# New to Forum: How to communicate with groomer



## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

A couple of weeks ago, I took our Bella to her first grooming appointment. She’s 5 months old and our first Havanese. I made the mistake of saying that I would love to see Bella’s eyes. When I picked her up, I hardly recognized her. The bridge of her nose was shaved and her mustache was all wrong. She just didn’t look like a Havanese anymore. Next time I will take a picture to the groomer but I’m not sure what to tell her. She’s not Havanese experienced. That’s no wonder, because I haven’t seen other Havanese in our area. Could someone give me an example of what you tell your groomer? I would like to get to the sweet spot of longish hair that’s still manageable. I would also love to let the hair between her eyes grow again, but still see her eyes.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Bella’s Mama said:


> A couple of weeks ago, I took our Bella to her first grooming appointment. She’s 5 months old and our first Havanese. I made the mistake of saying that I would love to see Bella’s eyes. When I picked her up, I hardly recognized her. The bridge of her nose was shaved and her mustache was all wrong. She just didn’t look like a Havanese anymore. Next time I will take a picture to the groomer but I’m not sure what to tell her. She’s not Havanese experienced. That’s no wonder, because I haven’t seen other Havanese in our area. Could someone give me an example of what you tell your groomer? I would like to get to the sweet spot of longish hair that’s still manageable. I would also love to let the hair between her eyes grow again, but still see her eyes.
> View attachment 175906
> View attachment 175906


Actually, she looks very cute. She did not shave the bridge of her nose, unless it was done a LONG time ago. Yes, the hair on her nose was trimmed, but believe me, this is NOT a “shaved” nose! LOL! Yes, it is true that I would tell a groomer not to TOUCH the hair between or beneath the eyes. But a lot of people like the hair trimmed between the eyes. So what she did is not “wrong”.

I would look through LOTS of forum photos, find ones you like and take them with you when you fo. Discuss the, with her. That’s probably the best way to help her understand what you like.

But for now, believe me… this is SO far from the worst hair cut we have seen on the forum. I think she lookes adorable, even if it was a bit of a shock. Believe me, when I first got Kodi cut down form his glorious show coat to his first puppy cut, even though I KNEW it was the right thing to do, and I did it myself… it was STILL a shock! It takes some getting used to! One good thing about Havanese is… hair frows! You get another chance before too long! ❤


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

Thank you so much for your response. It’s been almost four weeks since her puppy cut and she looks a lot better already. I’ve watched quite a few YouTube videos, but they seem to contradict each other on the merits of slicker brushes and other topics. So I’m thoroughly confused and mentally bracing for the blowing coat adventures I read about, lol. Thanks again.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I think Bella looks just adorable! Like Karen mentioned I would find a picture of a haircut you like and give it to the groomer. It looks like your groomer did a really nice job of shaping. 😊


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## GoWithTheFlo (Oct 11, 2018)

Agree with everything Karen and Heather’s said. 

Bella is a very pretty girl, I love her beautiful eyes😍. You’re so lucky to be able to get nice clear pics of her pretty face, I am rubbish and despite Shamamama’s best attempts at advising me, I rarely get a good one so you can actually see Flo has eyes…and a nose…and a mouth all at the same time!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I found a post of two cuties here on HF...Shama and Patti. Their hair styles are different, but they have that cute puppy look. Search for "Top knots that lay flat."


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

I almost forgot....you can also see the video of Denver getting a top knot. 😊


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

The good news is that the groomer does seem to have some skill, but like you mentioned, is inexperienced with Havanese. I think if you take pictures to your next couple of appointments, it won’t be long until you get what you like. It always seems like the hair between the eyes is the slowest to grow, but the nice thing is she doesn’t have that super shaved look. That helps because as the rest of her grows, even if the nose area takes longer, the overall look will soften up pretty fast. 

