# Grooming



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

I want to learn how to groom my puppy and purchased clippers this weekend. We were able to groom her hind legs and back-end, but could not come close to her front. The clippers I purchased are dog clippers but they do make a humming sound. I just want to be able to trim the hair around her face and backside. She is bathed once a week, should I just leave it at that? At four months is she too young for grooming? Does anyone have any suggestions?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> I want to learn how to groom my puppy and purchased clippers this weekend. We were able to groom her hind legs and back-end, but could not come close to her front. The clippers I purchased are dog clippers but they do make a humming sound. I just want to be able to trim the hair around her face and backside. She is bathed once a week, should I just leave it at that? At four months is she too young for grooming? Does anyone have any suggestions?


She's definitely not too young to get started, but take it slow. LOTS of treats, and just a bit at a time. If the clippers scare her near her head, start with just turning them on NEAR her head and treat, treat, treat. (You can even start with the clippers turned off if necessary!) When she tolerates that well, go to holding your clippers in your hand, with them turned on and putting your HAND against her, so that she feels the vibration and hears the noise, but both are separated from her by your hand. Slowly work up in tiny increments until she can tolerate it.

I think professional groomers have a BIG advantage over us pet owners in this regard. They are quick and sure, don't fumble around and get nervous, so the dogs learn to think that's it's just not a big deal at all. So that's another option... take her to a professional groomer a few times so that she gets used to the process, and then you can take over. A lot of grooming places will let you stay with your dog and watch, if you aren't upsetting the dog. (I NEVER take Kodi to a groomer who won't let me stay in the room with him) You can learn a lot this way too!


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

krandall said:


> She's definitely not too young to get started, but take it slow. LOTS of treats, and just a bit at a time. If the clippers scare her near her head, start with just turning them on NEAR her head and treat, treat, treat. (You can even start with the clippers turned off if necessary!) When she tolerates that well, go to holding your clippers in your hand, with them turned on and putting your HAND against her, so that she feels the vibration and hears the noise, but both are separated from her by your hand. Slowly work up in tiny increments until she can tolerate it.
> 
> I think professional groomers have a BIG advantage over us pet owners in this regard. They are quick and sure, don't fumble around and get nervous, so the dogs learn to think that's it's just not a big deal at all. So that's another option... take her to a professional groomer a few times so that she gets used to the process, and then you can take over. A lot of grooming places will let you stay with your dog and watch, if you aren't upsetting the dog. (I NEVER take Kodi to a groomer who won't let me stay in the room with him) You can learn a lot this way too!


Thanks so much for your reply and suggestions. I did take her to a groomer but she was extremely hard to handle and the option for me to go inside with her was not extended, but I could hear Skye barking loudly. This groomer did let me know that Skye was quite agressive. (To be so darn little, she can be agressive). This is why I decided to get her used to the idea before taking her to another professional. I really don't know if I want her fur cut or just let it grow as I have seen other havs (it is so beautiful). It does get extremely hot here in Houston but she is rarely outside in the heat other than potty breaks or our late evening walks. I am still learning what's best for us both.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> Thanks so much for your reply and suggestions. I did take her to a groomer but she was extremely hard to handle and the option for me to go inside with her was not extended, but I could hear Skye barking loudly. This groomer did let me know that Skye was quite agressive. (To be so darn little, she can be agressive). This is why I decided to get her used to the idea before taking her to another professional. I really don't know if I want her fur cut or just let it grow as I have seen other havs (it is so beautiful). It does get extremely hot here in Houston but she is rarely outside in the heat other than potty breaks or our late evening walks. I am still learning what's best for us both.


I don't know any that "offer" to have you stay... You have to ask. (or even insist ) They don't get my business if they won't let me stay. I don't let anyone TOUCH Kodi's coat without me present!


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Have you been removing the hair off the paws? Clipping nails?


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

HavaneseSoon said:


> Have you been removing the hair off the paws? Clipping nails?


I just purchased the clippers this weekend and was only able to trim her rear end and some off the hind legs. While she was playing I turned on the clippers and she started barking and growling. I am going to take it slow but I think i will need for her to get used to the sound. I brush her every night but that is not without her being fiesty.


