Top Knots
I really, really want to let their hair grow out at their eyes and use top knots. The problem is... Josh doesn't like top knots. He keeps pulling them out of their hair and asks that I trim back their eyes. Ugh! I don't know what to do... does anyone have some witty rhetoric that I could throw at him for a pro to having top knots?????? |
|
|
| I'm presuming: "They are MY dogs, touch them and die!" would be out of the question?  And my mother wonders why I'm single...  What doesn't he like about them? Too cutesy and feminine? If so, threaten to take a curling iron to Wendel's bangs and give him fake eyelashes if he won't leave their topknots alone!   Kristine |
| My husband HATES them too ...says they look a LOT better shaggy. I tell him when he wants to do all the grooming then he can give his opinion. |
Mad Dog wrote: What doesn't he like about them? Too cutesy and feminine? I think that is exactly the reason! Especially with Wendel, he doesn't like a top knot. Though, Wendel's hair doesn't grow like a typical sheepdogs does. It parts down the middle and kind of cascades over his eyes. It's actually really, really gorgeous, I've never seen another sheepdog with it. I told him, just let me grow it out to see what a top knot was like, that if we both didn't like it, I could always trim back the hair. You can imagine that conversation did not go over well. |
| I put a bobby pin in and pull the hair back, it is a little less feminine than the top knot and everyone gets a kick out of it! |
| I'd tell him to shut up and to stop thinking people will think he's gay if his dogs have topknots. If you trim, you always have to trim, which sucks. Once you grow out the topknot, it's just a matter of pulling it back and you're good until a shave. Use the clear braiding bands and just pull the ponytail back a bit further on their heads and fasten it just beyond the bump on the skull. When Clyde's hair gets long, I give him the equivalent of a low ponytail and hit him with a shot of hairspray to catch the loose hairs. |
catch it in a brown masculine coloured band but tuck the ends in so its a bit more manly looking. I like men with pony tails anyway!  |
| Adam also dislikes the top knots, and insists I trim the hair around their eyes. I won the battle last year, and grew it out long enough to tie up.... ...and the girls hated it. They spent all thier time pulling it out. I even bought special elastic bands and a special comb to do it properly.  So now I just trim their hair. |
It must be a 'man' thing--My husband is not fond of the top knots for the boys--he said it would be different if they were girls...but he loses on this one--he doesn't groom and he doesn't get a vote on this one! He concedes that he is glad that they can 'see'!  |
Darth Snuggle wrote: ...and the girls hated it. They spent all thier time pulling it out. I even bought special elastic bands and a special comb to do it properly. So now I just trim their hair. Allison, it's like anything else. They have to be taught that top knots are no big deal, and ideally the younger the better. I didn't realize how much most people don't teach their OES till I got a pet puppy back at about a year old. They said their groomer loved him and he was wonderful. Really? He was never taught to lay down on his side to be groomed at now at a year old it was a battle. His coat had never been long enough to truly need top knots, and once I grew it out a bit, that was a battle. And he even thought it was acceptable to clack his teeth at me if I hit a snag! That one got to me and it's the reason I didn't place him. My dogs know even the threat of teeth on human is completely unacceptable. I really wondered what kind of horrible dog I had bred  and if I had some kind of temperament problem in the litter I hadn't realized - all of the other puppies seemed fine, but then they had all gone to more experienced homes - until I realized he'd been allowed to do whatever he wanted to do. Once I explained the rules, he was fine. To get them used to a top knot you start with a very small piece of hair and put it up very loosely and you keep putting it back in until they realize it isn't going away. Actually, I start with two little knots (horns) If you roll them it looks less "feminine". He's fine with it now. With my own puppies I start putting their hair up as soon as it's long enough to make even little puppy knots so they grow up with it and it's no big deal. Some people just prefer bangs and that's fine too. Like Marilyn says, though, you're forever having to trim it back. A majority of my dogs are now short enough to sport bangs and it's a pain in the patoot to keep the hair trimmed back well. Some have such heavy head coat that you have to not only trim, but thin. If you're going to have bangs you have to at least not trim them straight across but shape them too look reasonably natural, which I'm plain not good at. But whatever works. Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: Darth Snuggle wrote: ...and the girls hated it. They spent all thier time pulling it out. I even bought special elastic bands and a special comb to do it properly. So now I just trim their hair. Allison, it's like anything else. They have to be taught that top knots are no big deal, and ideally the younger the better.Kristine Hah, hah, hah, Kristine when I started reading this sentence I thought you were referring to men getting used to topknots as thats what I was about to write about Wayne. He hated Tiggy's topknot at first but as he doesnt know one end of a brush from the other I'm the groomer so I have what I want until he takes over the job.  Tiggy used to pull her top knot out at first too, usually by rubbing her head up and down the couch and she still hates sitting still for me to put it in but that's more about sitting still than the topknot. When Tig was about 9 months old Wayne took her to the park without a topknot and she ran into a tree  Now he puts a really dodgey effort in if I'm not home (better than a dog who cant see) and tells everyone he meets that she needs a topknot or she cant see. |
Mim wrote: Mad Dog wrote: Allison, it's like anything else. They have to be taught that top knots are no big deal, and ideally the younger the better.Kristine Hah, hah, hah, Kristine when I started reading this sentence I thought you were referring to men getting used to topknots as thats what I was about to write about Wayne. Well, that too! Kristine |
| It's true they do get used to it. Men completely opposed to it ...and dog clothes ...DO turn around even if it took mine 4 years before the comments stopped. Now he hints to me they need another one in. Again, you just have to do it anyway. |
| No complaints from Todd. I do the grooming, and he knows better than to make too many comments....  Todd also has had long hair most of our married life, so wearing a ponytail is not less masculine to him at all. His is curly, so he even braided it too. Chewie lives in a ponytail (or pigtails). After his Ch and I trimmed him down, he was about an inch all over on his head. I hated it.  I let it grow back. Now he's back to the devil horns!! |
| I think I'm going to go with the "since I groom, shut up unless you're going to take over" method. I think Asterisk will fight the top knot, at least at first, you can't put ANYTHING on her head, but you can put it around her chest or neck and she's fine. But I'll be persistent and I'm sure my dogs will look uber cute! |
I trim mine. I like the goofy "punk rocker" look!   |
Joahaeyo wrote: My husband HATES them too ...says they look a LOT better shaggy. I tell him when he wants to do all the grooming then he can give his opinion. AMEN sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! told brian the exact same thing.... panda used to hate them until she couldnt see...as long as i didnt do it too tight she was fine... |
| Very Cute... love their hair length ravenmoonart! My husband always tells me he could take care of the dogs. Like it ain't a big deal. Well, when my husband and his dad drove to Alaska from TX ...the ONE thing I told him a GAZILLION times is "once a day, can you remove the eye boogers from yuki's eye?" That's all. Didn't expect brushing or anything although I said it would be nice to brush through at least once while you guys take the week to drive up. They got to Alaska and I gave Yuki hugs since it had been a week and the first thing I notice is a eye booger that went ALL THE WAY DOWN HER FACE. One big booger string almost reached her nose (SOOOOOO not exaggerating). She doesn't get them bad like she did when she was a puppy. He did say he brushed her several times. How do you brush a dog and not notice the eye booger down their face? (because he chose to not put a topknot on her) |
| I cant complain tooooo much about Scott not grooming the dogs, since he does cheerfully wield the clippers See, now, that's what all you folks with topknots/uncooperative hubbies need....a way to do up a topknot that requires a power tool. |
| Forget the "they're not masculine" crap! How about "do you want them to be blind?" My family is past any comments after 25 years of sheepdogs. I buy brightly colored rubberbands. And it's nothing for me to put all the boys up in bright pink! If anyone dares to comment (remember, the family is past that now) I tell them "It takes a REAL man to wear PINK"! |
Mad Dog wrote: I'm presuming: "They are MY dogs, touch them and die!" would be out of the question? That would be my answer too |
What about a compromise, one dog with topknot and one without. I am keeping my dogs in different fur-styles. Of course I don't have some silly man's ego and masculinity to worry about  JUST JOKING! HAHA no offence~Show him this picture could be worse you could do bow like I did to Laika   The boy sports a Mohawk very butch  |
