# What to tell the Groomer for First Haircut?



## PSUHavanese (Jun 4, 2012)

Phantom will be getting his first haircut on Sunday. We are wondering what are some things to discuss with the groomer before he has a cut. We want him to still look the same, with a shorter hair length and his eyes showing. Any suggestions would be great!

We saw in another thread that a lot of you provide the groomer with a list of do's and don'ts and we would like you to share any specifics.

Here are two pictures of Phantom currently:


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Keep the face and ears long, tail long. Pixie gets her bangs cut, Mig doesn't. Mine get a Teddy clip on the body. You can train the hair between the eyes to lay flat if you grow it out (which in my opinion is better later on), but I am not patient and we cut it. They're groomed once a month.


Just wanted to reiterate-do not cut the ears-keep them long and shaggy...


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

What a cutie!
Best to bring a picture of a cut you like. Even then you might not be safe safe!!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Keep some length on the legs! DO NOT SHAVE nose!!! You want the look of SHAGGY, but just a little neat.


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

Its very much a personal thing on how you want to keep your pup.

I am always very specific with my groomer... I tell them how much I want left on the body (shorter under the arms where the harness rubs and mats) whether you want them to pluck the ears or not, keep the tail long, I always say "leave the head/face messy looking, I hate it short, I want it longer and messy/shaggy looking, I want to be able to put a clip or bow it in " -- that way they know I dont want it short there (it seems like that is the only spot that takes forever to grow, everything else grows sooo fast)

for the longest time I would bring in a picture and write instructions on the back of it (they appreciated that)... now that I trust them, I dont do that anymore, but I am still always very specific when I drop her off.

Make sure they know this is his 1st grooming.. i know for Gabbys 1st grooming we did little bits at first to get her use to the experience and environment (i.e., trim all over, nails and bath).

Good luck... post pics of the "after" look


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

See my Kallie's Spa Day thread. I got exactly what I asked for. Only use clippers on her belly & paw pads. Do not touch her head/face. Trim her feet using scissors. Trim up her bottom with scissors only (no bullet hole for her!). Shave her belly (she'll be getting spayed in 2 weeks, so this will make it a little easier on our vet). This was Kallie's first haircut & like you, we wanted her to look the same, just neater. Good luck!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

what a cutie!!! hope everything turns out the way you want it!!( I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya!)


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Phantom is a cutie! I think bringing pictures is always a good idea so there is no miscommunication. Even bring several that you like.

I would also stress to the groomer not to cut the ears. Most of the time when someone posts a picture of a groom they are upset over, short ears are the thing I notice being a common denominator.


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## Dory (Jan 4, 2012)

I took Quincy to the groomer today because I was having so much trouble doing those spots that he just hates for me to do. The belly/penis area, feet. This groomer was great  I asked if I could come in the back with her to watch and she was more than willing to show me how to do everything that I was asking her to do. Even gave me some good tips on how to keep him from moving his foot while I'm trimming it by lifting the opposite foot. Now why didn't I think of that? 
She also showed me how to do the hair in his ears (it was pretty wild in there, but not horrible) and showed me how to express his anal glands. Unless you have someone with you to do these things, it's all trial and error!
So while we were grooming and talking, she mentioned that the owner will sometimes teach grooming classes and told me to put my name on the list for the next time she does one. I would LOVE to do this! Anyway, just thought I would add my two cents


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

That is great the groomer showed you her tips, if she is not careful she could lose you as a client. I would not get in the habit of expressing anal glands. Formed stools should take care of that problem. You have a problem when dogs start scooting their hind end on the carpet or painful bowel movements.

Keep us posted with pictures. Grooming is fun.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

HavaneseSoon said:


> That is great the groomer showed you her tips, if she is not careful she could lose you as a client. I would not get in the habit of expressing anal glands. Formed stools should take care of that problem. You have a problem when dogs start scooting their hind end on the carpet or painful bowel movements.
> 
> Keep us posted with pictures. Grooming is fun.


ya, I agree. the groomer did Tillie's a few times when she was little, but she hasn't been to a groomer since she was 9 mos old and that was the last time she had her anal glands expressed, she hasn't had any issues at all with them ... so far...


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## Dory (Jan 4, 2012)

HavaneseSoon said:


> That is great the groomer showed you her tips, if she is not careful she could lose you as a client. I would not get in the habit of expressing anal glands. Formed stools should take care of that problem. You have a problem when dogs start scooting their hind end on the carpet or painful bowel movements.
> 
> Keep us posted with pictures. Grooming is fun.


It's funny. I was only going there to have them do the stuff that I have problems with (nail clipping, feet) because they take walk ins. I'm trying to do the majority of his grooming myself and I told her that. It was the first time I had been there, too, so I was doubly impressed that she showed me. She did check him out and told me I'm doing a great job eace:

As for the anal glands, she did say that they didn't need to be done all the time, but she said that if the area around his anus was "puffy" looking that I should express them a little bit. She also said if he starts smelling poopy and he doesn't have anything stuck in his fur, that could be it too. He was biting at his butt a little bit for the past week, so I'll watch and see if that small amount that she got out helped. His stools are pretty well formed (I actually think they're too hard sometimes), so I was surprised that she got anything out.


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Oh, Dory, you're going to be a professional groomer soon! Well, sorta. I'm so envious. Good to hear of a groomer that gives tips. She could probably see that she wasn't going to get much business from Quincy since you are doing such a great job. If there's any of the tips you'd like to pass on........feel free!


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## Dory (Jan 4, 2012)

Sparkle said:


> Oh, Dory, you're going to be a professional groomer soon! Well, sorta. I'm so envious. Good to hear of a groomer that gives tips. She could probably see that she wasn't going to get much business from Quincy since you are doing such a great job. If there's any of the tips you'd like to pass on........feel free!


I hope that she'll do a class soon! I guess it depends on how many people are interested in one. I also hope that it's a small class if she does one so that people can get more individual attention, you know?

It's funny, a lifetime ago, when I got laid off from my then job, I had looked into learning how to groom and taking a class. Funny how things come full circle, isn't it? Even if this woman doesn't end up doing a class, I think I'm going to look around for one anyway. :whoo:


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Then you're moving to KY to train me, right? LOL

You're so right, everything goes full circle. We just sometimes don't notice it.


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