# Gone down the rabbit hole



## Melissa Woods (Feb 21, 2019)

I cannot believe how much I love my CC butter comb and Ice on Ice. And the grooming table I bought...he smells so nice and his coat is like a silky teddy bear


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

I (we) bathed and groomed our youngest Havanese yesterday. I went back to using Spectrum 10 shampoo and conditioner-what a difference! I should have just stayed with it. I just ordered (5 minutes ago) the gallon size of shampoo and conditioner since that’s a much cheaper route. I’m justifying it because we have 3 Havanese. Granted their total weight is 35 pounds. However, the youngest one is still in her long coat and she is soooo soft, even with her adult coat coming in. She feels like a big satin teddy bear, aaaah...😊


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Honestly, I have the CC shampoo (2 in 1) and it's good, but I was switching out shampoos this week because I want to rule out Perry's itchiness being because of the shampoo and so we used just normal baby shampoo - and I have to say I much prefer it. He's just as soft but the baby shampoo basically has no smell. The CC shampoo isn't super strong smelling but it is still a little too strong for me (I'm sensitive to smells) - I've been dealing with it for years, but I think I might just use baby shampoo from now on (and 1 less thing to pack!)


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## Melissa Woods (Feb 21, 2019)

Sometimes I just use Pantene for conditioner and that works too! I'm SO SO happy with the CC comb and slicker brush Karen recommended.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

JaJa said:


> I (we) bathed and groomed our youngest Havanese yesterday. I went back to using Spectrum 10 shampoo and conditioner-what a difference! I should have just stayed with it. I just ordered (5 minutes ago) the gallon size of shampoo and conditioner since that's a much cheaper route. I'm justifying it because we have 3 Havanese. Granted their total weight is 35 pounds. However, the youngest one is still in her long coat and she is soooo soft, even with her adult coat coming in. She feels like a big satin teddy bear, aaaah...&#128522;


The thing is, the Spectrum 10 products are so concentrated, that a gallon of each lasts a REALLY LONG time! In fact, the conditioner is SO thick, that my biggest complaint is that it's hard to get out of the bottle. As soon as I get SOME out, I start filling it back up with water and shaking it to thin it out, just so I can pour it easier. Then I decant both into smaller bottles, and dilute the conditioner even more so that it is easier to spread on the coat. I really think the conditioner ends up being LESS expensive than most because it is so concentrated.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> Honestly, I have the CC shampoo (2 in 1) and it's good, but I was switching out shampoos this week because I want to rule out Perry's itchiness being because of the shampoo and so we used just normal baby shampoo - and I have to say I much prefer it. He's just as soft but the baby shampoo basically has no smell. The CC shampoo isn't super strong smelling but it is still a little too strong for me (I'm sensitive to smells) - I've been dealing with it for years, but I think I might just use baby shampoo from now on (and 1 less thing to pack!)


Just so you know, though, The Proline 2 in 1 is not the same thing JaJa is talking about. I use both and like both, and both are (mildly) scented. But not the same products.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Woods said:


> Sometimes I just use Pantene for conditioner and that works too! I'm SO SO happy with the CC comb and slicker brush Karen recommended.


We use A specific combination of Pantene products on Panda for shows. The thing with "Pantene", though is that is ALMOST like just saying "shampoo". There are SO MANY different formulations, that you can get totally lost. The handler had to tell me the EXACT ONES to get for Panda's coat. For every day, I use CC Proline Fair Advantage, because it's quick, all in one, and I don't have to do two steps. But for shows we use her "special" Pantene shampoo and conditioner, and she puffs up like an airy cloud of silk!


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Melissa (Brill)
Baby shampoo seems to be the most highly recommended people shampoo, especially cents it’s tearless. I’m hyper sensitive also and wear a mask when bathing and drying. I’m going to mention baby shampoo to my sister-in-law, I don’t think she’s tried that. I do admit baby shampoo is one product I haven’t tried on my own eyes but if it was painful I’m sure babies would be letting their parents know! Although our local shelter (second chance companions) were ecstatic to have all my Pantene Products I brought with our donations, telling me how much they love the scent😋 I was happy to share though.


