# Maltese in full coat



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I am going to attempt to keep Ava in full coat. :new_shocked: Just the thought scares me, but maybe Bonnie's baby's have better coats than I'm used to......


Anyway for all of you that have malts in full coat, *do you clip anything at all on the face*? I take it the hair on Ava's nose will finally someday be long enough to lay down so I can see her eyes? And it seems her lashes (well I guess it's her eyelashes) sometimes seem to hang down over her eyes, and I keep trying to push them back up. I love those beautiful eyes, but rarely see them :smpullhair:  

Oh, and while I'm at it - just what all does get trimmed? butt, feet, armpits....anything else? My groomer wants me to bring her in when I'm ready, but I want to be able to tell her what I want done.


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## Dixie's Mama (Mar 19, 2008)

The only advice I have is do not, under any circumstances let the groomer cut the hair around, above, below or anywhere near her eyes. They will all do it if you don't remind them each and every time. I think it is best to let it grow past their eyes so it doesn't stick into them as it grows out. I know many do have the hair around eyes trimmed and that is up to you. If it is cut it has to be constantly trimmed as I'm sure you know from Abbey & Archie. If you do choose to keep it growing & long around the eyes really make it CLEAR to the groomer not to touch it or she will the first time your back is turned. Then you have to start growing it again. Grrrrr. I have issues about this, can you tell? I have the groomer thin out the hair in her arm pits too & clip around her little bum a bit. You really have to be very specific b/c if you don't mention a body part they will cut it. I guess it's like a hair dresser who loves to scalp you, they just love to cut. Mine trimmed the hair above her lip last time and I didn't tell her to. It was getting long & past her mouth so she just cut it. It looks ok but she should have asked me I think. So watch those scissors!


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## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

Hi

I keep bella in full coat and have never taken her to a proper groomer. Shes prob not the BEST groomed dog but shes always matt free and looks ok i think. I do trim the hairs around her eyes but they was because the vet had said it might help as she kept getting an eye infection a few years ago. I think you can see in her pic that they are trimmed. The only thing is you then need to check it every few days incase the wee hairs that are growing back stick into her eyes. Thankfully bella loves being groomed and is fine with me trimming around there. The only other bits i trim are a little around her feet and bum and between her toes. Once your baby gets used to the gromming and if youcanside aside a litle time twice a day it really isnt that bad keeping her in full coat. You will soon get the hang of it and will do great :biggrin:


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

I have never cut a thing on Gigi's face. When she was young and her hair was shorter, Gigi had the same problem. Now that her hair is longer it has gotten a little better, but I think a little holding hair gel will eliminate this problem completely. 

Yesterday I groomed Gigi for an hour. Normally it takes about 25 minutes. I brushed her all over, re-did topknot then I clipped her hair around her potty area and got tiny knot out of her hair on her belly. Today I have to trim up her feet and the hairs around her pads.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

I have never cut a thing on Gigi's face. When she was young and her hair was shorter, Gigi had the same problem. Now that her hair is longer it has gotten a little better, but I think a little holding hair gel will eliminate this problem completely. 

Yesterday I groomed Gigi for an hour. Normally it takes about 25 minutes. I brushed her all over, re-did topknot then I clipped her hair around her potty area and got tiny knot out of her hair on her belly. Today I have to trim up her feet and the hairs around her pads.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

I find with the little shorter muzzles you almost have to trim at the inner corner of the eyes
so you can see their pretty faces.


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

I agree with Elaine, tell your groomer what you want done every time you take her. My old groomer cut the hair on the girls faces and it took forever to grow it back out. I told the girls that groom them now not to cut it and after several months they cut it! I may just keep it that way now because its so hard to grow back out.
Ava's beautiful and I love watching her grow. She's going to be an amazing little girl no matter what you do with her hair. :wub:


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## rosietoby (Mar 27, 2008)

I recently gave up and cut the hair around the eyes on Holly and Rosie. I hated not seeing their eyes! They always run around and rub their faces in their beds so all the hair would come out of their top knots. Now I can see their beautiful eyes!


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## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

I never cut the hair on my girls faces. I had the problem with both my girls when they were little especially Abbie. We would joke that it was Abbie's magic trick...she could make her eyes disappear.

On my girls, I keep their bellys short as they tend to matt there. I also trim their paws up, their pads and their potty areas. I have had to trim Maggie's tail once or twice. Otherwise, I just let it grow.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

When I had London in coat (she was 9 months when I cut it for the first time), I just let everything grow. I had never trimmed her paw pads, sanitary area, eye area, etc. Now that she's an adult, for some reason she gets dingleberries sometimes and so I would recommend having the groomer (or yourself) trimming around the anus and doing the pads on the feet. I would not recommend trimming the eye area...We're growing London's back out and I personally don't think it's a big deal, but I know some people on this forum think it's a nightmare. lol


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

I agree with the TELL THE GROOMER each time. I had hunter dropped off yesterday. Groomer knows we are growing out hair between eys and eyebrows for the top knot since they are always in his face even if trimmed real short. She has not cut them in 2 months so she knows this. I pick up hunter 2 hours later - its all been trimmed :smmadder: 

So, its been trimmed enough that its shorter than it was and we are back to where we were a month ago - no seeing Hunter's beautiful eyes for about two months. I am actually going to order some hair gelish stuff to hold back the wispys till they grow - hair in his eyes really bothers me.


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

Pat I don't think it is necessary to trim the hair on the face. I think once it gets long enough it will stay down. The only hair I trim is Sassy's pads, around her feet when that gets too long and a tiny bit around her girly parts.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

I have to trim a tiny bit in the inner corner of Stuart's eyes - primarly because he has a lot of hair there and it hides his eyes otherwise. I mean a teeny, tiny bit right in the inner corner (but not below where tear stains are).

Also, I keep Stuart and Reina "shelled", cut very trim on their belly and underarms, and find this really keeps brushing time down and relatively mat free. 

And, like everyone else, I trim the feet and pad hair regularly and around their behind to cut down on dingleberries.  

Once you have a dog in coat, I think its addictive, the hair is so beautiful and graceful, especially when they run. I'm sure Ava will be a vision of loveliness in coat! :wub: :wub: :wub: 

Oh - almost forgot to mention that I finally got around to trying the Dove Go Fresh (in yellow) shampoo and conditioner yesterday (diluted) and I LOVE IT!!!! They smell so good and their hair is super silky.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Feet should be trimmed so as not to interfere with movement. Pads shaved. Be careful trimming around the anus that you don't create a bull's eye. Just a tiny bit for cleanliness. Belly is your preference. I keep my kids trimmed closely in an "ultrasound" clip (far enough up to the first rib or two). I don't go up under the front legs or anything. That, too, is your preference. 
Corner of the eye is your preference. Personally, I would use some gel or kolestral to keep it down and let it grow out. Once you start trimming, you are stuck with continuing to do it.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

:goodpost: I have been doing everything wrong :bysmilie: :brownbag:


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

The only parts i trim on Riley and Noelle are their feet and pawpads. I also trim the very ends of Riley's hair because he was bald when i got him.


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