# If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck....



## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

Ok, never thinking I could love another dog, I found myself researching all the different breeds for I could not stand being without one. What I wanted was a small, sturdy, intelligent, loves kids, easily trains *and it had to be a non- shedding dog* for my grandchildren have allergies out of the wazoo. Simple me, did not want one dog, but two puppies raise together. After months of web searching, I decided on the Havanese. They were the perfect dog!!! Let me quote "*The breed's non-shedding coat makes it suitable for allergy sufferers, but regular grooming is necessary to keep the coat in top condition."* *OH boy,* just what I want! However, none of the sites tells you, continuous, not stopping grooming, brushing, combing or you end up in Knot City! That their coats collect everything that it touches, including cut grass, mud, leaves, etc. and trust me, mine are so low to the ground they don't get a little bit dirty, they bring in half of the back yard and that is only a five minute, hurry it up outing! Lord, you should see when we go to the park. I am waiting for a certified letter, from our town, requesting I refill all the dirt, the boys took home, in their nice shinny, perfect coats!! 

After the boys turned four months, I start seeing hair everywhere they walked. Simple I, thinks they are only losing their puppy hair. Then low, behold I find this wonderful, Havanese forum web site, which I thank God I did and everyone states the Havanese do not shed, instead they blow their coats. They not only do it as puppies but twice a year, every year!!! In addition, they still lose their hair in between "blowing of the coats!" 

Hmmm, interesting 

This is what I have to say!! If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, smells like duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck. When balls of hair are blowing around on the floor like dust bunnies, hair all over my clothes (Simba coloring is white), in my food, on the furniture, in the car and this still happens after being brushed every, single day, I call this shedding!!!! 
I wrote this with humor and a smile on my face! eace: I love the boys and will brush them every day, for the next umpteen years! Their coats are beautiful. But, non-shedding??? Easy coats to manage!!! Come-on!!!


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## PepperToast (Oct 27, 2008)

Weird.

While I agree that my cottony white havanese tends to attract more dirt than the others, all 3 of mine do not shed. Even when they blow their coats. I still have to brush the hair out of them. The only time if find stray hairs are when I find a clump that a fellow havanese has pulled out during an overly enthusiastic play session. Seriously. No shedding here. A bit of hair when I brush weekly. 

Interesting :suspicious:

Meeka


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## LynneOvington (Oct 6, 2008)

*Not a duck?*

This is an interesting thread to develop. It will be helpful learn about the various degrees of shedding and coat blowing that others have experienced. Zorro is my first Havanese and I've only had him 6 months, but he sheds very little and hasn't blown a coat yet. I can brush him pretty hard and get less hair off the brush than if I used it on my head. I don't see any of his hair on furniture and very little on his bedding (or mine). I wonder if climate and temperature changes play a role in degrees of shedding? We live in Texas and don't have very cold winters. I would certainly agree that the Havanese coat (at least when worn long) takes daily maintenance and avoidance of anything on the ground that will stick in their fur (like our dead winter grass, for example, lol). Zorro is definitely a velcro dog. Everything sticks to him (and he sticks to me). Here's Zorro (still shaved from a trip to the vet that he'd like to forget about) after a play date with my neighbor's dog.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

What I found is that once I got my 2nd Hav, then I saw way more hair on the floor. When they play, they rip each others' hair out - biting each other, rolling, chasing, etc. :biggrin1:


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## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

Oh my gosh, I am amazed! Simba and Bailey leave hair everywhere they go and it's not from pulling each others out. Does it have anything to do with their age? Now I am confused, for I know I read threads, where other Hav's hair is constantly shedding. They were even comparing pictures of what each one got out on a daily bases! Maybe I am in luck and this is just because their only a year old! That would make me very happy!!! Lynne, I could duplicate that picture with the boys! Zorro is a cutie and glad you did the sword fighting in the signature!!!


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

Ever notice how the hair looks like miniature tumble weeds on the floor?


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## HavaBaloo (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Colleen, glad you started this thread it is interesting indeed...I suspect that every Hav is different, but the only hair I have found around my house is on Baloo's brush, some days hardly any and other more. 

