# Eye, General Face, & Grooming Questions



## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

I have read a lot of posts on here, but still looking for some general guidance. 

EYES:
1) Is is neccessary to trim the tiny hairs in the corners of the eyes? (have read it can cause corneal ulcers, on another post) If I keep trying to train them to lay down, and they get long enough to do that, is that sufficient to avoid eye problems? 
I do wash her face every morning, sometimes again in the afternoon to get rid of the "weeping" that stains her face.

2) She is not a show dog, but does wear bows, etc... in her hair. Since she doesn't show, do I need to cut the hair between the eyes? Or is it personal preference?

3) Does any part of the bridge of the nose need to be trimmed?

FACE:
Do the sides of her mouth and beard need to be kept short, since she isn't a show pup? or again, is this personal pref? (face is washed daily)

EARS:
Holy crap, how do you keep them still to pluck ear hair??? I swear someone pours Miracle Grow in her ears when I'm sleeping!

Tawni is a 7 months old Maltipoo, but her hair and looks are more Malti than Poo. She had a BAD experience at the groomer when she was 4 month. Groomer did not follow my instructions, sent me home with a poor sad puppy that looked like a 3 year old with scissors had trimmed her. Her hair was CHOPPED, all uneven, chunks missing here & there. They shaved the bridge of her nose, resulting in scabs where it nicked her next to her eye. Her ears were red and sore from plucking SKIN instead of hair, there was a bleedy scab in her ear from this! She is now tramatized and fearful of scissors! She will allow me to trim up her back legs, but I can't get anywhere near her front half or face. I do have a grooming table & tools so I trim her foot pads, nails, "potty path" & back legs by myself, along with wash & blowdry. She is combed & brushed 2x day. I just can't get near her front half, ears & face! I have seen a lot of pics on here of dogs laying so still, heads on pillows, etc... while you do there hair and general grooming. What is the secret?


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## pebble's mama (Jun 1, 2008)

Pebbles is not a show dog,m and I grew out the hair in between the eyes, and it took a very long time. Once it is grown out it causes no irritation to the eyes. I don't trim any part of her face. Just because she isn't a show pup, doesn't mean you have to trim anything on her, it's all personal preference


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## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

Thanks, I was wondering if it was leaning more towards personal pref, or if there were health / sanitary issues I was missing.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

EYES:
1) Is is neccessary to trim the tiny hairs in the corners of the eyes? (have read it can cause corneal ulcers, on another post) If I keep trying to train them to lay down, and they get long enough to do that, is that sufficient to avoid eye problems? 
Yes, I have never trimmed Gigi's hair by her eyes. I let it grow out and it doesn't bother her.
I do wash her face every morning, sometimes again in the afternoon to get rid of the "weeping" that stains her face. 
Does she have red-like tear stain? or does wetness just come from her eyes and turn her hair brown? Does is smell stinky? 
Gigi tear ducts are closed(her vet told us), not tear staining. Wetness comes from her eyes sometimes. 

2) She is not a show dog, but does wear bows, etc... in her hair. Since she doesn't show, do I need to cut the hair between the eyes? Or is it personal preference? That's a personal preference. I don't, I let it grow out.

3) Does any part of the bridge of the nose need to be trimmed? 
Not that I know of...

FACE:
Do the sides of her mouth and beard need to be kept short, since she isn't a show pup? or again, is this personal pref? 
That's a personal preference as well. I don't though.

EARS:
Holy crap, how do you keep them still to pluck ear hair??? I swear someone pours Miracle Grow in her ears when I'm sleeping! 
We don't ever pluck Gigi's ear hair. Her breeder that has been breeding/showing malts for over 30 years said she never plucks her dogs ears, because it causes little sores where the hairs were plucked. Gigi has never had dirty ears and never has had an ear infection. I don't think plucking is neccesary unless you have to. 

I have NEVER cut a thing on Gigi's body except for her around her potty area.


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## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

"Does she have red-like tear stain? or does wetness just come from her eyes and turn her hair brown? Does is smell stinky?"

No it isn't exactly red. The watery stuff (tears) is clear, but it turns the hair a brownish / redish color. Yes, it has an odor, only when it is fresh and still damp. Seems like after I wash her face, the watery solution stops for a while, but by mid afternoon it tears a little. I have read on here somewhere about red yeast, I don't think that is what it is. 

