# Mixed Feelings...



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I am wondering if anyone else has mixed feelings about/when they trim thier Havs down?
Tillie is almost 8 months old and in a "full coat" except for her bangs which I keep trimmed... she IS blowing coat and I am keeping up with it just fine, combing every chance I get!  she has a VERY cottony coat and it gets VERY static-y in all this dry weather we've been having. I have an appt at her groomer on Tuesday, I take her every 6 weeks for feet, face and behind grooming and am considering having her cut down some to make this easier on both of us. Has anyone else ever regretted having thier Hav trimmed down? I talked with her groomer today and she said she has a 1 inch length on the shaver she could use, do you think this would be to short or just right? Because of her coat texture, her hair will most likely stand up once cut.... but I think she will be more comfortable and it will def make grooming time more pleasant for both of us!

Am I wimping out... is there any benefit to keeping her in a full coat besides being pretty? she doesn't need it for warmth here as it is near 70 recently (please don't hate me!!) :yield:


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lots of people choose to keep their Havs in puppy cuts... Probably more than keep them in full coats among the pet (non-show) people. I think it's completely up to you. Remember, hair grows. If you decide later that you'd like to grow her out again, you always can!


----------



## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

She is so cute!! I am determined to keep Lizzie in full coat. I just had her groomed and she is mat free so I am sure to comb daily. We were having massive mats on a daily basis a few weeks ago, but now not so much. I guess you could have her cut down and if you really hate it let it grow out.


----------



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Karen is right it is your choice. Many people do puppy cuts. 1 inch is short you need to look at it on a tape measure, Tillie will be fine, you need to be fine, hair grows back.


----------



## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

it will always grow back if you don't like it. It is up to you. Whimsy will be a year old next month and I just love her hair long. Like you, I just keep her bangs, feet, butt trimmed. One of the many things that attracted me to this breed in the first place was the beautiful coat. I'm just a sucker for long haired dogs. I am trying my hardest to keep it long and matt free. So far so good.
Tillie is so sweet looking!!!!Pretty coloring


----------



## MaggieMay (Sep 8, 2010)

I keep Maggie in a puppy cut. Her top layers on her back are about 2 1/2 inches long. Her face is shorter. I have her trimmed quite often like every month or so. She is so easy to care for like this, you hardly have to brush her. She stays puffy still tough. It all grows back so fast. I usually am unhappy in some way shape or form with something on her face, and within a week it's fine again. If you want less hassle go for the puppy cut. I don't see myself ever letting her grow long. At a certain point like at a month I just don't like how she looks so I always cut. You can always try it out and then grow it out if you don't like it.


----------



## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Pixie with her thick woolen coat is in a teddy clip with a long beard and long facial hair and ears. I really tried to keep her in full coat, but there was no way. She looks cute and I'm sure she's fine with it. Mig luckily has very silky, managable hair and now that he's nearing his 1st birthday, looks pretty studly in his nearly full coat.


----------



## becks (Oct 18, 2010)

Like Evelyn i fell in love with the breed mostly because of the long flowing coat, so my boy of also a year is in full coat (apart from his bangs). There was a short period where I was struggeling with matting and I considered having him cut, but we got through it and so far we are both managing fine with the daily combing. But, in saying that if it gets too much or Boz starts to stress over the grooming I wouldn't hesitate to have him clipped down.

Its you that needs to do the grooming, if it doesn't suit your life style or becomes a hassle, then have her trimmed. Im sure Tillie doesn't care one way or another. By the way, she is gorgeous and will remain so, long or short coat.


----------



## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

When Riley was blowing coat, I put him in a puppy cut. Since then I have tried to grow it out a couple of times. He has a really cottony coat and when it gets about 5 inches, it just becomes too much for both of us. 

I got interested in this breed because of my brother's Hav. He keeps his dog in a puppy cut. I fell in love the breed's personality and it wasn't until I got serious about getting my own Hav that I realized what beautiful dogs they are in their full coats.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Couldn't the groomer do a scissor cut? It could be any length you want. Jack has an one inch puppy cut. It was a shocker the first time but I like it. I wouldn't go shorter but that is my opinion.


----------



## jacqui (Aug 7, 2007)

Of course it is up to you. I have a preference for long hair and, despite the work, have stuck with it. Except last summer when Phoebe's coat was really wiry and straggly after her first litter. Now, 9 months later, it is starting to look pretty again. I thought I'd keep her in that puppy coat but yesterday after bathing her I changed my mind. 

I can always change my mind again, right?

I am still showing Maxi so her coat will stay long for that reason. She also has a stunningly silky coat. I LOVE it.


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

thanks everyone!
I WISH Tillie had the silky coat! 
That's good to know that an inch is very short... I will ask her about doing a scissor cut.
I do wash her face, comb/brush her out, clip her nails, etc, but as much as I would LOVE to be able to trim her myself, I feel more comfortable having a professional do it! 
I still haven't made up my mind... I have a few more days... AND it WILL grow if I do get her trimmed down a bit! whew! LOL
Thanks for the compliments! Yes, she is gorgeous and SOOO sweet, loving and obedient... well except when she is STEALING my ear plugs, fabric softeners, shredding the TP and then RLHing away from me... LOL but that's all normal, right?