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

At a professional groomer I would give a 4 month puppy a 50/50 shot at a full body haircut. I dont normally recommend doing full haircuts at that age as many are not ready and can be traumatized. Usually young puppies only get a bath, blow dry, brush out, nails, eye corners and/or bangs if wanted, paw pads, feet and sanitary. Most puppies are scared of the clippers. If a puppy is very intolerant with grooming, a lot of times it indicates how they will be when older. I recommend that you stop with the clippers on the body for several weeks, then try again when the puppy is more mature. Still work on clipping paw pads. When s/he is calm with the clipper somewhere, reward and then put near another area, don't actually clip the hair yet. The key is to desensitize and to reward when calm. Don't give a treat or praise if puppy is having a panic attack. With the correct training the puppy can come around. There are a lot of tips online if you do a search. Good luck.


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

krandall said:


> She's definitely not too young to get started, but take it slow. LOTS of treats, and just a bit at a time. If the clippers scare her near her head, start with just turning them on NEAR her head and treat, treat, treat. (You can even start with the clippers turned off if necessary!) When she tolerates that well, go to holding your clippers in your hand, with them turned on and putting your HAND against her, so that she feels the vibration and hears the noise, but both are separated from her by your hand. Slowly work up in tiny increments until she can tolerate it.
> 
> I think professional groomers have a BIG advantage over us pet owners in this regard. They are quick and sure, don't fumble around and get nervous, so the dogs learn to think that's it's just not a big deal at all. So that's another option... take her to a professional groomer a few times so that she gets used to the process, and then you can take over. A lot of grooming places will let you stay with your dog and watch, if you aren't upsetting the dog. (I NEVER take Kodi to a groomer who won't let me stay in the room with him) You can learn a lot this way too!


Good tips here Karen. People need to keep in mind, however, that at 3 or 4 months maybe 20% of puppies will have a calm enough temperament to take a full body haircut well. The rest, either will be done with some difficulty or are not able to be done. Best to only do "intro" grooms such as a little on the face and feet. Many puppies will freak out but only due to their immaturity, and their tolerance increases with age. This is why it is important not to push young puppies beyond what they can handle or they can be ruined. I have groomed well over 100 young puppies.


----------



## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

I have a few questions.

I heard you should not cut a Hav's tail hair because it either never grows the same or takes a LONG time to grow back. Is trimming ok?

Also, I love the way Oreo looks when he come back from the groomers. He has a little curl to his hair but when he come back from the groomers, his hair is nice and straight. How do I keep his hair nice and straight?

When I'm doing Oreo's daily grooming with a slicker brush, do I use the brush with dry hair or should it be wet? If wet, what do i spray on him (Mix of water and conditioner)?


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

atsilvers27 said:


> At a professional groomer I would give a 4 month puppy a 50/50 shot at a full body haircut. I dont normally recommend doing full haircuts at that age as many are not ready and can be traumatized. Usually young puppies only get a bath, blow dry, brush out, nails, eye corners and/or bangs if wanted, paw pads, feet and sanitary. Most puppies are scared of the clippers. If a puppy is very intolerant with grooming, a lot of times it indicates how they will be when older. I recommend that you stop with the clippers on the body for several weeks, then try again when the puppy is more mature. Still work on clipping paw pads. When s/he is calm with the clipper somewhere, reward and then put near another area, don't actually clip the hair yet. The key is to desensitize and to reward when calm. Don't give a treat or praise if puppy is having a panic attack. With the correct training the puppy can come around. There are a lot of tips online if you do a search. Good luck.


Thank you so much for this information. As I have stated time and again, this is such a learning adventure. I am so grateful to have found this site as information on the web can be so overwhelming. Skye is very intolerate of any grooming, including typical brushing, but I do manage to get a bow in her head only if I allow her to chew on the brush tip. I will need to start treating her but that creates another issue as she is usually overly anxious for treats. Thanks again!