ChSheepdogs wrote: Forget the "they're not masculine" crap! How about "do you want them to be blind?" My family is past any comments after 25 years of sheepdogs. I buy brightly colored rubberbands. And it's nothing for me to put all the boys up in bright pink! If anyone dares to comment (remember, the family is past that now) I tell them "It takes a REAL man to wear PINK"! I split the hair band packets up - Bre gets the girlie colors, Chewie gets the boy colors!!! Of course, there is nothing wrong with boys accessorized with PINK!!!  Chewie spent his almost his whole show career gracing this table! |
got sheep wrote: Chewie spent his almost his whole show career gracing this table! Yeah, and that one actually made even me cringe... KB |
Mad Dog wrote: Some people just prefer bangs and that's fine too. Like Marilyn says, though, you're forever having to trim it back. A majority of my dogs are now short enough to sport bangs and it's a pain in the patoot to keep the hair trimmed back well. Some have such heavy head coat that you have to not only trim, but thin. If you're going to have bangs you have to at least not trim them straight across but shape them too look reasonably natural, which I'm plain not good at. But whatever works. Kristine I do like how the bangs look as long as they look shaggy; and I DO trim them pretty often. I have both straight edged and thinning shears, and like you said; I have to sort of thin it out so it looks natural. I can't STAND when its a straight across cut. My groomer did that ONCE, and I hated it. But I think the top nots looks so nice; I really wish my girls would tolerate it. Maybe I'll try again. |
Mad Dog wrote: got sheep wrote: Chewie spent his almost his whole show career gracing this table! Yeah, and that one actually made even me cringe... KB Well, you never struck me as a PINK girl. And it was LeAnne's choice...although it kinda has grown on me.... It is very good as a landmark in the sea of grooming tables though |
Darth Snuggle wrote: Mad Dog wrote: Some people just prefer bangs and that's fine too. Like Marilyn says, though, you're forever having to trim it back. A majority of my dogs are now short enough to sport bangs and it's a pain in the patoot to keep the hair trimmed back well. Some have such heavy head coat that you have to not only trim, but thin. If you're going to have bangs you have to at least not trim them straight across but shape them too look reasonably natural, which I'm plain not good at. But whatever works. Kristine I do like how the bangs look as long as they look shaggy; and I DO trim them pretty often. I have both straight edged and thinning shears, and like you said; I have to sort of thin it out so it looks natural. I can't STAND when its a straight across cut. My groomer did that ONCE, and I hated it. But I think the top nots looks so nice; I really wish my girls would tolerate it. Maybe I'll try again. I hate the blunt bangs too. I hate it on people too, so no big surprise~! |
| This thread has inspired me to give top knots another try. The girls hair has been trimmed, so its not terribly long; but I can get two "horns" on each of them. Thinking of it in terms of training them to be tolerant makes sense, so I took that approach. When we are going anywhere "fun", like to run dog-friendly errands or the dog park, the girls have to sit to have their collars put on. It was easy to make they sit an extra 5 minutes while I then put their hair in top knots. Then, before they could think much about it and fuss with them, it was straight to the car and off to the park, or where-ever. So far, I've been able to do it today and yesterday, and its working. I think if I can desensitize them too it with "fun" distractions, then they'll not notice them later when it just routine to wear them. At least, that's what I'm hoping. |
| Great plan. That's how I trained Tiggy to let me put hers in. She gets either her favorite biscuit, a walk to the park or both after she sits and lets me put her top knot in. |
* Capt. Obvious Danger wrote: I think I'm going to go with the "since I groom, shut up unless you're going to take over" method. I put Simon's hair in a topknot, just for fun. I think its cute...dh not so much. I tell him tough, I do the grooming and if he EVER learns how to pick up a brush, he can do it the way he likes. The only bad thing about that is if they look bad...I only have myself to blame. |
| you're off the hook on that one; Sheepdogs NEVER look bad. They are always cute. |
Darth Snuggle wrote: you're off the hook on that one; Sheepdogs NEVER look bad. They are always cute. Very true! I think this is one reason I adore sheepdogs: they are so (visually) variable and interesting. I love Labs too...but pretty much a lab is a lab I love how even the same sheepie can look so different depending on grooming. I wonder if that's why so many "creative types" are attracted to this breed? |
