bangs, stinky beard, and itches
 

i have three questions and i figure it would be easiet to just put them all on one thread.

1) Morgan has bangs that are just long enough to lay over her eyes. they fall right in front of her face, and not to the side. it seems like they haven't grown in a month. How can i manage her mop better? i have it in a knot sometimes, but i don't want her to have it up all the time. should i cut the front pieces in between her eyes or will they grow out and part?

2) I try not to wash morgan more then once a week but its just not happening. if i wash her on saturday or sunday by wendesday her hair is dirty and her beard STINKS. i use lambert kay shampoo and conditioner. i order cowboy magic and it should be here soon. anyone have any suggestions?

3) Morgan is itching a lot. she doesn't have fleas, and she doesn't have a rash. She's always scratching at her front legs with her back legs. I'm wondering if its a food allergy or if its from the shampoo, or if its from bathing her twice a week. what do you guys think? her food is natural balance and bil jac. i was thinking of switching to wellness. she doesn't seem to like the natural balance as much as i would like her to.

nobody has any thoughts on these three questions?

1. Personally I would not cut her hair unless you don't want to put it up. It will never get long enough if you keep cutting.

2. I have this same problem...and was thinking maybe I should change shampoo and conditioner also.

3. Maybe she's allergic to grass? I don't know why but....when I got each one of my yorkies they had very itchy skin..even dry looking. I got special shampoo from the vet which helped but didn't smell very good but, it helped....

Hope this helps...maybe someone else one here has suggestions.

If you want to put her hair in a top knot, I wouldn't cut the hair around her eyes. Though I have seen a few pups who look cute with the little "bangs" as well as having at top knot.

Have you thought about trying the waterless wipes for her beard rather than a 2nd bath?

The itchy skin could be too much bathing, a shampoo that just doesn't agree with her, her food, or other allergies. It is hard to tell. I would start with trying the wipes rather than the 2nd bath first and see if that helps. As far as switching foods goes, Natural Balance is consistently one of the highest rated foods out there. Are you afraid she isn't eating enough of it? I know that a small Yorkie eating this food is fine if they are eating 1/2 to 3/4 cup a day total.

Hope this helps...

1. Timmy has out of control bangs too. When I'm home I put his hair up most of the time until he drags himself all over the floor and manage to get the band off:D Its your choice if you want to cut her bangs. I know how you feel because I hate to see Timmy's bangs covering his eyes and I also heard thats not good but until they grow out just a little bit more I've learned to deal with it and not mess with them...lol

2. I started giving my babies purified and/or distilled water and their snout does not stink like before. Try giving that a try.

3. It could be the grass or possibly the food. What are you feeding her? Or it can be a habit.

1.) Diamond's hair NEVER grows that long and she does get some short pieces that are in between her eyes and they drive me bonkers! :eek: The other night, I got a pair of little scissors and cut the pieces that were going in her eyes...SO much better! When I do put her hair in a topknot, I will take it out when she goes to bed and I massage her head when I take it out :D I don't think she likes to keep the topknots in too long...but that is just my opinion :)

2.) I haven't used the wipes on Diamond, only because she doesn't have THAT much hair around her face. I wash her once a week with oatmeal shampoo and silky conditioner. I also try to wash her face with dove soap. If you are bathing Morgan twice a week that could cause dry skin.

3.) Diamond itches a lot sometimes but I think it's from wearing the harness and I think it just bothers her sometimes. Last night, I put on her flea medicine and she was rolling around on the carpet like CRAZY! :eek:

I would try only bathing Morgan once a week and maybe seeing if the wipes do anything. I also heard you can try giving them dilluted water but I haven't tried that...let me know how it goes ;)

Correction
 

OH MY, I think I have been @ work too long! I meant to say distilled water, NOT dilluted :cool: Don't mind me!

Thanks guys!!!!!!

I'm not gonna cut her hair. i'll stick it out a little longer.

i've tried using baby wipes on her face but they don't get the stink out. i'm gonna try those shampoo wipes next. i've also just tried giving her a face baby, which she hates.

as for the itchiness, hmmm, i just received cowboy magic in the mail so i'm gonna use that, and try to only wash her once a week. hopefully this shampoo will be better. if this doesn't help i'll try adding in a different food.

you guys are the best. thanks

My older yorkies hair and beard gets messy too inbetween shampoos. The other day, I did a shampoo on just his head. If this doesn't dry him out too much, I may do this once a week.

Have you tried a waterless shampoo? http://www.entirelypets.com/quwash32ozby.html

hmmm no i haven't tried that. i'm gonna have to look for it in the store next time i go

I bathe mine once a week, and I put a drop of baby oil in the water and use Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo and Aussie 3-minute miracle conditioner. I also wash his face with a warm wash cloth every morning and every night because his face gets stinky when he eats his food. Washing his face really seems to help alot, and he actually enjoys it!

I really like the Chris Christenson waterless shampoo, it really gets the stink out too.
As for the distilled purified water, you know I didnt notice it until I just read it. I have one of those fountain water bowls that filter and airate the water and they dont get that stinky face anymore when they get it all wet in the bowl. I have the one by Petmate. I had the drinkwell fountain and I noticed it leaked alot, the petmate one doesnt leak water at all

if i see no improvement over the next couple baths with the cowboy magic i'm gonna try CC. i've spent more on her shampoo then i do my own. at least i can use the cowbody magic on myself. my hair comes out great!

I just use a cotton ball soaked in warm water to wash Abbie's little face when she starts getting a bit crusty. It's not traumatic for her and it does the trick