I did not realize they blew their coat twice a year, from some of the information I have found I thought the "blowing coat" stage (changing his puppy coat into an adult coat) happened when they are around a year old. 

I would be interested in seeing who's hav's have blown coat twice a year or not.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

Strange to me because we don't have any shedding and Cicero is just ending his first blowing coat that I have know of and he is 16 months old. We don't have hair on the floors, furniture, or clothes. He has a satin pillowcase over his crate liner and you never see hair on it. I have to brush the loose hair out and there was very very little of that till he started blowing coat. I truly feel he is non-shedding. I've also heard and thought they only blow coat twice in their life. We do call him Hoover a lot because he does bring in dead grass, leaves and twigs...but they usually brush out fairly easy.


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## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

Renee, Yes, they do look like tumble weeds. Does yours shed all the time, I keep lint rollers in business!


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Tucker doesn't seem to shed, either. I brush him every day and get hair out of the bruch, but his hair doesn't show up on the couch, bed, or my clothing. Now, the cat!! Wow, she gets hair all over the place, and sometimes I think Tucker's coat even pick it up a bit. 

Tucker also attracts thread, leaves, sticks, flower petals, stickers, bark....hence, the nifty little outdoor garment that I had made to fit him for when we head to the mountains this summer! :biggrin1:

He may not be thrilled to wear it, but he's going to love being able to snuffle around the prairie dog town to his heart's content for the first time ever!


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Oh, and I believe the norm for blowing coat is twice per lifetime. (I hope, I hope...!!)


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## Lilly's mom (Aug 10, 2007)

I also keep lint rollers in business. ound:Lilly has the cottony coat and I wonder if perhaps that has to do with the amount of hair we find on us and every where else? She is almost 2 and a half has "blown coat" twice and if she goes more than 3 days with out being brushed I am in for it. :frusty: Do the Havs with the silky type of coat lose hair less often? As I understand it a breed that truely sheds its coat does so only in the spring as they are losing their winter coat. I have a German Shepherd mix and a Chow mix and I can tell you about shedding and they are NOT allowed in the house. :jaw: So my question is for those who own silky coated havs do you find hair on your clothes? and everywhere else?


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## havaone (Mar 25, 2008)

Katrina, it's funny you asked that because my situation is just the opposite of what you're asking. Olivia has the cottony white hair, and I don't find it anywhere except when I'm brushing her. Havanna has the silky hair, and I find it EVERYWHERE! She sleeps on a pillow at night and in the morning, the pillowcase is covered with black hair. That said, though, Havanna's hair is MUCH easier to take care of than Olivia's!


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

Well my two guys don't shed at all. I don't even recall them blowing coat really. The worst I have is brushing them out every other day. When I brush them I do get hair on the brush but that's the only place. Nothing floating around on my floors and I have two Havs that are play fighting constantly.


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## cjsud (Oct 26, 2008)

Wow I have never had any hair on me or the furniture from Hobbes but he is pretty curly. I too was looking for a dog that shed very little after having a brittany that left the tumble weeds everywhere. When I first started looking I went to visit a King Charles Caviler sp? and man did that little guy leave me coated with hair just from picking him up.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Pixie doesn't shed at all. Funny, because I was just thinking the other day that my daughter and I shed all over the house and the dog doesn't !!
She's almost 11 months and just slowing down on the blowing coat-it's sooo much easier all of a sudden for some reason. I have accepted that brushing and grooming her daily is just something that has to be done, period -and she's not even in a full coat like many of the dogs are on this forum.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Colleen, I think it's important to bring this up, because the impression is that Havs don't <shed>, but rather, lose their hair into their coats that you then need to brush out. I know that's the case with many Havs, but like you, I do find fine hair on all our cushions, floors, bedding and clothes, though not so much that it really shows on the clothes. Our couch cushions are full of fine, black hair!! :frusty:

In that thread someone mentioned, started by Dale, you can see how much hair comes off my guys and that is every other day, more if I wait longer to comb them. I sometimes wear an apron to groom them, but either way, my clothes are FULL of very fine hair and I have to change afterwards.

So ..... like many other things about the Havanese, it just depends on which kind you get --- shedding or non-shedding! :biggrin1:

Of course, it's NOTHING like the cats in our house, so I'm very grateful !