| I think I can finally order my hair bands! Asterisk and Wendel's hair is growing fairly fast and I want to order them... My question is... what size should I get? 3/8? |
* Capt. Obvious Danger wrote: I think I can finally order my hair bands! Asterisk and Wendel's hair is growing fairly fast and I want to order them... My question is... what size should I get? 3/8? Where are you ordering them from? I'd be curious to know what everyone's favorite kind is. I've been alternating between horse braiding bands which work fine but are a plain white color and assorted rubberbands for girls from Target that have cute colors but break easily. I wonder if the ones sold online specifically for dogs are any better than anything else I might try. |
Valerie wrote: * Capt. Obvious Danger wrote: I think I can finally order my hair bands! Asterisk and Wendel's hair is growing fairly fast and I want to order them... My question is... what size should I get? 3/8? Where are you ordering them from? I'd be curious to know what everyone's favorite kind is. I've been alternating between horse braiding bands which work fine but are a plain white color and assorted rubberbands for girls from Target that have cute colors but break easily. I wonder if the ones sold online specifically for dogs are any better than anything else I might try. I have looked for hair bands at Petco and Petsmart and cannot find them. I order my grooming supplies from PetEdge. My orders come fairly quickly. I wish there was a better grooming store nearby so I could have my hands on the product instead of looking on a website. |
| Valerie, I get bands at walmart... probably same type as target (made for girls who put 1000 braids in their hair) but maybe it's a different brand b/c mine NEVER break. Okay, there may be a bad one in the bunch, but it usually breaks AS I'm putting it in ..not after. I can keep mine in for a month and they don't budge. ...now it may not be good for the dogs (Breakage, hair needs to be combed, etc), BUT they stay. I stretch the hell out of mine too as I put them in. I've been using them in forever. I never replace one that has fallen out ...I have to take them out myself when it's bath time. I've bought expensive ones from many maltese show sites, and these walmart ones are the best! |
Joahaeyo wrote: I can keep mine in for a month and they don't budge. ...now it may not be good for the dogs (Breakage, hair needs to be combed, etc), BUT they stay. Wow! Mine also generally only break when I am putting them in, but once they are in, they don't last a week. I think the dogs tug at them when they are playing and they pull them out. Sometimes, I put in two at a time and that helps but I pretty much have to redo them every day or two days. I will try the Walmart ones to see if they are any better. |
| Oh, I do the two at a time too and it helps! Maybe try a different way of putting the hair up? I wasn't thinking about that when I originally posted. My bad. They do INEED come out of Yuki if I don't put THREE in a row in her hair. If I put one or two ..or pigtails ...it comes out in a week which isn't acceptable for me For some reason, this combo works and she can't get it out no matter how much she rubs on the carpet. For Mequpak... the pigtails works without any chance of it coming out. Also remembering that you can probably get one more wrap around when putting them on. That's the key for our dogs at least. I put them in for my neighbors with toy dogs too. Just took a pic of Yuki so you know what I mean.  |
| Oh! I'll try that. Yuki is so pretty.  |
| I get the multicolored ones at Sally's. I wrap them around 3 times & they hold the hair pretty darn good. Since I bursh dogs more often than once a week, I cut them out & put new ones in at that time. |
| I have a boy dog to. When I do his knot at the last turn of the band I don't pull the hair all the way through so it leaves a little ball and the ends sit flat against his head at the back of the knot. I find it looks more masculine, kind of like a ninja or something. |
| I will be prodding Kim to get some demonstrations from some of the top-knot experts (*cough* Val *cough*) at Sheepiepalooza, she still hasn't perfected top-knots for Mady yet (I groom Mady, but Kim is responsible for the top-knots). |
Baba wrote: I will be prodding Kim to get some demonstrations from some of the top-knot experts (*cough* Val *cough*) at Sheepiepalooza, she still hasn't perfected top-knots for Mady yet (I groom Mady, but Kim is responsible for the top-knots). I will be prodding DAVID to get some demonstrations from some of the top-knot experts (*cough* Val *cough*) at Sheepiepalooza, HE still hasn't perfected top-knots for Mady yet (he grooms Mady, AND he SHOULD BE responsible for the top-knots). |
| I'm going to be taking lessons from Kim at sheepiepalooza! |