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

How old is your baby Melissa (Woods)? I agree, I still like my Andis buttercomb but I couldn’t groom without my CC small, curved slicker and CC Ice Slip Dematting Brush!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

JaJa said:


> Melissa (Brill)
> Baby shampoo seems to be the most highly recommended people shampoo, especially cents it's tearless. I'm hyper sensitive also and wear a mask when bathing and drying. I'm going to mention baby shampoo to my sister-in-law, I don't think she's tried that. I do admit baby shampoo is one product I haven't tried on my own eyes but if it was painful I'm sure babies would be letting their parents know! Although our local shelter (second chance companions) were ecstatic to have all my Pantene Products I brought with our donations, telling me how much they love the scent&#55357;&#56843; I was happy to share though.


I know the one time I tried baby shampoo on one of my dogs, it was much too drying. I had a terrible stark, fly-away mess. But, of course that was with a full coat, not a puppy cut.


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## Melissa Woods (Feb 21, 2019)

JaJa said:


> How old is your baby Melissa (Woods)? I agree, I still like my Andis buttercomb but I couldn't groom without my CC small, curved slicker and CC Ice Slip Dematting Brush!


He is 18 months. I was having the HARDEST time when he was blowing coat. But now, it seems we are past that.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*baby shampoo*



krandall said:


> I know the one time I tried baby shampoo on one of my dogs, it was much too drying. I had a terrible stark, fly-away mess. But, of course that was with a full coat, not a puppy cut.


I could totally see that with a full coat and without a conditioner. I have just been trying different things. As Karen pointed out, I had ben using the CC Proline 2 in 1 on Perry (and yes, it is super thick - I put some in a smaller bottle and dilute it to use) and while it is fairly light in smell it still bothers me (but I could still use it). Then I tried a local / artisanal soap and oil here - but the oil was Neem oil and it smelled so bad to me that i couldn't take it (first time ever I've given Perry two baths a week or less apart!) The soap by itself wasn't too bad though. SO I tried baby shampoo. His hair seems fine and the biggest bonus for me was the almost complete lack of smell! I'm not just talking about not being able to smell him when he's on the couch near me (which I could with the others) but no real smell even when I'm holding him and have my noise near him! 

I have read that human shampoo is too acidic if used regularly but that baby shampoo is fine. I don't know how true that is, but I'm going to try the baby shampoo a few more times and see if I still like it as much in a few months.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> Honestly, I have the CC shampoo (2 in 1) and it's good, but I was switching out shampoos this week because I want to rule out Perry's itchiness being because of the shampoo and so we used just normal baby shampoo - and I have to say I much prefer it. He's just as soft but the baby shampoo basically has no smell. The CC shampoo isn't super strong smelling but it is still a little too strong for me (I'm sensitive to smells) - I've been dealing with it for years, but I think I might just use baby shampoo from now on (and 1 less thing to pack!)


I think even a shampoo and conditioner that work wells builds up after a while, too. If you find something that doesn't make Perry itch, and the smell doesn't bother you, maybe alternating would bring out the best of both.

This is possibly bad hair school "science," but I remember being taught that the reason baby shampoo doesn't sting the eyes is because it's ph balanced for the eyes, not the scalp and hair. It's probably just fine for Perry since he's short anyway, and I know a lot of people swear by it, but over time it can dry out and damage human hair. It might be worth taking a small bottle of conditioner so you aren't stuck without if he has a dry spell, especially if you end up in a different climate.

