# Washing Heads and Faces



## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Okay, what's the trick. I have the hardest time washing the girls' heads and faces. Do you cover their eyes with a hand? What's the best trick for keeping water out of their ears? 
I can bathe my girls and their bodies look great but their faces look just barely clean. I haven't figured out how to really get them clean because I'm too busy trying to hold a head, cover eyes and ears etc. At the same time, they are busy trying to keep their heads as far away from the water as possible.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Yeah, I'd like to know how to do this better, too!

Sheri


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## havaone (Mar 25, 2008)

My vet suggested putting cotton balls in the girls' ears to keep water out. I'll admit I haven't tried this yet; I have my husband trained to bathe the pups, so that's become his "job". :biggrin1:


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I put cotton in Tucker's ears, but the better I wash his face, the wetter the cotton gets, even thought I try to keep the water out.

Sheri

P.S. How'd you get your husband to do that?! I'm impressed!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

No cotton. Puppy tearless shampoo and scrub everything good. Lather from the tearless shampoo doesn't bother them at all. Use a big plastic measuring cup to scoop water up out of a large container and pour it over the head and on both sides of the nose. The important part is to keep it out of the nose since their instinct is to raise their head and point the nose straight in the air. Even a little water down the nose will cause them to gag. Keep the pouring cup close to the side of the nose as you pour and anticipate the nose going up. Ears are just rinsed down from the top.

We still do this on our adult dogs too because the noise and pressure from the spray is uncomfortable to them and you can really get a lot more volume of water to rinse in less time with the pour. You need the large container so you can scoop it up quickly without having to wait for the faucet to fill it or to get the temperature right.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Tom, that's pretty much how I was my boys' faces and muzzles. I've never used cotton, just dont' think of it, but I'm careful about where the water goes. They do get some in their eyes, but I wipe it off with my fingers and just get through it quickly, but calmly. 

For temporary cleanups, I use a wet paper towel and comb their muzzle/beard. I find it actually helps to let whatever is on there dry up and it combs out like dust.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Tom, what do you do when water gets in the ears? I can't imagine how you'd NOT get water in their ears...you have to wash the underside of the ears, and below the ear....? Or do you not wash those parts?

Serhi


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## havaone (Mar 25, 2008)

"P.S. How'd you get your husband to do that?! I'm impressed!"

Praise, praise, praise!!! My husband volunteered to bathe the girls one day. Afterwards, I made comments like, "How do you get them so clean? They look sooooo much better after you bathe them than when I do!!!" It only took three times doing this, then he decided he was just going to bathe them all the time. Don't I wish the girls were that easily trained..:biggrin1:


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

To rinse the inside of the flap just fold the ear out, hold your thumb over the hole and let the water just run down the flap. Water isn't poured down from the top with the ear folded out and open. Really, with pouring, a lot of water goes all around the ear leather anyway and rinses the under side pretty good. We clean the inside of ears on the table with cotton balls and ear cleaner. If they get a few drops in their ears it will come out when they shake. For final rinse all over after spraying, the dog is put back into one of the containers with clean rinse water-the same one we scoop out of- and more water poured over their head with a smaller beaker while they stand in the water.

Notice the different sizes of "measuring cups" we use sitting under the faucet. The two bins to the right are soap and rinse.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Okay, thanks....

Sheri


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Thanks, Tom. That's how I've been washing my two. Also, ever since I took some advice on bathing, it's been going a lot smoother. I don't lather the dogs, but I fill up the sink, adding the shampoo and then pour the water over them. It is much easier and quicker to do it this way. I also dilute the conditioner and pour it over them, working it into the hair.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

irnfit said:


> Thanks, Tom. That's how I've been washing my two. Also, ever since I took some advice on bathing, it's been going a lot smoother. I don't lather the dogs, but I fill up the sink, adding the shampoo and then pour the water over them. It is much easier and quicker to do it this way. I also dilute the conditioner and pour it over them, working it into the hair.


You can put the conditioner in the water and float the dog also. Works great!
For the ears you can do one side of the head with a finger in the ear to keep the water out, then do the other side. They also sell drying agents for after baths for the ears


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I agree with Tom, but just wanted to add that instead of buying puppy tearless shampoo, I just use Johnson's Baby Tearless shampoo (just for the face) and it works well.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Jan, I would do that with the conditioner, except the kitchen sink isn't deep enough. So I just pour it over them, slowly, working it in and it seem to work out fine. My next project would be to put a wash tub in the basement for them.


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## Olliesmom (Sep 29, 2006)

DITTO - TEARLESS SHAMPOO FOR THE HEAD!


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## CinnCinn (Mar 30, 2007)

Thank you for this thread, and Thank You Tom for the answers. This has been a challenge for since I got the pups.


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## Perugina (May 28, 2008)

I told my groomer about floating the coat and she said "but how do you get the head?". I guess having the water high enough so they would have to keep their head up would float the beard and part of their ears(not sure if the water would get in their ears). I'm guessing you still would have to pour the solution over their head. Does anyone put drops of mineral oil in the eyes before baths?

