# Baci's bath time



## Napria (May 17, 2015)

I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but I've been bathing Baci about once a week with daily combing in between. I don't have a blow dryer for dogs, so I just towel dry, spray with Chris Christensen Ice on Ice and comb dry. He seems to be tolerating it well. Am I missing anything?


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

By the way, is there anything I could use to slick his brow hair up? I don't want to cut his hair, but I'd love to see his eyes.

Here's how he's looking today after drying...


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Nope! What you are doing is fine. If you want to speed up drying time, you can use a human hair dryer set on cool.

There is really no good way to keep a Havanese puppy's hair "slicked" back... Once it gets long enough, you can start putting it up in a tiny, Bam-Bam style top knot, moving it further back as the hair grows. He may scratch it out to start with, but just be persistent putting it back in, and he'll get used to it! Here's Pixel when I first started pupping her hair up. The date was 5/30, so she was about 13 weeks old. It didn't stay long that first day!  Now she leaves it alone all day.


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

They look like a drowned rat when they are wet! :biggrin1: I couldn't believe it the first time I bathed Willow! I use a human hair dryer, but I use it on the higher setting. It still takes a long time to get her dry. I keep it moving and don't use it too close to the body. My hand and arm is there holding her so I can monitor the temperature. Do you think that is ok the way I'm doing it? I think if I used the cool setting it would take just forever to dry her.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

I'm noticing that it really doesn't take all that long for Baci to dry with just combing him. Maybe 1/2 hour? Is there any reason I'd need to use a blow dryer? Our hous is always at a comfortable temperature and I don't expect to wash him and need to go out with him right away.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> They look like a drowned rat when they are wet! :biggrin1: I couldn't believe it the first time I bathed Willow! I use a human hair dryer, but I use it on the higher setting. It still takes a long time to get her dry. I keep it moving and don't use it too close to the body. My hand and arm is there holding her so I can monitor the temperature. Do you think that is ok the way I'm doing it? I think if I used the cool setting it would take just forever to dry her.


A warm setting is fine too as long as you don't get it too close, and keep it moving.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Napria said:


> I'm noticing that it really doesn't take all that long for Baci to dry with just combing him. Maybe 1/2 hour? Is there any reason I'd need to use a blow dryer? Our hous is always at a comfortable temperature and I don't expect to wash him and need to go out with him right away.


As long as his hair is fairly short it should be no problem at all. As it gets longer, (if you plan to leave him in long coat) you will find that he stays wet an awfully long time if you don't dry him. And if the lie down on long, wet hair they can get matted.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

krandall said:


> As long as his hair is fairly short it should be no problem at all. As it gets longer, (if you plan to leave him in long coat) you will find that he stays wet an awfully long time if you don't dry him. And if the lie down on long, wet hair they can get matted.


I'm still trying to decide if/when to cut his fur. I have absolutely no intention of showing him so that isn't factoring into the decision. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to decide when to neuter him. But I prefer to take care of all his grooming myself. I just don't think I have the skill to cut his hair myself and I dread trying to find a good groomer. I and am afraid of botched haircuts, or worse while at the groomers. But I like the look of a puppy coat and it would be easier to take care of.


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

I use a human dryer on warm setting and comb as I blow. It dries a lot faster and he gets that nice straight look instead of the curl which ever way look.


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## azcolaw (Jul 19, 2013)

My two are both in puppy cuts and it's so easy. 
Baci's coat is beautiful. I love his coloring. Have his chocolate markings faded at all? 
My Ginny was a chocolate sable and is now all white. She was pretty much solid white by 4-5 months of age. (Now I know the sables fade)


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Baci is adorable! His dark chocolate color contrasted with the white is just beautiful.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

azcolaw said:


> My two are both in puppy cuts and it's so easy.
> Baci's coat is beautiful. I love his coloring. Have his chocolate markings faded at all?
> My Ginny was a chocolate sable and is now all white. She was pretty much solid white by 4-5 months of age. (Now I know the sables fade)


Baci's coat closer to his skin is milk chocolate, rather than dark chocolate. His tail is fading faster than the rest of his body. He is 4 months old today. I keep wondering what his coat will look like when he's finally done changing color.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Ice on Ice can cause the hair to become brittle and break. (Ask me how I know...:redface I only rarely use it, and then just on his feet when we are going to the mountains.

I recommend using a hair dryer on Baci even if it is just to get him used to the sounds and sensation, whatever you decide to do as far as the length.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Baci is awfully cute! The puppy coat is pretty easy to maintain. When they get their adult coat it will has a tendency to mat if it is not blow dried.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for the tips! If not Ice on Ice, what does everyone recommend for a spray on detangler/conditioner?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Napria said:


> Thanks for the tips! If not Ice on Ice, what does everyone recommend for a spray on detangler/conditioner?