There are very few Havanese in my area, too. More than one groomer has been surprised I care at all and seemed genuinely interested in my requests. I usually try to schedule a bath with a “light scissor trim” before a big haircut with a new person. I have come to appreciate a groomer who cares what I want, even if there are a few mistakes along the way. Those mistakes usually result from something I forgot to mention or a miscommunication that’s easily resolved.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Heather's said:


> I almost forgot....you can also see the video of Denver getting a top knot. 😊


I always do Sundance’s hair like Denver now! It lasts longer, too. Actually, it lasts so long I have to make a point of taking it out and doing it again so it doesn’t get a mat beneath it.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> The good news is that the groomer does seem to have some skill, but like you mentioned, is inexperienced with Havanese. I think if you take pictures to your next couple of appointments, it won’t be long until you get what you like. It always seems like the hair between the eyes is the slowest to grow, but the nice thing is she doesn’t have that super shaved look. That helps because as the rest of her grows, even if the nose area takes longer, the overall look will soften up pretty fast.
> 
> There are very few Havanese in my area, too. More than one groomer has been surprised I care at all and seemed genuinely interested in my requests. I usually try to schedule a bath with a “light scissor trim” before a big haircut with a new person. I have come to appreciate a groomer who cares what I want, even if there are a few mistakes along the way. Those mistakes usually result from something I forgot to mention or a miscommunication that’s easily resolved.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

I so appreciate your response. I realize most of the problem was me not communicating well because at the time - being a novice - I didn’t really know what I wanted, until I saw what I didn’t want😂 In fact, that’s when I discovered this forum. I should have done my homework sooner. 
I would still like some input on what to say. I think I’d like what you called a light scissor cut, but read other places that groomers don’t want to do that with a puppy. I liked the long hair she had. It just became a nuisance in terms of her legs getting wet outside. Since we’re on a farm, the options are grass or gravel. How silly would it look to have most of her hair longish overall but to keep the legs shorter plus sanitary? Also: is it true that I need to cut her nails every other week? If yes, I guess I should get brave enough to do it myself. The vet tech did it at her last puppy appointment and said that Bella had a temper tantrum. The groomer did not mention a problem. Yesterday, I just cut a bit of one nail and she yelped even though she couldn’t have been hurt. Of course that scared me and I stopped. Should I have just used treats and kept going?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Bella’s Mama said:


> I so appreciate your response. I realize most of the problem was me not communicating well because at the time - being a novice - I didn’t really know what I wanted, until I saw what I didn’t want😂 In fact, that’s when I discovered this forum. I should have done my homework sooner.
> I would still like some input on what to say. I think I’d like what you called a light scissor cut, but read other places that groomers don’t want to do that with a puppy. I liked the long hair she had. It just became a nuisance in terms of her legs getting wet outside. Since we’re on a farm, the options are grass or gravel. How silly would it look to have most of her hair longish overall but to keep the legs shorter plus sanitary? Also: is it true that I need to cut her nails every other week? If yes, I guess I should get brave enough to do it myself. The vet tech did it at her last puppy appointment and said that Bella had a temper tantrum. The groomer did not mention a problem. Yesterday, I just cut a bit of one nail and she yelped even though she couldn’t have been hurt. Of course that scared me and I stopped. Should I have just used treats and kept going?


The wuestion on her coat are ones of aesthetics, and totally up to you. As far as nails are concerned, yes, unless the dog is walking rather long distances on pavement daily, which puppies SHOULDN’T be, their nails DO need to be cut OFTEN. I cut Ducky’s nail’s weekly, and I cut quite a bit off each time. I TRY to cut the adult dogs nails every week, but honestly, if it slips to every other week, I don’t worry about it. And, yes, by sll means get out the treats, and treat for every nail if you need to to make him more comfortable with the procedure!


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

krandall said:


> The wuestion on her coat are ones of aesthetics, and totally up to you. As far as nails are concerned, yes, unless the dog is walking rather long distances on pavement daily, which puppies SHOULDN’T be, their nails DO need to be cut OFTEN. I cut Ducky’s nail’s weekly, and I cut quite a bit off each time. I TRY to cut the adult dogs nails every week, but honestly, if it slips to every other week, I don’t worry about it. And, yes, by sll means get out the treats, and treat for every nail if you need to to make him more comfortable with the procedure!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I can understand why you wanted to see Bella's eyes. They are absolutely beautiful.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

Thank you! We worked on nail clipping today. My husband was a big help. Bella was quite scared. I don’t know if she had a bad experience at the groomer’s or if that’s normal. It is going to take a while to make that part of the routine. Big learning curve, sigh! But she’s so loving and cute. That makes up for the little frustrations we’re experiencing. I’m so glad we decided on a Havanese. Such a special breed!


