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View Full Version : Need your opinions/advice on hair cuts....


MyTrixie143
01-05-2007, 10:08 AM
First, got to say Yaaah, I am back!! I thought I was losing my mind or that I got kicked out or something because I couldn't login in and their was no records.

Alright so here it goes.....

Poptart got sick a couple weeks ago. This caused him to tear REALLY bad. So I ended shaving his muzzle short, it is about half an inch long now. Well when he was sick he had diarehea (sp?) really bad. I cleaned him off right away and washed him but it was soooo bad. It was so disgusting to clean up but I
had to do it right away otherwise he would have gotten it everywhere. After some meds from the vet he is all better now and the tear staining is back to normal but.... his whole back end is now just one big matt. So I have to shave his back end.

So I thought I would shave the rest of his body that way he didn't look
stupid having a shaved back end. So now do I shave the hair on his head too?? The hair on his head is sooo nice and I always keep it up in a topknot and I love it that way. But would it look stupid have his whole body shaved with long hair on his head?? Of course I will try to keep the hair on the body as long as possible but it is so long right now, about an inch from the ground while his back end will be much shorter.
Now I have not started shaving yet because I really don't want to chop all that beautiful hair off. But there is just now way I can save the hair on his back end, it simply needs shaved off.

So would he look really stupid for him to have long hair on his head and short on his body??

He is going to look so ugly having his hair short. :(

Hmmm... maybe I can give him one of those hair cuts that they have for the Portuges water spaniels. But I think my family would have a fit if I did that, they would think I had no idea how to shave a dog since they don't know it is actually a normal cut. In case you don't know what I am talking about, here is a pic of one. Isn't it a silly cut??

Again any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I wish I could maintain that cute maltese look but he already looks poodlized with his muzzle cut short. Sorry this is so long, I am just soooo upset that I have to cut his hair, it took awhile to grow it out that long and looked so great. I feel like crying. Grrr..... why did he have to get sick!!
Ps. the dog pictured is not mine, I used it to show you water a cut on a Portugese Water Spaniel looks like. Poptart would actually look just like this if I cut him this way, only white.

MyTrixie143
01-05-2007, 10:10 AM
Aww, I just realized, I have to start all over now to get back up to maltese admirer!!

maltesemum
01-05-2007, 11:14 AM
First off PM admin & tell them to re-instate your post count & I'm sure they will.

Second, is there no way to save the hair by cutting into the matt's with scissors? Slide the scissors through the matt then brush, slide then brush again & keep doing this until it loosens the matt. You will loose a lot of hair but this way it will not all look short.

If you do have to cut short then i would still keep his head long, I've seen this many time & it looks good. The hair on the head takes longer to grow than the body & i think you may regret cutting it:(

show us pics once he has his new look:D & Welcome back:wave:

Morkie4
01-05-2007, 11:33 AM
Well, two things you can do! Use heavy heavy conditioner on it and let it set for five or 10 minutes and try to separate the hairs with your fingers or comb (I know, it's hard to work on the butt area without them wanting to sit down but it's worth a try, I think). They also make a "dematting comb" that I got when we first got Kallie and it has very sharp curved blades that you can use on serious mats. It sort of cuts out the matted area and allows you to keep the hair long although some of the hairs may be shorter where the mat was. Sort of works along the same avenue as what Elaine was talking about using scissors except the demating comb has five blades that are thinner than scissors. BUT you do have to be very careful so that you get just the mat. I haven't used it for a long while since I've been in the routine of daily brushing but would certainly try it rather than cut the hair. So what if he has a baboon but for a while........take frontal shots. LOL

I would try the conditioner and then the demating comb and only after all else fails, would I do the shave...but only the bootie. JMO

Gregswife
01-05-2007, 11:46 AM
I don't think I can send a pic via pm, but I have a pic of a dog on SM that I am going to take to the groomer when Bucky grows out a little bit. For those of you on that forum, it is Miko. I pm'ed his mom about 7 months ago and asked if she minded if I print the pic out and take it to my groomer and she said that was fine, but I don't think I should post it publicly. His body hair is short, but the hair on the head is longer and he still has his topknot. I took it to the groomer when he was so matted back in the summer but she said she couldn't do it because his head was too matted from his devilish little sister biting on him all the tim. If you want to pm me your email address, I can send you the pic.

MyTrixie143
01-05-2007, 12:08 PM
Thanks everyone for the ideas!!

I did try using a great conditioner and letting it set. The matt is just so tight that it didn't even help a bit which shocked me because it has always worked great on stubborn matts. Normally I do what Elaine does with the scissors and thin it out and do it that way. I tried with the scissors the other day but it seemed hopeless. I worked on it for a long time and got nowhere with it. This matt is just so tight and thick, my shavers are lucky to get through it. He sure made a huge mess of himself!!!
I might try the dematting comb though. Does it hurt them??

I will keep his topknot, I like it too much and it took forever to grow out!!

I saw this cute cut on a maltese and the cut the body short and left the legs and head longer.

Thanks for the idea, I really appreciate it!!
If I have to cut him, do you have any ideas or pictures of some cute cuts??
His hair is really thick and he has a stout body figure to give you an idea on what might look good on him. :confused:

Morkie4
01-05-2007, 12:15 PM
No the demating comb does not hurt them at all. The blades are really sharp and so they are easy to cut through the mat........but sounds like you need a miracle to get through the mat you've described.

PM Gregswife for a pic of Miko and you might get an idea on how to proceed with a cut!

maltesemum
01-05-2007, 12:31 PM
Thanks everyone for the ideas!!

I did try using a great conditioner and letting it set. The matt is just so tight that it didn't even help a bit which shocked me because it has always worked great on stubborn matts. Normally I do what Elaine does with the scissors and thin it out and do it that way. I tried with the scissors the other day but it seemed hopeless. I worked on it for a long time and got nowhere with it. This matt is just so tight and thick, my shavers are lucky to get through it. He sure made a huge mess of himself!!!
I might try the dematting comb though. Does it hurt them??

I will keep his topknot, I like it too much and it took forever to grow out!!

I saw this cute cut on a maltese and the cut the body short and left the legs and head longer.

Thanks for the idea, I really appreciate it!!
If I have to cut him, do you have any ideas or pictures of some cute cuts??
His hair is really thick and he has a stout body figure to give you an idea on what might look good on him. :confused:

I cut the torso on the boys a few weeks ago & kept everything else long & i really like it but the butt area is still long though so i dont think that will help you much:( sorry

Kanga
01-05-2007, 09:03 PM
Scrappy has long head hair and topknot. I have to keep his coat short at the moment for our lifestyle.


This is the best pic I have that shows his short coat and long head hair. ;)

Kanga
01-05-2007, 09:07 PM
I cut the torso on the boys a few weeks ago & kept everything else long & i really like it but the butt area is still long though so i dont think that will help you much:( sorry


Pictures please. ;)

maltesemum
01-06-2007, 01:39 AM
Pictures please. ;)

Today i will:D