# Puppy Cut or Not?



## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

I can't blame Dakota for this, because I'm the one that lets her get away with it, but I am having a really hard time keeping her coat knot free









It's ALL my fault - I am a total walk over!









I just got off the phone from my groomer to book her in for a puppy cut because I think that long term, that may be the best solution - I can't control the knots, so I'm thinking I'll be getting Angela (the groomer) to do it on a weekly basis, and that's not fair to Dakota. Angela has tried to talk me out of it - she thinks Dakota has the best coat she has ever seen in a Malt - and as much as that's a great compliment - I SHOULD be able to maintain it









Dakota will be 8 months old on the 25th of this month - plus, she goes in for her spay on the 19th .... how on earth can I keep her in a onsie for sleeping AND control the knots!!









Help!

Do I get the puppy cut, 

Or

Do I stick with it & hope that I can somehow discipline myself not to take her tantrums & dish out some tough love??!! I KNOW I'm not hurting her, she just doesn't like it!


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## dogloverx3 (Apr 14, 2006)

DON"T DO IT !!! . I love long hair , how hard can one puppy be to brush ? ( lol ) . Sarah


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## gibbert (Jan 13, 2005)

if you're going to do it, this WOULD be the perfect time, with her spay coming up. She can have a puppy cut and still have a beautiful coat. Of course this advice IS from a card-carrying "puppy-cut advocate"!









You'll make the right decision, I know. And no matter what, hair always grows back. Bald men being the exception.

If u go thru with it, I can't wait to see pictures (hint, hint).


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## NC's Mom (Oct 23, 2004)

I LOVE the long hair on Little C, but as soon as it starts getting difficult to manage and she no longer enjoys being combed daily, then it's off with her hair! I never want grooming time to become torture time. I'd rather enjoy how cute she looks with short hair than have her be miserable because I'm constantly detangling her rather than actually playing with her OR rubbing her belly. She generally ends up with a short cut at least twice a year and then the hair gets to grow until Little C is ready to have it short again.

Sir N will never have a full coat. When he was a baby, I tried, but the constant combing drove him nuts and he now HATES grooming time. So, I keep his hair short other than his ears and his tail, which he must still suffer through...and which he does willingly, usually, because he himself prefers to have a long tail to swish around and floppy ears to, well, flop around. But, again, when it gets to the point where it's causing him to be upset, we cut the hair.

Before a spay, I'd say GO FOR IT....except for one thing. How cold is it where you are? It can be quite an adjustment for a dog to go from long to short hair and she might feel chilly....which really wouldn't be good right after surgery. Personally, if she were mine, I'd let her keep the long hair until after the surgery. This would give me time to re-evaluate and see if I really want to continue spending that much grooming time vs. other time, like play time or cuddle time. It's plenty easy enough to get it cut off after her stitches come out if the knots and tangles and matts have gone out of control. 

Oh, and not that I think all time spent grooming is bad. Some dogs genuinely enjoy it, Little C being one of them. Up to a point, anyway. I never get her entire body groomed all at once. It's more like 3/4 today, the rest plus some more the next day. I always stop grooming when she has had enough.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi,
I need to keep Nemo in a puppy-cut, I keep his face long and his body short.
It's so much work when his hair grows







I try to keep up, but it's alot. So a puppy-cut is just great for us. If you have the time to take care of a longer coat , then I would keep it..
Good Luck,
ANDREA~


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## puppymom (Jun 13, 2005)

If you don't like brushing and she doesn't like being brushed why would you put yourselves through the daily pain of brushing? Puppy cuts are adorable (a malt in any style is adorable). CUT THE HAIR and give both you and your pup a break!!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

If its a struggle- then why bother? Sure she looks cute, but if you don't have the time, energy or heart to fight with her right now- then don't. 

Also, Molly was a terror to brush until about 10 months old, Pap hair doesn't tangle at all, so brushing her takes about 5 minutes and there is never any pulling- and you would have thought I was brushing her with a hot iron pitchfork by the fuss she made. So maybe if you giver her a puppy cut for her spay and then let her grow out after that she will be a little less dramatic! 

Good luck!!


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## ladypup (Oct 22, 2006)

i think Dakota would look cute and fluffy either way









it is all about you two then... i like the long hair b/c the grooming sessions are such a bonding time for us, but if you don't enjoy it, there is nothing wrong in keeping the hait short! and this way she can also wear outfits







(which is the reason that Lady here has a short hair)


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## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

> I can't blame Dakota for this, because I'm the one that lets her get away with it, but I am having a really hard time keeping her coat knot free
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Coco is almost a year old, and the older she gets the more she fights me when I brush her. She is getting mats now when 2 months ago, it wasn't too bad. I hate to cut her beautiful hair, but I also hate struggling to brush her everyday. I know exactly how you feel. I look at these adorable dogs with their puppy cuts, and it makes me think very hard about doing it, too. Then I see a gorgeous dog with long hair, and I go the other way. It is a hard decision to make when their hair has grown so long. Sometimes I wish I had never let her hair grow, so I wouldn't know how pretty she is long. LOL! Good luck with your decision. I may be right behind you if you do cut it.