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## Lunastar (Feb 9, 2009)

Zoey seems to "shed" less than Bella who has the curly cottony coat. Zoey is like silk. That said, I remember researching the breed and reading that Havs don't have fur so they don't Shed that they have hair. I remember thinking well I have hair and I shed, so I expected some tumbling weeds. I think hypoallergenic is more about dander than fur. So far even with the shedding the girls have not bothered anyone's allergies.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Mine don't shed. I've been through the BC stage with both of them...pure torture for all of us. When I brush them, I get way more hair out of Shelby (smoother coat) than from Kodi (cottony coat). Since I've been using the buttercomb, I find it doesn't pull out as much hair as other combs, but it does get out the mats. Thanks Marianne for convincing me to get it at Westminster.


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

*Blowing Coat*

Thanks for bringing the subject up. I have seen many mentions of blowing coat but was unsure what it meant. I too was delighted to have an animal who doesn't shed. Murphy is 7 months old and I wear alot of black. Murphy doesn't or at least hasn't shed. He is very white on most of his body and very cottony but also as non-shedding as I expected. I have a very bad case of IWAP so maybe with the second one I will see more hair but at this point I think #2 is years off cause DH says no way!


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## LynneOvington (Oct 6, 2008)

LOL! I love Tucker's outfit (possibly more than he does from the expression on his face!) That should be a staple at the Havanese store!! ound:, eace:


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## LynneOvington (Oct 6, 2008)

*Why the shedding differences in Havs?*

OK, here's another theory. What if food allergies are causing the shedding? We adopted (or he adopted us...) a stray "mutt" several years ago. He had been abandoned, or run away, and was malnourished. He didn't shed at all for the first week or two and I thought, "what a great coat, he's a keeper." Well, after we got him back into shape and good health, he started shedding and scratching constantly. He and our golden retriever shed enough to make Texas tumbleweeds look puny. To make a long story short, the stray "Kobe" went to live with our daughter in Colorado, the Golden has passed away, and I got Zorro (el duderino, for you Big Lebowski fans). In researching the BEST foods for little Zorro, I learned about canine food allergies from an over zealous PetsMart employee. I called the daughter, and suggested a new food for Kobe (Eukanube sensitive skin), she switches to this, and low and behold his shedding and itching decreasing significantly. So...maybe some degree of shedding by supposedly "non-shedding" breeds could be attributed to food allergies? What do y'all think about that?

P.S. My mom had a Cavallier King Charles Spaniel -- and he shed like crazy, and I don't think it had anything to do with food.


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## Maxmom (Jul 22, 2008)

My boys don't leave any hair anywhere, thank goodness, but when I brush and comb them in my lap, I do get the lint roller and rob over myself to remove loose hair. 

They both do require daily brushing. Not Max, so much, after blowing coat once. Cooper is blowing coat now and I just took him to the groomer. I'm going to try my best to keep up with the mats so he doesn't enter Knot City.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

When this thread first started I wondered if it was maybe the food also that could cause more hair loss. I mostly cook for Cicero :frusty: and DH can get him to eat some kibble "if" he pretends he is eating it also. ound: I do think one thing that has helped Cicero's coat is my vet told me to put some corn oil in his food and it seems like his hair is not as dry as before. He has a cotton coat and the white hair is dryer than the black which is more silky. This is a breed like no other!!!


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## suzyfrtz (Nov 12, 2007)

Cazzie doesn't shed. His coat is silky and wavy. I keep him in a puppy cut. I can put him on my lap, wearing my black slacks and he doesn't shed a bit. 
Neither does he attract dirt, except he will of course, pick up burrs. 
He blew his coat once when becoming an adult and grooming was a chore, with little balls of fur that needed combing out. 
Chelsie, my coton, has cottony hair that attracts more dirt and yard debris. While I wouldn't say she actually sheds, she might leave a few white hairs on my black slacks.
I have had golden retrievers and daschunds - they SHED! Hair everywhere, yes, even little black daschund hairs. My mom's rat terrier leaves a pool of hair wherever she lays. Not so with my furfaces. No worries here about hairs getting into the salad that aren't mine! 

