Havanese Forum banner

Newbie with grooming question

3K views 27 replies 10 participants last post by  Bnails52 
#1 ·
Hi, I am from Australia and we are expecting our new Havanese puppy in June (little Black and Tan girl). It's been over 10yrs since we have had a dog, so forgotten a lot! :wink2:This forum is really helpful in bringing back all those doggie memories. I've been purchasing all the usual puppy things so I'm ready and organised but I've been thinking about grooming, particularly the drying after a bath. What do you all do to dry your dogs coat? I've noticed that they all have beautiful coats. Do you use a human's hair dryer on them? Or is that not good for their hair? If you do, do you have it on a stand for hands free drying so you can brush them at the same time? Or should I have deeper pockets and purchase a professional dryer? Sorry so many questions :wave:
Thanks Nicole
 
#2 ·
You certainly CAN use a human dryer, just make sure you get one with adjustable heat settings. You want the heat very low. I sued a human dryer for the first couple of years. Then I got tired of how long it took, and got a Kool Pup force dryer. I'd never go back!
 
#4 ·
I have used a human hair drier with Tucker for 10 years. It has a cool and warm setting, and I just toggle between the two, and move it a lot so that he doesn't get too warm at any time.

I'd love to have had the drier that Karen got, but we make do.
 
#7 ·
I could make do when I had just one... but with multiples, I have to shave time off the bathing process any way I can! :laugh:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kirby and Marni
#5 ·
I bought a human dryer that is suppose to be super quiet for sprocket he does well with it until I get to his neck area it has warm and cool settings too I'd love to have a dog one that dries faster and hands free but it's not in the budget right now mine works fine though :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
I use a human dryer to and it has 3 settings, the middle one is warm and doesn't get uncomfortably hot for them. Make sure you comb your dog thoroughly before the bath and make sure there are no mats otherwise whatever little mats were there will be awful after they are wet. So it is comb, bath (shampoo and condition), comb through to get tangles out and then comb as you dry. I wrap mine in a towel coming out of the tub and then try to get heavy wetness out by toweling them down.
 
#12 ·
Yes, I can't do that for two reasons. First, for much of the year, the house is just too cold to make them air-dry, and second, you just can't air-dry long coats without getting mats.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sheri
#10 ·
I use my own dryer. I suggest you turn it on your face (as the puppy watches you) and accomplish two things at once. You show him the dryer is harmless cause you do it to yourself and you like it, and you also get to feel just what distance is comfortable for the speed and heat setting you are using. When Tux was very young, he learned to sit up for treats. I would have him sit up, give him a tiny treat with the hair dryer lying on its side with the motor on but not blowing on him. Then I would turn it on the lowest setting, have him sit up, put it on my face, smile and tell him how good it feels, then blow a bit to dry his tummy, then treat. Suddenly the blow drying became something to look forward to.

Now that he is older, he must wait until we are finished. I tell him how pretty he looks and that he deserves a TREAT!!! We then run like crazy to the treat drawer.
 
#14 ·
We used a human hair dryer for Mochi for a year and then moved up to a force dryer. The human hair dryer was just taking too long. Be sure to socialize your pup to a dryer and vacuum, etc...

FYI, a force dryer literally blows the water out of the hair, so you probably don't want to use it in the living room. A human hair dryer doesn't blow hard enough to make a mess.
 
#16 ·
The more important aspect of grooming is to keep toenails trimmed as well as hair between between paw pads (every two or three weeks or as needed). Some dogs have more hair inside their ears than others and it may need to be tamed back on occasion depending on the dog. If it is necessary to do that then have your vet show you how. Sometimes a gentle pull with your finger and thumb will work. Keep the eyes clear of fine hair always (small soft damp cotton cloth with gentle wipes like a mother dog would lick her pup). A daily brushing will keep mats (and dirt) under control. Pay attention to the area underneath especially where legs meet the body, behind the ears, and rear end.

Havanese vary greatly in texture, length and bend in their hair, so there is no definitive answer to a schedule for grooming, but the more often you attend to the above, the less hassle it will be. A clean dog is easier to groom, but make sure you brush out any mats BEFORE bathing. This forum has LOTS of info on this.

If you can't keep up, it is vital that you find a groomer that you can trust to be gentle with your pup to do the things that you feel uneasy about.
 
