[luchetel]

Hi!
I am looking for the tried and true experiences of everyone- What is the most favorite shampoo and conditioner for the havs- And what does Ice on Ice do? Are the Chris Christenson products the favorite of most?
ALso, I need some help with combs and brushes. I keep buying them not knowing until after that they don't work well or pull the hair.
Suggestions on combs and brushes? And are they all at the Christenson website? I am willing to shop at different locations for different products.
Thanks.
Lynn U

 

[Julie]

I only use a greyhound comb and a facial comb on my guy.I ordered mine through PETEDGE.It has lots of combs,brushes,toys,beds etc.at discount prices.I have tried a variety of shampoos,but the best so far ,for me, has been the Coat Handler.or Bio Groom.I always use a conditioner.Coat handler or Pet Silk.These are all available through PetEdge.On occasions,you may need to use a pin brush,but I was told NEVER to use a slicker,as it breaks the hair(similiar to a woman with split-ends).

 

[MopTop Havanese]

I use PurePaws reconstructive shampoo and Coat Handlers conditioner. I have tried many different brands (Plush Puppy, Crown Royale which smells AWESOME and many others). I keep going back to the PurePaws and Coat Handlers. But I do like the Crown Royale spray in conditioner when I am brushing them between baths. The smell stays on them for a couple of days, yum!
I use a greyhound comb to get thru the mats, and a greyhound brush or a Chris Christiansen brush. I switch back and forth depending on which dog I am doing. I have 5 dogs with 5 different coats!

 

[marjrc]

You'll see what I posted here at this thread about something recommended:

http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=315&page=2&highlight=Ouidad+conditioner

I use "The Professional Groomer's Edge" Dynamic duo, super concentrated and so far I like it. Of course Ricky doesn't have his adult coat in yet, and has a very easy coat to maintain, so who knows if it will still be good for him then. This bottle I got at a dog show cost $8 and is used diluted 10-15 times so it will last a long while yet! It is very nice to use and Ricky doesn't get flaky skin from it. I used to bathe him weekly, but since the deep cold set in, he gets a bath every 2 weeks or so.

I have a pin brush that I hardly use at all ... so far. I'm told it will be of big help once Ricky's blows his puppy coat. What I use the most, is the small grayhound comb. I also use a larger one with diff. length tines, but it creates a lot of static, so I don't like it all that much. That's about it. Nothing fancy!

 

[whitBmom]

Has anyone heard of the FURminator? What is it? I was looking at this service called Aussie Pet Mobile, they left their flyer, and was wondering what it is. I am now shopping around for groomers and this seems convenient. If any of you have tried them, please give me a review. And also about that Furminator - what does it do? Would it wreck our havs coat?

 

[dboudreau]

I first heard of the Furminator on a Maritime list. www.furminator.com . I googled it and it looks very interesting for my cat. Would be great for Shepherds, huskies,ect. but I don't think it would work on a Havanese. It is designed to remove undercoat. Our little guys can have very little undercoat and sometimes none at all.

 

[whitBmom]

Thanks Debbie for that link. It sure would not be a right fit for the Havanese, it might just destroy their beautiful coats.

As for the mobile groomers, do any of you have experience with them? I am looking into this aussie mobile groomer, as I am looking and shopping around. I want to avoid any horror stories and make it as pleasant as I can for Oreo

 

[dboudreau]

WhitBmom: Ask the grooming service for references and them call. Most people will tell you the truth if they were happy or not. If they can't or won't give references I wouldn't use them.

 

[whitBmom]

Thanks for the tip, I will do that

 

[JodiM]

I used a Furminator on my Golden, and it ROCKS... but I don't think it would be a good choice for a Hav. I find a regular pin brush works great for the most part.

Katie~ You use the Coat Handlers after bath, and then use the Crown Royale during the week? You don't notice any problems with that??
I thought Coat Handlers was only supposed to be used with Coat Handlers products? (Or is that just a load of bull to get you to buy more of their products)

 

[Havtahava]

Not Katie, but I've been using The Coat Handler Conditioner (15:1) for well over a year now (found it Nov 2005) and it's my favorite by far. I use it with the Pure Paws Reconstructive Shampoo, thanks to a professional groomer & pro dog handler. He gave me that combo and I haven't found anything better yet.

You can use The Coat Handler conditioner for misting on when doing your dry grooming, and you can also pour it (diluted) over your Hav in the bath. (I haven't bothered to buy any other conditioners in a year and a half. With all my dogs, that's saying something.)