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

Jackie from Concrete WA said:


> I can understand why you wanted to see Bella's eyes. They are absolutely beautiful.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

You’re kind. Do you know what Bella’s color and marking is called? I messed up when I registered her because she’s already changed since. I don’t want to bother her breeder. She just left the hospital after a bad case of COVID.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I would keep handling her feet, even when you aren’t trimming, and go from there. You also don’t have to trim them all of them at once, you can do one foot at a time throughout the day. They need to learn to tolerate them all at once but breaking it up means you can stop and treat and take a break before she gets stressed, and frequent practice helps with anything. I think my mistake with nails and feet was not enough frequent, casual handling.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Bella looks to be a chocolate color with Parti or Extreme Parti markings. I can't really see if she has any brown on her body from that angle.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Bella’s Mama said:


> Thank you! We worked on nail clipping today. My husband was a big help. Bella was quite scared. I don’t know if she had a bad experience at the groomer’s or if that’s normal. It is going to take a while to make that part of the routine. Big learning curve, sigh! But she’s so loving and cute. That makes up for the little frustrations we’re experiencing. I’m so glad we decided on a Havanese. Such a special breed!



Sometimes it is truly being scared, other times it is just not wanting to do it! ALL of my puppies were started exactly the same way, using cooperative care methods to get them used to nail clipping, etc. all of the puppies except for one are AWESOME about it! One is JUST AWFUL. HE still fights light a little hellion. He's NOT scared, he just doesn't want any part of it, and figures if he fights hard enough, he'll win. (he doesn't  )


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Molly120213 said:


> Bella looks to be a chocolate color with Parti or Extreme Parti markings. I can't really see if she has any brown on her body from that angle.


I agree. But I assume she is a pet and will not be bred or shown. So it really doesn't matter if Bella's Mama didn't get it exactly right. Most breeders register the puppies themselves, or AT LEAST fill this information in for the buyer, just because a pet buyer is not going to know.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

Molly120213 said:


> Bella looks to be a chocolate color with Parti or Extreme Parti markings. I can't really see if she has any brown on her body from that angle.





Molly120213 said:


> Bella looks to be a chocolate color with Parti or Extreme Parti markings. I can't really see if she has any brown on her body from that angle.





Molly120213 said:


> Bella looks to be a chocolate color with Parti or Extreme Parti markings. I can't really see if she has any brown on her body from that angle.





krandall said:


> I agree. But I assume she is a pet and will not be bred or shown. So it really doesn't matter if Bella's Mama didn't get it exactly right. Most breeders register the puppies themselves, or AT LEAST fill this information in for the buyer, just because a pet buyer is not going to know.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I think something is going wrong with your responses... You are quoting our posts, but then we can't see your response to the quotes! Can you go back in, dit, (those little dots in the upper right hand corner) and say what you had in mind to say?


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

She’s definitely a pet. The breeder did not fill it out and I’m just curious because there were too many options for me to understand. As a chocolate, will her eyes most likely stay blue? “Aerial” view of markings:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Yes, she is a chocolate parti. Her eyes should not be blue if she were a show dog, and that would be a DQ for the show ring. HOWEVER, there is NOTHING physically wrong with her because her eyes are blue. it's just a "breed rule for the showing and breeding". She is still a LOVELY pet! This is one of the tough things about breeding chocolates. If you ant to try to breed chocolates and ALSO show them, it is REALLY hard to not have puppies that show up that have eyes that are too light and/or pigment that is too light, and MOST of them have coats that fade to a much paler color over time (although THAT is not a DQ for the show ring, it it just less desirable)

Your girl is ADORABLE, her blue eyes make her distinctive, they are not a health problem at all, and are probably part of the reason she was made available to you as a pet puppy. Enjoy her! 💕


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Bella’s Mama said:


> She’s definitely a pet. The breeder did not fill it out and I’m just curious because there were too many options for me to understand. As a chocolate, will her eyes most likely stay blue? “Aerial” view of markings:


Truffles had blue eyes when she was puppy. I think the color of her eyes started to change around six months to dark amber. It will be interesting to see if Bella's eye color changes.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

krandall said:


> Yes, she is a chocolate parti. Her eyes should not be blue if she were a show dog, and that would be a DQ for the show ring. HOWEVER, there is NOTHING physically wrong with her because her eyes are blue. it's just a "breed rule for the showing and breeding". She is still a LOVELY pet! This is one of the tough things about breeding chocolates. If you ant to try to breed chocolates and ALSO show them, it is REALLY hard to not have puppies that show up that have eyes that are too light and/or pigment that is too light, and MOST of them have coats that fade to a much paler color over time (although THAT is not a DQ for the show ring, it it just less desirable)
> 
> Your girl is ADORABLE, her blue eyes make her distinctive, they are not a health problem at all, and are probably part of the reason she was made available to you as a pet puppy. Enjoy her! 💕





krandall said:


> Yes, she is a chocolate parti. Her eyes should not be blue if she were a show dog, and that would be a DQ for the show ring. HOWEVER, there is NOTHING physically wrong with her because her eyes are blue. it's just a "breed rule for the showing and breeding". She is still a LOVELY pet! This is one of the tough things about breeding chocolates. If you ant to try to breed chocolates and ALSO show them, it is REALLY hard to not have puppies that show up that have eyes that are too light and/or pigment that is too light, and MOST of them have coats that fade to a much paler color over time (although THAT is not a DQ for the show ring, it it just less desirable)
> 
> Your girl is ADORABLE, her blue eyes make her distinctive, they are not a health problem at all, and are probably part of the reason she was made available to you as a pet puppy. Enjoy her! 💕





Heather's said:


> Truffles had blue eyes when she was puppy. I think the color of her eyes started to change around six months to dark amber. It will be interesting to see if Bella's eye color changes.


I am curious as well. My husband called her eyes green yesterday. 😉 I’ve spent a lot of time on the forum this weekend and I’m learning a lot thanks to everyone’s comments.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Heather's said:


> Truffles had blue eyes when she was puppy. I think the color of her eyes started to change around six months to dark amber. It will be interesting to see if Bella's eye color changes.


Interesting. That is really late for them to change. Just as with human babies, there is often a blue caste to the eyes of newborns, but it goes away quite quickly. Normally by the time they go to their forever homes. Then again, my hazel-eyed son had blue eyes until he was almost 2, so I know that occasionally human children change really late too!


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

I took Bella back to the groomer yesterday just for pedi. We talked about what I did not like about the first groom and what I’d like in the future. We had a great conversation and scheduled for December.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

It’s almost time for Belly Bell’s second grooming appointment. She’ll be 7 months tomorrow and I’m considering to request only bath/sani/pedi. Let everything else grow before that adult coat comes in. At least I won’t be disappointed - in theory. Today, she definitely needs a bath after playing with her best buddy and I will give that brand new grooming table a try.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

What a cutie! You should try giving her that kind of grooming yourself! You can do it! Why pay for it?!?!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

She looks great, why not? One of the groomers I took Sundance to had “a la carte” services as you described, and they were pretty inexpensive. The full groom at the same place was pricey. Since he also went to daycare there, it was really convenient to pick him up all cleaned up between haircuts. If you are thinking of growing her longer between trims, and you are already bathing her, learning to do her feet and sanitary area would be a great way to do that and isn’t much of a stretch from what you are doing. Plus it’s really hard to make feet look bad because they grow so fast 

I love a Havanese puppy with a longish coat, so I say go for it now while it’s an easier puppy coat, and enjoy it. When you feel she needs to be cut, whether she’s blowing coat or you just want a trim, take lots of pictures and have them go easy on the face. I have found that mine grows so fast, I love his coat both short and long.

If you’re worried about being disappointed in the haircut but you like the groomer and are pretty sure they’re good, keep in mind the imperfections will probably lessen with each haircut as you work out together what you like. I love that they listened when you took her in for her pedi. I do think if I understand what you mean, I would feel the same way, though. I would be kind of expecting possible mishaps during the blowing coat stage and they wouldn’t be as disappointing at that point.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

I’ve got to be the least efficient groomer, 😂 it took me an hour because I only have a hand held pet dryer and my clothes were pretty much soaked from her standing up in the sink. I’ll follow your advice on how to work with groomer. I’d love to learn it all but would need to invest in a better dryer.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Bella’s Mama said:


> I’ve got to be the least efficient groomer, 😂 it took me an hour because I only have a hand held pet dryer and my clothes were pretty much soaked from her standing up in the sink. I’ll follow your advice on how to work with groomer. I’d love to learn it all but would need to invest in a better dryer.