#17 ·
Pay attention to the area underneath especially where legs meet the body, behind the ears, and rear end. .
I completely second this. Despite brushing Perry every couple of days (he's in a puppy cut so don't need every day) and religiously checking him for mats, we ended up with a mat around his one leg elbow, the other leg 'armpit' and right next to his boy parts. Not fun places to try to get out andn even harder to hold him still while trying to deal with the mat with 2 hands to try to minimize the pulling

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk
 
#18 ·
I bathe sprocket probably every 7-10 days he gets greasy if I wait much longer I use shampoo and a separate conditioner so far he doesn't have any dry skin (my vet told me to only bathe him once a month but by week 2 I don't want to pet him )
I do most of his grooming myself but I hate pulling the hairs out of his ears so I make appointments with a groomer to do that so far at almost 8 months he's only gone to a groomer once
When I first got sprocket I was planning on keeping his hair long but it's a lot more work his belly areas gets tangled so fast! So I've been keeping his hair short it's good grooming practice for me anyway lol



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
bathing

I bathe sprocket probably every 7-10 days he gets greasy if I wait much longer I use shampoo and a separate conditioner so far he doesn't have any dry skin (my vet told me to only bathe him once a month but by week 2 I don't want to pet him )
I do most of his grooming myself but I hate pulling the hairs out of his ears so I make appointments with a groomer to do that so far at almost 8 months he's only gone to a groomer once
When I first got sprocket I was planning on keeping his hair long but it's a lot more work his belly areas gets tangled so fast! So I've been keeping his hair short it's good grooming practice for me anyway lol
This is a perfect example of how the difference in their coats (and environments) affect how often they need a bath. Perry can easily go 3 weeks, often even longer, without a bath. It ends up being closer to 3 when he's in need of grooming (i.e. longer and fluffier) and longer for the weeks right after I cut him. I usually end up giving him a bath when he's not smelling as good more than based on his coat because that still feels fine even when we wait longer.

This month it was probably 2-3 weeks between baths but that was mostly because we are traveling today and I wanted to give him a bath last weekend in preparation for the trip (no stinky dogs on planes!)
 
#19 ·
I was at the vet a couple of days ago and Tux had several mats on his belly. I hadn't been able to devote as much time to them for a couple of weeks because I had a pinched nerve in my neck and because he seemed so sensitive there. Every time I would pick him up I would try to gently coax the mats apart, but it was a losing battle. The vet suggested just doing a light shave of his underbelly, so we did. You can't tell he's been shaved, and I think he is a much happier boy now that he has a cool belly. He still looks like a lovely walking floor mop.
 
#20 ·
Hello Nicole ~:welcome:

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new pup! We had a beautiful black/tan/white Havanese boy for 14 years. Just recently I came across a grooming book I wish I would have owned when Kirby was young. It is the best book on Havanese grooming I think you will ever find ~ Just look up Havanese Fanciers of Canada online. There is a wealth of information on that site alone, but on the site there is the book you can order through them. I'm sure that they will ship this to you. The price is very reasonable and it really is the best advice you can get on every aspect of grooming for your little one. I love the way the book is bound, as you can lay it flat while reading....lots of photos and so much help for you! Grooming a Havanese is a big job, especially if you choose the long coat. We always had Kirby in a puppy cut...we just loved it....but many here choose the long coat. Either way, there is lots to learn...especially around the time when your girl "blows her puppy coat"...so you need to be ready. :) Enjoy many years of love and happiness with her! ~ Maureen
 
#21 ·
I got my little girl Bella, two weeks ago, she is so cute, but I think she's ready for grooming soon, I brush her everyday and she's doing good, we start with a treat, I would like to hold her hair back in a ponytail, but when I did it, she didn't seem to like it. Any advice, and what type of questions should I ask groomer be for I book an appointment. I have had some bad experiences with my other dog who passed away and I don't want this to happen again.
Thanks in advance, I am a proud mommy, she's delightful
 
#22 ·
How old is she? Usually, it's AT LEAST a few months before a Havanese puppy (well, really ANY puppy!) needs professional grooming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bnails52 and Kirby
#25 ·
Bathing

I have had Bella for 2 1/2 weeks, I have given her two baths, one each week.
I don't want to overdo it, but I like to see her clean, I was her face after she eats every morning with a baby wipe, she seems to like it. She goes outside alot with me, and I take her down our field for her walk, there is dirt a d mud I try and keep her out of the mud, but she does get dirty. When I brush her, she seems much better so if I can wait longer I will, I don't WA t:smile2::surprise: t to irritate her skin by doing it too often. Thank you for the advice.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I have had Bella for 2 1/2 weeks, I have given her two baths, one each week.
I don't want to overdo it, but I like to see her clean, I was her face after she eats every morning with a baby wipe, she seems to like it. She goes outside alot with me, and I take her down our field for her walk, there is dirt a d mud I try and keep her out of the mud, but she does get dirty. When I brush her, she seems much better so if I can wait longer I will, I don't WA t:smile2::surprise: t to irritate her skin by doing it too often. Thank you for the advice.
As long as you use a good quality, mild shampoo and conditioner if she needs it (many puppies don't) her skin will be fine! After all, most of us shower daily! :)

For puppies and Havanese in puppy cuts, I really like Chris Christensen Prol-Line Fair Advantage, shampoo and conditioner in one. For dogs who don't have full, long coats that need extra conditioning, I think it does a brilliant job. It's mild, easy to rinse out, doesn't require an extra rinse as is needed with a separate conditioner, and has a lovely, mild, lemony scent.

I wash all htree of mine every week to 10 days, depending on how much we are out and about. But mine probably spend more time outdoors than the average Havs, and two of them are white in all the areas that get dirty fastest! :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top