Suzy


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

LuvCicero said:


> I do think one thing that has helped Cicero's coat is my vet told me to put some corn oil in his food and it seems like his hair is not as dry as before. He has a cotton coat and the white hair is dryer than the black which is more silky. This is a breed like no other!!!


I also add oil to Bugsy's home cooked and raw diets, but I mostly use either olive oil of flax seed oil. Does corn oil work better or is better for them???


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## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

Did you ever wonder, if they call any small dog, no matter what hair color, and their hair can be wavy, straight, curly, cottony, silky, thick or thin and doesn't resembled any other breed, a Havanese? J/k j/K!! Neither of the boys show any signs of allergies. I feed them the raw madallions that I partially cook with fresh cooked chicken or beef and the ZiwiPeak Healthy Daily Cuisine. Bailey's hair is silky and Simba is cottony and they both leave hair everywhere. Marj, after I brush them I look as hairy as they do! I am jealous of all of you who have non-shedding or coat blowing hair balls! Hopefully, I am wrong and this will all go away someday! One thing, we do all have in common though, is these furbabies have weaved themselves so deep into our hearts and lives and they not only bonded with us, but have created so many wonderful friendships within this forum. I love Tuckers outfit and hope he has a blast wondering all over the place! 

Tonight DH and I went and bought a new canon camera and a few other things, on the way home we stopped at Red Lobster to get something to eat. When we came out of the restaruant, the trunk of my car was open and all my packages were gone. I must have hit "trunk" on the remote by accident before going in. It is not worth turning into home insurance for we have a $500.00 deductible. Needless to say I am bummed. DH said "maybe it was stolen for a reason" Yea, it was....who ever got it will have great pictures!


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

Julie, I think you are doing better with the oils health wise, but Cicero would not touch the olive oil and when I told my vet I had tried for the dry hair she told me to try corn oil..that it was a "good" oil also. I had used corn oil with my Pom for 17 years (beautiful coat) but thought the olive oil would be better for him. For me...it's a matter of getting him to eat a little of the one he will eat.

Colleen...I'm so sorry about your camera being stolen. I would be sick and I'm sure you are also. The reason it was stolen is there are bad people in this world!!


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

This is interesting. Gryff is all cotton and he doesn't shed much at all. I will occasionally see a "tumbleweed", but no hair on the bed, furniture, etc.

He is going to be 2 next month and has blown coat twice. I pray to the heavens above that he is all done with that because if he blows coat again, I'm shaving him down to nothing and not even going to attempt to keep up with it.

He also gets EVERYTHING caught in his coat. I love to take him hiking, but it is really a huge ordeal trying to get all the branches and leaves out of his coat before I bathe him. I usually hike with my neighbor and her sheltie and the just magically wipes all the stuff off Maggie. That part is a huge pain in the butt.

Colleen - that is really awful about your packages. Did you pay with a credit card? If so, call and tell them what happened. They might reimburse you.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Great thread, Colleen! So sorry about the theft of your camera. Just when you think the world is better, you realize there are still a lot of unconscionable people out there. Doubt they will be using the camera . . . will be selling if for $$ and whatever nasty habits they have.

As far as shedding, Jackson has a very thick cottony coat in certain areas, and silkier than others. His coat picks up everything in the yard as well . . . right now we call him ''pollen puppy" since he is covered in oak tree thingies every time he steps outside. 

He seems to have a lot of little microscopic hairs that I find in the house stuck to things. I have noticed when I comb or brush him, that right much can come out if it has been a day or two since the last brushing, and I finally figured out where some of the hair was coming from. When I brush, sometimes some of the hairs will be loosened, but will not come all the way out on the brush. I figured this out one day when I saw little loose strands of hair hanging off of Jackson after his grooming. I'm sure after he rubbed around on the furniture, they eventually came out and stuck somewhere. Now I make a point of doing a little finger massage all over Jackson when I finish to make sure all the little hairs are gone. So maybe when you are brushing, there are some that are loosened that don't make it to the brush . . . they end up elsewhere!

As far as nutrition, our lab, Barrett, is almost 14, and I understand as dogs age (just like humans) that it is harder for them to absorb nutrients for their skin and coat. I put a big fish oil tablet in his food everything morning which he gobbles right up. It has made a huge difference . . . his shedding is better and his coat looks good. I know I couldn't get Jackson to eat a big pill, but I understand raw is good for the coats. My only other suggestion, Colleen, is to keep them in puppy cuts which is easier on the grooming needs and definitely produces less loose hair.


