We're picking up our Havanese puppy soon and we're super excited. He's so cute! However, I think I'm getting a bit of cold feet, mainly about the grooming. We took so many breed tests online before picking a puppy and the Havanese was always among the results, so we decided to go with this "rare" breed. Our first choice would have been an English Cocker Spaniel (I always found them gorgeous). I guess I'm just looking for some encouraging words that a Havanese was the right choice and why they are perhaps even "better" than a Cocker Spaniel 😄 PS: I want to keep him in a puppy cut or slightly longer than puppy cut.
Was a Havanese the right choice?
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I guess a Cocker person might tell you that Cockers are better. To me, there is no comparison. I wouldn't consider a Cocker. And they are pretty high maintenance when it comes to grooming too, if you want them to look nice. But I think, to come onto a Havanese group, and expect that people might tell you anything but that they like their Havanese better... 
Maybe if you are looking for a bird dog...
Maybe if you are looking for a bird dog...
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As a very young child, I grew up with Cocker Spaniels. My aunt was a backyard breeder of Cockers. In my opinion, Havanese are a much superior breed to Cockers. Havanese are non-shedding, hypo-alergenic, and genetic health issues are rare. If you don't enjoy grooming a Havanese, put them into a "puppy cut". Many people on this forum take their Havanese to a groomer only a couple of times a year with a puppy cut trim.
I think you made the right choice.
Ricky's Popi
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There are lots of ways to approach grooming and whether or not it will work for you. I think in most situations there are ways to manage it, but it depends on your goals. Is your hesitance the time commitment or cost, how much do you want to do yourself, and do you want a Havanese in full coat or are you happy with a puppy cut?
A Havanese in a puppy cut is generally pretty low maintenance, but not no maintenance, they still need to be cut every so often by you or a groomer. IMO they still need some basic exposure to a brush/comb but it’s not demanding.
If you want a Havanese in full coat, ignore everything you’ve ever seen about Havanese grooming unless it was on the forum. All of the dog breed website lie. If you want to get to a full coat without ever cutting your Havanese, there’s a most likely a daily time commitment involved, at least until they pass the blowing coat stage and have an adult coat (but you could get lucky because some are easier). Adult Havanese coats seem to be easier and the amount of grooming time they need when they’re long is more varied. When mine is long I have to groom him every day, but only for 5 minutes or so. Some people only groom a couple of times a week.
A Havanese in a puppy cut is generally pretty low maintenance, but not no maintenance, they still need to be cut every so often by you or a groomer. IMO they still need some basic exposure to a brush/comb but it’s not demanding.
If you want a Havanese in full coat, ignore everything you’ve ever seen about Havanese grooming unless it was on the forum. All of the dog breed website lie. If you want to get to a full coat without ever cutting your Havanese, there’s a most likely a daily time commitment involved, at least until they pass the blowing coat stage and have an adult coat (but you could get lucky because some are easier). Adult Havanese coats seem to be easier and the amount of grooming time they need when they’re long is more varied. When mine is long I have to groom him every day, but only for 5 minutes or so. Some people only groom a couple of times a week.
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Honestly, grooming a Havanese in a puppy cut is easy, and a Havanese is completely worth it. The problem I had was I planned for that low maintenance puppy cut and then fell in love with my Havanese in full coat!
I also agree with the puppy cut advice! We keep both of ours in a puppy cut (and it's adorable!). Ours take a trip to the groomer about once every 2-3 months or so for a full haircut/nail trim. We do baths in between - mainly because their feet get dirty and one of ours has allergies, and we do maintenance brushing once a week (mainly for their tails where mats can happen). I don't find it to be too bad with the puppy cut! Havanese are the best breed imho!
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I am sure you expected this answer, but there is nothing quite like a Hav (except maybe my standard poodles and why I own both breeds). My best friend had a cocker and no way would I have one. Coat maintenance is not easy and requires grooming, where is a Hav is wash and wear. Bugsy has been in full coat his entire life and he is 14 and 8 months. If you don’t like to deal with long hair, you can have his trimmed as often (or not) as you like. Temperament on the Havanese is so much better than on a cocker spaniel. Havanese are also a much healthier breed. You made the right choice!
Still can’t figure out how to size/rotate pics.lol
Still can’t figure out how to size/rotate pics.lol
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Bugsy is beautiful! I've been letting Willow grow out for about 1-1/2 years now. She had always been in a puppy cut and I was afraid the full coat would be way too much work. Surprisingly to me, it's not that hard. Of course, the puppy cut is easier but I'm no longer intimidated about the full coat.
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I find full coat easy enough to maintain, but having had Persian cats and poodles, I guess all is relative. Bugsy has silky coat that is more straight than wavy, that makes it easy(ish) to deal with. I just wash, brush, dry and done. Lol you gotta post pics of your baby with long hair!
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I'm the world's worst photographer. I know I need to post a current photo of Willow. She always looks so unkempt. I comb her daily but it lasts only about an hour! Then she starts looking like a wild child.
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Mia likes laying with her nose between the slats of her crate. So her nose hair is always out of control!
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WILLOW will ALWAYS be cute no matter what her fur looks like! Ricky prefers the unkempt look. He will rearrange his hair to his liking shortly after a brush out, which is the wild and woolly look.
Ricky's Popi
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Yeah I thought the wild wooly unkempt look is part of the Havanese "look". Jackie don't be fooled by all the pictures you see where they just stepped off the grooming table!
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I’ve only ever had Jojo! Even though I have very little experience, I can honestly say she is the very very best dog in the world! A close second is my niece’s dog Ella, also a Havanese, whom made me want a Havanese in the first place! That said, I did look into a King Charles spaniel but found they needed to be groomed AND shed! I’m sure it would be the same for the cocker spaniel. I’ll take a bit of brushing over shedding any day of the week!!! Jojo is only 7 months so doesn’t need to be cut yet. But I still take her for a foot face and fanny trim once a month. Other than that she gets a bath in the laundry room sink, complete with brush and blow out, once a week. I wash her little face and give her a quick brush daily. It’s actually quite fun to pamper her and she is learning to accept it!
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Oh, I know that a lot of these photos are taken after a grooming session! I'm going to have to charge up the camera and take a few shots. Part of the problem is she never seems to stand still long enough for me to get a good shot. Then I always seem to have red eyes and I don't have or maybe just don't know how to fix that. She's gong to the groomer this Friday so maybe I can remember to get the camera charged by then!
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Jackie, weren't you the one who couldn't figure out how to "multi-quote?" Well it looks like you are doing just fine! :thumb: You will figure out how to get the "red-eye" out too.
Ricky's Popi
Ricky's Popi
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Yup! That was me! :grin2:
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Bugsy is gorgeous! Is he pure white? Who's that in the background?
Jackie, I would also love to see a current photo of Willow. Maybe someone could hold a treat for her to dig out of their hand while you get a photo from the side to show her coat?
Puppy owners, you can train your dogs to stay still for photos with a treat held right above your camera. The earlier you start, the longer you'll have photos of your dog looking at the camera! I wish I'd started even earlier with Shama!
Jackie, I would also love to see a current photo of Willow. Maybe someone could hold a treat for her to dig out of their hand while you get a photo from the side to show her coat?
Puppy owners, you can train your dogs to stay still for photos with a treat held right above your camera. The earlier you start, the longer you'll have photos of your dog looking at the camera! I wish I'd started even earlier with Shama!
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