Many pet owners prefer to add some extra styling variations by creating top knots, barrettes or braids for their dogs. These popular styling options look great on dogs, and is very easy to create them. So let’s see how is it done.
Single Tied-Up Top Knots
This topknot style has a single ponytail standing upright on top of the head. If the pet is light-coated, pull all the fur up into a single tail toward the center of the head. If the dog has a heavy coat, combining multiple ponytails at the center of the head piece will create a longer lasting tied-up topknot.
Separating the section or sections of coat can vary from dog to dog. The outer part can start at the back corner of the eye to almost the half way point above the eye. The part should go straight back towards the ear. On some dogs, the part rides over the entire top of the ears, on other dogs, only halfway.
The part line across the back of the skull can be close to the occiput or farther up on the back skull. All part lines should be straight, neat and symmetrical. Once all the hair is neatly gathered, band it snuggly at the center of the head.
Slide a comb between the skin and the band and give a slight upward tug to make the topknot more comfortable for the pet. If you notice any skin being pulled in an unnatural fashion, loosen that area by inserting the comb and tugging a little bit.
Also, double check that no skin is caught in the band by sliding the teeth of a comb between the skin and band. Once the single topknot is neatly pulled up and centered, apply a bow to finish off the look.
Braids
If you have a dog that will hold still long enough and you are a talented braider, this is an excellent way to hold the hair out a pet’s eyes with minimal damage to the hair. From the start, keep the braid loose enough to lie down against the skull, but tight enough to stay in place.
Once the braid is established, tighten the strands of hair as they cross over each other and as you move away from the skin. The braided strand can be short or long based on coat length, the dog’s patience and how much time you want to spend.
French braiding is another beautiful way to hold the hair out of the eyes, but it can be difficult to master the technique unless it is practiced regularly.
Barrettes
Children’s barrettes are an excellent choice for holding long locks of hair out of a dog’s eyes. They are designed to hold fine hair in place and normally stay in a pet’s fur rather well.
Pull the coat up in a single section or part it off into two areas. Slide the barrette into place and close it, catching enough hair to keep it firmly in place.
Buttons
For some breeds, the custom is to pull one tail up over each eye and turn them into two small buttons. Separate the sections to be pulled up so the two ponytails will be symmetrical and balanced. The placement of the parts will vary based on the amount of coat to be pulled up and the size of the dog.
Comb all the hair up and gather it in a neat bundle. Band off the section snuggly with a small elastic band, pulling the long tail repeatedly through the elastic until you can not make another pass. With that last, very snug pass, do not pull the tail all the way through, creating the button.
Make sure the long tail drapes over the back of the head. The less you handle the buttons, the neater they will stay. Repeat on the other side, placing the button on the same spot on that side. If the buttons are slightly misaligned, slide a comb under them and tug them gently into position.
Once the buttons are positioned and neat, apply small bows to accent them as well as the eyes of the dog. Always double check that no skin is caught up in the elastic bands by sliding a comb between the skin and the band.
More on how to do a top knot on a maltese