When my kids were babies I somehow ended up with a huge supply of Burt's Bees baby shampoo. At the time I didn't really care for the fragrance but I used it up. A year or two later I caught the smell somewhere and it was so nostalgic, I started using it again until my kids outgrew it. I LOVE that baby shampoo so much now. I would still keep their bathroom stocked with it but I don't think it will work on teen smells.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Melissa Brill said:


> I have read that human shampoo is too acidic if used regularly but that baby shampoo is fine. I don't know how true that is, but I'm going to try the baby shampoo a few more times and see if I still like it as much in a few months.


I have no idea if the ph of babies eyes and Havanese coats are similar, but I think it must be closer than human shampoo. Hopefully the simplest solution keeps working!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*conditioner*



EvaE1izabeth said:


> I think even a shampoo and conditioner that work wells builds up after a while, too. If you find something that doesn't make Perry itch, and the smell doesn't bother you, maybe alternating would bring out the best of both.
> 
> This is possibly bad hair school "science," but I remember being taught that the reason baby shampoo doesn't sting the eyes is because it's ph balanced for the eyes, not the scalp and hair. It's probably just fine for Perry since he's short anyway, and I know a lot of people swear by it, but over time it can dry out and damage human hair. It might be worth taking a small bottle of conditioner so you aren't stuck without if he has a dry spell, especially if you end up in a different climate.
> 
> When my kids were babies I somehow ended up with a huge supply of Burt's Bees baby shampoo. At the time I didn't really care for the fragrance but I used it up. A year or two later I caught the smell somewhere and it was so nostalgic, I started using it again until my kids outgrew it. I LOVE that baby shampoo so much now. I would still keep their bathroom stocked with it but I don't think it will work on teen smells.


I still have a bottle of conditioner that I sometimes use (even when I'm using the CC proline 2-in-1) especially on his tail which I feel gets a litle drier (understandably because his tail is the only part I keep long  ) so will continue with that.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Woods said:


> He is 18 months. I was having the HARDEST time when he was blowing coat. But now, it seems we are past that.


When you are in the middle of blowing coat it feels like it is forever, doesn't it?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> I could totally see that with a full coat and without a conditioner. I have just been trying different things. As Karen pointed out, I had ben using the CC Proline 2 in 1 on Perry (and yes, it is super thick - I put some in a smaller bottle and dilute it to use) and while it is fairly light in smell it still bothers me (but I could still use it). Then I tried a local / artisanal soap and oil here - but the oil was Neem oil and it smelled so bad to me that i couldn't take it (first time ever I've given Perry two baths a week or less apart!) The soap by itself wasn't too bad though. SO I tried baby shampoo. His hair seems fine and the biggest bonus for me was the almost complete lack of smell! I'm not just talking about not being able to smell him when he's on the couch near me (which I could with the others) but no real smell even when I'm holding him and have my noise near him!
> 
> I have read that human shampoo is too acidic if used regularly but that baby shampoo is fine. I don't know how true that is, but I'm going to try the baby shampoo a few more times and see if I still like it as much in a few months.


I think maybe I wasn't clear on the thickness of things. It was the Spectrum 10 conditioner I was talking about being too think. That is so thick you really can't even get it out of the bottle! Spectrum 10 shampoo is thick too, but not as thick as the conditioner. You can still pour it. And Fair Advantage is not as thick as that.

But with ALL of them, I decant into a smaller bottle, just because working with gallon bottles is a pain in the neck. When shampooing, I put a small amount of shampoo into a 2-quart pitcher and fill that with warm water, mixing it in. Then I wet the whole dog with that. It's easier to get them thoroughly wet if there is some soap in the water. Then I squirt a little of the full-strength shampoo (from my smaller bottle) into my hands and rub them together as if I were shampooing my hair. Then I apply the shampoo where needed on the dog. legs, face, chest, where ever. Lather up, then rinse.

I don't buy the whole "pH thing" in terms of shampoos, dogs, and humans. I think it's all marketing. I haven't seen any scientific evidence that it is important.