I give Perry a bath in the tub - I usually wear a pair of shorts and a tank top (that I end up changing afterwards  ) and sit on the edge of the tub with my feet inside the tub (easier to corral him that way) and use a bucket or the handheld sprayer. I actually don't get that wet while bathing him - it's when I take him out to dry that I end up getting the wettest.

If you're going to groom (cut) them yourself, I find it much much easier with a grooming table - you don't need a big one, I have a smaller/ portable one that turns that you set on any table. Right now it's packed away so i'm grooming him without it and I realize how much easier it is with the table


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Bella’s Mama said:


> I’ve got to be the least efficient groomer, 😂 it took me an hour because I only have a hand held pet dryer and my clothes were pretty much soaked from her standing up in the sink. I’ll follow your advice on how to work with groomer. I’d love to learn it all but would need to invest in a better dryer.


The way I deal with the enormous amount of water a little Havanese coat can hold is really unprofessional and a little wild but it works for us!

I give a “bath” in the shower with the hand shower. The shower stays warm enough that I don’t need water filled up unless I need to soak him. I have managed to stay pretty dry this way if I need to and I cover my clothes because there’s less water overall, but I don’t bother, I change afterwards. It’s not very ergonomically correct, though! I usually start out squatting and often end up sitting down. In spite of being messy, I find the mess of wet clothes I can hang dry more convenient than a soaked kitchen, but my kitchen sink is small and not very deep, I don’t have a utility sink, and my bathtub is deep and uncomfortable to lean over.

When I’m all done, I tell him to “shake, shake, shake,” or sing Shake It Off if I’m in an extra good mood, and he shakes and releases a lot of water right in the shower. I push back the big comforter on my bed and put down a pile of towels, usually bath towels that have been used once and need to go in the wash but are dry and aren’t dirty or smelly. He rubs around on those for a minute, and then I let him out and embrace his zoomies down the hall. If DD’s room is open and she has clothes sorted on the floor (it’s usually Saturday when she’s doing laundry) he loves to roll around in it, haha! Even though he leaves a trail that’s a little damp, it helps to dry him off and it doesn’t leave so much water in one place that it damages anything. Our climate is also really dry so all of those places are almost dry by the time I’m done grooming. I let him run around for about 5 minutes, just enough to wear him out. He usually has to go potty about that time, and afterwards I wrap him in a microfiber towel and hold him on my lap for 10 minutes or so before I start to dry him. It’s kind of a special time because he’s not really a lap dog but he snuggles right up on my lap after a bath. By the time I start drying him, it doesn’t take as long.

I use a traditional human hair dryer and have found a diffuser helpful. I can set down the hair dryer for a moment while it’s on and it doesn’t fly off of the table. A dryer stand is really helpful! You can use almost any hair dryer (except the one I use so I returned mine and didn’t get around to replacing it).


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> ...When I’m all done, I tell him to “shake, shake, shake,” or sing Shake It Off if I’m in an extra good mood, and he shakes and releases a lot of water right in the shower. I push back the big comforter on my bed and put down a pile of towels, usually bath towels that have been used once and need to go in the wash but are dry and aren’t dirty or smelly. He rubs around on those for a minute, and then I let him out and embrace his zoomies down the hall. If DD’s room is open and she has clothes sorted on the floor (it’s usually Saturday when she’s doing laundry) he loves to roll around in it, haha! Even though he leaves a trail that’s a little damp, it helps to dry him off and it doesn’t leave so much water in one place that it damages anything. Our climate is also really dry so all of those places are almost dry by the time I’m done grooming. I let him run around for about 5 minutes, just enough to wear him out. He usually has to go potty about that time, and afterwards I wrap him in a microfiber towel and hold him on my lap for 10 minutes or so before I start to dry him. It’s kind of a special time because he’s not really a lap dog but he snuggles right up on my lap after a bath. By the time I start drying him, it doesn’t take as long.
> 
> I use a traditional human hair dryer and have found a diffuser helpful. I can set down the hair dryer for a moment while it’s on and it doesn’t fly off of the table. A dryer stand is really helpful! You can use almost any hair dryer (except the one I use so I returned mine and didn’t get around to replacing it).


