# Topknot tugging...



## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Haha sounds like a sport!

Really though I let Tucker's hair down for a few days, sometimes I feel bad when I put it up because he's trying to duck his head and I'm pulling on it and he's trying to move away from my pulling  I don't know how to make it better? 

When I left his shag-a-muffin fro alone for a couple days, the hair irritated his eyes so much that he had some major icky tearing going on, so I have to either chop it off or keep it up. Do you guys have any tips for making it a more comfortable process? Am I doing something wrong if he keeps trying to hide his head? 

I always make sure, once the band is in, to pull the hair out just a bit so it's not super tight.


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## ToniLWilson (Sep 11, 2012)

I'd like to know the secret too! Bella does this too, I try to only put a top knot in if we are going out and about. I have little clips I put in just around the house. She still gets these out as she is running back and forth up against the couch


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## Aristotle (Nov 12, 2012)

Ari despises "hair time" however last night I made him cry when I took out his rubber band. I felt so guilty. However I have noticed if I talk the whole time and tell him he's the best boy ever he does settle down a little. I also stop frequently when working to get the band out cause he fights me!  


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

I have a little pillow for Grace... she rests her head on it. It's like one of those neck pillows you use for the airplane... I found it at Walgreens one time. I do her topknot on my bed... I sit and she goes between my legs facing the same way I am - so if she backs up, she backs up into me. Then I put her pillow down and in the beginning helped her lay down and put her head on it... now she just does it.

I spend some time kind of giving her a head massage.... so she gets nice and relaxed. I don't do anything I know stresses her out during topknot tying. I don't mess with her face or clean her eyes.... Just her topknot.

Then I do her topknot. I'm sure others do it different, and probably have a better way. But I gather the hair up and before putting a band on I move my fingers to the place that allows enough slack but still holds most of her hair. Not sure if that makes sense. :huh:

Then I tie the band in, but make sure not to go too low... I keep it slack. It works better for us than the tie and pull to loosen method. Grace (my Ninja girl) has responded beautifully to it... no more pulling.

I know some of you have asked for a video..I should try to do that.

To get it out, I use the end of a rat tail comb to grab one loop of the band, and I use tiny sewing scissors to snip it and unwrap it...so no pulling there either.

Hope that made sense


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

I purchased band scissors from toplinepets.com when I purchased the maden brush and some other items, It really does make it easier to get out. I don't have any solutions for putting it in, I put one in every morning and sometimes it lasts all day and sometimes it only lasts for 5 minutes, LOL.


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## Hrossen11 (Jan 29, 2013)

I give teddy a piece of chicken every time I play with his head or put the top knot in. Now he sits still and waits for his treat. After it is he ignores it now


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## AshleyAndSophiePup (Aug 24, 2012)

Sophie used to do that. Then one day, no more pulling. It's like she just gave up and laid her head down. She lays her head down flat and a try to make it as quick of a process as I can, which typically makes for a less than perfect looking topknot, but it's getting better. I wish I could help more, but she trained herself there. 


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I will try cutting the band instead of pulling it out of his hair from now on, and I might try the head massage too haha  I like that idea.

I totally meant to put this in the grooming forum.


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