----------



## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Kipling is very cotton-y. He's trimmed quite short on the body when he's groomed. I thought I'd really regret it but after a particularly hard time with matt-ing we decided to do it. I don't love the look right after grooming - as you can see he's quite fuzzy but that subsides.

We groom him this way regularly now. It's much easier on him and on us.

After grooming, he feels chinchilla soft and we think he looks sweet. Important is to keep his face and ears looking like 'him'..

These pictures show his body and face right after grooming and then the last one shows how his hair eventually kinks and looks all cute and puppy-ish after a while.


----------



## Sewcrazy64 (Apr 21, 2010)

TilliesMom said:


> I am wondering if anyone else has mixed feelings about/when they trim thier Havs down?
> :yield:


I completely identify with the decision you are trying to make. A month ago, I got my 3 year old Jaxon in a puppy cut after being in full coat all his life. His hair is sort of funky and I was never really happy with the way it looked but I just couldn't bring myself to cut him short. A month ago, I finally got up the nerve and had him groomed into a 1 ½ inch puppy cut. I don't regret it at all. His hair is much more suited to this length and it is much easier to care for. (See before and after pictures below.)

Now, there was one little hitch. Jaxon acted sort of depressed and just not himself for about a week after the cut. I wonder if it felt so different that it kind of freaked him out. You might want to ease her into the puppy cut and not go quite as short as 1 inch on the first cut. Just something to consider.

Tillie is a very pretty little lady and will be beautiful however her hair is cut. Good luck with your decision.


----------



## DorothyS (Aug 11, 2009)

We also struggled with the idea of long hair / short hair, and have now settled on puppy cuts, which I do myself. We find it so much easier on both us and the dogs, as the brushing sessions are much shorter now, and the bathing is much easier too! The first time I cut their hair, they both got all excited and raced around. I think it felt different to them! But we love the soft, chinchilla-like feeling of their shorter hair, and would never let it get too long again.


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Tillie will look cute no matter what you decide. Does she sit still enough for a groomer to give a scissor cut? I saw a picture of a teddie bear cut that was cute.


----------



## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Tillie is a beautiful girl and will be no matter what you decide. I was glad to see your post, though, because it had never occurred to me that I could get Abby's bangs & feet done at the groomers and leave the rest natural. She has very straggly hair above her eyes that never seems to get past a certain length and will never stay in a topknot. At nearly four years I think it is safe to say it is NOT going to grow longer.......lol I think this would be a good alternative for her and then she would finally be able to see and be seen!!! BTW, Abby is cottony on her back and she looks good in a full coat.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

thanks everyone!!

Jaxon does look Adorable in his cut!! I bet his and Tillie's hair are exactly the same texture... Abby's looks very similar too!

I think I am going to to DO IT! .... well, that's what I think today... LOL I WANT to do... I will call and see if she can do a scissor cut so it isn't so short the first time we trim her down... I'll be sure to post pics!


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Look how cute this dog is It is almost like he or she had a hair die done
I like the Short ears and it does look like it was a razer cut very cute.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Here is a pic of Jack after his first cut. (His doofy pose is a half second before pouncing the cat. He is whipping his head around.) She used 1" on his body, scissored his legs, and trimmed his bangs. I downloaded pics of what I liked and what I didn't like to show her.

The first week was a shocker. The three middle weeks he was just right. The last week before his next appt., the hubby kept whining about not being able to see his eyes.


----------



## divastar226 (Feb 3, 2011)

I know that having him cut down won't help, with keeping em comfortable. Dogs use their coats to help regulate body heat, dogs with long hair naturally do better with long hair, even in the summer months. Shaving a dog down during the summer ,acctually can make them hotter, and cause sun burns on the skin.


----------



## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

There is a big difference between cutting them shorter and shaving them however..I do not think anyone is talking about shaving their dogs here.


----------



## CarolZ (Aug 12, 2010)

Julie doesn't much like grooming and she loves digging and rolling in grass, dirt etc.
So the puppy cut works out best for both of us. Tillie is adorable and will look good whatever you decide. Be sure and post pictures after her grooming.


----------



## Ninja (Nov 1, 2010)

Your getting great responses here. I had an old thread once when I got Ninja's haircut and I thought it made him look like a poodle lol. It was different but still very cute. I recently had to shave Ninja down because of the tangles after he was neutered and it was so uncomfortable for him. Right now, I'm upset his hair is so short but everyone on here is right hair grows back and fast. 

Tillie looks adorable. Maybe you can tell the groomer you want an inch cut off. I don't think that would be too short. If you end up liking the look then you can stick with that, if not it'll grow back in so fast you won't even remember when she got her haircut lol. I think it's good to experiment with different haircuts just until you find one you personally like.


----------



## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

Bugsy is in full coat, was only trimmed once after his neuter at 6 months and I couldn't wait fo the hair to grow back. He's been in full coat ever since, he is now 4 years and 7 months. I bath him every two to three weeks, trim his nails and paw pads, but that's it. I love the long hair and don't mind daily groomings.


