Hairstyles for Your Havanese Dog
You can change your dog’s look by having their fur cut into different styles or using a couple of hair manipulation techniques. If you choose to have your dog’s hair cut, find pictures of the styles you like and show them to the groomer to help him or her understand what you want. Be sure to take into account that the hair on the tail and face grow a lot slower than the hair on the rest of body. If you pick a bad cut, it could take a while for it to grow out. As an alternative, you can manipulate your dog’s fur into one of three popular styles.
Cording: Doggy Dreadlocks
Cording is basically dreadlocks for dogs. Done correctly, it looks like long ropes hanging on your dog. To achieve this look, you must be committed to the process because it takes a long time (about 2 years) and a lot of effort to achieve. During the first year, you need to bathe your dog every two weeks and twist the fur into locks. Like dreadlocks, it will eventually become matted into to cords.
The resulting style is very beautiful and unique. However, the cords attract dirt and you will spend a lot of time keeping your dog clean and the fur free of debris like twigs. To minimize the accumulation of rubble, you will need to exercise and play with your dog in certain ways and limit the Havanese’s forays into the world. Additionally, male dogs will need to have the cords tied a certain way to prevent them from being covered in urine. You can find clothing and tools that will keep your dog clean in dirty environments.
Braiding Your Dog’s Hair
Braiding the hair on top of the dog’s head keeps it from getting in the dog’s face and blinding him or her. Braids do require some maintenance, although not as much as cording. Braids on show dogs must meet the style regulations of competitions, so you will want to look into this before taking the time to braid your dog’s hair.
After bathing and drying the dog, use a comb to make part the hair on the dog’s head. Secure the hair at the base with a band and then braid the resulting tail. Use another band at the end to prevent the braid from unraveling. You can style the hair into a single braid down the back of the dog’s head, two large braids, or multiple mini-braids. To maintain the style, you may need to re-braid the hair on a daily basis.
Simple Topknots
If you are looking for something quick and easy that will have the same effect as keeping the hair out of your dog’s face, then try topknots. Use small but stiff scrunchies to pull the hair into a small ponytail. However, don’t pull it so tight that the dog eyes are pulled upwards. Jiggle the ponytail so that it is loose enough for the dog to blink comfortably.