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Colleen, I am so sorry to hear about your camera. That's really terrible! Marble is 2 1/2 and has already went through 2 major BC phases. For the last 6 months, I find fifty or so hairs a day on my shirt and clothes and others around the house. He is definitely losing quite a bit, and the matts never end. I brush him daily, and he still has so many matts, I think I may permanently decide to keep him in puppy cut.  This makes me so sad because I love the fluffy Havs so much. In terms of food allergies, he had a lot of problems and was put on hypoallergenic food. The shedding did not improve. Gina


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I was using olive oil, but switched to the fish oil because everyone said it is better (omegas). Mine will not touch their food if they smell fish. It's funny, because Kodi will eat fresh salmon if I give it to him, but not the fish oil. I just saw someone on tv talking about the flax oil, so I will switch to that. I think a lot of it has to do with climate. We are dry and cold here in the winter with the heat on in the house, so more dry air. It's hot and humid in the warmer months.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

irnfit said:


> I think a lot of it has to do with climate. We are dry and cold here in the winter with the heat on in the house, so more dry air. It's hot and humid in the warmer months.


That is a good point about the dry heat in the house. I even lose hair more in the winter . . . maybe the Havs are the same way.


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## LynneOvington (Oct 6, 2008)

Colleen, so sorry about the theft of your new camera and other things from your trunk. Being robbed is such an unsettling violation of one's sense of security. If Karma works, that thief will pay for the misdeed at some point! I'll tell my daughter about adding the fish oil supplement to Kobe's food to provide more help for skin and coat, that's a great idea. I believe that most premium brand kibble has fish oil in it, but it might not be sufficient for all dogs. I would think fish oil or flax seed oil would have more health benefits than corn oil. I used to add corn oil to my golden retriever's food when he was a youngster in an attempt to soften his fur, and all it accomplished was to fatten him up, unfortunately. 

Also can someone describe the difference between "cotton" and "silk" coats on the Havanese and can one type change to the other after the first blowing of the coat?


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

That stinks about your camera and stuff!! Did you purchase with a cc'd? Some of them will replace your stuff-maybe worth a try. Did RL have a camera in the lot to see who the culprit was?
In any case, sorry it hapenned!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I find tumbleweeds and breakage from all 3 of my pups. They don't shed like other dogs (I played with a bunch of dogs at the show and right now is a horrible time of year- yucky!) but I do find little pieces on my clothes occasionally but more breakage from sticks and burrs and stuff they bring into the house (ALL THE TIME!!!) Keeping them brushed out really helps but I am a lazy groomer! Keeping my yard clean of sticks and plants helps even more.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

PepperToast said:


> Weird.
> 
> While I agree that my cottony white havanese tends to attract more dirt than the others, all 3 of mine do not shed. Even when they blow their coats. I still have to brush the hair out of them. The only time if find stray hairs are when I find a clump that a fellow havanese has pulled out during an overly enthusiastic play session. Seriously. No shedding here. A bit of hair when I brush weekly.
> 
> ...


Daisy doesn't shed either. I have to brush her to get the loose hair out of her coat or she will mat - but I NEVER find "hair bunnies" around our hardwood floors....


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

No shedding in my house either (well, not from the dogs anyway). My two ragdoll cats do enough shedding for everyone. Brady and Dugan are both in puppy cuts, but I never find either of their hair around. They can sit on my black pants and I have no problem. They have very different coats, but neither shed.

Colleen, so sorry to hear about your camera.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

I am not sure what to call it, but Bugsy doesn't shed in a traditional sence of the word. I had a GSD, an English Setter and many, many Persians now they SHED!!! With Busy it's more like loosing hairs, just like I would. While I don't see hair on my couches or his bed, I get a fair amount on myself after brushing him and my vac is always full of his hair. On the other hand my Standard don't leave any visible hair behind anywhere, and there are none of their curly hairs in my vac.


