and blow dried because his hair is short 2-3 inches. But if I don't brush him, his hair can be corded. However, underneath his belly and end of tail the hair is straight. The hair at the end of his tail is about 4-5 inches long and straight. Wondering if I let his hair grow longer like 5-6 inches will it get straight. hmm??? 
But that means, I would have to brush him every day and prevent my son from cuddling/rubbing him so much which can also cause matting. ugh!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> She said he had a curly coat…


I missed that, right at the beginning, too! I thought you were saying that based on pictures


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ApexMyles said:


> I read somewhere that young Havanese usually have a wavy curly coat and will outgrow that stage to a straighter coat after 2 years of age. Is that true? I'm trying to find that article. Myles has a puppy cut and looks like a Bichon when he is fully brushed out and blow dried because his hair is short 2-3 inches. But if I don't brush him, his hair can be corded. However, underneath his belly and end of tail the hair is straight. The hair at the end of his tail is about 4-5 inches long and straight. Wondering if I let his hair grow longer like 5-6 inches will it get straight. hmm???
> But that means, I would have to brush him every day and prevent my son from cuddling/rubbing him so much which can also cause matting. ugh!


Not really. There is a lot of variability in Havanese coats, but puppy coats generally start to “blow” at between 8-10 months. A dog who is pretty curly at 18 months is unlikely to become much straighter later. It IS true that the weight of his hair might keep it a little straighter if it were longer… the trade-of would be in a LOT mor grooming, especially if it really IS a genetically curly coat, as it will tend to mat a lot more than a non-curly coat would. Havanese are SUPPOSED to have wavy coats. Curly coats are a fault and TRULY straight coats are a fault. Although you see a lot of coats that LOOK straight in the show ring, because a freshly bathed and blow dried coat is often straitened by blowing… they still look different than, say, a Maltese or Yorkie coat, which is TRULY STICK straight.


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## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

ApexMyles said:


> I read somewhere that young Havanese usually have a wavy curly coat and will outgrow that stage to a straighter coat after 2 years of age. Is that true? I'm trying to find that article. Myles has a puppy cut and looks like a Bichon when he is fully brushed out and blow dried because his hair is short 2-3 inches. But if I don't brush him, his hair can be corded. However, underneath his belly and end of tail the hair is straight. The hair at the end of his tail is about 4-5 inches long and straight. Wondering if I let his hair grow longer like 5-6 inches will it get straight. hmm???
> But that means, I would have to brush him every day and prevent my son from cuddling/rubbing him so much which can also cause matting. ugh!


I will say that, depending on coat type, some dogs do need brushing every single day. My older Havanese has a very easy coat; we keep his hair about 2-3” long, and he can go a month without a full comb out if we’re not going to the beach or somewhere else where he’s getting dirty or wet. I do the spots he tends to tangle weekly just to prevent matting. My 6 month old is getting brushed every single day now, mostly to get her used to it, but remains to be seen what she’ll need. We used to have poodles, and they typically DO need brushing every day because of the curly coats; I know many doodles do as well. So it’s possible that the curly coat will require frequent brushing if it’s not kept super short. I don’t know about cording but recently someone was on here with pics of their gorgeous corded dog so you could search for those posts!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I have found that for me it ends up being less maintenance over time to brush or comb every day. My Havanese doesn’t have a curly coat but it’s pretty dense and is probably on the more time consuming side of the Havanese coat. It still only takes a couple of minutes and can be done at the end of playtime or after a meal so that it really isn’t demanding on time. A long coat would take more time (although surprisingly not a whole lot longer) but the point is that doing it quickly every day is a lot faster than doing it every few days for 15 minutes, or forgetting for a week and then dealing with mats. It also makes bath time grooming a lot faster and easier. I thought it would be more pressure and high maintenance than it really is. It did take a lot longer in the beginning but that’s because I was learning, training to gradually increase his tolerance of grooming, he was blowing coat, etc. Now I usually stretch it out and groom casually when we watch tv as a family.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LWalks said:


> I will say that, depending on coat type, some dogs do need brushing every single day. My older Havanese has a very easy coat; we keep his hair about 2-3” long, and he can go a month without a full comb out if we’re not going to the beach or somewhere else where he’s getting dirty or wet. I do the spots he tends to tangle weekly just to prevent matting. My 6 month old is getting brushed every single day now, mostly to get her used to it, but remains to be seen what she’ll need. We used to have poodles, and they typically DO need brushing every day because of the curly coats; I know many doodles do as well. So it’s possible that the curly coat will require frequent brushing if it’s not kept super short. I don’t know about cording but recently someone was on here with pics of their gorgeous corded dog so you could search for those posts!


Agreed. Easy care coats are important to me, so those are the coats I've gone for. Even my dogs in full coat don't require daily combing out. EXCEPT during adolescent blowing coat... I don't think ANYONE gets away scott free then! LOL! 

A word about cording... Not only is it a LOT of work to produce, MAINTAINING cords is not maintenance-free either. It can be very difficult to remove plant material that gets caught in the cords, bathing is a chore, drying takes a LONG time, and you must be very VERY careful that the dog's skin stays healthy underneath the cords. Not something for most pet people!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

If the coat is not completely brushed out, all the way down to the skin, no clippers will go through it. Even coarser blades won't. You can shorten it with really fine toothed blades, but it will still need to be brushed out after, and there will be many different lengths of hairs.

It can take half a day to brush out a matted up curly coat. That's why groomers shave them down. Even then, they need a fine blade, like a no. 30, to cut the hair close to the skin. Only Pro clippers have a wide choice in blades.


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## ApexMyles (Jun 1, 2021)

Thank you for all the suggestions. I had given up grooming Myles myself and have been taking him to a groomer every 6 weeks. It has cost me $100 every time. He just had his grooming done yesterday and I ask the groomer to shave him down because its summer and hot, all that fur now is not necessary. Plus, the groomer kept saying that he's very matted. And when they say that, they want to charge extra for dematting, unless you're ok with shaving. I opted for the shaving to save us the stress.

I'll be honest, I haven't been good with brushing or combing him from the start either. (Keep in mind, that I adopted Myles from another family when he was 9 months old going on 10 months. I don't know how they managed to bathe and brush him everyday or if they did that at all. Or perhaps had to take him to the groomers and how often did they do that. I think they realized that having him was too much work for them; as they are first time dog owners, that they decided to give him up). So, Myles came to me with very short-buzzed hair. Go figure, after two months, his hair started to grow and I learn the hard way. He runs away every time he sees me grabbing the brush. I tried all tricks with treats to have him trust me and let me brush his hair. He's gotten a bit better. I have been using the slicker brush which tends to get caught in his hair all the time. So I have to brush it upwards like how blacks would use their pick combs to comb their afro hair. But still, it's time consuming and I have to struggle having him stay still.

But, after having to spend so much money on the groomers every 6 weeks just to have him shaved down, I'm having second thoughts now on whether I should invest in a good set of sheers, thinning sheers and buzzer, table and leash stand to do the grooming myself. I just can't afford to spend $$$ every month.

Can anyone recommend what kind of comb I should use for dematting. The brushes and combs I have doesn't seem to work. Should I also use conditioner after bathing as well. Would that help at least to slicken the hair strands and help with too much curling or even detangling? 

Would love to hear what you all use for bathing & grooming.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ApexMyles said:


> But, after having to spend so much money on the groomers every 6 weeks just to have him shaved down, I'm having second thoughts now on whether I should invest in a good set of sheers, thinning sheers and buzzer, table and leash stand to do the grooming myself. I just can't afford to spend $$$ every month.
> 
> Can anyone recommend what kind of comb I should use for dematting. The brushes and combs I have doesn't seem to work. Should I also use conditioner after bathing as well. Would that help at least to slicken the hair strands and help with too much curling or even detangling?
> 
> Would love to hear what you all use for bathing & grooming.