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

narci said:


> I have a. ew questions.
> 
> I heard you should not cut a Hav's tail hair because it either never grows the same or takes a LONG time to grow back. Is trimming ok?
> 
> ...


If you want to trim the tail, I recommend only trimming the ends as trimming along the length can create a "squirrel" tail, which usually doesn't look good. But if your dog drags his tail and brings in a lot of annoying things, then go for it. On some dogs if you shave the hair it can come back in another texture and/or color, but this doesnt usually happen in this breed. It can look different if there is already a different texture and/or color between the outer coat and the coat close to the skin. On sable hair, many times the color of the hair cut off may not grow back the same way.

The straightness is due to the blow drying technique and most owners aren't able to replicate it at home. It is like a woman blow drying and styling her hair at home vs going to a professional stylist.

For brushing, you can mist the dog with diluted conditioner or an already made product, but unless you are showing your dog or are trying to demat, don't worry if you don't have use a spray every time.


----------



## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

When I got my clippers, I plugged them in next to the spot where I sit on the couch. Then I would run them every so often while we were chilling just so that Jack could get used to the noise. Later, I worked up to have them in my hand while I was touching him. 

Then when we were doing the daily grooming, I would turn them on and every so often just run them over his body without the blades in. It took a long time to get them near his face. I use scissors mostly there.

I did the same routine with the hair dryer.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

atsilvers27 said:


> Good tips here Karen. People need to keep in mind, however, that at 3 or 4 months maybe 20% of puppies will have a calm enough temperament to take a full body haircut well. The rest, either will be done with some difficulty or are not able to be done. Best to only do "intro" grooms such as a little on the face and feet. Many puppies will freak out but only due to their immaturity, and their tolerance increases with age. This is why it is important not to push young puppies beyond what they can handle or they can be ruined. I have groomed well over 100 young puppies.


Yeah, I figured if she REALLY took it as slow as her pup needed to get REALLY comfortable with the clippers, she would probably be 6-8 months old before she could even START thinking about a whole body trim! And while I don't have anywhere near your experience with puppies, I have gotten countless numbers of young horses used to having their ears trimmed without getting myself killed. (or even seriously maimed ) You have to go REALLY slow with them.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> Thank you so much for this information. As I have stated time and again, this is such a learning adventure. I am so grateful to have found this site as information on the web can be so overwhelming. Skye is very intolerate of any grooming, including typical brushing, but I do manage to get a bow in her head only if I allow her to chew on the brush tip. I will need to start treating her but that creates another issue as she is usually overly anxious for treats. Thanks again!


Sounds like you could use some help with a good, positive trainer coming into your home a couple of times to help you with these issues.


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

krandall said:


> Sounds like you could use some help with a good, positive trainer coming into your home a couple of times to help you with these issues.


 I'm just curious how much do good positive trainers charge to come to your home and train? Say twice two hours? And what would be a persons list of questions to defer a good trainer from a bad trainer. So far all the trainers I had and mentioned what I learned have been considered bad trainers by people . It gets confusing. Maybe we need a trend that that teaches us a good trainer from a bad. Also maybe I'm lazy and don't educate my self enough with the terms used for training.( Just being honest) I would like the trend to have some terms with definitions added. Words like recall and so many others. You spend a lot of time teaching and training and are very good at it. So I would love it if you would think about starting a trend that we could all have some good reference even for us folks who just cant seem to get it right. Thanks Karen:yo:


----------



## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

morriscsps said:


> When I got my clippers, I plugged them in next to the spot where I sit on the couch. Then I would run them every so often while we were chilling just so that Jack could get used to the noise. Later, I worked up to have them in my hand while I was touching him.
> 
> Then when we were doing the daily grooming, I would turn them on and every so often just run them over his body without the blades in. It took a long time to get them near his face. I use scissors mostly there.
> 
> I did the same routine with the hair dryer.


 What your saying is good common sense to take it slow and let the puppies or older one's get used to the noises and feel. Zoey has never been one to take a treat when she is fearful or has her mind on something else. I have had to use my words instead of treats for her. Maddie never does anything wrong. Well compared to her sister.


