# Help with Bow sizes and growing out topknots, please.



## GreenFuzzer (Jun 16, 2007)

I have a bunch of bow and top knot related questions that I hope all of you bow and top knot experts can help me with. BTW I know in some of these questions Gracie's size might effect the answer she is 6# 14. Gracie is part shih tzu so she is short nose, not as short as pure shih tzu though.

What is the 'normal' length for two bows when going with the two pony tail look? No papers being used just her top knot hair looking all puffy. Or is there some formula like as length of the bow should be equal to the length of 1.5 of their eye or something like that so that one can adjust it according to what size their dog is?

I guess I'm kind of thick because I don't understand the concept of using bows that have the rubber bands attached to them. I use bows attached to barrettes so that I can put them on over the rubber bands because I remove the rubber bands by snipping them with a scissor so I don't rip out Gracie's hair. Are bows with rubber bands made in a special way so the rubber bands are replaced each time or are those good for one use only or do you have to somehow remove them without pulling their hair?

I have decided to let Gracie's face hair between the nose up grow to join her top knot which means we are dealing with the “hair pokies”. Can anyone tell me how to do the layered banding to hold the hairs out of her eyes while we go through this stage? Or perhaps know of a tutorial?

I heard that KY Jelly is good/safe to use as a hair training aid while going through this stage, I have only read it once and can't remember where I read it. Does anyone know if this is true or can recommend something that I can use to help during this stage?


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

Ok I can only answer a few since I don't measure anything and just do it. Mia is 4lbs and I use the 5/8 bows for one topknot and the 3/8's for the piggies. You can use the bands on top of the original bands. Example - you put the 1st set of bands on if your not using paper then on top of those rubber bands you put on the bows with the rubber bands. You do not cut the bow rubber bands I have some for a year or more and they have never broken. I prefer the barrettes most of the time because those I can put on right underneath the original rubber bands. You can use topknot gel to keep the flyaways in place. http://www.petedge.com/pet-silk-top-knot-gel-pk122.pro I once tried regular gel and Mia woke up with cold in her eye so I never did that again. I hope if there is a scientific way of doing it someone will chime in. I do trial and error.


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## Moxie'smom (Dec 16, 2007)

> I have a bunch of bow and top knot related questions that I hope all of you bow and top knot experts can help me with. BTW I know in some of these questions Gracie's size might effect the answer she is 6# 14. Gracie is part shih tzu so she is short nose, not as short as pure shih tzu though.
> 
> What is the 'normal' length for two bows when going with the two pony tail look? No papers being used just her top knot hair looking all puffy. Or is there some formula like as length of the bow should be equal to the length of 1.5 of their eye or something like that so that one can adjust it according to what size their dog is?
> 
> ...


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

Try this site on double top knots. http://www.bhejei.com/groom-topknots.htm
KY jelly works great for whispy hairs.


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## GreenFuzzer (Jun 16, 2007)

<span style="color:#008B00">Thank you everyone for your help and advice. Where you mention 5/8" for single top knot and 3/8" for piggies. I assume that is the width of the ribbon you are using. How long would the bows be made with ribbon that wide? I don't want to get into making ribbons for others I just want to make ones that will look right with the outfights that I make Gracie. Again thanks for the help and the links to the tutorials.</span>


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

> <span style="color:#008b00">Thank you everyone for your help and advice. Where you mention 5/8" for single top knot and 3/8" for piggies. I assume that is the width of the ribbon you are using. How long would the bows be made with ribbon that wide? I don't want to get into making ribbons for others I just want to make ones that will look right with the outfights that I make Gracie. Again thanks for the help and the links to the tutorials.</span>[/B]


I hope this pictures show the difference in the sizes.

[attachment=37210:5_8.jpg][attachment=37211:3_8.jpg]

BTW I borrowed these examples from Marj which makes beautiful bows!


http://www.myladysdogbows.com/home.html

EDIT: those are the approximate sizes in the pictures.


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