It sounds like Myles has a coat that is quite different from most Havanese. There was a time when there were mor eof these very curly Havanese around, but not many any more. For that reason, I’m not sure what to tell you. I could give you detailed instructions on how to comb out/maintain a correct coat, but I don’t think that is going to help you. I suggest that you talk to your groomer, and ask them to give you a lesson on exactly how you should be combing/brushing him out on a daily basis. If you can’t get a handle on that, I don’t think you are going to be able to clip him by yourself. Most groomers are more than happy to give you a lesson on how to maintain your dogs coat on a day-to-day basis.


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## ApexMyles (Jun 1, 2021)

krandall said:


> It sounds like Myles has a coat that is quite different from most Havanese. There was a time when there were mor eof these very curly Havanese around, but not many any more. For that reason, I’m not sure what to tell you. I could give you detailed instructions on how to comb out/maintain a correct coat, but I don’t think that is going to help you. I suggest that you talk to your groomer, and ask them to give you a lesson on exactly how you should be combing/brushing him out on a daily basis. If you can’t get a handle on that, I don’t think you are going to be able to clip him by yourself. Most groomers are more than happy to give you a lesson on how to maintain your dogs coat on a day-to-day basis.


 I have asked the groomers but they just say to use a comb and brush him out, didn’t even bother to show me as their excuse was that they were busy. Come to think of it, I don’t think they would want to give out lessons cause then they would lose clientele. Perhaps I should seek elsewhere.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ApexMyles said:


> I have asked the groomers but they just say to use a comb and brush him out, didn’t even bother to show me as their excuse was that they were busy. Come to think of it, I don’t think they would want to give out lessons cause then they would lose clientele. Perhaps I should seek elsewhere.


They will not lose clientele, because the people STILL need to come back to them for trims. It just means they can do a nice trim rather than shave the dog. I have only worked with three different groomers, but ALL were willing to help me learn anything I needed to know to maintain my dogs at home between my trips back to se them!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

My suggestion would be to keep him in a very short puppy cut (rather than shaved - shaving only when really matted) and maybe move his grooming to every 4 weeks for a while til he gets more used to it. the longer you can go without having lots of mats the more he will tolerate grooming. 

Perry is not curly coated (though my sister's standard poodle is) and if I take him to the groomers every 6 weeks and keep him in a short puppy cut I can get away with mainly focusing my grooming on his face and ears... and only deal with the body maybe once a week. My sister rarely brushes her poodle and gets her groomed every 4-6 weeks, keeping her in a short puppy cut.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

ApexMyles said:


> I have asked the groomers but they just say to use a comb and brush him out, didn’t even bother to show me as their excuse was that they were busy. Come to think of it, I don’t think they would want to give out lessons cause then they would lose clientele. Perhaps I should seek elsewhere.


I would... maybe look for someone who does a lot of really curly poodles rather than typical havanese?


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> I would... maybe look for someone who does a lot of really curly poodles rather than typical havanese?


Poodles and doodles have become so popular that it should be much easier to find a good groomer who is more willing to help you learn and isn’t in a chain store. 

In some areas it seems like mobile grooming costs about the same and there are some advantages for a dog that may have a history of bad grooming experiences before he came to you. I definitely think you can groom him yourself and I don’t think you should give up, but in your unique situation it might help to consider first finding a better groomer to help get you in a better place. Can you manage the additional grooming cost if it’s short term? A chain might be more interested in bounce back scheduling but a good groomer won’t be concerned with getting you in more than you can afford or need. They stay scheduled because of their skills so you might have to wait for an appointment. Most groomers I have met love dogs and they want to help their owners groom them the way they need but some businesses have very tight scheduling and don’t have the time so you might be able to avoid that with a mobile groomer. You could also offer to schedule a time to learn. I think there are groomers who would understand that his coat isnt typical and would be willing to help. Once you find the right person and you feel comfortable with grooming, you could reduce the frequency and take him a couple of times every few months to give yourself a cushion while you’re learning. When you’re ready to groom completely on your own and stop scheduling, let them know you’ll recommend them to others. 