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

morriscsps said:


> When I got my clippers, I plugged them in next to the spot where I sit on the couch. Then I would run them every so often while we were chilling just so that Jack could get used to the noise. Later, I worked up to have them in my hand while I was touching him.
> 
> Then when we were doing the daily grooming, I would turn them on and every so often just run them over his body without the blades in. It took a long time to get them near his face. I use scissors mostly there.
> 
> I did the same routine with the hair dryer.


This is very good advice. I will try doing this after she is another month old. I am able to blow dry her but she still tries to get away. She is getting better. I bathe once a week but we groom everyday for at least 10 minutes or so with the brush. She is a tough cookie that is determined she will have nothing to do with looking good. I think its the age. I am sure she will eventually come around. Thanks again for the advice!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> This is very good advice. I will try doing this after she is another month old. I am able to blow dry her but she still tries to get away. She is getting better. I bathe once a week but we groom everyday for at least 10 minutes or so with the brush. She is a tough cookie that is determined she will have nothing to do with looking good. I think its the age. I am sure she will eventually come around. Thanks again for the advice!


Oh, make no mistake... Kodi would try to get away when being blow dried if he weren't in a grooming slip! :laugh: I think it's the rare dog that gets to the point of LIKING grooming. What we are looking for is that they tolerate it with good grace, and let us get the job done as quickly as possible, so they can go on to their regular activities!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Suzi said:


> I'm just curious how much do good positive trainers charge to come to your home and train? Say twice two hours? And what would be a persons list of questions to defer a good trainer from a bad trainer. So far all the trainers I had and mentioned what I learned have been considered bad trainers by people . It gets confusing. Maybe we need a trend that that teaches us a good trainer from a bad. Also maybe I'm lazy and don't educate my self enough with the terms used for training.( Just being honest) I would like the trend to have some terms with definitions added. Words like recall and so many others. You spend a lot of time teaching and training and are very good at it. So I would love it if you would think about starting a trend that we could all have some good reference even for us folks who just cant seem to get it right. Thanks Karen:yo:


For the trainer I work with, a private, one hour lesson is $60. If you have her come to you, I think it is $70. I'd never go over one hour, because I think it's too much all at once for the dog, and, honestly, it's too much for the human to process all at once too.

In my case, when picking trainers, I have asked for referrals from other people I know who have similar feelings to mine on the fact that positive training is the way to go. If that weren't an option, I'd go to some dog shows, and watch the obedience and rally classes. I'd look for dogs who are clearly enjoying working with their owner, and owners who never jerk leashes, speak harshly or get angry at their dogs. I'd ask these people where they train, and if they can suggest a good trainer to work with.

If you have training centers nearby, call and ask if you can go and watch a couple of lessons. Again, you want to see happy dogs, lots of praise, ignoring "wrong" performance from the dog, while working to figure out how best to get the behavior the person wants using positive methods.

What are positive methods? Anything that doesn't force, hurt, scare or intimidate the dog. If you're not sure, think about what they are doing, and ask if you'd like someone to do it to you.

For an example of something that SEEMS mild, but is a form of compulsion training, think about people who teach a dog to sit by applying upward pressure to the leash and downward pressure to the hind end to force the dog into a sitting position. This SEEMS pretty benign, and certainly on the scale of things compulsion trainers do to dogs, it's on the WAY mild end. But still. Would you like someone bigger than you to come up, put their hands on your shoulders and push down hard enough that you had no CHOICE but to sit in the chair behind you? That's what is happening to the dog. And it is SO easy to lure a puppy (or adult dog) into a sitting position with a cookie. Most dogs master the sit, without a single touch to their body, in a day or two. The really slow learners might take a week of practicing a few minutes a day.

Be wary of people who call themselves "balanced" trainers. These are people who use some positive methods, but also use some compulsion methods. IMO, there's nothing a compulsion trainer can teach a dog that a positive trainer can't, and without damaging the relationship between the dog and owner. So why treat dogs poorly?

