Grooming Your Havanese

As mentioned in an earlier article in this series (“What to Expect with a Havanese”), a Havanese needs regular grooming to maintain a clean, tangle-free coat. This breed requires relatively more grooming than other dogs, so you need to take this into account prior to purchasing a Havanese. Part of Havanese care means regular grooming. Let’s explore what Havanese grooming involves.

Brush Your Cares Away!

Because of its long coat and the fact that it’s considered a non-shedding breed (this can be a little deceiving; they do shed but minimally), a Havanese needs to be brushed about twice a week. This will prevent matting and will remove dead hairs from the dog’s coat. This results in a healthier coat and a more comfortable dog. Avoid rough brushing as it can irritate the dog’s skin.

It’s Bath Time!

Unlike brushing—which is a weekly requirement of Havenese grooming—bathing is much less regular. Unless they have a close encounter with a skunk or the neighbor’s garbage, Havanese only need to be bathed about once a month. It’s best to use a pet shampoo with the proper pH (ask your vet) and a conditioner to keep the coat from drying out. After your Havanese has his bath, towel dry him and blow dry to finish the job.

Eye And Ear Cleaning

Havanese grooming also includes regular eye and ear cleaning. Light colored Havanese are prone to discoloration around the eyes, so it’s important to clean around the dog’s eyes with a soft cloth or cotton moistened with warm water. If the dog’s eyes appear irritated your vet can recommend an eye lotion to help. Like most floppy eared breeds, Havanese can be prone to ear infections if their ears are not cleaned regularly. You can use a cloth moistened with warm water to wipe out the ears, being careful not to probe too deeply in the dog’s ear. Your Havanese’s ears need to be plucked to keep them free of hair. You can do this at home or ask a groomer to do it as part of your Havanese’s hair cut.

Your Nails Look Like Freddie Kruger’s!

Let’s face it: dogs don’t like to have their nails clipped, but it needs to be done. Start them when they’re young so they can grow more accustomed to it. Use a dog nail clipper (not a pair of human clippers) to trim the nail; but don’t trim too much at once or you may cut the quick of the nail and some minor bleeding will occur. Believe me, the dog will let you know if you cut the quick by quickly yelping in pain. After you trim the nail, smooth off the rough edges with a nail file. If you don’t feel confident trimming your dog’s nails have a groomer do it for you. Your groomer can also cut your Havanese’s hair shorter so that it takes less grooming to maintain.

So, are you ready to do some grooming? Do you have the proper Grooming supplies?

Attention: To discover how YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved Havanese, get a copy of this Havanese Guide NOW!


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