Generally I think it doesn’t take a long time to learn to groom a Havanese and it’s a lot easier than people think, it’s just more time in the beginning. But you are kind of in a rescue type situation and since his coat is curly and a lot of the advice you’d get here would be for a standard wavy coat, I’m trying to think outside the box


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Poodles and doodles have become so popular that it should be much easier to find a good groomer who is more willing to help you learn and isn’t in a chain store.
> 
> In some areas it seems like mobile grooming costs about the same and there are some advantages for a dog that may have a history of bad grooming experiences before he came to you. I definitely think you can groom him yourself and I don’t think you should give up, but in your unique situation it might help to consider first finding a better groomer to help get you in a better place. Can you manage the additional grooming cost if it’s short term? A chain might be more interested in bounce back scheduling but a good groomer won’t be concerned with getting you in more than you can afford or need. They stay scheduled because of their skills so you might have to wait for an appointment. Most groomers I have met love dogs and they want to help their owners groom them the way they need but some businesses have very tight scheduling and don’t have the time so you might be able to avoid that with a mobile groomer. You could also offer to schedule a time to learn. I think there are groomers who would understand that his coat isnt typical and would be willing to help. Once you find the right person and you feel comfortable with grooming, you could reduce the frequency and take him a couple of times every few months to give yourself a cushion while you’re learning. When you’re ready to groom completely on your own and stop scheduling, let them know you’ll recommend them to others.
> 
> Generally I think it doesn’t take a long time to learn to groom a Havanese and it’s a lot easier than people think, it’s just more time in the beginning. But you are kind of in a rescue type situation and since his coat is curly and a lot of the advice you’d get here would be for a standard wavy coat, I’m trying to think outside the box


Yes, a curly Havanese coat will not be like a Doodle in terms of texture or matting, but it WILL be similar to a Doodle in terms of what kind of cut is likely to look cute on him. It is probably going to have to be quite short to avoid matting if he won't allow you to comb him out almost daily, because it is the combination of the very soft (curly) coat AND the undercoat that is causing your problems. A Doodle would have the undercoat, but their longer, outer coat, while curly, wold not be as soft as a Havanese coat. That is what is causing your severe matting troubles.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I was imagining that he mats close to the skin because the curled texture can trap hair and tangle itself, and that’s why he’s still getting mats with a short coat. Even though the texture isn’t the same, I’m sure a lot of poodle and doodle owners need help figuring out how often to comb and how to do it so someone that grooms a lot of them might be willing and able to take a few minutes to teach. It’s a really great idea to suggest it as a way of finding a groomer that can make him look good with a shorter than usual coat! 

assuming he’s probably had some bad experiences at the groomer since he has a tendency to mat, and it might take time to figure out what his coat needs, I’d really prioritize getting him as comfortable as possible with grooming. My suggestion would be to keep it low pressure for both of you and start out brushing the top of his head or his belly with a wooden pin brush for only 10-15 seconds but every day, maybe right before dinner time, with lots of treats and belly rubs and relaxing time right after, and go very slowly from there. The wooden pin brush won’t detangle him, but there is a mini version for $12 and i think it was worth it to help train my puppy for grooming. If he can tolerate grooming better, it will reduce how often you need to take him for a haircut (or cut him yourself). If your goal is to minimize shaving and the frequency of full grooms but you don’t mind a short coat, you might be able to just do maintenance combing around the ears or where he’s most prone to mats. I just think it’s a lot easier to increasing frequency and make sure he learns the brush and comb can be okay and then experiment with decreasing the grooming.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

ApexMyles said:


> I have asked the groomers but they just say to use a comb and brush him out, didn’t even bother to show me as their excuse was that they were busy. Come to think of it, I don’t think they would want to give out lessons cause then they would lose clientele. Perhaps I should seek elsewhere.


I'm sorry your groomer is not willing to give you helpful ideas to maintain Myles coat. My two don't have curly coats, but one does have a dense coat with a wave and the other long and silky. I really like the CC Big G slicker and think you might like it too. The slicker is actually made for dense and cottony coats. The pins are longer so it would not be good if the coat was very short. I have the medium sized slicker. I've been thinking of getting the small for under the arms and inner legs where my two sometimes get mats. I find it helpful to use a slicker before combing.


