# Serious grooming scheduled for Murphy!



## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

My Murphy has become one big mat of fur. He stayed with DH while I was away. When I left he had a few mats---now he has a few areas that aren't matted! he is almost 10 months and has only been groomed twice as I hated how he looked both times when I picked him up.

I am so nervous. This lady is only about a mile from my house and she exudes enthusiasm for her job! She says she has a smile on her face all day because she loves dogs and loves working from her home. She said she would do her best to keep some length to his coat but that it can be very difficult when they are blowing coat. I am keeping my fingers crossed because Murphy has so much skin pigmentation that he is going to look like a little naked piglet if she has to shave him.

Wish us luck!!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I hear ya about the pigment! I call them freckles! Dexter has freckles on part of his skin when the hair is cut too close. 

I would try that suggestion on the hair conditioner to see if any of the mats would loosen up. I haven't try it .... but, I am keeping the suggestion in my memory banks for another 6 months!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I've struggled through coat blowing with both boys without shaving them, though the temptation presented itself many times. I can't begin to tell you the huge clumps of seemingly woven fur I've cut out in sheer frustration. I could probably knit two more dogs from the pile of fur I've accumulated over time. Good luck with his grooming.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

The mats are a pain and I think maybe that is the best way to get through blowing coat because it got hard keeping up with the brushing with Cicero. We watched a lot of movies on the bed as I broke up mats. I hope the groomer can cut 'through' them and leave some of the length for you. Don't forget the before and after pics!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Yikes! If he's really a badly matted as you say, I would expect he will come home with a very short summer 'do. Your best bet to keep some length is to work on getting the mats out yourself. It takes alot of time and patience, but the reality is MOST groomers will not work through that many mats. Still, I will cross my fingers for you that he gets a wonderful cut and you are happy with it. I would love to hear about a good grooming experience! :tea:


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

Wishing you and Murphy lots of luck. So far so good here. I have only had work out/cut 2 small mats off of Evye so far (9 months). I hope I did't jinx myself by saying that. I'll probably find 10 tonight. I am trying so hard to keep up with combing/brushing.

Let us know how Murphy makes out....and pictures (pretty please).


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

*Murphy's Extreme Makeover*

Holy Molly Cow! He doesn't even look like a neezer anymore. DH said she was wonderful with making Murphy feel at home. She got down on the floor and talked to him and played for a few minutes and then let him roam to get used to the new surroundings. She said he was quite a challenge which I already know. When I try to work mats out he snaps at me and growls. He is not at all agressive in any other setting and doesn't mind at all when I brush him, but he hates to have his mats worked on. I tried to upload pictures of before and after and it isn't working. I keep getting a data base error message. As soon as I figure it out I will post them.

He has no ears!!!

:Cry: :Cry: :Cry:


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## Chere (May 22, 2009)

I did this with my two in the middle of June and the hair is already growing back out. One of mine has skin covered with gray spots so he really looked odd but the hair will grow fast. I am actually enjoying seeing it grow in and the differences in their coats. So don't fret, you'll even get used to how cute they look when they walk (you can really see their gait) and their beautiful faces. My guys were taken right down to the skin due to mats. Trust me, you'll think he is just gorgeous in a day or so.


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

Checking back to see if we have pictures yet?


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## Patti McNeil (Apr 20, 2009)

Me, too....we need pics!


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## Jammies (Apr 4, 2009)

*HOLLY!!!!! I want pictures of my nephew Murphy!!!!!! :angel:*


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Poor Baby! I want to see the Hav without ears! It is wonderful seeing the Havs gait, and their beautiful eyes!


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## Mom2Izzo (Jul 1, 2009)

Impatiently awaiting pictures!!!
Izzo is 4 months an i dread the day I have to bring him to the groomer b/c I don't want him to come home looking like a Poodle. 
I bet your puppy is still adorable!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

:ranger: We are waiting........................ I really need to see the pictures. Pretty please!


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay with pictures. I just can't seem to load them without getting error messages. I am going to try again in this post and hope it woks. Yes he is still adorable to me but the poor guy has looks only a mother could love! He still has his sweet personality though!!!

Holly & Murphy Moe


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

murphymoesmamma said:


> the poor guy has looks only a mother could love!


Not true, we will still love him too.


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

Okay guys, I am an uploading idiot. I can get it to my avatar but not in my post so if you look at the avatar that is Murphy about 3 hours after his grooming. I wanted to do before and after. Can someone walk me through how I upload pictures in the post?

Holly & Murphy Moe


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## Mraymo (Oct 30, 2007)

Go to advanced post. Click on "manage attachments". You can browse on your computer to upload photos from computer. You have to be sure they aren't to big. I resize mine in Paint, depending on the size of your pictures will determine how much you have to reduce them.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Mraymo said:


> Go to advanced post. Click on "manage attachments". You can browse on your computer to upload photos from computer. You have to be sure they aren't to big. I resize mine in Paint, depending on the size of your pictures will determine how much you have to reduce them.


For some reason......I do not have to resize my pictures. I can put my pictures on my desktop and a picture will fill the screen and the picture will be very clear.

You do have to find the picture on the computer...............and sometimes...that is the HARD part! Click on the picture and open it and then let it upload on the Havanese forum, give it a minute, then submit it.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Murphy is still cute! We love him too!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Holly, Murphy is cute in the avatar! I see what you mean about his ears though. lol I'm sure it will be SO much easier for you and for him and maybe now is a good time to do very short grooming sessions, with treats and loads of praise so that if you want to keep him longer, he may, just may let you work on mats.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Having Dexter short this summer has been truly a wonderful experience! Dexter gets a break on combing 1-2x a day. Bathing is not needed as much! It has been really nice!


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

When you talk about the camoflauge look, do you shave the belly as in like a surgery shave? Or just very short. I do have the groomer shave their arm pits but the hair on their belly is pretty long. I will ask her to shave it next visit (but how short?)


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## Mraymo (Oct 30, 2007)

When the groomer did it, they shaved it really short but not to the skin, maybe an 1/8". When I did it the trimmer's I used (my DH's beard trimmer ssshhh don't tell) I used it without an attachment so I shaved it down to the skin.


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## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

Thanks Marianne.


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

Can't wait to see pics! Scooter has had a few trims that I didn't like but they grow so fast! Right now I'm dying for his face to grow out again, he was badly matted and I didn't realize it so he had to be shaved. I just ordered a CC brush and I'm looking forward to getting it. I'm going to buy a good comb at Nationals but wanted to see them before I buy.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

The comb I am finding very helpful right now with Dexter is the comb with rotating tines. I would like to get a bigger comb...the comb I have now is only about 5 inches in width and the tines only about an inch long. 

When Dexter's hair gets longer, I would think I would need a wider comb with a longer tine length.

I cut Dexter's belly hair to about 1/2 inch.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I did mean to comment on the picture..."No Ears!" Yea, why is it that groomers want to trim the bottom of the ears to even both sides? Your baby is cute, but it will take some time to grow out those ears, it seems like the ears grow the slowest.


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