# Time to Visit the Groomer



## PNWAlan (Oct 9, 2018)

Skye is almost 6 months old now and I guess it's finally time for a trim. He did go for an intro visit to the groomer at around 13 weeks, but they just did bath, face and feet trim, and clipped his nails. 

I want to keep his fur fairly long. Every time we talk about getting him groomed I look at him after a brushing and think there is nothing I want to change. But now he is looking a bit shaggy.

I have only talked with a groomer the one time we took him. Our only other dog was a Husky so grooming consisted of constantly combing out piles and piles of undercoat. I was the only person in the world that he allowed to touch his feet! So I really don't know how to ask for him to be trimmed. If the scale is a "1" for a Teddy Bear cut and "10" for a full show coat I guess we want a 7 or 8. Do I have to ask for a scissor cut only and no clippers allowed? How do I politely tell them I will be a raging bull if he comes back shorn?

BTW I think he is just starting to lose his puppy coat. I get just a tiny bit of hair out of the comb and slicker after his daily brushing. Karen mentioned that Kodi's coat is "light and airy". Skye's is much the same. I would call the white almost "wispy". The black has a bit more body. Still so light that I don't have to layer brush with the slicker. Just comb out the tangles and then when I use the slicker I can just brush front to back and top to bottom.

Just previewed this and a couple of more points. His white hair started growing much earlier and faster than the black. The black is still catching up. The part down his spine is a natural part. I comb and brush straight back from head to tail. Put him down from the grooming stand, he shakes a couple of times, and the part magically appears.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

He’s gorgeous! 

The more I see pictures like this, the more certain I am that my Hav has an undercoat! Even at his longest his coat has always been so dense that it puffs out, but I’m pretty certain it’s not cottony. It’s just too dense to get any kind of part like that. 

I’ve decided my new goal in finding a groomer is finding someone who is okay with how picky I am and doesn’t take it personally. There are so few Havanese in my area, I feel like my best chance is to relax and know it might not be exactly what I want the first time, but I can give someone a chance to learn on my dog. I’m not sure how to find someone like that prior to an appointment! My guess is personal recommendation and then take pictures. To me it’s the difference between the ears being not quite the right shape but knowing we’ll try something different next time vs. someone shaving between his eyes, which has been done by multiple groomers when I’ve asked them not to. 

Around the holidays I made an appointment for grooming at a new place and when I went in I asked for him not to be clippered at all. They told me they don’t do full scissor cuts but they’d do a “perimeter trim,” which is basically cleaning everything up and is a little more of a trim than a puppy cut but a little less than a full cut. I think they just didn’t have someone with the skill and speed to do it. It might be something to ask about it it’s a brand new groomer. Or just ask for a very conservative amount to be taken off this time - you can always do more next time!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

It's totally up to you, but if you aren't bothered by grooming him, I'd leave his coat alone. I love long coats on Havanese. He looks beautiful!


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## Ditto's Mom (Apr 29, 2007)

Skye looks just beautiful. I like longer coats too!:smile2:


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

I think his coat is gorgeous! Looks so soft and shiny. I wish Willow's hair would lay flat and smooth like that. I think she must be a little curlier than some havanese. She always looks a little "unkempt" except when just back from the groomer.


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## PNWAlan (Oct 9, 2018)

Skye sends a big "Thank You" for all your nice compliments. Just to keep him from getting too full of himself I held him up and showed him Kodi's picture and told him "See, you could look more like that if you tried" :laugh2:

I have an appointment for a trim on Tuesday. When I called to schedule at Petsmart they said they only have three groomers that have worked with Havanese and that do scissor cuts. Will talk with the groomer when we go in and let her know what I want. Will let her know to always err on the side of leaving his coat too long rather than cutting too much. For better or worse will post a pic or two after.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Skye looks just perfect! He is adorable! It looks like he was just groomed. 😊


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## PNWAlan (Oct 9, 2018)

Well, we made it! I thought she could have trimmed just a tad bit more, but I guess I drilled so hard on "don't cut too much" during discussion that she was a little intimidated. She did a good job of trimming and blending in the shaggiest parts on his front shoulders and rear legs. That is what I was mainly interested in. His paws look much better. They were pretty ragged looking from my wife and I trying to trim them. She cleaned up around his eyes nicely without shaving his muzzle. Sanitary done nicely without a big bullseye. So all is good. :whoo:

I wish I could teach him how to pose. Whenever I take a pic he always stands with his back hunched up and his tail down. :frown2:


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## HavaneseFloof (Jan 1, 2019)

OMG SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Oooooh!!! Bless my heart!! <3 <3


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## LeahM (Mar 25, 2019)

*good grooming!*

They did a good job! I have not been successful in getting a groomer not to shear mine. What did you have to tell them to get this result? The last time I told them I wanted his hair to still be at least an inch long. He came back with 1/4 inch. Looked just like a poodle. I don't know if they forgot what I said or didn't care. Did you show them picture examples of what you wanted? I'm thinking of trying that next.

Thanks,
Leah


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## Melissa Woods (Feb 21, 2019)

Omg SO CUTE! Before AND after!!!


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## PNWAlan (Oct 9, 2018)

LeahM said:


> They did a good job! I have not been successful in getting a groomer not to shear mine. What did you have to tell them to get this result? The last time I told them I wanted his hair to still be at least an inch long. He came back with 1/4 inch. Looked just like a poodle. I don't know if they forgot what I said or didn't care. Did you show them picture examples of what you wanted? I'm thinking of trying that next.
> 
> Thanks,
> Leah


Well she had worked with Havanese before so that helped. Told her if a Teddy Bear cut is a "1" and a Havanese show coat is a "10" I plan on keeping him at a 7 or 8 after he blows his puppy coat. Also said any time she had to decide on cut or not to always err on the side of leaving it longer. I can kinda understand your experience. With your beautiful pup's pure white coat they probably tried to turn him/her into a Bichon. :crying: I did tell her "No clippers except on his tummy" scissors only!

He has some really long white hair rooted just at the back of his head. I talked to her about blending that in and she was concerned that if she tried to blend that in nicely it might leave a "dip" as the rest of his coat in that area grows. She suggested to let it be for a while and see what it looks like the next time we go in. So I felt she really understood what I wanted.


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

Such a pretty boy. He looks beautiful.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

He looks so great! The best part is you know you’ve found a groomer you can keep going back to


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

He looks absolutely adorable! 😍


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## PamelaNaples (Sep 5, 2014)

I have a black and white little girl with an all black face too. When Lily turned 4 her white fur on her back and hips became mixed black and white, so it’s now gray! She is still white on the collar around her neck and on her feet. I was surprised at the change. I still have not found a good Havanese groomer in west LA! I’m being patient. Being disabled, I require a mobile groomer!


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## Oreo2018 (Dec 10, 2018)

He looks just like my Oreo :smile2:


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## Riki (Feb 21, 2019)

Your boy is gorgeous! Finding a good groomer is a bigger challenge than I expected. These sweet little dogs are worth it.


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