And as far as the "tearless formulas" are concerned, I am always careful around my dogs' eyes, and never purposely get soap in them of course. But honestly, I've never seen ANY evidence that ANY of the products I've used have bothered their eyes, even when they were puppies. And Kodi and Pixel are BABIES about ANY discomfort. I suspect they'd let me know.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> This is possibly bad hair school "science," but I remember being taught that the reason baby shampoo doesn't sting the eyes is because it's ph balanced for the eyes, not the scalp and hair.


THAT would make sense to me, because from years of owning/managing a back yard pool, I know that people would complain occasionally about "chlorine" stinging their eyes, and it wasn't chlorine... it was a sign that the pH balance was not right in the pool. THAT is what makes people's eyes sting.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> I don't buy the whole "pH thing" in terms of shampoos, dogs, and humans. I think it's all marketing. I haven't seen any scientific evidence that it is important.


I'm guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if any anecdotal truth about pH is irrelevant now because of the changes in formulations to shampoos and conditioners, to remove sulfates/detergents and maximize silicones. Sometimes I miss the days when I didn't know what terrible chemicals were leaching into my body, my hair felt clean, and my split, bleached ends were glued up with "conditioner" 

Baby products are a bit different, people are pretty invested in making sure they are safe.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> When shampooing, I put a small amount of shampoo into a 2-quart pitcher and fill that with warm water, mixing it in. Then I wet the whole dog with that.


This is smart, I'm going to search my basement for an pitcher. I dilute into a squeeze bottle but the problem is I have to fill it up a few times with fresh water in order to rinse the shampoo from the bottle to then condition. I think our soft water makes it extra foamy. I could just buy another squeeze bottle for conditioner but I'd still have the problem of rinsing the bottle after the bath anyway.

I completely agree about it being much easier to wet the coat quickly with a bit of shampoo mixed in the water. I know it has something to do with surfactants but it's still feels like some kind of magic to me!


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

Oh my gosh, that’s how old Jodie is, her birthday is January 26th.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> This is smart, I'm going to search my basement for an pitcher. I dilute into a squeeze bottle but the problem is I have to fill it up a few times with fresh water in order to rinse the shampoo from the bottle to then condition. I think our soft water makes it extra foamy. I could just buy another squeeze bottle for conditioner but I'd still have the problem of rinsing the bottle after the bath anyway.
> 
> I completely agree about it being much easier to wet the coat quickly with a bit of shampoo mixed in the water. I know it has something to do with surfactants but it's still feels like some kind of magic to me!


I just keep the shampoo and conditioner in the smaller squeeze bottles. I don't clean them out again. They aren't anything special. They are just old, smaller shampoo bottles that I. Cleaned out then re-labeled with a magic marker. The gallon bottles live in the basement, and I refill the small ones as needed.


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

krandall said:


> I just keep the shampoo and conditioner in the smaller squeeze bottles. I don't clean them out again. They aren't anything special. They are just old, smaller shampoo bottles that I. Cleaned out then re-labeled with a magic marker. The gallon bottles live in the basement, and I refill the small ones as needed.


I do this, too. But, when I'm applying the shampoo and conditioner is when I dilute it. I fill an empty squeeze bottle (like for ketchup) with warm waster, add a pump of shampoo from the small bottle, shake it up, and squirt it to use. It's exactly enough for a bath. If he's extra dirty in one spot I'll use a bit of additional concentrated shampoo. Then I fill the squeeze bottle with fresh water, which is usually still pretty soapy, and I rinse with it once or twice before doing the same thing with conditioner.

If I'm understanding, you dilute it in the pitcher? A pitcher is a lot easier to rinse out and throw under the bathroom sink than a squeeze bottle! I've replaced it a couple of times because even letting it dry between uses, it seems to get gross after a while.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> I do this, too. But, when I'm applying the shampoo and conditioner is when I dilute it. I fill an empty squeeze bottle (like for ketchup) with warm waster, add a pump of shampoo from the small bottle, shake it up, and squirt it to use. It's exactly enough for a bath. If he's extra dirty in one spot I'll use a bit of additional concentrated shampoo. Then I fill the squeeze bottle with fresh water, which is usually still pretty soapy, and I rinse with it once or twice before doing the same thing with conditioner.
> 
> If I'm understanding, you dilute it in the pitcher? A pitcher is a lot easier to rinse out and throw under the bathroom sink than a squeeze bottle! I've replaced it a couple of times because even letting it dry between uses, it seems to get gross after a while.


