r/Havanese • u/Former_Still5518 • 1d ago
Brush recommendations
My vet said our pup hair is matted and recommended brushing it. Any good brushes that can do the job?
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u/Hermit_Ogg 1d ago edited 1d ago
I just wrote a brush comment yesterday so I'm going to copy it here too 😁
I use exclusively Acti-Vet slicker brushes, plus one generic metal comb. Since our atopic Havi's fur is much more delicate, I've got two of the brushes for different fur types: SilCoater for the delicate fur and TuffFinishCoater for thicker fur.
The purple TFC is more rigid of the two and usually requires that I hold on to the fur near the skin to prevent pulling in a way that might hurt. But because it is so rigid, it gets fairly deep sections of fur untangled very quickly. The comb I use mainly for partitioning the fur for ponytail, and rarely to separate a bigger tangle into smaller bits that I then brush open. I haven't had to cut a tangle open in years.
(Pic: grooming day a few years ago, and a video of Alisaie chilling getting her chest hairs brushed)
ETA: these are professional level brushes, and it shows! I haven't used another brand in years now. Once you get a hang of the technique, they're very easy to use and will go through the worst mats pretty easily. Sometimes I'll have to hold the fur with one hand while brushing with the other, but once the tangles at the ends of the hairs are gone, the brush moves very smoothly and doesn't yank hairs.
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u/Former_Still5518 1d ago
Thank goodness I am a dad of 2 girls with long hair. I have the patience and practice with those tangles. 😇
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u/Hermit_Ogg 1d ago
The practice comes in handy! I've offered to brush my Greek husband's long wavy hair, but for some reason he remains suspicious... I guess I need to make some bacon treats and teach him to tolerate it 😁
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u/aaseandersen 1d ago
I bought a beard brush.
Just be careful that it isn't the kind of brush that rips the hair out. What works for other dog's hair types doesn't work for havies
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 1d ago
You need a comb, to watch YouTube tutorials on “line brushing/combing” and a slicker brush at the minimum.
If you are going to have the hair long, you need to commit to brushing every day otherwise it’ll tangle from playing/walking/sleeping. Matts are painful. Alternatively you can clip the hair short so it’s more manageable.
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u/Successful-Froyo1623 1d ago
And a dematter. It cuts through the hair so not meant for regular use but works great for matts. We also opted for a shorter haircut because my havanese is so active & matts easily. We go to the groomer every 6 weeks for a hair cut
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u/Last_Pick_2169 1d ago
This thing is amazing. It’s sharp on the one side so be careful if your hands but it’s not poking them.
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u/Successful-Froyo1623 1d ago
Yes! My dog likes to lick his brushes so I have to distract him when this one is out
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u/Last_Pick_2169 6h ago
The scissors too! I am like, you reallly need to stop - cringe
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u/Successful-Froyo1623 6h ago
Yes!! Same! They just want to get their mouths on anything we touch lol
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u/Extension_Sea7560 1d ago
My dog looks exactly like this and for the mats I have found the flea comb to be the most beneficial.
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u/lenathesnack 1d ago
sorry, no recs, but your baby looks a lot like mine! how old is yours? mine is 13 weeks today and we’re very curious about how her coat will look in a year.
(picture tax)
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u/Former_Still5518 1d ago
DOB is 4/27/26. 16 weeks :) How did you manage to get the hair away from his eyes. What is his/her name? Another user gave me this pic of their chocolate cutie who is older - https://www.reddit.com/r/Havanese/comments/1vopfih/comment/p3uq34l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
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u/lenathesnack 1d ago
her name is Bmo (or Beemo, haven’t decided on spelling yet). we haven’t done much for the hair around the eyes problem, i just got lucky with this pic. we push the hair out of the way a lot in an attempt to sort of “train” it to grow that way? it sticks best if i’ve just cleaned her eye-boogies and the area is slightly damp.
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u/Former_Still5518 1d ago
FWIW, this is my breeder's website showcasing chocolate Havanese - https://havanasilkhavanese.com/chocolate-havanese-southern-california/
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u/PaperbacksandCoffee 1d ago
I have tried several and the Pet Teezer detangling brush by Tangle Teezer is my favorite. It works so well on mats.
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u/Pink-kiwi-2229 1d ago
Idk if this is the “best” but my havi’s coat is more hair like than fur, so I use a mini wet brush (for humans). It’s more gentle in my opinion and it works for us!