# Advice from other curly Havs



## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

I do believe that my little angel Sergio has curly hair. Just like me! I was planning on keeping him in a puppy cut anyway, and not "showing" him. I would like to know if there are any other curly hair hav owners keeping their dogs in short puppy cut, with pictures and suggestions for a groomer.

The funny thing is, I have had people ask me if he's a Bichon. And I read on Janet's My Yuppy Puppy site, that curly hair Havs do better with a "teddy bear" cut like the Bichon! So maybe we're on to something here. 

I did purchase/adopt Sergio from a reputable breeder in Florida. I think that he wanted to give up Sergio, as difficult as it was, because his coat is so hard to maintain for a show or championship. Makes no difference to me. I brush him with a wooden pin brush, more like a massage brush. Comb him with the CC buttercomb. No matting. His hair is so soft and silky and shiney, but does look curly to me. 

I just would love to see some photos of curly haired Havs in puppy cuts that are not straightened in full coat. Thank you.


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## Judy -- Toby & Jaime's mo (Apr 21, 2007)

*Curly Hav*

I have had a total of four HAVs in my life (one died, have three now), only one was curly. Two just have slight waves, and one would be rather curly if you just let her air dried, but blowed out she is just soft and wavy. My curly HAV is the one who gets (by far) the most mats and I would go crazy if I kept her in anything but a puppy cut.

Attached are some pictures of my OLD little girl (she will be 17 next month) Jaime. I have all my Havs in puppy cuts and I have always told the groomer that I want them to look like they were naturally a puppy all over-- tails probably are a little longer (but I do get them trimmed from time to time). I have been fortunate to only have had two groomers over the past 17 years and they were in-home/mobile van -- other than a short period after my first groomer moved out of state. They both really listened to what I wanted and consistently delivered.

FYI, there are also corded Havs but I have never seen one.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Judy: Thanks. The photos help a lot. They don't look like Bichons to me. The coat really resembles Sergio's texture. I have tried blow drying while combing but he shakes it out.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

My groomer keeps Pixie in a teddy cut. She leaves the face, ears and tail long to help distinguish that she's a havanese. She has the curly cottony denser hair, but it can be straightened when blow dried. When I bathe her I just let her dry then comb her out, and she's pretty curly. Mig's hair is straighter and silkier.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

When Pam clips a curly coat for a puppy cut, she uses a #3 skip tooth blade on the body, but still scissors the legs. A lot of groomers will want to clip the legs too, but that makes them end up looking like a poodle if the leg hair is cut that short too. She keeps the hair on the legs a little longer than the body. I can't find a picture right off, but will look again later.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Tom I hope you find the picture because a 3 inch is exactly what Ive been thinking of doing to Zoey. I'm scared to take her to someone and I have also herd that she will have to be totally mat free or it will hurt her. Zoeys coat is so thick its hard sometimes to even notice a mat,. The comb can also slide right over one. I don't have a CC comb maybe I should by one. I have the best luck with my tiny comb I can hold it better and get down to the skin easier. Maybe thats why it takes me so long to groom her.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Tom King said:


> When Pam clips a curly coat for a puppy cut, she uses a #3 skip tooth blade on the body, but still scissors the legs. A lot of groomers will want to clip the legs too, but that makes them end up looking like a poodle if the leg hair is cut that short too. She keeps the hair on the legs a little longer than the body. I can't find a picture right off, but will look again later.


Thanks everyone for the replies.

Tom, a photo and any instructions I can provide to my groomer would be greatly appreciated.

My groomer works out of a dog bakery and boutique, advertises mostly through word of mouth from other clients. She's always booked, so I hope that's a good sign. She's at a groomer conference this week. She was recommended by a neighbor with a really cute Maltese. I liked the Maltese's hair cut, didn't look too short.

I have an appointment scheduled for Sergio for March 17, St. Pat's Day. I'm sure the groomer will not mind if I bring in photos with some instructions, since she may not have worked on a Havanese before.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

I'll take pictures the next time Pam grooms one, and post. I forgot to say that she also uses snap-on combs on the #3 blade for different length coats. It will be much easier with pictures, than trying to explain it in just words.

If you look at the video on Nike's page when she's going in the lake, the other dog that you get short glimpses of is one with a curly puppy cut. That's the dog that Pam grooms and clips fairly regularly. They live near us on the lake.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Hi Judy, I am amazed that your sweet Jamie is 17 years old! She is so cute. I'm curious to know how you discovered havanese and was it hard to find a breeder?. Also it would be fun to know her lines. Does she have a AKC number to see who her ancestry?


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Tom King said:


> I'll take pictures the next time Pam grooms one, and post. I forgot to say that she also uses snap-on combs on the #3 blade for different length coats. It will be much easier with pictures, than trying to explain it in just words.
> 
> If you look at the video on Nike's page when she's going in the lake, the other dog that you get short glimpses of is one with a curly puppy cut. That's the dog that Pam grooms and clips fairly regularly. They live near us on the lake.


Thanks, Tom. Very helpful. Please do post photos of the curly haired Hav.


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