# HELP - I need advise on a short summer cut.



## herrick51 (Mar 4, 2008)

My boy is changing color from a little "black and tan" puppy who looked very dark black:









to the point where he's turning a silvery taupe color with a dark brown tipping:








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He is darker grey on his head and across the shoulders with lots of black and some white ticking throughout the coat. I love the dark tipping and am afraid I'll lose it all if I cut him short for summer.

He gets VERY hot in the summer; last year he spent as much time as possible spread out "doggie-froggie" with his belly smacked onto the air-co vent (blocking the cool air for the rest of us!) Seriously, he gets really overheated quickly and I think I should trim him shorter, but I LOVE his coat. Any opinions???


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## Petaluna (May 9, 2008)

oh my gosh, I can't help you there, but he is gorgeous and I can see why you are not wanting to cut him. Does his breeder have any advice on the tipping issue, and whether it would come back or be gone for good? 

I did see a product that is sort of like a cooling coat for dogs, sold by a company who makes the cool mats for them to lay on (have you tried the mats btw?). That seems like a bit of an extreme solution, though - a summer cooling vest.


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## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Brodie is beautiful . . . I like keeping them long, too, but they do seem to get mighty hot in the warmer weather. Jackson will definitely be getting a summer cut soon. I am going to try the bandana idea someone mentioned on a thread. There are lots of other ideas here:

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=8138"]http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=8138

A friend also told me you can go into the hunting section of Walmart and they sell a bandana there for less . . . my be camouflage, but that would be cute too.


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## TShot (Jan 16, 2009)

In regards to cutting the coat short to keep them cooler in the summer. I found this paragraph on the Terrificpets web site. I find it interesting that they suggest not to clip the coat very short, for it makes them hotter and that the long coat protects from heat.

"If your Havanese is not to be shown, you can keep the coat clipped short to make grooming much easier. However, keep in mind that the Havanese's coat was designed to protect him from the heat, so you should not clip his coat very short if he is to be left outdoors during hot weather, as he will actually be hotter. Though the Havanese naturally has a long and wooly looking coat, it is designed to protect from heat, not from cold, so this dog is not designed to spend long periods of time out in the cold, either. However, since most Havanese dogs live primarily indoors with their families, a short coat is far more practical."


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## Maxmom (Jul 22, 2008)

I haven't seen any black tipping that was on Max's coat return after being cut. It made me very sad.


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## Alexa (Jun 17, 2007)

just to show you the changes in my little guy.....Marley newborn-puppy-last year --- now he is getting some color back in his coat, but not enough to really show yet...it's amazing the changes they go through!!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Here are some similar pups to adults on the color page. http://www.mts.net/~mckay55/colours9A.html

I have met Morgan and was shocked at how much he changed color! My Dora lost a lot of her color at about a year but then a lot has came back. But I was too scared to cut the tips off as well so she is in coat. I have trimmed a little off her hair twice in her life cause I don't want the tips cut off


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Pixie had two spots on her back that are red with the black tips. Most of the black has been clipped. However, she has never had her ears or tail cut, so all of the tipping is still there. 
I also read about their hair not being an issue in the summer. I just couldn't keep up with the blowing coat (which seems to have slowed down at almost 11 months) and have her in a teddy cut, which I intend to keep. Brody will be beautiful clipped.

Beth and Pixie Puff


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

The progression of color change in the coat is so nice to see! I think Brody is beautiful!!!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I don't think you'll find that he will be much cooler with a puppy cut, especially since he has a lighter coat color. I live in the SF Bay Area (moderate to cool climate most of the year) and all my dogs still get hot in the summer and slow down.

Granted, the shorter coats are much, much easier to maintain, but you will lose all the tipping. I'm sorry to say that it will not grow back.


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## Maxmom (Jul 22, 2008)

Left long or cut in a puppy cut, both Brody and Marley are absolutely beautiful!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.....Keep the coat and brush! I love his coloring and you need the close contact when you are grooming your Hav. 

I am afraid, I would not stroke Dexter enough if he was in a short cut (which will....I hope never happen)


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

These pictures are my favorites if I HAVE to get Dexter cut. 

I do not know whose Havs they are, but I LOVE their cuts! 

There is a thread....it must be over 250 replies to the thread with lots of puppy cut pictures.


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## herrick51 (Mar 4, 2008)

As usual, I LOVE the feedback and support from this group. . .I don't really mind grooming Brody (although he does run to his daddy's lap when he sees the grooming kit come out!). I just felt a little guilty about keeping him in a full coat if he'd be more comfortable cut shorter. 

Since I'm sure he'd lose the beautiful dark tipping, and I love the look of his full coat, I think we'll try keeping it (and I'll be buying a cooling bandana). 

Thanks everyone,

mary and brody


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Check out this thread: http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=625 for more ideas on puppy cuts.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Do very short grooming sessions to get your Hav to love the brush. I use little short down up strokes when brushing. I treat if I have to remove a mat.


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## herrick51 (Mar 4, 2008)

Brody doesn't love to be brushed, but he gets lots of cuddling and treats (for mats), as well as a walk when we're finished, so I don't think it's a terrible ordeal for him. He actually likes the blow dryer when he gets a bath. . .it's really not that the grooming is a problem, I really mostly worried that I'm not being kind to him to keep him in full coat in the hot weather. . .and my groomer says he'd have to be scissor-cut, since his coat is too cottony to be clipped. 
He's so pretty that I think it's worth a try to keep him long. . .


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

We've made it through Arizona summers with our two in full coats. Dusty was born in AZ though, and Indie has been here since a puppy so maybe they are acclimated. They don't seem overly bothered by the heat. They also do the same as the rest of us. We go outside as little as possible during the summer. The dogs spend all their time on the tile and only go outside for potty or in the early morning or after dark.. It's similar to what most of the rest of you do in the winter.


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