# Cording



## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Not that I would ever in a million years consider cording, but I'd bet Gryff would be a very good candidate. He's almost doing it automatically. 

Do any of your havs have hair this consistancy?


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

He's got beautiful curls, doesn't he? Which must be an incredible pain while blowing coat. He does look like he'd cord really well... Once he's done blowing coat, do you think it will continue to mat if you don't brush him a lot, or maybe it might just settle down into the strong waves?


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

I bet it is a lot more work to take care of all the cords.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

Henry's hair is like that. Very un-straight.
He just got pooffed-out at his groomer today but it will not last long.

Henry's doggie-Mommy was corded.

So how do you think it is done.
It just happens naturally then?


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Sheri said:


> He's got beautiful curls, doesn't he? Which must be an incredible pain while blowing coat. He does look like he'd cord really well... Once he's done blowing coat, do you think it will continue to mat if you don't brush him a lot, or maybe it might just settle down into the strong waves?


I sure hope so! This blowing coat is horrendous. He is going to the groomer on Tuesday and I am praying she won't need to shave him down. I brushed him yesterday and thought all the mats were out before his bath. Turned out that he was covered in them! He is a real mess. It seems every time I pet him, I wind up pulling his hair apart trying to get mats out. He runs under the bed everytime I get close to him these days.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I asked Alice Lawrence how it was to cord her dogs, and she said not easy. But once it is done, it's easy. I'm not fond of the look, but her dogs are great examples of the breed.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

sometimes I think I add to the matting mess when I bath him myself.
I must not get all the mats before the bath and then more are created when I do the blowing drying.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Ivy,
Lulu's hair is much like that. When she is groomed she is all fluffy but if I leave her alone it is like Gryff's. I've often wondered about cording too.
Carole


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Oh my, Gryff's hair is so cute! He does look especially wavy, although Jackson's fur gets like that after a bath . . . immediately combs out straight with some detangler. I like little waves . . . gives them personality. I have thought about the cording but would miss running my fingers through the fur. I know how frustrating the blowing coat is . . . you think it will never end, but when it does, you are soooo happy (and so is your Hav!) 

My groomer uses some kind of conditioner that makes Jackson's fur look stick-straight and it stays like that for several days afterwards. I don't like the way it looks, but it sure is easy to take care of.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Cord him and take pics so we can watch  I don't think either of mine would cord without products or manipulating it. But I would like to see it done!


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

I love the corded havs. I think they are extremely cute! 

Really cords are organized mats--so if you left Gryff matt and seperated the mats he would cord automatically. I have read alot about cording as someday I would like to try cording Quincy. My only concern is keeping them dry and if I changed my mind-----it would result in a severe shave down.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

For those who have experience with cording, how is the cleaning of poopy butt versus on a non-corded Hav? I can imagine it's pretty rough if the poop is really yucky and wiping it off will only smush it deeper in the cords?


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

*I can relate to this story!*



ivyagogo said:


> I sure hope so! This blowing coat is horrendous. He is going to the groomer on Tuesday and I am praying she won't need to shave him down. I brushed him yesterday and thought all the mats were out before his bath. Turned out that he was covered in them! He is a real mess. It seems every time I pet him, I wind up pulling his hair apart trying to get mats out. He runs under the bed everytime I get close to him these days.


We have been growing out Brutus and Roxie and loving their look, but there are mats every night when I comb them. Although I give treats generously through the process, I have to wonder when a puppy cut is better for them emotionally. I get to the point where I feel selfish because I want there hair long, but the process is so disturbing to them.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Cheryl, those have been my exact thoughts. Vinny and Lulu are looking so pretty with their flowing hair but is the price they pay worth my desire?? Somehow I don't think so and I feel guilty. But guilty enough? I'm not sure yet.......
Carole


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Wow with a coat like that I'd attempt to cord him in a heartbeat. All of my havs are slightly wavy and I tried to do that 'speed cording'. Oh what a mess. With him blowing coat, why not jump on a cording list and have them teach you the way to do it?


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Cheryl said:


> I get to the point where I feel selfish because I want there hair long, but the process is so disturbing to them.


Ellie hates grooming....I mean she hates it. When she blew her coat it was unreal and I put her through heck keeping her in coat. We made it through coat change and she got her ear hair chomped off. So much for a show coat. I was growing her out again but it was for me, not her. I had the clippers out the other day for the poodle and grabbed Ellie and went at her coat. She's so happy and seems she's always smiling now. It makes me wish I cut her down a long time ago. That girl is strutting now and it's cute to watch.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Scooter is curly too. He just got cut down because we think he's blowing coat and just had too many mats, brushing him was torture. He'll never have long, silky hair like so many of the dogs on here, he just gets a 'fro! 

Before he was cut down DH put a little stuffed heart (his favorite toy) on his head and pushed down...it stayed there! ound: I think he'll be kept in a puppy cut.


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

I am one that also loves the corded look, go for it Ivy.


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Ivy, Gryff is looking really cute! I think that the corded look is neat in the way that it's unique, but I would hate the way it feels to pet them. I'm sure Gryff would love not having matts combed out, though. Havs have such soft hair when they're not corded Marble has Gryffs exact hair, but only on the top of his head. The rest of his body has semi-wavy hair.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Rommy Man looks a lot like Gryff-the only thing smooth on him is his ears & tail-the rest of the body looks like he was plugged into a light socket-never thought about cording him-infact it's almost time for his spring cut.

Pat (humom to)
Miss Paige
Mr Roman
Ms Frannie


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Ivy - Lola's coat is just like Gryff's. Kinky hair. I have wondered about cording, but I think the puppy cut is going to do it for me. Lola HATES grooming so much, I bribe, I treat, I hold her down, I get a neighbor to help and still, it is all I can do to keep her face washed and combed. 

I see Gryff is still powering through the 2nd blowing coat. Good for you for sticking with it. I have only seen black havs corded, and then in pictures. Have you seen a white one? Share pics if you have. 

Lola is about 4 weeks post-shave and she is starting to look like a hav again. Adorable, of course. She are getting her face and head trimmed a bit this week - there are actually some mats left under her chin, above the neck. It is ridiculous to manage.


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*Riki's hair is very similar...*

Until I line brush it out, and then it is straighter but still very puffy. Everyone thinks he is fat! He isn't! If you can brush and blow at the same time, you can get it much straighter. I even used my smoothing wand on Riki and he looked perfect but it is too drying, I just did it once to see what would happen.

My friend was successful at cording her dog, but she was more like a bichon than curly wavy as Gryff and Riki are. Ask Katie, she tried it with one of her dogs and it didn't work too well. My friend Sharon has Muffin's cords put up in two rear pigtails at her back so she can potty without soiling the cords. They only come down for a show! She picks up almost everything in the grass...worse than a full regular coat.

I'd think a bit about cording...it is not easy. And the cords are heavy!


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

Isn't it very time consuming also? We have a friend who was trying to grow out the coat of her show Hav and wasn't that successful. Then someone suggested that she try cording..which she did not exactly what went wrong but she shaved him back down and is back to square one..


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

I would never actually do it, I was just curious. Gryff is getting a trim* on Tuesday at the groomers.

*At this point, she may have to shave down his butt because it's so matted. Tara is really good though, so hopefully she can keep most of his length. I am going to trim around his face though or my DH will be mad at me for payin for grooming without actually getting a hair cut!


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