Hair Questions....

[Chair]

I posted a couple of months ago when i got Gus in November...
it's now 2.5 months later and i have a couple of questions about his hair. It's never been cut - so they ends is still his baby hair. After brushing him, within about 10 minutes of play his hair looks tangled. It is very easy to brush out and really isn't tangled...just looks it. does that mean that his hair is cottony?
i've attached a picture or two before brushing and a couple afterwards. What do you think?
Thanks,
Charity

[Laura]

Just be patient! He looks beautiful. My Trina has hair almost like that. She is 8 months now. I cut her hair to 1" at about Gus' age. It is a little curly, but silky and brushes easily but looks messy quickly. As it gets longer, it stays looking tidy a little longer, but she is just a very busy girl.

[Chair]

Do you recommend cutting it to get off the baby hair? Or should I just let it grow? What do you think?

[Laura]

I only clip their body, the black part. Leave the tan on their legs and tail and head to grow. Since I have six, I play with different things. I cut Robyn real short on her body just to see how little she is. She still has the little black tips on the hair that hangs out in front of her face. I do think it makes their hair more managable to get the baby hair off - it seems to have more of a tangle problem at the change stage and looks more scruffy. I don't know if anyone leaves the baby hair, but I have clipped all of mine at least once down to finger length with scissors. I hold my hand upside down with the hair between my fingers and clip that length. It sorta makes a puppy cut. Then trim just below their eye, the piece that goes up in front of eyes, from bottom out about1/2" shaved, brush ear hair down and trim up ears 1/3 of ear.

[heather_lathrop]

he is adorable!!! I just got gismo his first hair cut!!! They didn't cut it really short.. I will put a pic on here for you to see. Hope this helps!

[Laura]

Gizmo is so adorable!

If you are scared to trim Gus yourself, it costs about $20 to have him groomed, but bring a picture if you can. Tell them DO NOT CUT any tan, except for the butt, below the feet, ear tips and below eyes - not above. I also like to shave their entire chest, just makes for easier maintenance - but mine are outside most of the day.

[TeddyBear]

When should all their grown up hair be in. I still think Starsky has a cottony coat. Around his face seems silky. He is soooo curly!

[Laura]

I think I have read that their coat color can change up until around 3 years. If you are feeding a high grade dog food, using a good shampoo and conditioner, and brush everyday using a spray conditioner, you will have a better idea of his coat. I think at least by 4 months you can sort of tell what kind of coat he has. One of my pups, 8 months, Quattro, is still mostly black. I am surprised because I think he will be much lighter, but they are all silky. Bronx, the daddy, has a very curly coat - almost like a poodle. It is cute, but much more difficult to manage and he hates being brushed. I shaved him clean in October, but I hated that. I will probably cut him same as I said before shaved body long on legs and head, but he is definitely a problem.