Perry dries himself off that way too - after I dry him off in the tub I lay a bunch of towels down and he rubs and rolls around in the towels. When it's warm outside that's all we do and then he air dries... when it's cold out then I wrap him in a towel and put him in his crate for a few minutes (he usually stays wrapped up  ) and then I hold him wrapped in a towel for a while before pulling out the dryer. Since he's in a puppy cut other than his ears and tail, the rest is practically dry by then (before the dryer) so it doesn't take too long to dry.

I will try the shaking off in the tub next time - though by the time the water is out he's trying to climb in my lap so not sure how it will work - but he may surprise me 

After hydrotherapy, I wrap him in a towel and rub him dry while I'm talking to his PT Dr. and then he goes into his crate in the car with a towel down. By the time we're home he's dry. The advantages of a puppy cut (that and no matting under his fleece)


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Bella’s Mama said:


> It’s almost time for Belly Bell’s second grooming appointment. She’ll be 7 months tomorrow and I’m considering to request only bath/sani/pedi. Let everything else grow before that adult coat comes in. At least I won’t be disappointed - in theory. Today, she definitely needs a bath after playing with her best buddy and I will give that brand new grooming table a try.
> View attachment 176244
> View attachment 176242
> View attachment 176243
> View attachment 176244


Very nice pictures! We had a Golden Retriever when we got our 1st Havi 15 years ago but only the Havi would 
retrieve 😆


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

I’m just amazed how everyone has a distinct way of dealing with the madness of bathing a Havanese 😂 I like the description of the bathtub method, but I have a big corner tub and the thought of keeping Bella corralled is a bit daunting but possibly doable. She is petite (not quite 8 pounds at 7 months) and I’ll make do with the sink as long as possible. I bought a few ShamWow (?) sheets and they soak up a lot of water, but it still took forever with the dryer. A dryer stand sounds like a good idea. I’ll look into that. I’ve got the portable round grooming table and love it. Air dry is not an option because Bella’s coat is pretty long already and she shivers even though the house is warm. 
About the pictures: I love playing fetch with her. Her big “bro” is a boxer/great Pyr mix and just gives her these bored “why are you chasing after sticks” looks. The two of them are hilarious together.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Bella’s Mama said:


> I’m just amazed how everyone has a distinct way of dealing with the madness of bathing a Havanese 😂 I like the description of the bathtub method, but I have a big corner tub and the thought of keeping Bella corralled is a bit daunting but possibly doable. She is petite (not quite 8 pounds at 7 months) and I’ll make do with the sink as long as possible. I bought a few ShamWow (?) sheets and they soak up a lot of water, but it still took forever with the dryer. A dryer stand sounds like a good idea. I’ll look into that. I’ve got the portable round grooming table and love it. Air dry is not an option because Bella’s coat is pretty long already and she shivers even though the house is warm.
> About the pictures: I love playing fetch with her. Her big “bro” is a boxer/great Pyr mix and just gives her these bored “why are you chasing after sticks” looks. The two of them are hilarious together.


A corner tub could definitely be daunting! Our last house had a regular tub but 1/2 of it was closed off with a glass wall and our current tub has an old fashioned sliding panel - so 1/2 the length is already closed off and I only have to block 1/2 of it.

I have a shiverer too - Monday was Perry's hydrotherapy appointment - so he wasn't in his fleece and he's in a puppy cut. It was about 37F degrees and rainy here and mister dramatic was sitting on my lap shivering like you wouldn't believe (video to come once it uploads!) - you would have thought it was minus 20F.