Yes, I dilute in the pitcher, and pour it all over them.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

*bottles*



EvaE1izabeth said:


> This is smart, I'm going to search my basement for an pitcher. I dilute into a squeeze bottle but the problem is I have to fill it up a few times with fresh water in order to rinse the shampoo from the bottle to then condition. I think our soft water makes it extra foamy. I could just buy another squeeze bottle for conditioner but I'd still have the problem of rinsing the bottle after the bath anyway.
> 
> I completely agree about it being much easier to wet the coat quickly with a bit of shampoo mixed in the water. I know it has something to do with surfactants but it's still feels like some kind of magic to me!


I just use a 500 ml soda/ water bottle - part shampoo/ part water... when it separates, shake it to mix it back together, when it gets low add a little more of each


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

I have done a lot of experimenting with various shampoos and conditioners including some that have been mentioned in this thread. The problem is I am OCD, I am obsessed with measuring EXACT amounts whether it comes to food ingredients, drinks, fertilizers,......shampoo and conditioner dilutions. I favor consistency in results, flavors, efficacy, etc. When people in this thread talk about adding a "little bit" of something, I have no idea what that means. Is it a "pinch", a "skosh", or a "squeeze"? Is a "little bit" a drop, a thimble full, an ounce, or a 1/2 cup? Momi's mother was an excellent cook, but she NEVER measured ingredients. It was always a pinch of this or a dash of that. Years of experience resulted in very consistent results because only she knew what those amounts were. The problem is that her recipes always indicated a pinch, a dash, and enough of ingredients to achieve her results. Consequently, her 4 daughters were never able to achieve her culinary masterpieces with any consistency. What a shame!

Help out this OCD person. I am struggling with this a "little bit." 

Ricky's Popi


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## kzastud (Jul 16, 2020)

I am new to the forum and am looking for a pup at the moment. I am trying to learn more about the Havanese and I enjoy reading your posts. Can anyone tell me how often you need to groom your Havanese.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I have done a lot of experimenting with various shampoos and conditioners including some that have been mentioned in this thread. The problem is I am OCD, I am obsessed with measuring EXACT amounts whether it comes to food ingredients, drinks, fertilizers,......shampoo and conditioner dilutions. I favor consistency in results, flavors, efficacy, etc. When people in this thread talk about adding a "little bit" of something, I have no idea what that means. Is it a "pinch", a "skosh", or a "squeeze"? Is a "little bit" a drop, a thimble full, an ounce, or a 1/2 cup? Momi's mother was an excellent cook, but she NEVER measured ingredients. It was always a pinch of this or a dash of that. Years of experience resulted in very consistent results because only she knew what those amounts were. The problem is that her recipes always indicated a pinch, a dash, and enough of ingredients to achieve her results. Consequently, her 4 daughters were never able to achieve her culinary masterpieces with any consistency. What a shame!
> 
> Help out this OCD person. I am struggling with this a "little bit."
> 
> Ricky's Popi


OK. When you wash your hair, do you actually MEASURE the amount of shampoo? That's the amount I use. The amount that "feels right". There is no really "wrong" amount. If you don't put enough on the dog, you can't "squish it around" easily, and they don't feel "soapy. The amount varies with the size of the dog and the amount of coat. Pixel only needs a smidge. Kodi needs a dollop. But if I used a cup full, the only disadvantages would be I'd waste a lot of shampoo, and it would take a lot longer to rinse. There is a HUGE amount of room for error. Just like when you shampoo your hair. 