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## Sabrina Henneman (Sep 23, 2020)

Addie has a curly body, more wavy legs, and her head is much straighter but I think she looks like a little lamb. 

She had a poor grooming experience as a puppy so we are working on her ourselves so we can do it in segments if needed. She hates it. I feel like it’s hard to get an even cut with her curls. It always looks uneven to me. 

We had a groomer tell us to get metal guides instead of plastic. We are looking to get those. I’ve been considering getting a grooming table and wondered if one with a haunch loop would help since she won’t be still. 

She mats under her ears and around her muzzle the worst. We have mini clippers and I just buzz off the mat as best as I can. She’s curly and chocolaty so you don’t see the gap much.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Sabrina Henneman said:


> Addie has a curly body, more wavy legs, and her head is much straighter but I think she looks like a little lamb.
> 
> She had a poor grooming experience as a puppy so we are working on her ourselves so we can do it in segments if needed. She hates it. I feel like it’s hard to get an even cut with her curls. It always looks uneven to me.
> 
> ...


Having a grooming table will make it much easier on you and Addie.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree with Heather. I can’t even IMAGINE trying to trim a dog (clippers OR scissors) without having them on a proper grooming table and in a grooming loop. A haunch loop may help to some extent, but mostly it is a matter of teaching the dog, gently, patiently but persistently to stand properly for you and allow you to groom them.

I would start by doing ALL grooming on the table in the loop, every single day. With lots of cookies. When even just simple comb-outs and face wipes are done there, and it is always accompanied by praise and cookies, the grooming table becomes a routine, non-threatening place to be, not just “That scary place we get tied up every six weeks after the bath we hate!” You want the grooming table to be a pleasant place. because my show dogs spend SO much time on the table, I go one step further with them… I feed them all their MARLS on the table until they start ASKING to get up on the table!!!  

I also agree that metal guides are FAR superior to plastic ones.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> I agree with Heather. I can’t even IMAGINE trying to trim a dog (clippers OR scissors) without having them on a proper grooming table and in a grooming loop. A haunch loop may help to some extent, but mostly it is a matter of teaching the dog, gently, patiently but persistently to stand properly for you and allow you to groom them.
> 
> I would start by doing ALL grooming on the table in the loop, every single day. With lots of cookies. When even just simple comb-outs and face wipes are done there, and it is always accompanied by praise and cookies, the grooming table becomes a routine, non-threatening place to be, not just “That scary place we get tied up every six weeks after the bath we hate!” You want the grooming table to be a pleasant place. because my show dogs spend SO much time on the table, I go one step further with them… I feed them all their MARLS on the table until they start ASKING to get up on the table!!!
> 
> I also agree that metal guides are FAR superior to plastic ones.


Both my dogs run to the grooming table and “ask” to be first! I alternate who goes first because it seems such an “honor” for them! They go up there every day with part of their dinner as treaties. Occasionally I will put them up there for a quick something and they do not get treaties and this has not dampened their enthusiasm.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> Both my dogs run to the grooming table and “ask” to be first! I alternate who goes first because it seems such an “honor” for them! They go up there every day with part of their dinner as treaties. Occasionally I will put them up there for a quick something and they do not get treaties and this has not dampened their enthusiasm.


Yes! That's perfect!!! Mine do the same. In the show ring, when it's Ducky's turn to get on the table, I ask him, "Do you want to get on the table?" and he runs right over and puts his feet up on it. It's really cute!


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> Yes! That's perfect!!! Mine do the same. In the show ring, when it's Ducky's turn to get on the table, I ask him, "Do you want to get on the table?" and he runs right over and puts his feet up on it. It's really cute!


