# eye hair...



## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Strange title for a thread, I guess... but really, what else do you call that hair that grows RIGHT at the corners of their eyes??
It was cut back when Tillie was a puppy before I even knew how or what to do with her hair. oh and then we had a HORRID 1/2 muzzle shave, that was FUN. anywho, it is now trying to grow out and is just getting to the point where it is driving me crazy... since her hair has been cut will it ever get to the point of laying down on it's own or is it too late and it will always have to be trimmed??
ALSO, as a side note because you girls understand... we went on vacation to San Diego the end of April and when we got home I thought Tillie looked different.. took me about 30 seconds before I asked my mom ... "did you CUT her EARS?" oh my FREAKING WORD! Noooooooooo :frusty::frusty::frusty: Now all Tillie has left is her tail. sniff, sniff. Her black curly tips were CUT off, square.... I tried really hard not to make my mom feel bad, she said she was just trying to HELP and she did watch Tillie for 10 days for FREE. but still ... NOT HER EARS! I get sick to my stomach everytime i think about it. I tried to reassure my mom that yes, it WILL grow back ... and didn't mention how the black tips will NOT grow back. :hurt::doh:
So I guess this is 2 threads in one, but, there you have it. that's me. random.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Oh no! I know you feel! I would have been sick, too, about the ears. 

I did get a tip on the hair above and below the eyes to help them lay down - chapstick! I tried it on McGee and it works - unfortunately, the stuff I used first had a pink tint and I didn't know it until I saw it on him......LOL But, I found some plain that I had and it works really well. I imagine kind of like mustache wax but I think that might be stiffer - never seen it before.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

We trim the hair at the corners of Kodi's eyes. We use thinning shears and just nip away at it so that it looks natural. Poor Tillie's ears! I'd have a.heart attack, and it wouldn't even change the color of Kodi's ears!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Oh MY, NOT those cute black-tipped ears - gone??? I would cry too! 

I remember when Augie was little, that hair around his eyes wanted to go toward his eyes. When I mentioned to the vet that I probably should cut it, he said no - that it would weigh itself down as it got longer. I don't know this for fact, but I would think that it would be like a human trying to grow their bangs out, that you are just going to have a nasty period where the hair won't do anything you want - that you just have to wait out the icky period. However, if the cut tips are jabbing him in the eye, that would not be good and not sure what you would do about that except keep cutting it. Is there some kind of 'product' that would not hurt the eyes that you could apply to that hair to keep those hairs in place until they grow out?


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Kathie said:


> Oh no! I know you feel! I would have been sick, too, about the ears.
> 
> I did get a tip on the hair above and below the eyes to help them lay down - chapstick! I tried it on McGee and it works - unfortunately, the stuff I used first had a pink tint and I didn't know it until I saw it on him......LOL But, I found some plain that I had and it works really well. I imagine kind of like mustache wax but I think that might be stiffer - never seen it before.


Has your chapstick been used on a cat's fanny???!!! ound: If you haven't read the thread started by Flynn about the little boy putting his mom's chapstick on the cat's 'chapped' behind, you will have no idea what I am talking about!! ound:ound:ound: But that story, I'm sure, will come to mind every time I hear anything about chapstick!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

No, Linda, but I've almost used the chapstick that I used on McGee's face a few times until I remembered!!! Better than the cat's butt, though! The chapstick was recommended by Dale's vet so I assumed it would be safe.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Kathie said:


> No, Linda, but I've almost used the chapstick that I used on McGee's face a few times until I remembered!!! Better than the cat's butt, though! The chapstick was recommended by Dale's vet so I assumed it would be safe.


I meant to add that it sounds like a great idea to me - using it to keep the hair in place! :biggrin1:


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

Haha, who knew chapstick was so versatile? But I'm going to start thinking twice about where it's been before I use it from now on.ound:


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

ha ha ha, ummmmm, chapstick sounds like a good idea... for her eye hair! LOL
wonder if she would like razzleberry or butterscotch!? ha ha, it's all I have in the house! 
and Yes, Linda... the black tips.:violin::doh::Cry::Cry::Cry:


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## Annie Clark (Nov 6, 2008)

My mom always wants to cut/trim Nala too. She hasn't even met Blitz who has much more of a full coat!

Are you positive the black won't grow back? I am sure she is adorable even with square ears.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

WHAT is it with MOMs!? LOL leave them ALONE! 
ummm, ya, pretty darn sure it won't grow back, she'll probably end up all white someday, I think ...


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> ha ha ha, ummmmm, chapstick sounds like a good idea... for her eye hair! LOL
> wonder if she would like razzleberry or butterscotch!? ha ha, it's all I have in the house!
> and Yes, Linda... the black tips.:violin::doh::Cry::Cry::Cry:


Just don't use cinnamon if you're putting it on the cat's fanny!ound:


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

That would have made me crazy. What on earch could have motivated her to cut Tillie's ears? I don't get it. 