Perry's shivering dramatics (please note that this is because he wasn't wearing his fleece and had to walk on the cold/ wet ground for 3 minutes and then sit inside the car with the heater turned on in 37F weather):
20211115_150909.mp4


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Bella’s Mama said:


> I’m just amazed how everyone has a distinct way of dealing with the madness of bathing a Havanese 😂 I like the description of the bathtub method, but I have a big corner tub and the thought of keeping Bella corralled is a bit daunting but possibly doable. She is petite (not quite 8 pounds at 7 months) and I’ll make do with the sink as long as possible. I bought a few ShamWow (?) sheets and they soak up a lot of water, but it still took forever with the dryer. A dryer stand sounds like a good idea. I’ll look into that. I’ve got the portable round grooming table and love it. Air dry is not an option because Bella’s coat is pretty long already and she shivers even though the house is warm.
> About the pictures: I love playing fetch with her. Her big “bro” is a boxer/great Pyr mix and just gives her these bored “why are you chasing after sticks” looks. The two of them are hilarious together.


Well, here's my take but I've definitely been teased for it. My kids are bathed with me. I put on my swimsuit and get in the tub with them. I also use a diaper warmer for the shampoo and conditioner. Cotton's hair is sparse so he shivers very easily. I use my medication voice and work slowly. Of course I don't have toddlers and young kids pounding the door anymore. I have them run around the house chasing balls and then get a warm towel from the dryer and wrap them in it for a few minutes. Of course then I have to brush them out before using the hair dryer. 
Yes, it's unusual but it works for us😋


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

Our poor Miss Bella seems to be our “live and learn” Havanese. We’ve been letting her hair grow ever since that first grooming experience. The second grooming (which was minimum service like sanitary) turned out great. She was so fluffy and adorable. We’ve put clips in her bangs so she could see. Then we tried the top knot… on the second day, she was with my husband who called me saying she was really puny and he didn’t know what was wrong. Well, we soon figured out that she had managed to tear a large chunk of hair off the top of her head, so bad that there’s a scab. We have no clue how it happened. I feel awful about the whole thing. No matter who I ask, they all say the hair might not grow back 😮 No more top knots for Miss Bella.


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Bella’s Mama said:


> Our poor Miss Bella seems to be our “live and learn” Havanese. We’ve been letting her hair grow ever since that first grooming experience. The second grooming (which was minimum service like sanitary) turned out great. She was so fluffy and adorable. We’ve put clips in her bangs so she could see. Then we tried the top knot… on the second day, she was with my husband who called me saying she was really puny and he didn’t know what was wrong. Well, we soon figured out that she had managed to tear a large chunk of hair off the top of her head, so bad that there’s a scab. We have no clue how it happened. I feel awful about the whole thing. No matter who I ask, they all say the hair might not grow back 😮 No more top knots for Miss Bella.


Oh my gosh Bella's Mama I'm so sorry! Pleeeease try to release all guilt on your part. Jodie is almost 3 and I've kept her hair semi-long and in top knots, or occasionally, pig tails. She's had some interesting mats at times and has pulled a few chunks out along the way. She and Cotton play pretty vigorously sometimes. She has a "lot" of hair and there has never been an issue with it growing back. We can go down a number of biological/follicle rabbit holes but I say don't worry just yet.
I hope Bella is feeling better now. Dogs are quite sensitive and pick up on our stress hormones easily. If you were a bad dog mama you would not be on this forum seeking information and support. A scab may be visually disconcerting but it helps protect the skin from infection. I have no doubt that Bella still loves you and is happy and healthy in her new family and forever home 💖
I know it's hard to be patient with our fur (hair) babies health but I'm pretty certain Bella is not going to have a glaring bald spot on her head. These things happen with dogs and it is absolutely not a negative reflection on you. Please keep us posted on her progress❣

This is Jodie's top knot, sorry it's so large. My choice is this or microscopic.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

What a gorgeous picture of Jodie! By the time we figured out what was wrong with Miss Bella, she was fine again. She had behaved like she did after getting vaccinated: just cranky and wanted to be left alone. I just feel so bad because she looks like a little monk. Okay, I’m exaggerating but it is quite obvious. I’m hoping for the best  I would like to know what I might have done wrong. Was the band too tight? Should I stick with little clips? Do you supervise a lot while Jodie sports her pretty look?


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Bella’s Mama said:


> Our poor Miss Bella seems to be our “live and learn” Havanese. We’ve been letting her hair grow ever since that first grooming experience. The second grooming (which was minimum service like sanitary) turned out great. She was so fluffy and adorable. We’ve put clips in her bangs so she could see. Then we tried the top knot… on the second day, she was with my husband who called me saying she was really puny and he didn’t know what was wrong. Well, we soon figured out that she had managed to tear a large chunk of hair off the top of her head, so bad that there’s a scab. We have no clue how it happened. I feel awful about the whole thing. No matter who I ask, they all say the hair might not grow back 😮 No more top knots for Miss Bella.


