# Anyone with cording experience?



## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

I know cords aren't for everyone, but I've always thought they were cute and I think Coopers hair is perfect for it. 
Does anyone have any actual experience doing it? Does this look like the type of coat that would readily cord?
Is there any downside such as irritated skin or anything like that that can come from cording that I would need to be aware of?

My groomer has no experience with it, and I sure don't, but what's the worst that can happen? I just have to shave him?

Thanks for any info!
Beverly


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Cooper has some curly hair. I have no personal experience cording, but I have read about it and pondered it for my Carmen cause her hair is quite wavy and almost starts to do the little dreads on its own. I think Cooper would be a good candidate, his hair is already wanting to get into the little pieces/chunks. I think the worst that could happen would be you would have to shave. I read somewhere that it can take 2 years to cord though... that seems like a lot of patience. Hope someone has some pointers!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I know there is a thread on here about cording. Alice Lawrence in CT is the person who has the most experience with cording her Havs. She won BofB last year at Westminster. They don't have a website, but their kennel name is Fuzzy Farm


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

Yes I corded Daisy a couple years ago. Her entire coat didn't cord though~
What you have to do is continue to wash him (and dry him)every week, but no conditioner. And NO brushing. He will start to get really funny looking, and embarrassing! In a few months the mats will either form cords on their own, or you can cut a "grid" into them to help the cords form. I had Daisy corded I think for a little over 9 months, and her cords were about 3-4 inches long~ I wish I had the patience to do it again, as I really like the look of the long cords. My problem with Daisy is that she would get her feet wet each morning on the damp grass and she started to smell musty. I do know toward the end it would take her at least 2 hours to dry after her bath. (I would put Daisy in her crate and have the dryer blow into the crate). Daisy hated every minute of it!
My neighbor has a standard poodle that is corded, and it takes her 24 hours to dry!


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Daisy's coat looks really cool corded. I like how it still is silky and shiny with the silver and white. Everytime some one talks about cording I think of dreads (which, to be honest, do not look very shiny or pretty sometimes).


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

Estrella~ It must be an illusion with the flash or something. Her cords wern't very shiny, or silky for that matter! They actually had a coarse feel to them (Daisy has a coarser coat anyhow), and would get fuzzy looking wth the other dogs wrestling and playing with her. That's another reason I shaved her down. But I did love running my hands thru her coarded coat, that's a cool feeling!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I vote cord and I want pictures!

Amanda


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Katie... LOL. You should have just said, oh yes, My Bitch is FABULOUS!!


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

I saw a corded dog at a dog show. It was a komondor (sp?) I think. It was huge. And it smelled bad. The cords were much softer than I would have thought, and they looked neat. These were probably a foot long. Havs are a lot smaller and easier to keep clean I would imagine, but I would want to know what I was doing!


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## judith (Dec 15, 2006)

i think i read somewhere that you need to rinse with diluted bleach to keep them from smelling. bet kimberly will know!


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

I know that in an interview with the Lawrence's, they mentioned that you need to have the double coat to be successful. Also, in (pardon the reference) Diane Klumb's book, The Havanese, she offers a shortcut way to get the cords. Essentially, you spritz water every day waiting for it to mat. After about 10-13 weeks, you score the hair with a pair of scissors like cutting a pan of brownies. Supposedly they just "cord" right into ringlets. It would be worth it to review the instructions and photos. It saves about a year off of the process according to her.


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

Thanks everyone! I do have "that book"  and have read the speed cording directions, just not sure if I trust myself to cut Cooper like a pan of brownies! lol
I think I might have actually met the Lawrences' last year in Denver and sat with them and had a sandwich. Of course I didn't realize who they were at the time. Are they a young couple with a couple young daughters?

The only part of the cording process that worries me is the drying. It might sound silly, but I just don't know if I want to give up so much of our together time on the weekend to having Cooper in his den, drying. He would also be VERY unhappy if he was the only one that was having den time.

Katie, Daisy is so adorable in that picture! How did I ever miss that?

A few months ago I saw this machine on The Morning Show. It was a washer/dryer for dogs. It looked like a industrial washing machine like you would see in an apartment complex or something, but you set the dog in it. On the show the demonstrated with a small guy actually getting in with a tiny dog. They sit there while the machine goes threw the cycles. I thought it was brilliant and couldn't believe no one had thought of it before. It was crazy expensive, like 30K, but the guy and the dog came out clean, dry, and fluffy! It was front loading with a large clear window, so you could see everything that was going on inside.

I think I will keep looking into it and if I can think of a way around the long drying time I will give it a shot. Maybe dry him overnight in his crate? He doesn't mind the blowdryer, but he does easily get hot.:decision:

Here's a couple pictures of corded dogs from last year in Denver. Sorry I don't know who is who.

Beverly


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Wow - that takes dedication to get the dogs looking like that. By the way, if you figure out how to tell your family that a $30K dog wash and dryer is worth giving up your vacations for the next 10 years, let me know. LOL


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Beverly, this is Alice. Maybe you can hook up with her at this years National, she is very friendly.

http://uncutvideo.aol.com/tags/westminster-dog-show/5f36ec833746d89cf7beedbb6c5d88e2?index=4


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

Ahhh, thank you Leeann! That is not who I was thinking of, but I DO recognize her, I will made sure I introduce myself in Richmond!

Beverly


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