Just wanted to add that it took awhile to get to this point. Mia used to hate grooming! Once in awhile I throw in what I call a “do nothing” grooming session where I sort of go through the motions and focus on giving lovies and treaties. This seems to make up for the less pleasant times like tick removal or paw pad trimming.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> Just wanted to add that it took awhile to get to this point. Mia used to hate grooming! Once in awhile I throw in what I call a “do nothing” grooming session where I sort of go through the motions and focus on giving lovies and treaties. This seems to make up for the less pleasant times like tick removal or paw pad trimming.


Absolutely!

I was just thinking about that yesterday. I was in the hospital for a few days, and Ducky ended up with a big mat behind one ear. he just lay on the table and let me work on it gently, for as long at took, to get it out. If he had been spinning around and fighting with me, it would have hurt, and that would have justified his fears and made him fight more. Because he has been on that table every day since he was 6 weeks old, he KNEW I wasn't going to hurt him, so was willing to lie there patiently, head flat down on the grooming table mat and let me work that big old mat out gently, WITHOUT hurting him! 

I ALMOST got out the video, but I thought it would only frustrate those of you with puppies, because that behavior only comes with lots of slow, regular practice. They don't start out that way. That said, he isn't a teenager, like MPM's dogs... He's only 16 months old!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

krandall said:


> I agree with Heather. I can’t even IMAGINE trying to trim a dog (clippers OR scissors) without having them on a proper grooming table and in a grooming loop. A haunch loop may help to some extent, but mostly it is a matter of teaching the dog, gently, patiently but persistently to stand properly for you and allow you to groom them.
> 
> I would start by doing ALL grooming on the table in the loop, every single day. With lots of cookies. When even just simple comb-outs and face wipes are done there, and it is always accompanied by praise and cookies, the grooming table becomes a routine, non-threatening place to be, not just “That scary place we get tied up every six weeks after the bath we hate!” You want the grooming table to be a pleasant place. because my show dogs spend SO much time on the table, I go one step further with them… I feed them all their MARLS on the table until they start ASKING to get up on the table!!!
> 
> I also agree that metal guides are FAR superior to plastic ones.


I agree. I've done both with and without a table and without if so much harder. While we're in the states I'm taking Perry to the groomer but when his leg was still healing last year u trimmed him a couple of times at home - ans his grooming table is still in storage so we did it without. I hated it and it was so much harder. This is especially true if they don't stand perfectly (Perry doesn't) because the table and loop keep them in one place even if they still move around.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Melissa Brill said:


> I agree. I've done both with and without a table and without if so much harder. While we're in the states I'm taking Perry to the groomer but when his leg was still healing last year u trimmed him a couple of times at home - ans his grooming table is still in storage so we did it without. I hated it and it was so much harder. This is especially true if they don't stand perfectly (Perry doesn't) because the table and loop keep them in one place even if they still move around.


The only thing that works better NOT being on the grooming table is tooth brushing. I do that while Mia is half asleep in her bed. She is not one of those dogs that gets upset if they are disturbed while sleeping (unlike my other one!). It is almost like she is sedated! I can do a much better job this way than on the grooming table. The other one goes onto the grooming table for tooth brushing.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Melissa Brill said:


> I agree. I've done both with and without a table and without if so much harder. While we're in the states I'm taking Perry to the groomer but when his leg was still healing last year u trimmed him a couple of times at home - ans his grooming table is still in storage so we did it without. I hated it and it was so much harder. This is especially true if they don't stand perfectly (Perry doesn't) because the table and loop keep them in one place even if they still move around.


I find it extremely difficult to do a comb out when they are not on the grooming table. My two wiggle around to make it difficult. Truffles stands perfectly still on a table. When I took her to the vet for a paw problem she held up each leg for the vet to check each paw. It was very funny because she has these short little legs, but can lift them so high! 😁 The vet said dogs that go to the groomers are so much easier to examine. Scout will stand on the table, but tries to resist by leaning into me making it difficult to a comb.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> The only thing that works better NOT being on the grooming table is tooth brushing. I do that while Mia is half asleep in her bed. She is not one of those dogs that gets upset if they are disturbed while sleeping (unlike my other one!). It is almost like she is sedated! I can do a much better job this way than on the grooming table. The other one goes onto the grooming table for tooth brushing.