The same is true with conditioner and grooming spray. Use a little. Try a little more. I think it REALLY depends SO much on the coat type. Even when I use exactly the same products (and I don't always on the three dogs) I don't always use the same amounts on all three dogs.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

kzastud said:


> I am new to the forum and am looking for a pup at the moment. I am trying to learn more about the Havanese and I enjoy reading your posts. Can anyone tell me how often you need to groom your Havanese.


Depends on what you mean by "groom", how old your Havanese is, and how you keep his coat. An adult Havanese kept in a short puppy cut can get by with being combed or brushed out every week or so (maybe less) and get professionally groomed (clipped) every 6-12 weeks. That's one end of the scale. A show dog in full coat, or an adolescent puppy with a longer coat who is going through the "blowing coat" phase may need to be thoroughly groomed daily. (the puppy blowing coat may need to be combed out a couple of times a day!) So there is a lot of variation!

With my 3 adult Havanese, I have one in show coat, but she has a VERY easy coat and because of Covid, she is not showing right now. I comb her out about every 3 days and bathe her about every 10 days. My older, semi-retired guy is in a long, fluffy, puppy cut. He also gets combed out about every 3 days, and gets a bath every couple of weeks. When he was in full coat, he got fully combed out every 2-3 days and bathed weekly. He had a LOT of coat.

Our 3rd girl is in a short "velvety" puppy cut, and needs very little day-to-day grooming. We clean her face every few days, and as her coat gets longer, we might run a slicker brush over her to "pretty her up" if we are expecting company. But she never gets any mats. She gets bathed every couple of weeks (more often if she rolls in turkey poop, and that is likely, unfortunately!) and professionally trimmed (clipped) every 7 weeks.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> OK. When you wash your hair, do you actually MEASURE the amount of shampoo? .


Karen, you are going to be very disappointed in me.................YES, I DO! Ricky's food? exactly the same amount each day using a measuring cup leveled at the top. Always exactly TWO empty poop bags in my pocket. Credit cards have to be in the same individual slots in my wallet. Paper money has to be segregated by ascending value ($100 followed by $500 bills, etc. :wink2 with all the front of the bills facing out. It's a psychological affliction called OCD. I know that being around me for any length of time can drive people nuts! :crazy: Although I prefer symmetrical coloring in a dog (like Panda for example), I have come to accept Ricky's asymmetrical coloring and consider it part of his personality.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Karen, you are going to be very disappointed in me.................YES, I DO! Ricky's food? exactly the same amount each day using a measuring cup leveled at the top. Always exactly TWO empty poop bags in my pocket. Credit cards have to be in the same individual slots in my wallet. Paper money has to be segregated by ascending value ($100 followed by $500 bills, etc. :wink2 with all the front of the bills facing out. It's a psychological affliction called OCD. I know that being around me for any length of time can drive people nuts! :crazy: Although I prefer symmetrical coloring in a dog (like Panda for example), I have come to accept Ricky's asymmetrical coloring and consider it part of his personality.
> 
> Ricky's Popi


I actually agree with you with MOST of these with SOME some modification...

I DON'T measure shampoo. (well, MAYBE I do, but I pour it into my hand, so I GUESS I know how much I pour, but I don't use a measuring device)

We carry FOUR poop bags on walks. (you know why  )

Absolutely on the credit cards, and they are on the opposite side of my wallet from my insurance cards.

Absolutely on the paper money- You forgot that they all have to be right side up too. And any really old (or written-on) bills have to be used (gotten rid of) as fast as possible. Do you have a $500 bill?  If so, I want to see it the next time we meet!!! In all my years of banking I never saw one!!!

...And it drives me a little nuts that Panda has one black butt cheek. ound:


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

kzastud said:


> I am new to the forum and am looking for a pup at the moment. I am trying to learn more about the Havanese and I enjoy reading your posts. Can anyone tell me how often you need to groom your Havanese.