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## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks for the support of my camera being stolen. We did pay with a debit/credit card and I am going to call them first thing Monday morning. Where do you buy flex or fish oil? You can bet on my hairy, dust bunnies I am going to buy it today! Maybe they do lose hair due to lack of oil. Even though their hair is soft and fluffy, it is not shinny. Seriously, I have hair everywhere and bought the Swiffer and several other things to keep up with it. Last night there was a bag in the trunk with 2 mini lint rollers to keep in my purse. Hopefully the culprits will tape their sticky fingers together. Abbie, our 3 year old granddaughter asked for a bag of Cheeto's while in the store and they were also in the bag...today she going around saying "And, they even took my cheeto's!"


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## LynneOvington (Oct 6, 2008)

You can buy flax seeds in the grocery store (they are itty bitty little things) and flax seed oil at stores that sell health food items, or in a store's health food area. I think it's always stored refrigerated. You can buy fish oil (Omega 3) in capsules (large tablets) in the vitamin area of most grocery and drug stores. Don't know if it will decrease the shedding, but it's definitely good for health - canine or human!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

My dogs don't shed but they do leave plenty of hair around! I haven't been brushing them and will try doing that daily to see if it helps to gather the loose hairs. I've gotton used to using the large de-matting comb on the boys since Marley's blowing coat and Rufus is going through round two! I don't know where you heard about blowing coat twice a year??? I've never once heard that. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with coat type so far as whose curlier or straighter? Rufus has a conttony coat, but it doesn't grab every little twig once he got into his adult coat. Marleys coat is changeing from puppy to adult and I can't tell what he will end up with yet--it's a little silkier than Rufus. But one thing for sure is both boys have only soft waves in their coats. I see that some if you that say your dogs aren't "shedding", they seem to be the puppy cuts and the curlier dogs. Maybe the curlier hair holds loose hairs in more than straight hair does.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I feel lucky. Cicero has a cotton straight coat and even though we don't like the blowing coat stage it hasn't been too bad. I have never had to cut a mat ~ just work them lose with my fingers and gently brush them out. No shedding...you would never know a dog lived in this house because all the hair in only in the brush.


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

Oh, my DH and I both take fish oil every day as instructed by the heart doctor. I do at times cut the capsule and put it in Cicero's food...but he doesn't like it and at times I mess up his meals. I will try the flax seed oil to see if he will eat it.


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

I think the weather does make a diffrence. I didn't have lot of hair flying about when we lived in N. CA. But the long winters here on Long Island sure have made Benji and Lizzie's skin and coat dry. They eat exactly the same food and supplements they used to so I would think it is lack of moisture in the air that has had impact.


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## momma_raven (Dec 27, 2008)

Colleen, I am sorry to hear about your stolen camera and other items and hope your credit card company comes through for you. My Sasha has a cottony coat and she does not shed at all. The only time I see any hair come out of her is when I brush her and that was even when her coat was long. I wish you the best with your two angels and hope that the change in diet will help! Thank you for starting this thread I think that it is very informative especially for us newbies!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I'm sorry to read about your stolen items. What a bummer.

As for the shedding, have you ever had a shedding breed? I don't think these guys compare at all. My shedders have always needed a vacuum sweep of the carpet twice a day (or more) during shedding times. 

However, I do see a difference in how the Havanese coats hold together. My girl with the best coat (Hillary) tends to leave a lot of loose hairs around on things. My one-year old, Jubilee tends to lose a lot of hair that balls up like little dust bunnies, but she is blowing coat big-time. If I don't comb her out, it mats up quickly. Oddly enough, Mousse has the most coat and doesn't lose hairs at all except via combing.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Poornima-Good point, I think you are right about the different environment playing a big factor too. When we came to SC and it started to get cold there was the electric heat and it made Dora's coat (who always had a great coat) so dry quickly and she was rubbing and losing lots of hair. I think those long dry winters take a big toll on their coats as well. We bought a few humidifiers and that seemed to help.


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## Annie Clark (Nov 6, 2008)

*How much hair comes out when you comb?*

Nala is 3 and sometimes when I comb her I get so much hair out! Like another small dog's worth! Is this normal??? She is healthy and has a beautiful coat.

She doesn't seem to "shed" or leave hair on the rug, couch, bed etc.

