# Snow Balls all over the Puppy



## luchetel (Jan 15, 2007)

Hi !
I am looking for some help from the Northerners! 
Parker has not experienced snow until today! Lots of white fluffy snow- He just had such a great time playing in it!
My question is, how do you get all those little snow balls off of the hav? He was filled with them on his legs, his chest, his face- EVERYWHERE! He certainly does not like them on him once he gets inside, and I do not want him dripping on everything for hours! (I have had other dogs while growing up and all I had to do was wipe their feet and give a quick wipe to their underside and they were done)
I used a hairdryer on Parker to melt all the snow balls that are attached to him because they cannot be pulled off- What a job! And so time consuming everytime he goes out!
Any body have a quicker method? 
Thanks.
Lynn U


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

My guys love the snow too!! When it is real snowey out, I put them in sweaters that cover their armpits and part of their bellies. That helps some. We also put towels in the dryer when we head out, and when they come in we wrap them in the warm towels so it helps to melt the ice a little quicker. Unfortunately, I dont think there is a perfect answer for this problem, we end up with water from melting ice all over the house!!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Ah yes, the snowballs.....  I wonder myself what is the best method, but honestly, there isn't one! lol Yes, a sweater/jacket can help by covering up some tough areas, like the armpits where snowballs just LOVE to cling. You can put booties on as well and then you won't have to worry about paws all wet. Thing is, the Hav will most likely be wet for some time after he comes in.

I love the idea of hot towels from the dryer though! I hadn't thought of that. I can imagine that blowdrying Parker is way too time-consuming and frustrating since he'll likely be right back out there in the snow a few minutes after you're finally done!   

If you ever decide to keep Parker in a puppy cut as I might do with Ricky when he's older, then the snowball problem isn't so big. Otherwise,.... good luck!


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## dboudreau (Jan 12, 2007)

Sam loves the snow he could be out with the kids for hours. He gets coated in snow balls (pardon the pun). I put him in the laundry tub and melt off all the balls with warm water. It is alot faster, Less melting snow all over the house. I'm carefull not to rub him dry beacuse it causes more mats to form. After two days of playing in the snow, it took me about 90 minutes to brush him out last night. If anyone is interested in cording, just let them play in the snow and don't brush. I'm sure they would be "corded" in no time. Talking about brushing I use a pin comb, and a greyhound comb. And a flea comb around his eyes.


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## JimMontana (Feb 18, 2007)

Any of you Southerners may laugh at this thread,  , to hear of this northern Hav problem. Montana here. Our Minka can get huge ones, we call 'em snow dingleberries; so big that she can't move! Like one time recent, damp clingy snow, her rear quarters with multiple dingleberries the size of lemons. (I should get a photo of that.) Needless to say, she doesn't like them, gets all fussy; so I'd be interested in any posts on this.

The other day, just an inch of fresh snow, but when we left to walk a mile to my office, she started getting them right away and we didn't even make it a half city block, as I didn't want to have to drag her or carry her that far, so we turned right back home and I had to leave her home. 

dboudreau's full snow outfit photo looks like it would help some, but not sure if our Minka would resist getting into that -- she doesn't really like just putting on her little sweater pullover.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

O.k...... I'm posting a pic here that I got on a list. I don't really have permission to post it, but I didn't think it would hurt! You just HAVE to see these "snow dingleberries"! They are TOO MUCH! lmbo

I'll delete the pic in a couple of days....


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## susaneckert (Sep 7, 2006)

AWWWW poor baby !!!!!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

OMG! Poor doggie. We haven't had a big enough snowfall this winter, nut they do come in soaking wet. Last January we had just gotten Kodi and had a blizzard in Feb. That was funny - 2 ft. of snow. He was all iced up LOL


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I cant believe that person let it get that bad!! That must be very painful for the dog I let them play for a resonsable amount of time in the snow but once they start getting the snowballs where I can see them from above, I bring them in the house. THAT cannot be healthy or good for the dog!
I dont think I would leave my kids out like that - why your dog? Poor thing.


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## Rita (Jan 1, 2007)

That looks like it really would hurt! Poor baby.


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## Melissa Miller (Aug 2, 2006)

Ok Im laughing at this. I have never heard of such a problem. 
haha
Ill have to post photos of Stogie in the snow. I was so excited it started snowing, I got my camera. It didnt even stick to the ground, much less produce snow dingleberries or whatever you call them! HAHAHAHA


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Although it's bound to be uncomfortable for the dog, I know this woman wouldn't have let him get to the point of being hurt. She's a wonderful breeder and lover of Havanese. She was saying that she blowdries most of the snowballs off, towels them and off the dogs go (she has several Havs) BACK outside only to get the same way within minutes! LOL They just love the snow that much! 

I can remember when my 3 kids were small and they just wouldn't come back in the house no matter how wet their mitts were or how pink those cheeks became. lol Oh dear.... this poor little pooch.... I dunno... I don't think it's such a painful thing if they keep going back out for more.  

