How to Groom a Havanese: A Groomer's Guide to the Coat

If the Maltese is silk, the Havanese is silk with a mind of its own. That long, soft, wavy coat is genuinely lovely to look at and genuinely testing to keep. The wave holds tangles beautifully, the texture is light and cottony, and it mats in a way that can catch out a groomer who treats it like a straight-coated breed. Add in the fact that it is technically a double coat and you have a dog that rewards a methodical approach and punishes a rushed one.

Here is how I take a Havanese from a wave of tangles to a clean, comfortable finish.

Understanding the coat first

The Havanese carries a long, soft, lightweight double coat with a distinct wave. Unlike the harsher double coats we see on working breeds, this one is fine and non-shedding in the sense that shed hair stays in the coat rather than dropping. That is exactly why it mats. Every hair that would otherwise fall out instead weaves itself into the surrounding wave.

So while it is a double coat by definition, we treat it nothing like a Shepherd or a Collie. There is no blowing out an undercoat with a rake here. The whole job is gentle detangling, thorough drying and clean trimming.

Step 1: Line brush before anything else

I never wet a matted Havanese. Water sets tangles into felt. So the first job, dry, is a full line brush.

Line brushing means working in horizontal partings from the skin outwards, brushing each section clear with a slicker before dropping the next layer down. Follow every pass with a comb to prove the section is genuinely clear to the skin, not just smooth on top. Pay close attention to the armpits, behind the ears, the chest, the sanitary area and any harness contact points.

> Welfare note: If you meet a mat that is pelted tight to the skin, do not tug, tease or brute-force it. That is painful and can bruise or tear the skin. Clip it out cleanly with the right blade and move on. A comfortable dog with a slightly shorter patch beats a distressed dog every time, and it is the professional choice.

Step 2: Bath and condition

Once the coat combs clear, bath the dog. A gentle shampoo worked in the direction of the coat, avoiding circular scrubbing, keeps that wave from knotting further. Follow with a light conditioner or detangler through the lengths to smooth the cuticle and ease drying.

Rinse thoroughly. Residue in a soft double coat leaves it dull, slightly sticky and quicker to re-tangle, so keep rinsing until the water runs completely clear.

Step 3: High-velocity dry and brush out

Towel gently, then move to the high-velocity dryer. Direct airflow in the direction of coat growth to push water out and open the coat up. As you dry, brush through with a slicker section by section so the coat dries straight-ish and fully open rather than drying into fresh little curls with damp knots hiding underneath.

A properly dried Havanese should comb from skin to tip with no resistance before you make a single cut. If it does not, you are not ready to trim.

Step 4: The pet trim

Most Havanese in a pet home are far better off in a manageable trim than a full show coat, and honesty with owners about upkeep does everyone a favour.

For a practical pet trim, I clip the body to an even, plush length using a longer guard comb over a clean blade, keeping enough length to show the softness of the coat without inviting rapid matting. Blend the legs into the body, tidy the chest and keep the topline balanced. The aim is a soft, rounded, natural outline, not a sculpted show shape.

If an owner genuinely wants length maintained, be clear that it demands committed daily brushing at home, and set a tighter salon schedule to back it up.

Step 5: Face, ears, feet and finishing

Scissor the face into a soft, balanced shape with rounded-tip scissors, keeping hair out of the eyes so tears and debris can clear. Tidy the ear fringing. Clean out and trim between the pads, and neaten the feet into tidy shapes rather than heavy slippers.

Finish with a full comb-through to check for anything you missed, assess symmetry from front, side and rear, and lightly mist the coat if you use a finishing spray to control static on that fine hair.

Frequently asked questions

How often does a Havanese need professional grooming? Every four to six weeks for a pet trim, and more frequently if the owner is maintaining length. This is a fast-matting breed, so consistency between visits matters as much as the salon appointment itself.

Should I deshed a Havanese? No. Although it is a double coat, it does not shed in the way working double coats do, so raking it just damages the soft texture and thins the coat. Matting is managed with line brushing and sensible length, not deshedding tools.

Why does the coat mat so quickly after grooming? Usually incomplete drying or a coat left too long for the home routine. Trapped shed hair and any damp left in the undercoat will start knotting within days. Full drying and a realistic length are your best defences.

Can I shave a Havanese right down in summer? You can clip it short for comfort and coat health, and that is a valid choice for a matted or high-maintenance pet. Just avoid taking a healthy coat to the skin for no reason, and always talk the length choice through with the owner.

Written from the salon floor by Lucy, City & Guilds Level 2 & 3 qualified groomer and owner of Fluffs, a one-to-one dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York. For more professional grooming guides, explore the Fluffs grooming blog.

Further reading: the Havanese breed and coat overview on Wikipedia and a general explanation of the double coat.