One of the best tips I've heard and learned is that you don't apply shampoo directly to the coat. Instead, mix it into a tub of water and put the dog in the tub. Tom King (posts regularly here) & his wife have dogs with gorgeous coats. His wife seconded that suggestion on shampoo so I've been doing it that way ever since. It's great.

 

[JodiM]

Wow Kim, that's a great tip.

We normally dilute into a spray bottle, and apply it like that, but the bath water sounds like it would be easier.

I'll have to order some, is there a good place to get both?

 

[Havtahava]

I've only found Pure Paws products online and at a few dog shows. (I usually have to ask ahead for it to even show up at dog shows.)

However, The Coat Handler is much more readily available through many web sites and dog show vendors. (Cherrybrook.com carries many The Coat Handler products at a reasonable price. I usually pay around $45 for a gallon of the 15:1 concentrate.)

I haven't found either product available via retail shops.

 

[MopTop Havanese]

I use the Coat Handlers Conditioner when I bathe them. During the week when I am brushing them, I will spray a bit of the Crown Royale on the brush, then brush them out. It really makes them smell good.
I haven't noticed any problem with mixing the two. But I also haven't heard that you are only supposed to use Coat Handlers with Coat Handlers? I was just looking thru my PetEdge catalog tonite (I need to order more conditioner) and I was looking at the Coat Handlers Shampoo. I still have about half a gallon of the Pure Paws, so maybe once that is gone I will try the Coat Handlers Shampoo.

 

[JodiM]

I looked this morning to see where I found it.. it was on their website.. here's a copy & paste from there.

Q. Why should I use the Coat Handler Shampoos with the Coat Handler Conditioner instead of using other shampoos?

A. Other shampoos have additives (i.e., proteins, oils, silicones, lanolins, keratin, jajoba, aloe vera, etc.) and these most likely will leave a residue. We all know that proteins bond with proteins and oils will not rinse out. Since the Coat Handler Conditioner is a LEAVE-IN Conditioner, you can have a chemical interaction between the conditioner and the residues. This can cause a negative reaction and cause the coat to "bind up" such as "pelting". Pelting is when the coat sticks together like it is glued together. In reality, it is glued by the chemicals. These mats or pelts cannot be brushed out. Only shampoo can wash them out.

The Coat Handler Conditioner is really going to work at its best when the coat is totally clean and no residues are present.

In order to get the best results for all our products, we recommend using them together rather than mix them with other products.



I'm really curious to know how true that is.. I wonder if anyone has used the 2 Coat Handler products together, and used the other combination as well.

 

[Havtahava]

Jodi, here is a link to the Pure Paws vendors in the U.S.. The shampoo is really thick and almost has a gummy consistency (at least for a shampoo). I have to put it in a shaker and mix it with warm water before I put in the tub to make sure it dilutes. It has a nice, sweet smell, but it doesn't stay on the dogs long. However, it does the important part of cleaning them and keeping their hair manageable without stripping down the oils on their skin.

 

[Havtahava]

Jody, you posted as I was finding that link for you. I can tell you that the Pure Paws shampoos don't have any residues in them.

I think (but I'm not sure) that Tom & his wife use The Coat Handler shampoo in addition to The Coat Handler conditioner.

 

[JodiM]

I found this offer for Coat Handler stuff- not a GREAT deal, but pretty good if you're wanting to try it out.

I ended up getting this to try it... and of course a few other things that we didn't really need ~ shipping wasn't bad either, compared to the other places we've looked online.

http://www.groomerschoice.com/ord_shampoo_ch-intro-offer.html

Introductory Offer - (from The Coat Handler)
• 16oz. Coat Handler Conditioner.
• 16oz. 15:1 Shampoo Concentrate.
• 16oz. 5:1 Premium Shampoo Concentrate.
• 12oz. Sensational Detangler Finishing Spray.
• 1 lb. Odor Handler.
• 1/4 oz. Skin Works.

Introductory Offer Package ..... $35.00

 

[JodiM]

Great Kim, thanks.

 

[MopTop Havanese]

Hummmm....I have never heard/read that about the Coat Handlers. Very interesting! I have a couple of dogs who hardly mat..and then I have a couple that are constantly covered with mats. It's crazy.
Thanks for the link, I may give the shampoo's a try. That intro offer seems like a good deal. But the shipping is a bit high for me in Cali.
O.K, I just checked my Pet Edge catalog. The shampoos (16oz) are $9.99 and $7.99, the conditioner(16 oz) is $8.29. Pet Edge doesn't offer the finishing spray, or the oder control. So I do think that link/intro offer is a great deal!