I think that since Ricky isn't a show dog, I'm definitely not going to keep him in a long coat next winter!! LOL


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

We don't get snow here, but I just took a trip with two of my Havs and my youngest girl had so much fun in the snow. She went into our friend's backyard for a potty break and it turned into a hilarious runlikehell(from the snow) game. She came with a lot of little snowballs on her underside too. It only took a couple of minutes to get this much:








It didn't hurt her at all. We just put her in the sink and rinsed off her underside and dried her with a towel.

She had a blast with the whole process.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Kimberly, that's hysterical!! Love the picture!! It's always a lot of fun for them, but more work for us.  sigh...... the things we do for our babies.


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## whitBmom (Nov 27, 2006)

Unbelievable, that's packing snow for you. I have not experienced this with Oreo just yet, but I remember when we used to have a Pomeranian - way back when, when I was in highschool - he would romp in the snow and do a similar runlikehell, rolling in the snow and all. Then in a matter of minutes he would come back in with clumps of snow attached to him. We would towel him off and then have to blow dry him after. Then once he was done, he would do his runlikehell in the house. I can only imagine how Oreo will be soon enough. Episodes like that are priceless, they make you laugh and I found I took myself less seriously because of my dog. I am looking forward to these wonderful experiences with Oreo too


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Marj, I think they enjoy making more work for us. It's their own personal game. LOL


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## luchetel (Jan 15, 2007)

Havtahava- I love the expression you used-"runlikehell" ! I am now understanding this to be a havanese trait! Parker does it in the snow too and looks just like your hav's picture- and then gets a blow dry whilde snoozing from exhaustion- wakes up and does the "runllikehell" game in the house! Such an interesting trait that they all have!
Lynn U


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

This is Brady after a fun afternoon playing in the snow. He loves the outdoors. It doesn't matter, snow, mud, grass, he will play in it. He just kept digging his mouth into the snow in our yard looking for his tennis ball and this is what we were left with. We call this picture of him "Snowbear".


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## Melissa Miller (Aug 2, 2006)

Brady is sooo cute! Love those gold ears. Like my Goldie! 

Here are some Joan sent me from Colorado. They are visiting friends and its snowing like crazy in Denver. It supposed to freeze here again this weekend. 
Ugggg I was getting used to the 80's.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Brady's muzzle is hilarious! That's an adorable photo.

Melissa, I can't even figure out where Cory's head is in that first photo.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

I've been admiring all the new pics of Brady in the gallery. This one is too cute!! That's how Ricky looks after each trip outside - and he must go out 20x/day at least!  Sometimes I call him 'cokehead' because of all the white stuff around his nose and face!  

I'm loving all the pics!


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## Sherman (Sep 20, 2006)

Hi, Sherman starts shivering after playing in snow for 10 or 15 minutes. When he gets ice on his legs I put him in the kitchen sink in a few inches of warm water. That melts the ice. Then I dry him with a hair dryer on warm. I admit he's a little spoiled! He always wears a coat, but he still shivers. Havanese dogs are meant to run around on sunny beaches, not play in snow. Their coats are made of hair, not fur. I feel sorry for Sherman that he has to go out in snow and ice half the year because we live so far north. I feel sorry for myself too!
Oh well, maybe the snow will stop soon.
-Carol


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## Jacklyn Weeks (Dec 23, 2007)

Lynn U,
I'm pretty close to South Salem and we got hit-up with a TON of snow last night. Whenever we take Norah out to go potty, she is convinced that the snow is evil and chases the snowflakes like there's no tomorrow. Finally when she realizes she can't get them ALL, she admits defeat and just huddles under a pile of snow by the door.


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

I find that the easiest way to snowballs off of Bogart and Brando is to put his paws in lukewarm water. The snowballs disappear in seconds. Using a blow dryer took forever. I simply put a towel on the bathroom counter, fill the sink with lukewarm water, then dip his paws in for maybe 3 seconds. All the snowballs come off. Then I just dry him as much as possible with the towel. 

You just have to make sure you don't make the water too warm. It's sort of like putting your ice cold hands in hot water...hurts like hell.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

if you are going for a walk the only area of concern is their feet getting snowballs on them. It can be painful. A remedy some people use is Pam . Spray their legs and paws and pads .


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I tried the warm towel tonight and the hair dryer. It took over twenty minutes of blowing dry and then it was nowhere near finished. Also my lap (where I was holding him) was soaked to the skin. Next time I'll just do the lukewarm water. This morning when I bathed him the snowballs came off much faster. Hope you can see how bad it was from this.


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Karen - Brady looks so much like Gryff with snow all over him.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

The first time they went out, I put them in the sink and washed off the snowballs. The second time, my Mom let them out and I was going to a Drs. appt. So she used the hairdryer, which took a long time. 

The last time they went out, I put their coats on which helped a little. But when it was time to take the coats off, it was hard to get their legs through the sleeve holes because of the snowballs. So, now they were completely soaked and a mess, and I had to get the snowballs off, so they got their baths.


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

Ivy, Gryff's new avatar could be Brady. It amazes me every time I see his picture how much they look alike.


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## Moko (Dec 11, 2007)

*Havtahava*

RLH

NOW I get it!!!!!!!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Carol, what amazes so many of us about this breed, is just how much they thrive on racing through the snow in spite of "originating" from Cuba! lol Mine can never get enough and I've given up on having dry floors here in the wintertime.


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