I have found that spraying the beard with detangler helps loosen the gunk on Sophies face. I then use a wet washcloth and a fine tooth comb. My groomer applies clear mouthwash with a q-tip and flea comb on the tear stains. It gets rid of the bacteria smell.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Hi Susan,

It has helped a lot when I got a new kitchen sink faucet that has an adjustable volume spray. My old one would revert to no-spray when the volume of water dropped down too low. This one stays on spray. Even Lincoln will now tolerate having his face sprayed down with the lower volume spray. (It was ridiculously expensive to get this feature though. Since I do my own grooming, bathings, etc. I justified the expense somehow...)

If I just have to wash the face, I tie a cloth or kid's water-resistant apron around the dog's neck to keep the chest and front legs dry.

To keep water out of the ears, I use cotton balls, but I also will hold the ear flap shut over the ear hole with my thumb while I am rinsing the ears so water does not go in. That seems to work well. The cotton is just in case, but it usually stays dry!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

I forgot to mention conditioner. We used to put the conditioner in the rinse water but it worked out better to have the second bin to dip the pouring rinse water out of and to completely rinse all the soap out by dipping after spray rinsing. If you look at the picture of our dog sink you will see an insulated measuring container. Pam mixes conditioner in that with very warm water before we start washing the dog, and as the last thing before toweling, she pours that over the dog and works it in, to leave in, with her hands. Then the dog is toweled off and put under the dryer.


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## karlabythec (Nov 9, 2008)

What happens if water gets in the ears? When dogs play in pools, etc...don't they get water in their ears? I haven't really paid attention when bathing Gracie...should I be?


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Thanks everyone. Tom, your advice and the photos are invaluable. Just what I was looking for.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Karla, yes, you should pay attention. If water gets in Gracie's ear, she can get infections, and those are not fun! Either use cotton balls (they always fall off when I put them on so I don't use them) or hold her ear flap down closed with your fingers when you wash her head.


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

I also use tearless shampoo..

I wet the head first and then use a few drops on my finger tip to work into the hair below the eyes and then the muzzle,head then under the chin. Next I put a small amount on each ear and work up a lather on the top, lift the ear to make sure I get the hair underneath. When I'm ready to rinse the ears I lift one in my hand pressing the back of my hand against the ear opening to block the water. I use a spray hose on low and rinse from the top part of the ear. Then I gently squeeze the excess water and lift the ear, hold my hand over the opening and rinse around the under side. 

When I rinse the head I hold the muzzle together (so water doesn't get into their mouths and choke them) tilting it up to avoid the nose. I then I rinse the whole head and under the chin making sure the water at the ears is rinsed from the top.


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## Juniper (Aug 14, 2008)

Thanks for the good advice on this thread...I was wondering the same. Also, I just want to say that I also told my hubby he was quicker and better at bathing and he is now the official bather. I do all the brushing and blow drying, but he does the wet part. Try it ladies...it works.


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

In the grooming book (From Nose to Tail) there are good pictures of how to safely use the sink spray for wetting and rinsing. When I bathe Molly, I try to do the same thing the hairdresser does in the salon...I hold the spray head right on Molly's hair and I use my hand to direct the water flow away from her inner ears and her nose and eyes...she gets a good deep rinse that way, and I kind of "wring" her at the same time. She doesn't seem to mind it at all (and she LOVES it when I spray her belly!)...


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

Ohhh..I'll have to get that book Maureen. THANKS!:hug:

Edit:

Ok, I Googled the book that Maureen mentioned and it's a grooming book for Havanese (Canada). If anyone is interested, here is the Web site:

http://www.havanesefanciers.com/nosetotailbook/


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

imamurph said:


> Ohhh..I'll have to get that book Maureen. THANKS!:hug:
> 
> Edit:
> 
> ...


I've learned SO much from that book, and I highly recommend it for anyone, but especially for someone who has their first Hav and needs good background info...on EVERYTHING! It's clearly written, is filled with good suggestions and explanations, and is chock-full of beautiful Hav photos!


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## EMarie (Apr 11, 2007)

ok, I might be the only person who does this but I don't worry about the water in the ears... I clean their ears out after I rinse them and the ear cleaner drys their ears out on top of me cleaning them out. I have never had one ear infection with any of mine. But that will not work for a dog who is prone to ear infections...


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

You all convinced me...I just ordered the book.


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

I am also one who just sprays their whole heads, ears and all. Then I fill the sink with water, and add the shampoo. I use a cup and pour the soapy water over their whole bodies, head/face included. Then I rinse all over.
I am just sure to dry their ears really good with a paper towel when I am done, and I hold their ears "open" with my dryer on low speed, warm air and dry their ears that way.


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

What detangler do you use? I'm just using HyLyt tearless shampoo, but my pup's only 15 weeks old and I've only bathed her once. A detangler sounds like a needed item.

Louise


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