Shama is in a full coat. I brush and comb her as often as possible, usually at least every two or three days. We take her to the groomer every six weeks in the winter and every five weeks in the summer. With the exception of the time she rolled in horse manure, she only gets a bath at the groomer's. She also gets a "butt bath" on the rare occasion when her poop gets caught in her fur. (That only happens if I give her too many training treats without supplementing with enough of her regular kibble.)

If you want to see photos of anyone's dogs, just click on their username and locate their threads.

Here are some recent photos of Shama.

Welcome to the forum, and we look forward to hearing more from you!

Here are puppy resources for you ...


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> DON'T measure shampoo. (well, MAYBE I do, but I pour it into my hand, so I GUESS I know how much I pour, but I don't use a measuring device)


Yes you do, you use one dollup per strand of hair. :thumb:



> We carry FOUR poop bags on walks. (you know why  )


Yes I do know why. Dave walks with you when you take the three dogs out! :grin2:



> Absolutely on the credit cards, and they are on the opposite side of my wallet from my insurance cards.


I have one credit card and one insurance card. My OCD required I throw out the rest!



> Absolutely on the paper money- You forgot that they all have to be right side up too. And any really old (or written-on) bills have to be used (gotten rid of) as fast as possible. Do you have a $500 bill?  If so, I want to see it the next time we meet!!! In all my years of banking I never saw one!!!


Yes on the paper money, exactly right. I have a bill you never saw in banking. I will have to send you a copy via email. I do have a $2 bill. I thought they might be valuable someday and I am still waiting.



> ...And it drives me a little nuts that Panda has one black butt cheek. ound:


Same with Ricky, one black one white. People always laugh and remark when following behind him - black, white, black, white, black, white, and so on. It is actually very entertaining and quite mesmerizing.

For the record, I know a very good clinical psychologist (no, not Mary Trump). She says that everyone suffers from a bit of OCD, one way or another. She says my OCD is well within the bounds of "normal." :wink2: A couple of years ago, on a cruise, we met a young single woman traveling with her Mum. She lived with her mother in Wales. She told us she was suffering from extreme OCD (at least she thought so) and had seriously thought about suicide for relief. I shared with her some my idiosyncratic OCD. She said,"wow! you're weird too!" :grin2: Her suicidal response to OCD is NOT normal and I worry about her. Her mother assured me that she was getting proper medical care and her willingness to share her affliction and inner thoughts with us strangers was a first time and HUGE step in trusting people and addressing her darkest thoughts. Her therapist had been encouraging her to do this without much success until now. Even though she was only 30 something, we became best friends on the cruise and shared a lot of laughs and experiences about absolutely nothing. I think I became a (grand)father figure to her which begs even more questions.

Ricky's Popi


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I have done a lot of experimenting with various shampoos and conditioners including some that have been mentioned in this thread. The problem is I am OCD, I am obsessed with measuring EXACT amounts whether it comes to food ingredients, drinks, fertilizers,......shampoo and conditioner dilutions. I favor consistency in results, flavors, efficacy, etc. When people in this thread talk about adding a "little bit" of something, I have no idea what that means. Is it a "pinch", a "skosh", or a "squeeze"? Is a "little bit" a drop, a thimble full, an ounce, or a 1/2 cup? Momi's mother was an excellent cook, but she NEVER measured ingredients. It was always a pinch of this or a dash of that. Years of experience resulted in very consistent results because only she knew what those amounts were. The problem is that her recipes always indicated a pinch, a dash, and enough of ingredients to achieve her results. Consequently, her 4 daughters were never able to achieve her culinary masterpieces with any consistency. What a shame!
> 
> Help out this OCD person. I am struggling with this a "little bit."
> 
> Ricky's Popi