Oh, I never do teeth on the grooming table, but I guess that's because I want to be near a sink for rinsing the toothbrushes!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Heather's said:


> I find it extremely difficult to do a comb out when they are not on the grooming table. My two wiggle around to make it difficult. Truffles stands perfectly still on a table. When I took her to the vet for a paw problem she held up each leg for the vet to check each paw. It was very funny because she has these short little legs, but can lift them so high! 😄 The vet said dogs that go to the groomers are so much easier to examine. Scout will stand on the table, but tries to resist by leaning into me making it difficult to a comb.



I have combs and grooming spray up by our bed for if I find the occasional knot when we are relaxing on the bed in the evening. But I try NOT to do it very often, because although they are good about it, they tend to move away from me if I do it very often, and I want it to be our cuddle time!!!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

mudpuppymama said:


> The only thing that works better NOT being on the grooming table is tooth brushing. I do that while Mia is half asleep in her bed. She is not one of those dogs that gets upset if they are disturbed while sleeping (unlike my other one!). It is almost like she is sedated! I can do a much better job this way than on the grooming table. The other one goes onto the grooming table for tooth brushing.


Because Perry is in a puppy cut I only really use the grooming table for cuts, not for regular grooming. I keep his brush and comb beside the bed (or sometimes beside the couch) and I comb him out then - but it's generally a quick comb of his face / ears/ tail max a couple of times a week. 

He got a haircut today (pics to follow - left my phone downstairs and for some reason the forum won't let me post photos into it when I'm using it from my phone browser) - we'd gone a little over 3 months this time and that is waaaaay too long for him. His coat nds to be puffy the longer it gets rather than hanging long.
I have to work more on that stupid left front leg - turns out that I let it get matted - that's always the thing you don't want to hear from the groomer, makes you feel like you failed as a pup parent


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Melissa Brill said:


> .His coat nds to be puffy the longer it gets rather than hanging long.
> I have to work more on that stupid left front leg - turns out that I let it get matted - that's always the thing you don't want to hear from the groomer, makes you feel like you failed as a pup parent


Scout gets his paws and legs washed frequently. Being a light color he gets so dirty walking on trails. Last week he went to the groomer. When I picked him up the groomer mentioned I needed to pay closer attention to his legs. 😬 I did feel terrible... I didn't get a chance to comb out before his grooming because DH took him to the beach. 🤨 She recommended I get Fresh n Clean Pro Groom spray. I haven't used it on Scout's legs yet, but did use it while combing Truffles today. Seems to work pretty good and doesn't soak the coat like some products.


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## worplesdon (6 mo ago)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I have found that for me it ends up being less maintenance over time to brush or comb every day. My Havanese doesn’t have a curly coat but it’s pretty dense and is probably on the more time consuming side of the Havanese coat. It still only takes a couple of minutes and can be done at the end of playtime or after a meal so that it really isn’t demanding on time. A long coat would take more time (although surprisingly not a whole lot longer) but the point is that doing it quickly every day is a lot faster than doing it every few days for 15 minutes, or forgetting for a week and then dealing with mats. It also makes bath time grooming a lot faster and easier. I thought it would be more pressure and high maintenance than it really is. It did take a lot longer in the beginning but that’s because I was learning, training to gradually increase his tolerance of grooming, he was blowing coat, etc. Now I usually stretch it out and groom casually when we watch tv as a family.


I second the daily brushing. And it gets them into a nice routine too.


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## worplesdon (6 mo ago)

ApexMyles said:


> Any advise/grooming tips for curly Hair Havanese?
> I use to take my dog (Myles) to Petco to get groomed but he would always come back shaved.
> He doesn't seem to like the groomers either. So, I'd rather groom him myself.
> I recently bought the Wahl U-Clip and found it to be not that great on my dogs coat. I tried oiling it but that didn't work. It seemed like it took forever to cut his hair with the attachments on and at some areas it was almost grabbing and pulling the hair. I tried with the attachments off and it was scary as the shave was too close and was still pulling hair. I had to be very careful with it. Anyway, I plan on returning it. I don't think it's good for a curly hair Havanese.
> ...