I think your idea of a thread for training terms/definitions, questions and answers is a GREAT one, but I think you should start it, with a list of terms you'd like definitions for. The problem with me starting it is that I don't know what you need definitions for!


----------



## RoutineAvocado (Feb 6, 2013)

If you don't have a grooming slip, you might want to try sitting on the floor for grooming sessions. It's much easier for me to groom Zelda when I'm not also trying to make sure she doesn't jump off a surface. She tolerates combing fine if she's in my lap on the floor and has her favorite chew toy.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## swaye (Mar 28, 2013)

Sofie was intolerant of grooming at that age as well. She is slowly coming around. I did have her professionally groomed, including clippers and was told she did well. I bathe her and brush/comb her daily. I also clean around her eyes and ATTEMPT tooth brushing. She varies on her tolerance to grooming daily. I do split up the grooming into twice daily. I would eventually like to do total grooming, but will wait till she is a bit older for my attempts. I am not inclined to purchase expensive slippers/ he scissors till we both are more comfortable with grooming.


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

Grooming with Skye is always on the floor in the my lap as she is constantly moving. I sit on the floor for almost anything I am doing with her to be as close as possible. I tried yesterday taking her to one of the nearest dog parks but it rained so instead we went to the neighborhood pet store just to get her out around strangers. She did really good with people approaching her but she does get extremely anxious. Its the jumping up that is most bothersome. I have watched the youtube videos for tips and practice what i see but she never calms down upon approach from strangers and with me at home she is just a total clown. I will join a puppy training class this summer but I am wondering if i need to wait until she is a bit more mature, maybe another month or 2? As always, any advice is very much appreciated.


----------



## RoutineAvocado (Feb 6, 2013)

1stladysoul said:


> Grooming with Skye is always on the floor in the my lap as she is constantly moving. I sit on the floor for almost anything I am doing with her to be as close as possible. I tried yesterday taking her to one of the nearest dog parks but it rained so instead we went to the neighborhood pet store just to get her out around strangers. She did really good with people approaching her but she does get extremely anxious. Its the jumping up that is most bothersome. I have watched the youtube videos for tips and practice what i see but she never calms down upon approach from strangers and with me at home she is just a total clown. I will join a puppy training class this summer but I am wondering if i need to wait until she is a bit more mature, maybe another month or 2? As always, any advice is very much appreciated.


We have issues with the jumping, too. The first lesson in our puppy manners class was "sitting to say please" (first class was orientation without the dogs) so I'd start classes as soon as you can. Everybody else in the class is dealing with their own puppy behavior issues so crazy behavior, potty accidents, anxiety, etc, is expected. Even if Skye is too unfocused to absorb much in class, you'll still learn the training games she can keep practicing the rest of her life.

The socialization with other dogs and their owners under the eyes of a trainer might also be helpful. Zelda likes most dogs she sees on the street but she gets so excited that she wants to charge straight at them and lick their faces. Not cool, Zelda... and possibility very dangerous. She finally gets to attend her first class with us tomorrow night so I'm looking foward to getting the trainer's help during free play time.


----------



## chataboutthat (Jun 6, 2013)

tippi tolerates brushing pretty well, it's part of her morning routine, but she still hates a bath. i have her professionally groomed once a month and i do any baths needed in between. i wouldn't have to take her even once a month if the hair didn't grow into the corners of her eyes. i'm scared to try to trim that. i have visions of one wrong move...

what DO you use to trim eye corners? if anyone has a link to an eye corner trimmer, i'd love to see it!


----------



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

chataboutthat said:


> tippi tolerates brushing pretty well, it's part of her morning routine, but she still hates a bath. i have her professionally groomed once a month and i do any baths needed in between. i wouldn't have to take her even once a month if the hair didn't grow into the corners of her eyes. i'm scared to try to trim that. i have visions of one wrong move...
> 
> what DO you use to trim eye corners? if anyone has a link to an eye corner trimmer, i'd love to see it!


rounded tip scissors... but I don't trim the corner very often...