Nice to hear too that all this cutting & trimming isn't required, may help a bit. Heck, who am I kidding, it will help a lot!!! 

Interesting about the ear hair. Wonder if I should chance it and not pull any to see what comes of it? She has nevar had an ear problem, but some of those hairs that have been pulled in the past were growing from deep inside the ear canal. She doesn't go outside, except to potty or sit on the back step, but even that is quick. Her ears don't appear to get dirty at all.


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

I don't know if you are interested in this information at all but here goes.

When we first got Hunter he was terrified of the groomer. We finally found a groomer that we liked a lot and took him to her. He was very fearful and so she just snipped between his pads and washed and brushed him. It took months of us driving to the groomers JUST TO GET A TREAT and then coming home before Hunter was comfortable enough to stay for a FULLY GROOM (we keep him in a puppy cut.). Now he still gets nervous and wants to run for the door and is sooo thankful when we pick him up but he allows our groomer to actually complete the grooming including trimming up his face and cleaning out his ears. We still go to the groomers every once in a while just to get a treat to reinforce to Hunter that its a good place and we always get a nice treat when grooming is over 

Just thought that hearing how we have been working to get rid of the grooming fear might help.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (malahusk @ Mar 22 2009, 03:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=749646


> "Does she have red-like tear stain? or does wetness just come from her eyes and turn her hair brown? Does is smell stinky?"
> 
> No it isn't exactly red. The watery stuff (tears) is clear, but it turns the hair a brownish / redish color. Yes, it has an odor, only when it is fresh and still damp. Seems like after I wash her face, the watery solution stops for a while, but by mid afternoon it tears a little. I have read on here somewhere about red yeast, I don't think that is what it is.
> 
> ...


That sounds exactly like what Gigi has! Ask your vet to confirm it. Unfortunately the only way to get rid of it is if the vet flushes her eyes to open the ducts and they can only do this when she is under anesthesia, and I would never put Gigi under for only cosmetic reasons, she too tiny and little dogs don't do well with anesthesia. Is your Tawni spayed yet? Maybe your vet can do it then. Our vet was going to do it when Gigi was spayed, but I guess he felt Gigi was under anesthesia too long so he didn't. Now I don't know when I'll get it done! LOL Little dogs and anesthesia is scary! Their little hearts can't take being under so long.

You should try not plucking the ear hair and see how that goes 

If trimming her face or plucking her ears is neccessary, try some positive reinforcement training. Try introducing the scissors with some yummy treats like peanut butter. Let her know when the scissor are out treats come out too! Bring the scissors closer to her face if she doesn't move away from them. If she moves away then move the scissors away. Don't force her, just take it slow. 
I'm bad at explaining this, but you get the point right? I'm not an animal trainer, but I know positive reinforcement works with almost everything.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

My ophtho vet flushes tear ducts when they are awake.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (JMM @ Mar 22 2009, 08:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=749841


> My ophtho vet flushes tear ducts when they are awake.[/B]


OMG thank you so much for telling me this! I am sooo tired of those stinky tears! :smpullhair: LOL
I must find one that does


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Her name is Dr. Corcoran and she is at Veterinary Vision in Fairfax


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (JMM @ Mar 22 2009, 09:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=749846


> Her name is Dr. Corcoran and she is at Veterinary Vision in Fairfax[/B]


Thanks JMM! You are the best! I hope I explained to her the 'positive reinforcement' technique correctly :blush:


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## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

I understood fine. Actually, I have been working on getting her used to the scissors. She lets me put them up to her face, staring at them the entire time, but as soon as she hears them open, the fit throwing starts, so I back off. I talk to her the entire time I do this, and there are "food" rewards involved. I have tried a pair of quiet scissors, where you can barely hear them open, and she still wigs out. I also have a pair of thinning shears (blunt ones) that stay on the table the entire time I groom her, just so she sees them. They don't bother her until I actually move them to her face. The stupid groomer nicked her on the lower edge of her eye with the scissors when trimming the corner, and again on the bridge of her nose when she used the clippers to shave her nose, don't know what she was thinking! Her nose looked like a schnauzer, shaved all along the bridge with the little poofy piece on the tip of her nose! At least she isn't affraid of the clippers, just the scissors.

She was spayed in January, her eyes were the same then and the vet didn't see it as being anything more than hereditary from her breeds. If it was even a thought of the tear ducts, he definately would have taken care of it, he seems to like to make money! (charges $6.75 per MINUTE for surgery! Seriously, I'm not kidding!)


