5 Havanese Haircuts and the Brushing Each One Needs

Havanese haircuts range from a short, fluffy puppy cut to a long, silky natural coat, and each one comes with its own brushing routine. Pick the look you love, then make sure the upkeep fits your week.

The breed's long, silky coat is a big part of its charm, and it's also why the cut you choose shapes your grooming week. For Danville Havanese owners, here are five popular cuts, the brushing each one needs, and the basics from the Havanese Club of America that keep any style looking its best.

Quick answer: shorter cuts like the puppy cut mean less brushing, but every Havanese needs regular grooming. The Havanese Club of America suggests brushing a full coat two to three times a week depending on texture, brushing puppies about three times a week, and always misting with a conditioning spray first.

Short Havanese Haircuts: Puppy Cut and Teddy Bear Cut

You can book any of these five styles with the Boops N' Bubbles Haircut Package, and the puppy cut and teddy bear cut descriptions below come straight from its style guide.

1. Puppy cut

The coat is trimmed to a uniform length throughout the body, usually short to medium, for a soft, fluffy, youthful look. It's the easiest Havanese haircut to keep up and a great pick for active dogs, swimmers and pups who don't love long brushing sessions, but short coats still need consistent brushing.

2. Teddy bear cut

The body is trimmed to a medium length while the face is shaped into a round, fluffy form. Plan on regular body brushing plus a quick daily check of the face and ears, since a fuller face catches water after drinking.

Longer Havanese Haircuts: Medium, Fuller Legs and Full Coat

3. Medium all-over trim

A moderate length keeps more of the breed's flowing look. Brushing moves closer to the full-coat schedule, so work through it in small sections down to the skin. It suits owners who enjoy regular grooming time.

4. Short body with fuller legs

A tidy body with fuller legs gives a shaped outline. The body stays easy, while the legs, elbows and feet need a comb-through after walks. If your dog dislikes having its legs handled, a tidier leg is the kinder choice.

5. Long natural coat

The full, silky Havanese coat takes the most commitment: brushing two to three times a week depending on texture, and baths every one to two weeks. Many owners tie the hair on top of the head into a topknot to keep it out of the eyes.

Havanese Haircuts Compared

Here's how the five styles compare on brushing and bathing, using the Havanese Club of America's guidance for full coats and short cuts:

Havanese Brushing Basics

The Havanese Club of America says every Havanese needs a regular grooming routine, even when the coat is kept short. Its guidance:

• Full-length adult coats: brushing two to three times a week, depending on coat texture.
• Puppies: brushing and combing about three times a week, so they get used to being groomed.
• Short haircuts: still need consistent brushing.
• Always use a conditioning spray before brushing, and never brush the coat dry.

Brush in small sections, then follow with a comb. If the comb glides through, that section is done. Check behind the ears, under the harness and around the legs, where tangles form first.

A pin brush or slicker brush and a metal comb cover most Havanese coats. Mist each section lightly with conditioning spray, lift a layer of hair, brush the layer underneath down to the skin, then let the next layer fall. Starting puppies early, as the club suggests, makes grooming a normal part of life by the time the adult coat comes in.

How Often to Bathe a Havanese

The Havanese Club of America says full-coated adults should generally be bathed every one to two weeks. Puppies and adults with short haircuts can usually go longer, but should probably be bathed at least every two to three weeks.

Brush out any tangles before the bath, since water tightens knots, and dry the coat all the way to the skin afterward, because a damp coat tangles quickly. Pay extra attention to the ears, armpits and the hair between the paw pads, which hold moisture longest. Use a shampoo made for dogs and rinse thoroughly so no residue is left in the coat. Between baths, a quick wipe of the face and feet keeps the coat fresh.

Let the Coat Guide the Length

A fluffy surface can hide tangles near the skin, so the groomer checks the coat before settling on a length. Boops N' Bubbles does light dematting and, at the groomer's discretion, some spot shaving. When matting is heavy, working it all out would cause the dog serious stress, so the coat needs to be shaved down for the dog's comfort, and the team asks for your consent first. Keeping up with brushing is the surest way to keep the length you want.

Bring a photo and your honest routine: maybe the body gets brushed but the front legs are tricky, or a long ear fringe stays wet after drinking. Those details help shape a cut you'll love living with. A simple request works well, like "this rounded face, but legs that are easier to comb."

Havanese Grooming in Danville

The Haircut Package includes:

• A bath with premium shampoos
• A hand blow-dry and brush
• The haircut
• A nail trim or file
• Ear cleaning (ear plucking by request)
• A paw pad and sanitary trim
• Anal gland expression and a signature scent, both by request

Grooming is one-on-one in a fully equipped van at your door, so there's no drive, no waiting alongside other dogs, and your Havanese is never crated. For Boops N' Bubbles mobile grooming in Danville, call (925) 553-4537 with the style you like and your dog's current coat.