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

I love the beautiful long hair on a Maltese,as long as it's on somebody elses Malt.







Like Dakota, Boo hates grooming & always has. Plus,he just doesn't have the hair type for a long flowing coat. I have come to really love the many cute puppy cut styles & Boo has been cut short since he was about 7 mths old. It was a decision based on love. He doesn't enjoy grooming, he matts badly with long hair & although I love grooming him,I hated the wrestling match it had become. I'm sure Dakota will be absolutely adorabe either way,so it's up to you whether to cut or not. Boo still hates grooming but it's much easier & faster now. So I'm happy neither of us have to spend hours wrestling anymore.With Hannah, I will see how things go as her hair grows out.So far, she doesn't mind being groomed,but she has hardly any hair yet to brush.







You can always keep the topknot & long tail & if you decide later to try the full coat,her body hair will grow pretty fast.


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

Just a thought, you said she was eight months, so she might be in coat transition right now. Perri never had a matt in his life until that happened for him around 9 months. If this is the case and you really don't want to cut her short yet, you could always try having the groomer scissoring some of the length off, and thinning the really thick areas out a bit.


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## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

It's a hard decision.







My groomer told me the same thing, too....that Abbey has a great coat so I grew Abbey out to about 4 inches but she kinda let me know enough was enough. She is such a sweetie but really couldn't take me torturing her getting out the tangles. We started getting a 2 1/2 inch puppy cut and now we get a 1 inch puppy cut with long ears, long tail & teddy bear feet.









I've grown used to the puppycut & look forward to her grooming appt. so she can be short again (she looks so cute when she first gets it done!)


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

> We started getting a 2 1/2 inch puppy cut and now we get a 1 inch puppy cut with long ears, long tail & teddy bear feet.
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Abbey is such a cutie pie! Can you post a picture of what you mean by "teddy bear feet"??

Thanks!


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

My boys both have puppy cuts with long heads & faces, but I finally broke down a couple of months ago and Mia also got a puppy cut. It looked cute, but better now that's it's starting to grow out. I like it just a little longer then a puppy cut on Mia. Jacqui, the worst that can happen is, you don't like it, but remember it's only hair and will grow back in pretty quickly. Another thing is. You'll beable to see which way you like Dakota best, long or short. I bet she'll look cute as can be. Go for it!!


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

I love the hair long...and short! When Duff is clipped super short (1 inch) he's so easy to keep clean. Right now he's about 4 inches, and I'm thinking of letting it grow longer. But I feel bad when I get the brush out, and he hides under the desk!







I may have to take him to the groomer this week.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

She is probably going through puppy coat change right now which is when it is just horrible to keep a coat mat-free.









The good news is that it doesn't really last that long -- usually about 2 weeks to a month.







Once she has completed the change from puppy coat to adult coat, you can re-evaluate the situation and then decide whether or not to cut it into a puppy cut.









Right now I would take her to Angela and let her get all the mats out and then stay on top of it by brushing her at least once a day -- twice is better during the puppy coat nightmare.









Then see how bad the matting is in about a months and make the decision then. It's easy to cut the hair, but hard to grow it back.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

Thanks everyone, your support is fantastic!

I've decided to go for it!! Its still summer here & winter is months away, it never really gets THAT cold here anyways, and if it does, it just means that she can wear clothes & I wont freak out!!









I'm happy with my decision, but that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it ..... I just took Harley to the vet because I thought he may have had a skin irritation - he was itching like crazy - he's totally fine, no changes, except maybe his shampoo ........ HOWEVER - Dakota came with us for the ride (bad idea because she threw up on the way home so we wont be doing that again) anyways, she's under-weight







The vet's wife was there & she said I will notice it more when her hair is cut .... so, the plan is now to fatten her up a bit - but keep Harley on his diet
















Ok - so, the puppy cut comes next Thursday, the following Monday (19th) comes the spay - oh, PLUS Harley is due for a dental so I need to drop Dakota off at the University in the morning, then come home, collect Harley & take him to our regular vet for his dental ........ but at least Harley will get to come home for the night .... I wont be able to collect Dakota until the Tuesday









You've been warned .... I'm gonna be a total wreck on the 19th Feb!









Thanks again everyone, I will be sure to post before and after pictures of my little skinny-minny - who is allowed to have ALL the treats she wants for a little while!


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## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

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She's getting groomed tomorrow so I will post a picture then. Basically what my groomer does is clip her body to 1 inch then when she is going down the legs she pulls the clipper away from the body, so her feet are fuller & finish by scissor cutting them rounded off. Not a great notice....but enough that she doesn't have those skinny chicken looking legs!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

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Gotcha







My groomer does the same thing-- which I love. It does make him look like a teddy bear.









Dakota is going to look great in a puppy cut, I can't wait to see the photos!


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## NC's Mom (Oct 23, 2004)

Giving her all the treats she wants for a short while is not going to work. It's like someone going on a diet, losing the weight they wanted to lose, and then returning right back to old eating habits. What happens? The weight comes back. In this case, the weight will drop off. 