I had never heard the chapstick tip before. That one was surprising, but if it works and can't hurt, what the heck.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

pjewel said:


> I had never heard the chapstick tip before. That one was surprising, but if it works and can't hurt, what the heck.


I'd just worry about how hard it might be to get out later... when it has attracted a bunch of yard stuff!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

I haven't even noticed it in there later except that when I comb it the hair stays put whereas before it didn't! Just try it on paper first. I "thought" the first one I tried was clear but it had the pink tint! I never noticed the tint on my lips but boy did it show up on white hair!!!


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## HavAPuppy1 (Oct 24, 2010)

I can relate to the ears. I have always had dogs, but never a dog with hair that needs to be groomed. So just recently when Amelia's ears began to get matted I did my best to comb and keep up with them, but it was impossible. Normally I cut into the mat but on her ears I didn't trust myself to know where the mat ended and the ear began. Well to my surprise her ears are much smaller than we thought they were! We took her to the groomer and it turns out alot of what we thought was "ear" was a big mat. We explained that we hadn't realized the hair was matting. But alas it was too late. Her ears had to be shaved down to peach fuzz. Needless to say she looks quite silly, still cute somehow. Now that we know how small her actual ear is we are much more aware of combing that area and maintaining it. She just doesn't like being brushed even though we have done it since the beginning. Any tips on how to keep up with this ear maintenance?


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

We have this puppy now and I love being able to see his ears and how they fold over. It is ever so cute. I would just comb every day and try to keep it up. When Augie was blowing coat, he had huge mats around his ears. You're right - it sometimes was hard to tell where the mat ended and ear began. I took the end of the comb - like going into the edge of the mat with the end of the comb and pulled at the mat, just getting little bits of hair with each stroke of the comb. It has been said elsewhere on the forum that working corn starch into the mat helps loosen it up.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

awwww, we need pics of sweet Amelia!! She must be what.. 7 months by now?? growing up fast!!
As far as the ears, yup, the only thing you can do is comb them, everyday. 
Every morning I comb the goo out of Tillie's eyes and comb her muzzle, face and ears with a flea comb and then either brush or comb her body. She was shaved down in March and her hair is fnally starting to get to thick for a comb!! I am struggling with weather I should shave her again to keep her comfy during summer (it gets up to 115 here!!) or let her keep growing out. I am heavily leaning towards keep growing her out!!! LOL Besides 90% of the time we are in the house with a/c anyway!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I cut down Dexter's ears the first year when I did his puppy cut and have not touched the ears since....so, it takes a good 1yr to 1 1/2yrs to get that nice long ear length. 

Jack has dark tips on his ears....yea....I would be upset too. I guess other people (Non-Hav) just do not understand the obsession we have about our Hav's ears, tails, beards, mustaches, muzzle, eye hair....ok...everything! Do not cut my dog's hair!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I'e shown these photos before, but I can't tell you how much easier grooming got when I had a designated place to groom Kodi, and a way to restrain him gently and allow my to sue both hands for grooming.

I know that many show people manage to teach their dogs to lie on their side to be groomed (my breeder's dogs do) but with all the training I do with Kodi, I've failed miserably with that. So a grooming loop works really well. To keep the upper layers of hair out of the way if I have to work on a knot down lower on his side, I use those big hair clips that they use at the hair dresser when they're cutting your hair.

My "grooming station" is on top of my washer and dryer... It's a convenient height and in our first floor half bath, so a convenient location. But if you have nowhere to set up something like this, dedicated grooming tables with an attached arm for the grooming slip are not all that expensive, and worth their weight in gold in terms of lowered frustration levels! In fact, I'm planning on getting a folding one to take with us in the camper... I'm spoiled. Grooming him in my lap is just WAY too hard after a day running around in grass and leaves!:biggrin1:

BTW, note the big container of Argo Corn Starch in the grooming basket... a mat-remover's best friend!ound:


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I love your set up Karen!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I love the set-up! I do not use my grooming table...I always go back to my washer area. It is the perfect height! I need to talk dh into installing cabinets!

The boys use the grooming table to glance out the window. Occasionally I will take the grooming table outside to use the clippers on Dexter.


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## Pattie (Jun 25, 2008)

At home, I use my laundry room for grooming, too. I use the washer and dryer tops also as they are a very convenient height for me. I have a deep sink in the room, too, which is where I bathe the dogs. My big stand dryer is there at the ready. 

At shows, I use my "old" grooming table --it's the same one I had when I showed Newfies so it's quite large as you might imagine. It is decades old, but still great and it is always stored in my van.


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