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

morriscsps said:


> Here is a pic of Jack after his first cut. (His doofy pose is a half second before pouncing the cat. He is whipping his head around.) She used 1" on his body, scissored his legs, and trimmed his bangs. I downloaded pics of what I liked and what I didn't like to show her.
> 
> The first week was a shocker. The three middle weeks he was just right. The last week before his next appt., the hubby kept whining about not being able to see his eyes.


 I love Jacks cut


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Jack looks great! I wonder if I can print that pic and take it to the groomer?? Would that be okay?
Oh heck NO I am not wanting to shave her down! LOL Just trim her down a bit. I am keeping up just fine with her coat and COULD let her grow a full coat, she is blowing coat, but I believe we are towards the end of it.
Ninja's mom .. seriously, after Tillie's spay and the MATTING I discovered (from rolling the onesie up and down fro 2 days) I almost shaved her down myself! LOL Luckily she was still in some pain from the surgery and LET me work through the matts, it was crazy, like 5 hrs and I hadn't even gotten ALL of them... SO glad we got through THAT! ha ha ha 
Overall she does good with grooming, she gets irritated if she want's to go play or sleep or play with the cats or .. well do anything other than be groomed! LOL But she KNOWS she gets yummy cheese after her grooming so she puts up with it. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes when all is said and done. I'm sure she will do fine with her groomer on Tuesday, it's me that worries about her cause I have to leave her there for 3 hrs! gulp. LOL She'll probably come home and take a REALLY good nap that day!


----------



## MaggieMay (Sep 8, 2010)

I know I hate leaving her at the groomer for 3 hours!!! the only good thing is I get stuff done and don't worry about her being home alone!! I think Tillie will look adorable. THe first time I got MAgs groomed I had them do a trim, instead of anything to dramatic that way you won't pick her up and be shocked. Be sure to tell them not to cut her bangs a la Dorothy Hamill!!! They were doing that to Maggie at one groomer until I switched. That straight across bang looks awful. My new groomer uses those layering scissors on her bangs, looks so much better!!! I think it takes a while to discover exactly what you want the groomer to do. Every time I go I always have something I didn't like that I want better. I am hoping the next time I go it will finally be the way I want. Good luck!!


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Remember..............they will always look really poofy after a grooming, give the haircut about a week. If you go for the scissor cut, it will probably be a more expensive groom.

If your pup is blowing coat, the mats are probably going to very close to the skin, so you may end up having a short trim. Hair grows. Your pup will look cute no matter what style you choose. 

Take pictures of the look you want the groomer to try to achieve. Don't tell the groomer you want a "puppy trim." A "puppy trim" means different trims to every groomer. Tell them exactly what you want on each section of the body.

Who knows.......you might want to learn how to groom your own pup.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kathie said:


> Tillie is a beautiful girl and will be no matter what you decide. I was glad to see your post, though, because it had never occurred to me that I could get Abby's bangs & feet done at the groomers and leave the rest natural. She has very straggly hair above her eyes that never seems to get past a certain length and will never stay in a topknot. At nearly four years I think it is safe to say it is NOT going to grow longer.......lol I think this would be a good alternative for her and then she would finally be able to see and be seen!!!


That's exactly what I do with Kodi! I was trimming him "around the edges" myself, but found someone who does a wonderful job, and does bangs, feet tummy, bum, armpits and nails for $25. I can't go wrong!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Suzi said:


> Look how cute this dog is It is almost like he or she had a hair die done
> I like the Short ears and it does look like it was a razer cut very cute.


That dog DEFINITELY looks dyed.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

TilliesMom said:


> Jack looks great! I wonder if I can print that pic and take it to the groomer?? Would that be okay?


sure. I don't mind. I printed out pics of the forum's cuties for ideas. The Sierra bangs instructions. some beards. teddy bear legs. etc.

A bit of the Frankenstein effect.


----------



## SnickersDad (Apr 9, 2010)

Well, I was committed to keeping Snickers in full coat - at whatever the cost. She just turned a year old, and I had to give up. She has that cottony coat and it finally got so tangled and matted I 'had' to have her cut down. I'm so glad she will grow out again.

Snoopy at 8 months old is gong in tomorrow for his first "not at home'" grroming - He's blowing coat too, but is ever so much easier to get a comb through than Snickers is / was. I can't wait to see what the Grromer does!

Now that I'm nearly a year into this ownership thing I'm tending to think that as a "pet owner" instead of a "show owner" the Puppy cut is starting to look very attractive.....


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, Jim, that is kinda how I am feeling.. she's not a show dog, soooooo.... let's make it simpler on everyone and trim her down! 
Thanks Pam, now I have to figure out how to print it! It will surely help as I am new in the dog world and learning as I go!
And I would LOVE to learn to properly groom her all by myself, but find it hard to learn off the computer, I need someone to SHOW me... and I don't know of anyone near me that can... until then I do the basics and take her for feet, face and bottom every 6 weeks.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

just right-click, copy and paste into an opened word document. then you can add more pics, resize, crop, whatever.


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

awesome! thanks Pam!!
I can't WAIT till Tuesday!!!


----------

