Brushing is the first step when it comes to coat care. Havanese hair grows similarly to the way human hair does. The Havanese coat can reach 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in length. Some hairs fall out, as ours do, but Havanese do not shed their coat like other dogs do.
The initial coat will be a puppy coat. At about a year of age, the adult coat starts to come in. The coat will mat more at this time. You must be especially dedicated to daily grooming and removing mats during the change. The transition lasts about two to three months.
Place your Havanese on his side on the grooming table to begin the coat-grooming session. Work with a section of coat at a time, making a horizontal part to separate the coat you are currently grooming and pushing the other out of the way. This is called line brushing. Each section should be about an inch (2.5 cm) wide. Do not go to the next section until the brush and comb go smoothly through the coat of the current section.
Unless your dog has just had a bath, mist the section of coat you are working on from the spray bottle containing the water and conditioner. Do not brush a dry coat, because the hair will break. Start at the back leg; brush the hair up and away from the body. You might use a bristle or slicker brush on the lower parts of the legs. Work sections up the leg to the hip, and then proceed to the front leg, again brushing the hair in sections. Section and work the coat on that side of the body.
When finished with the first side, turn the dog over to lie on his other side. Section, mist, and brush the coat on that side, again with the back leg first, followed by the front leg, and the body. Remember to brush both sides of each leg and the belly and chest when you are working the side of the body.
Stand the dog facing away from you. Section, mist, and brush the rear and tail. Protect the sensitive genital area from the brush with your hand. Comb through the coat to make sure no fecal matter is in the hair. Continue up the back of the body.
Turn your dog around to groom the neck and chest. Remember to comb the armpits. Brush the ears inside and out. With the flea comb and cotton ball, remove any matter on the coat from the corner of the eye. Comb the face, beard, and mustache.
Some owners groom the coat in a different sequence. The order is your choice, so long as you do it often and thoroughly. Make brushing part of your quality time with your Havanese. Do it while watching television, listening to music, talking on the phone. Just do it.
Tip: Cornstarch or talcum powder can help dry and clean the damp and dirty parts of the coat. Sprinkle one into a wet coat to absorb the moisture, rub it in, and then brush it out with a pin brush. Comb through the coat to remove the excess. These can be used to clean his face or clean accidents at the other end. If the coat is not wet, mist it to dampen. These can be used to whiten a stained coat when brushing a newly bathed dog. Do not use on dark-colored coats.
Stain Removal: A light-colored Havanese coat can benefit from the periodic use of a dog whitener product to remove stains. Spray it onto the stained area, wait, and then brush it out.
Coat Care Equipment
A soft pin brush is the most useful for grooming a Havanese coat. A bristle brush can be more comfortable for a baby puppy. As the coat grows, though, the pin brush will work better. A slicker brush, with shorter tines, is useful for grooming the feet. You will also need a metal comb.
A flea comb is handy to remove the matter from the corners of the eyes. You might try several dog shampoos before you find the one that works best for your dog.
A dog coat conditioner used after his bath will make his coat easier to groom. A protein conditioner strengthens damaged hair. A spray bottle of water to which some conditioner has been added can be sprayed onto the coat when you brush your dog between baths.
If you keep your Havanese’s coat full length, consider investing in a blow-dryer especially made for use with dogs, which uses less-intense heat than the human version. Stands are available to target the hair dryer so you can brush while the coat is being blown dry.
Other grooming products:
Special ear cleaning products or witch hazel can be used with cotton balls and cotton swabs for ear cleaning. Tweezers are used to pull hair growing out of the dog’s ears.
You will need a pair of scissors if you do any of your own trimming. Rounded or blunt-end scissors are safer to use. Do not use scissors on a dirty dog or you will dull them. An electric clipper is handy if you do your own grooming.
A tearless baby shampoo can be used to wash your Havanese’s face. Other shampoos can sting his eyes. A tearless shampoo allows you to do a good job and still have the process comfortable for your dog.
