Show Dog Grooming

[krandall]

Originally Posted by The Laughing Magpie

I bought the book when I first got Yogi...my dogs are in full coat...but full coat and show coat are often different.

I agree. I have the book too, and enjoyed it. I was fortunate that Kodi's coat has never been that difficult to deal with... Even during the worst of blowing coat, I didn't have the problems some people on the forum report. BUT... I also didn't sweat the small stuff. I wanted him in full coat, but I also wasn't going to show him in conformation. So if he got a knot or two in an arm pit, I had NO problem just cutting it out, and saving him the discomfort of having to have it tediously combed or brushed out. He gets his feet and nails and sanitary trimmed every 3 weeks. Otherwise, his coat has not ever been clipped.

I love the way he looks, and keep him looking tidy by bathing him weekly and combing him out daily (but it only takes me 10 minutes to do that, including putting his hair up). But I have no false illusions. I know that if someone were to show him in conformation, they would want to do a LOT more with his coat than I do.

[sandypaws]

I think Kodi looks awesome, Karen. His coat is beautiful and you do a great job keeping it that way. I guess a silky coat has its rewards.

[ClaireVoyant]

Where are you finding this book? I can generally find most any book on Amazon, but not this one. I checked for electronic versions and can't find those either, but would love to have a copy. Isabella has the dreaded cotton coat and blowing coat was a nightmare for both of us and heaven forbid, she's showing signs of round two. Praying it's not as horrid as the first go round.


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[HalleBerry]

Here is the book: http://www.havanesefanciers.com/nosetotailbook/

I'm not the voice of authority, but the friends that I know with havs in full show coat don't do a lot more with the coats.... we shampoo & condition (and the CC After U Bathe is a wonderful 3rd addition). The whites have to stay clean, so some of them don't get to go outside. Halle does - and I dry her feet if they get damp so she doesn't lick them. Trim the hair at the corner of her eyes - check for ear hair - clean up her feet and she's ready to go in the ring. Havs with a really heavy undercoat are often flat ironed, to tone down the bushy-ness - and in the ring they go. The coat is easier to comb out when it's clean, hence the frequent bathing - lots of misting/conditioning to keep the hair from breaking.

[krandall]

Originally Posted by HalleBerry

Here is the book: http://www.havanesefanciers.com/nosetotailbook/

I'm not the voice of authority, but the friends that I know with havs in full show coat don't do a lot more with the coats.... we shampoo & condition (and the CC After U Bathe is a wonderful 3rd addition). The whites have to stay clean, so some of them don't get to go outside. Halle does - and I dry her feet if they get damp so she doesn't lick them. Trim the hair at the corner of her eyes - check for ear hair - clean up her feet and she's ready to go in the ring. Havs with a really heavy undercoat are often flat ironed, to tone down the bushy-ness - and in the ring they go. The coat is easier to comb out when it's clean, hence the frequent bathing - lots of misting/conditioning to keep the hair from breaking.

I think, from talking to my show friends, it's all the extra bathing that would get me! Kodi definitely wouldn't need flatironing, but for him to look like the typical "show ring Hav" he'd have to be bathed and blow dried to fluff him up the day of the show. He would need "puffing up" rather than "flattening out".

[HalleBerry]

Ah yes, the extra bathing.... Halle is bathed (normally) twice a week - daily when she shows - and it's the shampoo, rinse, whitening shampoo, set ten minutes, rinse, after u bathe, set 3 minutes, rinse, condition, rinse routine that is the killer. The drying (thanks to my wonderful CC dryer) only takes about 20 minutes tops - but washing much longer.

[krandall]

Originally Posted by HalleBerry

Ah yes, the extra bathing.... Halle is bathed (normally) twice a week - daily when she shows - and it's the shampoo, rinse, whitening shampoo, set ten minutes, rinse, after u bathe, set 3 minutes, rinse, condition, rinse routine that is the killer. The drying (thanks to my wonderful CC dryer) only takes about 20 minutes tops - but washing much longer.

Yeah, THAT'S the part I would find very tedious!

[HalleBerry]

Tedious is an understatement! Once Halle finishes her Grand, she'll "retire" to just being a puppy - so I'm hopeful that I can limit the bathing to twice a week at the most. And that's just because she gets filthy playing in the yard and she's harder to comb out when she's dirty.

[krandall]

Originally Posted by HalleBerry

Tedious is an understatement! Once Halle finishes her Grand, she'll "retire" to just being a puppy - so I'm hopeful that I can limit the bathing to twice a week at the most. And that's just because she gets filthy playing in the yard and she's harder to comb out when she's dirty.

Kodi is outside quite a bit, and I can get by with bathing him just once a week, unless he gets REALLY gross on a walk in the woods in between. Most of the time, I can get by with occasional belly/leg rinses if he gets grimy in between. If he goes longer than 10 days, he starts to get more tangles. But I think he's older than Halle too. It has really been within the last year that his coat has become really easy to manage. (he's 3 1/2 now)

Are you planning on breeding Halle? Or did you just want to show her for the fun of it? I know I don't want to get into breeding, but I AM thinking it might be fun to have the experience of showing my next dog in the breed ring. (like I don't have enough to do in the performance ring... WHAT am I THINKING of!!!)

[HalleBerry]

So there's hope???? Halle just turned one last week, so she's a long way from that - but I really do like the full coat and I'm hopeful that I can keep it up. Time will tell....