Havanese dogs are gorgeous animals that are often characterized by their stellar coats, which can be long or short, straight or curly. No matter the coat type that your Havanese sports, it’ll be undeniably soft and lavish.
This breed of dog originates from Cuba so the coat is naturally thin, even though it sometimes looks too long and hot for the dog. You can find Havanese puppies with all colored coats, giving them an excellent variety of coat patterns.
Having said that, their impressive coats don’t come particularly easily. Especially for a longer haired Havanese, a vigorous and strict grooming routine is essential. They don’t need their coats to be trimmed much, so without proper bathing and grooming, you might find that your cute puppy has become an unruly mess of hair.
Below we’ll be delving into how often a Havanese dog should be bathed, as well as the advantages of this and what may happen if you don’t.
Why is bathing important?
Havanese dogs have a double coat which means they have an undercoat and a topcoat, so there is a lot of hidden hair to hold in different unpleasant smells. Due to this, we’d recommend bathing your Havanese pup as frequently as every week, but if you don’t think your dog needs this or you simply don’t have enough time, you shouldn’t leave it longer than three weeks.
Of course, there are different factors determining how often you should bathe your dog, such as your lifestyle. If you and your puppy love going on frequent walks in which you both return home panting and tired, your dog is going to need more baths than dogs who don’t experience much exercise.
The Havanese coat can become easily tangled and matted, and therefore can house more dirt and odors easily. Moreover, the unwashed fur can become brittle and rough rather than the desired silky texture. This will lead to a damaged coat which can be very tricky to come back from, not to mention time-consuming.
Frequent baths will also treat your dog’s skin better underneath all of their hair and lead to a healthier base for the coat to grow from. A consistent and high-quality grooming session for your Havanese puppy will ensure they maintain a healthy and fast-growing coat.
How do you bathe a Havanese dog?
Bathing your Havanese pup is rather simple, but it can take time to perfect the technique. You’ll need a block of free time to focus on the task at hand, and enough patience to work through all of the coat. As these dogs have a double-layered coat, you’ll need to make sure that you reach the majority of both of the layers.
First, you need to wet the coat enough to activate the shampoo and create a lather. Once you’re happy that the coat is sodden, apply the shampoo directly to the coat in a downward motion so that it can reach deeper within the coat. This ensures that you clean the undercoat and the roots sufficiently, as this is where most of the odor becomes trapped.
That being said, it’s important to remember the ends of the hair as well, so you also need to work the shampoo down the strands of hair. This will keep the ends, which tend to dry out and become brittle, remain easily manageable and smooth.
Once you’re confident that the shampoo has reached all throughout the coat, you can rinse it out. Again, rinsing thoroughly is imperative so that you don’t miss any which will cause buildup against your dog’s skin. This may stunt the growth of the coat and lessen the quality.
The next step is conditioning. Conditioning your Havanese dog’s coat is another step that doesn’t want to be overlooked. A high-quality conditioner will nourish and add a level of hydration back into the coat to promote a manageable, shiny, and sleek look. What’s more is that it will keep the fur lightweight and comfortable for your dog, which is obviously a plus.
After conditioning the fur, rinse it for a final time to ensure that there is nothing left in the nooks and crannies. To do this, we’d suggest using slightly cooler water and keep working it down the coat until the water runs completely clear from every part of your pup.
Don’t forget to shampoo the legs, tail, and neck region of your dog to complete the wash process. Dry your Havanese puppy by using a towel and a light hand, again in a downward motion. This will prevent the hair from tangling and drying matted.
If your dog has a shorter coat, you may be able to leave their coats to air dry. However, if your dog has a longer coat, you might prefer to use a stand dryer to ensure that they don’t run off and start playing to make their hair messy. If you’re using a dryer, make sure that the fur is completely dry before moving onto the next step.
After your puppy’s coat is nice and dry, make sure that there are no tangles to keep the final result looking as good as possible. If you don’t wait until the hair is fully dry, you may cause unnecessary pain or discomfort to your dog. We’ve all tried to comb our hair when it’s half dry and half wet, (and if you haven’t, it’s not a fun time), and we don’t want to put our Havanese pups through that.
What are some of the best products to use while bathing your Havanese dog?
As we’ve mentioned above, you’ll need a high-quality shampoo and conditioner to treat your dogs coat properly. This will save you a lot of time when it comes to brushing them, so you’ll thank yourself in the long run. Below we’ll have a look at some of the highest-rated products for Havanese pups.
Espree Silky Show Shampoo
This shampoo from Espree offers exactly what you want from shampoo for your Havanese pooch. The main ingredient is organically grown aloe vera, which helps to smoothen the coat and keep it impressively shiny. It also includes natural silk protein and safflower oil to promote these benefits and thoroughly wash the coat.
Many customers have stated how well this shampoo works for Havanese coats and how nice the smell is. You get 20 ounces for an impressive price, and Espree also offers a complementing conditioner to use with this shampoo. It uses the majority of the same ingredients as the shampoo, and you can find it here.
Organic All Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo and Conditioner
Next up is a shampoo and conditioner all in one, made with oatmeal and aloe vera. This natural formula can soothe your dog’s skin and moisturize it to promote better and faster hair growth. There are plenty of vitamins and healthy ingredients in this shampoo, so you can feel confident using it on your Havanese.
What’s more is that Bodhi Dog has won awards for their professional quality of all of their products, so we think that this shampoo and conditioner is definitely worth a go. However, while we think that this might suffice for dogs with less demanding coats, you might want to consider using it alongside another conditioner to ensure that the fur is left manageable.
Luckily, the brand also has a great selection of different conditioners that you can choose from. Our favorite would be their Natural Moisturizing Dog Conditioner with aloe vera and jojoba oil.
Burt’s Bees for Dogs Care Plus
Finally, we have a rather surprising product to show you. While you may know Burt’s Bees primarily for their human skincare products, they actually also offer an interesting range of pet products, much like this conditioning spray for dogs.
Instead of spending more time than necessary applying the conditioner and then rinsing it out, you can opt for a leave-in conditioner that is simply sprayed onto your dog’s coat. It includes avocado and olive oil to both nourish the skin and keep the hair untangled.
It is completely safe and recommended by many vets for people who perhaps don’t have enough time to complete a full pampering session for your puppy every week. It will protect the fur and help speed up the brushing process.
Final Say
So, to answer the original question of how often should a Havanese dog be bathed, we’d suggest anything from one to three weeks is a safe bet. Make sure that you stick to a consistent schedule for the best growth of a high-quality coat.
Havanese baths take a little more time, effort, and patience than other dogs, however, you’ll see that your effort has paid off when your dog is running around with a flowing coat that’s worthy of a slow-motion sequence in a movie.
Luckily, there are many products on the market that are highly rated by Havanese dog owners. These products will help cut the time spent in the bath down, and often leave your puppy with longer-lasting effects than if you were to use low-quality products.