I have the same problem with Little C. Last time at the vet, she weighed in at 1.9 kilograms and I burst into tears. The vets think that she should be at 2.2 to 2.5 kilos. .5 kilos may not sound like a lot, but when you are working with such a little thing to start with, it is. Especially if you have been trying to get her to gain weight for literally years.









Research some foods that tend to make dogs gain weight and make sure that they are nutritionally sound. Then, see which ones she likes and feed them to her on a regular basis. At least your Dakota will eat treats. The only treats my Little C wants are fruits, veggies, and dried pasta. Not what you'd call fattening. Sir N, on the other hand, will eat just about anything and is the perfect weight (though there was a year or two when he was a bit chubby).

Good luck and enjoy the puppy cut! What will you do with all the extra time you used to spend grooming?


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> Giving her all the treats she wants for a short while is not going to work. It's like someone going on a diet, losing the weight they wanted to lose, and then returning right back to old eating habits. What happens? The weight comes back. In this case, the weight will drop off.
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> I have the same problem with Little C. Last time at the vet, she weighed in at 1.9 kilograms and I burst into tears. The vets think that she should be at 2.2 to 2.5 kilos. .5 kilos may not sound like a lot, but when you are working with such a little thing to start with, it is. Especially if you have been trying to get her to gain weight for literally years.
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I would burst into tears too if she was 1.9 kgs! The (usual) vet didn't actually weigh her, I will have that done on the 19th when she goes for her spay - but he could tell by feeling her. I don't have an electronic scale, but by using the old - 'me get on the scales with her, then put her off and subtract the difference' trick - I THINK she is just above 2 kgs. 

Thanks for the suggestion - I will be doing lots of reserach tonight looking for something long term to help her put some weight on!

Edit: when she first came home, her breeder 'guestimated' that her adult weight would be about 3 kgs, I know she's not 8 months yet, but I will also check with her University vet on the 19th how to get her on track for that.

Yes, they have 2 vets - our 'usual' vet is semi-retired & has his clinic off to the side of his house - a residential area - hence, he is not permitted to keep dogs overnight - he recommended she be spayed at the University, because they have the overnight facilites. We did the same thing for Harley when it was his turn. 

So the morning of the 19th, I will drop Dakota off at the University (the other side of town) then come home, collect Harley and take him to our regular vet for his dental - our usual vet is only 10 minutes away thankfully!


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## NC's Mom (Oct 23, 2004)

I have a question....why leave her there? Is there going to be a qualified vet there all night, awake, alert, and attending to her needs? If not, take her home.

My vet here tried the ole' She Must Stay Overnight. I asked if he was going to personally stay there as well, cuddling her and attending to her. He then agreed that perhaps she'd be better off going home with me so that *I* could keep an eye on her, make sure she was comfortable, and be able to call for help if necessary.

If no one will be awake and alert all night long at the clinic, what is the purpose of leaving her there? What if something happened? No one would be able to help her. If she is with you, you will likely wake up if she is in pain or in trouble and you'll be able to comfort her or call an emergency vet if necessary.

Every time I move, I always make it COMPLETELY clear to each new vet that neither dog will EVER spend overnight in the clinic unless *I* do, too. 

Sure, they snicker at me. But they know I'm serious.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> I have a question....why leave her there? Is there going to be a qualified vet there all night, awake, alert, and attending to her needs? If not, take her home.
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> My vet here tried the ole' She Must Stay Overnight. I asked if he was going to personally stay there as well, cuddling her and attending to her. He then agreed that perhaps she'd be better off going home with me so that *I* could keep an eye on her, make sure she was comfortable, and be able to call for help if necessary.
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Good point, and I was torn by this BIG TIME, I wanted her home ...... I asked our 'usual' vet to do it, but he refused point blank. He treated our family pet, Zoe, for all of her 14 years and was with her when she passed. In some ways he is a little old fashioned, but in other ways, I appreciate his caution. He refused because he believes she will need overnight observation. He and his wife cried with us when Zoe went, so I just know he has our best interests at heart. Plus, by him saying no, he's also saying no to the money - which makes me appreciate him even more. He's not about making money which is very reassuring.

As Dakota will be going to Sydney Uni, I know that she will get 24 hour care - its a teaching facility, so I would guess they put the poor students on night shift and there would be a vet there on an 'on call' basis. I agree, she wont be getting cuddles & love, but, I am compromising here - if she gets distressed through the night, she will get all the care/meds she needs - I can dish out the love & cuddles in abundance, but I can't dish out the professional knowledge. 

It tears my heart out knowing she will be in a crate for the night, so I have to keep reminding myself that she will be getting around the clock professional care.


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## NC's Mom (Oct 23, 2004)

Good....as long as someone will be there, that is what counts.

When Little C got spayed, it was at a little clinic that had one vet, one groomer. That was it. Where we are now, we have access to a bigger vet clinic, but they still do not have anyone there at night. I laughed in their faces when they wanted to keep Little C there for two weeks after her knee surgery. yeah, RIGHT! Told them that they better give me a key because I'd be sleeping there every night. End result....Little C went home with me the same day as the surgery.


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