Annie


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

I would say it depends on how often you comb and brush her.
None of my dogs obviously shed. I don't find hair on my clothes except when I'm holding them to groom them, but when I brush and comb them, some hair always comes out.
The more often I groom them, and the shorter their coats are, the less hair comes out, if it's been a long time, a lot of loose hair will come out.

Beverly


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## Patti McNeil (Apr 20, 2009)

Toby is only 4 months old and has a cottony coat. He doesn't shed, and I rarely even pull out much hair when I comb and brush him. He is in a teddy bear cut and we live in Texas, so his age, cut, and environment may all contribute. But no shedding here.


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## Chere (May 22, 2009)

We've had Jesse and Shadow for 10 months, we do not notice any shedding and they haven't blow coats yet. We did cut them short about six weeks ago because Shadow, in particular, had such trouble with mats. They do require a lot more grooming than we expected (we were naive) but part of the time spent is just because they were so fearful of being touched, let alone combed and brushed.  I keep waiting for the big coat blowing event...


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## Mojo's Mom (Jun 6, 2009)

Mojo is 14 weeks, and does not shed at all. I've been brushing him every other day for 6 weeks and there is almost no hair in the brush. My girlfriend has a 4-year-old dog from the same father as Mojo, and he has never shed.

Mojo is in and out of doors, in sand, unmown grass, weeds, pine needles, oak leaves and all kinds of mess, in and out of water several times a day, and he's very easy to maintain. I find his coat sheds most things easily, except for sticky or prickery seeds. Likewise, my girlfriend's older Havanese is in puppy cut and not pampered, and he's easy for her to maintain.

I had dogs before Mojo that shed heavily, and there was always fur on the floor and everywhere else. Now when I vacuum, I just can't get over it that there's NO DOG HAIR at all, and I can wear anything, carry my dog around in my arms and have not a single hair on me that didn't come off my own head. I shed more than Mojo does.

Everything I ever read on the breed before getting Mojo made it clear that these were high maintenance dogs in terms of grooming, so I've actually been pleasantly surprised how easy that has been for me.

I also had no illusions about the supposed hypoallergenic characteristics of Havanese. I am allergic to dander, not to fur or saliva, and I knew I would have problems with Mojo just as I've had to every other dog. I am allergic to him, and it's just something I accept. At least his saliva doesn't bother me, so I can have dog kisses, which I couldn't take from my last dogs. And Mojo is smaller, but that hasn't proven to make much difference. There is no such thing as a non-allergenic dog, and it's a shame people think there is. I hope your grandchildren manage well with your dogs, as there is no reason to think there won't be a problem. I am sniffing and stuffy right now.

It's news to me and to other Havanese owners I have encountered, that they "blow coat" twice a year. All I have ever heard of is that they blow a coat at about one year when their adult coats come in.

I am in Florida, but my puppy came from Pennsylvania, and the breeder says none of her dogs (and she has a bunch) shed there either.

Are you sure your dogs are truly Havanese?


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

sweater32 said:


> and everyone states the Havanese do not shed, instead they blow their coats. They not only do it as puppies but twice a year, every year!!! In addition, they still lose their hair in between "blowing of the coats!"
> 
> Hmmm, interesting
> 
> ...


Hm......I'm wondering if you have a duck because your post quacks me up. :biggrin1: Ok, now that I've had my fun, on to what you said....
Females can blow coat when they come into heat but I haven't had that problem with mine. They will also blow coat near 9-12 months and it can be a really easy time that you barely notice or it can be a time where you're screaming for coat help. Cricket went through coat change and had one little tiny tangle evey now and then. I can go 3 weeks without combing her and have no mats. Ellie went through coat change with me pulling my own hair out and as her hair got longer, mine got shorter. Ellie is silk dog lines, Cricket is 3/4 Cuban and I think genetics has something to do with it but could be wrong about that as one of Ellie's littermates had the same OMG coat change.
We never have fur on our clothing however I use a lint brush for fur on our pillows daily or I'll wake up with fur in my eyes and mouth. (Can you tell where they sleep?)
I do find fur balls floating around the floor but I also have a standard poodle
The havs get combed after their baths here and the coats are easy to manage for the most part. Getting through coat change is the challenge.


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