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## Kutsmail1 (Dec 26, 2007)

Zippy is a very active little girl. I work on her when she is tired. She sleeps through a lot of the grooming lol. Sleeping is hard for Zippy as she has so much to do, and not much time to do it lol.

I opted to leave the hair on her entire face, and not trim it. It is easier for me once it grows out to place the bow and have that smooth flow from between the eyes on up. There is a nice part in the center of her nose for the hair on her face. 

I do pluck the hair inside the ear. Hair left in there can wick moisture and dirt down into the ear and cause an infection. Once accustomed to doing it, not a problem. Agree re: positive reinforcement. Zippy is easily bribed.

I prefer doing any grooming Zippy needs myself too. I had her shaved when they repaired her luxated patella last December. I told them NO shaving anywhere on her head/face. It took a year to grow that out....and dang it....that is just what they did...they shaved between the eyes! Hoping by this upcoming December that it will be grown out again...sigh.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (malahusk @ Mar 22 2009, 10:19 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=749885


> I understood fine. Actually, I have been working on getting her used to the scissors. She lets me put them up to her face, staring at them the entire time, but as soon as she hears them open, the fit throwing starts, so I back off. I talk to her the entire time I do this, and there are "food" rewards involved. I have tried a pair of quiet scissors, where you can barely hear them open, and she still wigs out. I also have a pair of thinning shears (blunt ones) that stay on the table the entire time I groom her, just so she sees them. They don't bother her until I actually move them to her face. The stupid groomer nicked her on the lower edge of her eye with the scissors when trimming the corner, and again on the bridge of her nose when she used the clippers to shave her nose, don't know what she was thinking! Her nose looked like a schnauzer, shaved all along the bridge with the little poofy piece on the tip of her nose! At least she isn't affraid of the clippers, just the scissors.
> 
> She was spayed in January, her eyes were the same then and the vet didn't see it as being anything more than hereditary from her breeds. If it was even a thought of the tear ducts, he definately would have taken care of it, he seems to like to make money! (charges $6.75 per MINUTE for surgery! Seriously, I'm not kidding!)[/B]


Oh really? I was almost positive. 
Does your vet know many maltese? My vet was refered to me by a breeder(on the AMA list) that goes to him and she lives over an hour away! He also is the official vet of a maltese rescue. So he examines many maltese. LOL
I've met many maltese, lots this past weekend as well (and even more next weekend! :chili: ) and I don't think it's a maltese(or poodle) trait. My aunt's maltese, neighbor's or my late maltese Imani did not have it. That's weird. LOL Maybe some tear stains but not this stuff. I'm just curious, what did he think it was?


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## malahusk (Mar 22, 2009)

The vet just said the tearing was a hereditary issue, the smell was because I needed to wash it every day, which I do because I can't stand the stain color. Her mom (the poodle) had badly stained eyes, not sure on the dad though. Her eyes were always kind of teary but I did notice they got really watery when she got her adult teeth. That was about the same time I noticed the odor.
Like today for example, I washed her face & eyes this morning, and by noon one eye was tearing but the other is dry. I think they are tearing because of the tiny hairs getting in there, they were all poking the wrong direction, so I moistened it again and shaped the hair out of the way. Both have been dry since. The stain is obviously still there, but I don't smell the "smell" today (stained area is dry). Have to go to the vet Friday to get my Malamute's staples taken out ( had her elbow callus removed from infection) so will question on this more.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (malahusk @ Mar 23 2009, 07:24 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=750263


> The vet just said the tearing was a hereditary issue, the smell was because I needed to wash it every day, which I do because I can't stand the stain color. Her mom (the poodle) had badly stained eyes, not sure on the dad though. Her eyes were always kind of teary but I did notice they got really watery when she got her adult teeth. That was about the same time I noticed the odor.
> Like today for example, I washed her face & eyes this morning, and by noon one eye was tearing but the other is dry. I think they are tearing because of the tiny hairs getting in there, they were all poking the wrong direction, so I moistened it again and shaped the hair out of the way. Both have been dry since. The stain is obviously still there, but I don't smell the "smell" today (stained area is dry). Have to go to the vet Friday to get my Malamute's staples taken out ( had her elbow callus removed from infection) so will question on this more.[/B]


Interesting! Good luck with all the grooming!


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