Please don’t feel bad. We all live and learn. My Mia hates top knots. I am sure she would be completely bald if I used them. Of course then I would not need them…


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

i think there’s hope it will grow  I wonder if maybe she was actively trying to get it out since it was new. When you start doing them again, I would say supervise her with topknots until she’s used to them. You could try putting them in right before playtime so she’s distracted from it and then tire her out so she naps with it in. Maybe view it as a collar and don’t leave her alone anywhere it could get caught? I know they take them out when mine goes to daycare because they can get accidentally pulled by other dogs.

You could definitely try the soft nylon or terry hair bands, which come out more easily and might be more comfortable, but I don’t think it was the hair band itself. The whole topknot was probably caught. So many of us do them, and it happens so rarely, please don’t feel like you did something wrong.


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Good point EvaE1izabeth. I began with small amounts of hair several times a day at first. The bands (Amazon) EvaE1izabeth referenced are below. They come out easily if it gets caught on anything or roughed up during playtime. Getting Jodie to where she is now was a process. I'm amazed how tolerant she is these days.
A wonderful benefit has been the bonding experience. I took it slowly and talked in a low soothing voice and told her what a good little princess she was-even when she was impatient😋 I didn't realize that even when she didn't like it she was still feeling more and more bonded. I forgot the after picture yestereay. It's a good example of what she does to her hair😆 The second photo is Jodie as a puppy. I made her hair go forward to hide the uneven blotch where she pulled it out. Obviously she recovered just fine.
*120PCS Baby Hair Ties, Cotton Toddler Hair Ties for Girls and Kids, Seamless Hair Bands, Elastic Ponytail Holders (Diameter 1 Inch and Assorted Colors) by Nspring*


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

The problem with Mia is that she LOVES rolling around with her head. It is a crazy move she has done since she was little. I used to think she maybe had an ear infection or something but that is not it. She loves doing this and then finishes by flipping over on her back and scooting around with her paws making a weird paddle motion. Perhaps this is completely bizarre but she seems to enjoy it and she does it when she is in a super good mood. I believe a top knot would be very uncomfortable while doing this and would wind up tearing some hair out!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Jaja, you’re such a fantastic groomer! I’ve missed you, and I thought every bit of your advice was wonderful. I love your before and after pictures of Jodie because your “before” pictures are still so neatly wild, like model beach hair! Sundance’s hair gets gross in two minutes if it’s not pulled back, I don’t think it ever looks like that!


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

I bought the bands that Karen had recommended. I should not have done a top knot on a day Bella went to the office and I couldn’t supervise. If and when the hair grows back, I might cut bangs or use clips for short periods of time. Thanks,everyone, for making me feel a little better.


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

mudpuppymama said:


> The problem with Mia is that she LOVES rolling around with her head. It is a crazy move she has done since she was little. I used to think she maybe had an ear infection or something but that is not it. She loves doing this and then finishes by flipping over on her back and scooting around with her paws making a weird paddle motion. Perhaps this is completely bizarre but she seems to enjoy it and she does it when she is in a super good mood. I believe a top knot would be very uncomfortable while doing this and would wind up tearing some hair out!


Cotton and Jodie do that all the time and we still crack up-every time.


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## Bella’s Mama (Sep 30, 2021)

The big bald spot is no more, thankfully. We are trying a Velcro top knot that should come out easily should she get it caught.


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Bella’s Mama said:


> The big bald spot is no more, thankfully. We are trying a Velcro top knot that should come out easily should she get it caught.
> View attachment 176663


Sooo ka-yute❣


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

JaJa said:


> Sooo ka-yute❣


😆 What is that, a new dog breed?


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

DogFather said:


> 😆 What is that, a new dog breed?


It's just my silly way of saying cute. So, Ricky is soooo ka-yute❣

*kayute*

the way a cool girl says cute, first used by faye <3 cool dude: look at this pictures of my dog!k cool chick: hah, kayute.


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