I actually did keep track of my "concoctions" in the beginning, mostly so I could recreate it. After a while I noticed they were all about the same; nothing was really exceptionally better. Now I mix Ice on Ice according to the instructions, which I think ends up around 15 or 16 ounces. I measure it out exactly, I just don't remember the ratio. My spray bottle must be something like 18 ounces, so I add whatever I have on hand, to fill the remaining ounces. Usually it has more to do with fragrance. For instance, I tried an Isle of Dogs spray that was kind of expensive but the fragrance was unbelievably strong. It sat in my reject basket for ages, but one day I mixed about an ounce into the grooming spray and once it was diluted it didn't bother me, and it's great at neutralizing the smell on his coat after an outside day at daycare. I've also added a very small drop of several human conditioners, but since I was going for the smallest drop, I haven't ever measured that part out. Mostly I just mix in sprays in order to use them up, because otherwise they'll just pile up and make me feel guilty about buying new ones!


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## JaJa (Jun 28, 2020)

*You think "you're" OCD?*

Actually Ricky, I prefer to call it being organized&#128523; 
Yes, I measure my products especially when mixing with water. I also grew up with a mother who was a gourmet cook and always said "A little bit, a handful but not too much, I do differently each time." I've been working on keto recipes for our son over the last year and he's threading to hurt me if I don't write things down for him before he moves out next month. At least I've memorized the amount of ingredients.
Yes, I have a few more hair accessories not pictured and I use the clips (pink and purple) in the same order they are displayed on the table. The plastic box in the back has matching harnesses and leashes for all 3 dogs on both sides. Hopefully this will help you feel more normal&#128518;


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

JaJa said:


> Actually Ricky, I prefer to call it being organized&#128523;


I don't see anything wrong with your photos. They look familiar to me!

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I don't see anything wrong with your photos. They look familiar to me!
> 
> Ricky's Popi


Yeah, because of all the hair bows you have for Ricky, right?!?! LOL!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> Yeah, because of all the hair bows you have for Ricky, right?!?! LOL!


AHHHHHHHHHH, so you want to play! No, not for hair bows but for screws, nuts, and bolts - by metal type, thread pitch, length, screw type, head type, and use. If they don't have it at Home Depot, I do and I know exactly where.

Now let's talk about how my side of the closet is organized........................

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LOL!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> AHHHHHHHHHH, so you want to play! No, not for hair bows but for screws, nuts, and bolts - by metal type, thread pitch, length, screw type, head type, and use. If they don't have it at Home Depot, I do and I know exactly where.
> 
> Now let's talk about how my side of the closet is organized........................
> 
> Ricky's Popi


Me too! Although I never came up with a good system for labeling the little sorted compartments, which has resulted in mismatching size 6,7, and 8 screws with the wrong wall anchors. I just recently found a little screw size identifier and now keep it attached to the lid! I need to get more of them, because I have separate parts container for bolts, etc.

Here is a pretty good example of bordering on unhealthy. All of my small parts are organized impeccably. My bathroom is a disaster. I don't have room for everything and gave up a while back. It's reasonably clean, but stuff is spilling out all over the place. A healthy person would spend a little less time on the parts and a little more time on the bathroom.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Me too! Although I never came up with a good system for labeling the little sorted compartments, which has resulted in mismatching size 6,7, and 8 screws with the wrong wall anchors. I just recently found a little screw size identifier and now keep it attached to the lid! I need to get more of them, because I have separate parts container for bolts, etc.
> 
> Here is a pretty good example of bordering on unhealthy. All of my small parts are organized impeccably. My bathroom is a disaster. I don't have room for everything and gave up a while back. It's reasonably clean, but stuff is spilling out all over the place. A healthy person would spend a little less time on the parts and a little more time on the bathroom.


LOL! I have things that I am fanatical about (the drinking glasses HAVE to be in a specific order, on specific shelves) but the top of my desk is OFTEN pretty much a disaster. Fortunately, the cleaning guy comes once a week, and that MAKES me re-organize so he can clean. But even though the clutter on my desk BOTHERS me... I STILL let it pile up every week.

But the glasses HAVE to be on the right shelves. If someone else empties the dishwasher and puts the glasses away "wrong", I HAVE to "fix" them right away.


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