I make my own. I put one part of their regular conditioner (I use CC Spectrum 10, but whatever you like) one part CC Ice on Ice and 10 parts water in a spray bottle and use that. Diluted that much, I don't have a problem with the Ice on Ice.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I like Pure Paws Hydrating Mist. The groomer uses Pure Paws Silk Basic conditioner and the Silk Cream for deeper conditioning. It makes them very soft and silky.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I like The Coat Handler brand of detangler, shampoo, and conditioner.

Emmie is 3.5 yrs old, has a long coat, and after I bath her I sometimes use a blow dryer (but I never get her all the way dry) and other times I let her dry 100% naturally. I'm lucky that she has a silky coat instead of a cottony one so she doesn't mat easily, but she did when she was younger and was going through the blowing coat stage. I also don't comb or brush her everyday. My point is that every Hav's coat is different so what works for one may not work for another.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Baci is SO cute! I was reluctant to trim Sophie's bangs at first too afraid it would change her looks too much. But once I saw how much she loved having that hair out of her face and she didn't like having the top knot, I am sure I'll keep her trimmed. I am hoping her the rest of her body long.


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## Lisa T. (Feb 5, 2015)

Baci is awfully cute! I want to try to grow Rudy's hair out too. Right now he looks like "Chewbacca" from Star Wars. I want to eventually try the top knot and see if we both can handle it. If it doesn't work out, then we will go for a puppy cut. He is milk chocolate Irish Pied, but I think he's probably going to be a lot lighter as an adult. When I part his hair, the color closest to his skin is lighter. His chest, all his paws, chin, and part of his tail are white. It will be interesting to see what he looks like when he's older.


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## Lisa T. (Feb 5, 2015)

*Grooming*

Here is Rudy


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

OMG he is cute!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Awww…what a sweet little guy.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

Rudy looks like a lighter version of Baci. So cute!

I can't see Baci's eyes at all anymore unless he's running. Which prompts the joke, "Why do Havanese RLH? So they can see!"


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## Lisa T. (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm having trouble seeing Rudy's eyes too. I'm debating whether to grow it out and keep it in a top knot. Right now it's not long enough for a top knot. I pushing his hair away from his eyes with a wet washcloth.


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## rocky14 (Dec 25, 2014)

I love when Rocky's hair grows over his eyes but within days it get too long that he can barely see. 

I have a bath time question.. What is the best way to wash their head? I'm worried about doing that so I usually take Rocky to get a bath but I want to start doing it myself.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Rocky is so cute with his tie! I have found the easiest way for me is to put the pup in the sink and pour a little warm water on their face. Then I shampoo and use the sprayer to rinse.


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## Napria (May 17, 2015)

rocky14 said:


> I love when Rocky's hair grows over his eyes but within days it get too long that he can barely see.
> 
> I have a bath time question.. What is the best way to wash their head? I'm worried about doing that so I usually take Rocky to get a bath but I want to start doing it myself.


If you look at the picture in the first post, that's my hand with the washcloth washing Baci's face. I'm very gentle and do my best to keep soap (and water) out of his eyes. Baci fits perfectly in our kitchen sink and it's great with the sprayer faucet.


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## chinapete (Jan 5, 2015)

I do pretty much what Napria does, except I don't have a weekly schedule, I just bathe Moji whenever she seems to need it ... I put her in the basement sink and apply a little Viva La Dog Spa White Coat shampoo, mainly because I like the cucumber-melon scent ... I towel her down and then let her air dry, she shakes off water once or twice then settles down and seems to dry quickly ... 

I've noticed that the black-and-white around her mouth is turning brownish (brindle?), and I'm really hoping the rest of her stays pure b & w ...


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## rocky14 (Dec 25, 2014)

Napria said:


> If you look at the picture in the first post, that's my hand with the washcloth washing Baci's face. I'm very gentle and do my best to keep soap (and water) out of his eyes. Baci fits perfectly in our kitchen sink and it's great with the sprayer faucet.


Thanks! I'm going to give it a try tonight.


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## rocky14 (Dec 25, 2014)

chinapete said:


> I do pretty much what Napria does, except I don't have a weekly schedule, I just bathe Moji whenever she seems to need it ... I put her in the basement sink and apply a little Viva La Dog Spa White Coat shampoo, mainly because I like the cucumber-melon scent ... I towel her down and then let her air dry, she shakes off water once or twice then settles down and seems to dry quickly ...
> 
> I've noticed that the black-and-white around her mouth is turning brownish (brindle?), and I'm really hoping the rest of her stays pure b & w ...


Rocky is 10 months old and has stayed black and white although some white has faded on his head. He also has some brownish coloring mixed in around his mouth.


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