----------



## 1stladysoul (May 17, 2013)

chataboutthat said:


> tippi tolerates brushing pretty well, it's part of her morning routine, but she still hates a bath. i have her professionally groomed once a month and i do any baths needed in between. i wouldn't have to take her even once a month if the hair didn't grow into the corners of her eyes. i'm scared to try to trim that. i have visions of one wrong move...
> 
> what DO you use to trim eye corners? if anyone has a link to an eye corner trimmer, i'd love to see it!


Tippi is so beautiful. Love her coat. When she comes from the groomers is her coat more straight than curly? Sky's coat is extremely curly maybe because she has only been once to the groomers.


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

chataboutthat said:


> tippi tolerates brushiside retty well, it's part of her morning routine, but she still hates a bath. i have her professionally groomed once a month and i do any baths needed in between. i wouldn't have to take her even once a month if the hair didn't grow into the corners of her eyes. i'm scared to try to trim that. i have visions of one wrong move...
> 
> what DO you use to trim eye corners? if anyone has a link to an eye corner trimmer, i'd love to see it!


Thinning scissors. They have a solid blade on one side and a "tooth" side, 42 teeth is common, and the ends are blunt. Don't use regular "round tipped" scissors as they can catch the skin more and dont leave a natural look.


----------



## chataboutthat (Jun 6, 2013)

1stladysoul said:


> Tippi is so beautiful. Love her coat. When she comes from the groomers is her coat more straight than curly? Sky's coat is extremely curly maybe because she has only been once to the groomers.


thank you!
and yep. her hair is always straighter after a trip to the groomer, but it's never really curly. slightly wavy is how i'd describe it, an that's really only the undercoat. the top layer is always pretty straight.


----------



## chataboutthat (Jun 6, 2013)

atsilvers27 said:


> Thinning scissors. They have a solid blade on one side and a "tooth" side, 42 teeth is common, and the ends are blunt. Don't use regular "round tipped" scissors as they can catch the skin more and dont leave a natural look.


thanks! off to google thinning scissors!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> Grooming with Skye is always on the floor in the my lap as she is constantly moving. I sit on the floor for almost anything I am doing with her to be as close as possible. I tried yesterday taking her to one of the nearest dog parks but it rained so instead we went to the neighborhood pet store just to get her out around strangers. She did really good with people approaching her but she does get extremely anxious. Its the jumping up that is most bothersome. I have watched the youtube videos for tips and practice what i see but she never calms down upon approach from strangers and with me at home she is just a total clown. I will join a puppy training class this summer but I am wondering if i need to wait until she is a bit more mature, maybe another month or 2? As always, any advice is very much appreciated.


No, PLEASE get her into class ASAP!!! you can never start good solid training too early. You are "training" her every day, whether you are aware of it or not. If you let her practice behaviors you don't want, (like jumping up) you are "training" her that this is OK, even though I know that's not what you mean to be doing.


----------



## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

atsilvers27 said:


> Thinning scissors. They have a solid blade on one side and a "tooth" side, 42 teeth is common, and the ends are blunt. Don't use regular "round tipped" scissors as they can catch the skin more and dont leave a natural look.


I have an older pair of scissors that really doesn't cut very well. I have been looking at scissors but truthfully there are so many kinds and price ranges. If you had one Havanese and you were going to do all the grooming yourself, what scissors or clippers would you suggest?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

RoutineAvocado said:


> We have issues with the jumping, too. The first lesson in our puppy manners class was "sitting to say please" (first class was orientation without the dogs) so I'd start classes as soon as you can. Everybody else in the class is dealing with their own puppy behavior issues so crazy behavior, potty accidents, anxiety, etc, is expected. Even if Skye is too unfocused to absorb much in class, you'll still learn the training games she can keep practicing the rest of her life.
> 
> The socialization with other dogs and their owners under the eyes of a trainer might also be helpful. Zelda likes most dogs she sees on the street but she gets so excited that she wants to charge straight at them and lick their faces. Not cool, Zelda... and possibility very dangerous. She finally gets to attend her first class with us tomorrow night so I'm looking foward to getting the trainer's help during free play time.