I don't trust myself with clippers and instead clip Jack with scissors, slowly, and with breaks in between, because it DOES take a while to do properly. I've always used scissors to clip my dogs. It brings out the hidden hairdresser in me!


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> Oh, I never do teeth on the grooming table, but I guess that's because I want to be near a sink for rinsing the toothbrushes!


I use cheesecloth for teeth cleaning and have a bowl of water nearby!


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

worplesdon said:


> I don't trust myself with clippers and instead clip Jack with scissors, slowly, and with breaks in between, because it DOES take a while to do properly. I've always used scissors to clip my dogs. It brings out the hidden hairdresser in me!


I prefer scissors as well. Nothing wrong with that.


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## worplesdon (6 mo ago)

mudpuppymama said:


> I use cheesecloth for teeth cleaning and have a bowl of water nearby!


Cheesecloth is a good idea. I'll have to investigate that I use a soft toothbrush and we do it by the sink in the bathroom as Jack likes to drink water directly from the tap afterwards. No, he's not spoilt at all.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

worplesdon said:


> Cheesecloth is a good idea. I'll have to investigate that I use a soft toothbrush and we do it by the sink in the bathroom as Jack likes to drink water directly from the tap afterwards. No, he's not spoilt at all.


Mia has a very small mouth. I feel I can do better with a cheese cloth, especially in the back.


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## nklismet (12 d ago)

ApexMyles said:


> I read somewhere that young Havanese usually have a wavy curly coat and will outgrow that stage to a straighter coat after 2 years of age. Is that true? I'm trying to find that article. Myles has a puppy cut and looks like a Bichon when he is fully brushed out and blow dried because his hair is short 2-3 inches. But if I don't brush him, his hair can be corded. However, underneath his belly and end of tail the hair is straight. The hair at the end of his tail is about 4-5 inches long and straight. Wondering if I let his hair grow longer like 5-6 inches will it get straight. hmm???
> But that means, I would have to brush him every day and prevent my so
> 
> Reply: I have a 3 1/2 year old Havanese who has a curly coat. It has not changed. His ears are wavy as is his tail, but the rest of him is pretty curly. I even got him tested to make sure he was really a Havi. It came back 100% Havanese. I have been getting him cut in a puppy cut. Coat is very short. Ears are left about jaw length. Mustache is also very short because it kept getting totally gross and messy when it was long. I love his puppy cut look!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The curly gene is something that can be tested for. But it's not as straightforward as just having it or not having it. Yes, a dog with two copies of the curly gene will probably be pretty curly. Some of them will have coats almost as curly as a poodle. Most will be WAY past "wavy". Even a single copy can make for a difficult coat, though it doesn't always. I prefer Havanese with no copies of curly.

HOWEVER, this has NOTHING to do with whether or not they can be corded. Havanese can be corded as long as they have a good undercoat. Even if they have no curly gene at all. It is the undercoat that causes the mats that turn into cords if left alone long enough. It is true that Curly coated dogs who ALSO have thick undercoats will likely mat pretty terribly, and most people who have such dogs cut them down pretty short, pretty early, because it is just too much od a chore to deal with their coats. A truly curly coat is an incorrect coat. But a Havanese with a single copy of curly can have an absolutely correct coat, which SHOULD have a wavy. Even Havanese with no curly gene will almost always have a wave to their coat. If they don't, that is incorrect also. A Havanese coat MUST be wavy. (although when first washed and blown out, the blow drying often pulls the wave out)

Ducky has a very full double coat with tons of undercoat. I have no intention of cording him, but I have been told b a breeder who regularly cords her havanese that his coat COULD be corded, and he does not carry the curly gene. ...and as you can see in the photo below, his coat, even when freshly bathed for a show, is wavy.









He gets much "wavier", out and about as a "normal dog"! LOL!


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