This is absolutely right. Puppy class should have two main focuses... Puppy/puppy interaction and learning social skills (off leash) and for the HUMANS to take away the rudiments of how to deal with training proper behaviors when they are at home. You hear all the time "He'll do it at home, I don't know why I can't get him to do it in class!!! It's EXPECTED that puppies will be overstimulated and have a hard time attending in puppy class. It's where you start, not were end in training!


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Pucks104 said:


> I have an older pair of scissors that really doesn't cut very well. I have been looking at scissors but truthfully there are so many kinds and price ranges. If you had one Havanese and you were going to do all the grooming yourself, what scissors or clippers would you suggest?


Ok I will post a few links, just bear with me. I wouldn't use dull scissors, that can be dangerous. Either have them PROFESSIONALLY sharpened, or buy new ones. Using dull scissors is dangerous because it makes you spend more time cutting the hair, therefore increasing the chances of actually cutting the dog open as in blood. Also, many dogs generally just barely tollerate grooming, and if you are dilly-dallying with scissors because they don't cut well and you have to take more passes, the dog can get impatient and you start to lose their cooperation, the grooming process can break down.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

chataboutthat said:


> tippi tolerates brushing pretty well, it's part of her morning routine, but she still hates a bath. i have her professionally groomed once a month and i do any baths needed in between. i wouldn't have to take her even once a month if the hair didn't grow into the corners of her eyes. i'm scared to try to trim that. i have visions of one wrong move...
> 
> what DO you use to trim eye corners? if anyone has a link to an eye corner trimmer, i'd love to see it!


If you let it grow out completely, it gets heavy enough to lie down, and you don't need to trim it at all! You just have to steel yourself to live though the messy phase!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

1stladysoul said:


> Tippi is so beautiful. Love her coat. When she comes from the groomers is her coat more straight than curly? Sky's coat is extremely curly maybe because she has only been once to the groomers.


A curly coated Hav is a curly coated Hav. You can straighten the hair (very) temporarily with force dryer, but you can't change the basic coat type they have. It's genetic.


----------



## atsilvers27 (Jul 5, 2011)

Here is the bare minimum I would get. It is price-conscious without sacrificing power and efficiency:

Amazon.com: Andis 22405 UltraEdge AGC 2-Speed Detachable-Blade Animal Clipper, Blue: Pet Supplies

A #10 blade is included. The #10 is used for under paw pads, sanitary, and shaving out mats that are tight to the skin and cannot be comfortably dematted.

Amazon.com: Andis Ceramic Edge Size 30 Blade: Pet Supplies

A 30 blade goes on the clipper and under a guard comb for lengths longer than a shave. I don't know why it only has a 4/5 stars rating, this is an excellent 30 blade. 30's are very delicate and can break easily, you have to make sure the guard comb is always on right before you turn the clipper on.

Amazon.com: Wahl 3390-100 Stainless Steel Attachment Guide Combs by Wahl Professional Animal: Pet Supplies

Metal Wahl attachment combs. This is more for a professional groomer because it is the set, but you can purchase individual ones for a few bucks each, I'm not sure where, I am just using all Amazon links for ease. You can choose a length that you want for the body, and for the head you go up one length, generally.

Amazon.com: Heritage Stainless Steel Small Pet Canine Collection Straight Shears, 8-1/2-Inch length, 3 15/16-Inch Cut-Length: Pet Supplies

Straight shears. You can buy curves also if you'd like, but you can teach yourself to create curves with the straights.

http://www.petedge.com/product/Heritage-Supreme-42-Tooth-Thinning-Shears/43100.uts

Thinning shears. Heritage Klein is a good value and also Geib, Geib is a little more expensive.

That's the bare minimum, but a good set to start with.


----------



## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

atsilvers27 said:


> Here is the bare minimum I would get. It is price-conscious without sacrificing power and efficiency:
> 
> Amazon.com: Andis 22405 UltraEdge AGC 2-Speed Detachable-Blade Animal Clipper, Blue: Pet Supplies
> 
> ...


Thank you! Thank you! I have been looking for even before Leo came home and just felt overwhelmed with the choices? :hug:


----------