penthesillia wrote: I have a boy dog to. When I do his knot at the last turn of the band I don't pull the hair all the way through so it leaves a little ball and the ends sit flat against his head at the back of the knot. I find it looks more masculine, kind of like a ninja or something. That's the current style we are in. I rotate around from pony, pigs etc. I realized I hadn't done the little balls for awhile, so I started them on Monday. At our house they are called "butts. If it's 2 (made from pigtails), we call them pig butts!  Chewie had his 4DX tests today, and the girls in the office loved them - called them horns! |
got sheep wrote: penthesillia wrote: I have a boy dog to. When I do his knot at the last turn of the band I don't pull the hair all the way through so it leaves a little ball and the ends sit flat against his head at the back of the knot. I find it looks more masculine, kind of like a ninja or something. That's the current style we are in. I rotate around from pony, pigs etc. I realized I hadn't done the little balls for awhile, so I started them on Monday. At our house they are called "butts. If it's 2 (made from pigtails), we call them pig butts! Chewie had his 4DX tests today, and the girls in the office loved them - called them horns! Do you have any pics of this style Dawn? Im having a hard time visualizing it!  |
ravenmoonart wrote: got sheep wrote: penthesillia wrote: I have a boy dog to. When I do his knot at the last turn of the band I don't pull the hair all the way through so it leaves a little ball and the ends sit flat against his head at the back of the knot. I find it looks more masculine, kind of like a ninja or something. That's the current style we are in. I rotate around from pony, pigs etc. I realized I hadn't done the little balls for awhile, so I started them on Monday. At our house they are called "butts. If it's 2 (made from pigtails), we call them pig butts! Chewie had his 4DX tests today, and the girls in the office loved them - called them horns! Do you have any pics of this style Dawn? Im having a hard time visualizing it! They are messy, but here they are:   They were after living 2 days in a wind advisory PS, I dug a bit, and here's a single!  |
| That's super cute ...I had thought that might be a solution to my hubby's top-knot objections, but, I suspect Im just going to wind up being laughed at for the doggy/owner look-alike effect It looks entirely too much like MY usual do! |
ravenmoonart wrote: That's super cute ...I had thought that might be a solution to my hubby's top-knot objections, but, I suspect Im just going to wind up being laughed at for the doggy/owner look-alike effect It looks entirely too much like MY usual do!  OMG, you are RIGHT!!! Please do it and take a picture!!!  |
got sheep wrote: ravenmoonart wrote: That's super cute ...I had thought that might be a solution to my hubby's top-knot objections, but, I suspect Im just going to wind up being laughed at for the doggy/owner look-alike effect It looks entirely too much like MY usual do! OMG, you are RIGHT!!! Please do it and take a picture!!! Mine are currently shaved down...here's a pretty good "separated at birth" pair, though [/quote]  |
Mady wrote: Baba wrote: I will be prodding Kim to get some demonstrations from some of the top-knot experts (*cough* Val *cough*) at Sheepiepalooza, she still hasn't perfected top-knots for Mady yet (I groom Mady, but Kim is responsible for the top-knots). I will be prodding DAVID to get some demonstrations from some of the top-knot experts (*cough* Val *cough*) at Sheepiepalooza, HE still hasn't perfected top-knots for Mady yet (he grooms Mady, AND he SHOULD BE responsible for the top-knots). What??? I ALREADY do ALL the grooming, bathing, bum-cleaning, nail-clipping etc. etc. Kim does NOTHING (besides all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, groceries, paying bills etc. but that's all easy stuff) |
| Chewie's double top knot reminds me of Princess Leah's hair that I used to do on my daughter when she was little. lol |
ravenmoonart wrote: got sheep wrote: ravenmoonart wrote: That's super cute ...I had thought that might be a solution to my hubby's top-knot objections, but, I suspect Im just going to wind up being laughed at for the doggy/owner look-alike effect It looks entirely too much like MY usual do! OMG, you are RIGHT!!! Please do it and take a picture!!! Mine are currently shaved down...here's a pretty good "separated at birth" pair, though [/quote]Yep, you got it going on..... |
violet wrote: Chewie's double top knot reminds me of Princess Leah's hair that I used to do on my daughter when she was little. lol Helen, it's all about Star Wars - all the time! And Todd has made that comment too.  |
got sheep wrote: violet wrote: Chewie's double top knot reminds me of Princess Leah's hair that I used to do on my daughter when she was little. lol Helen, it's all about Star Wars - all the time! And Todd has made that comment too. I was thinking the EXACT same thing! Any chance if there is a demo at Sheepie Palooza that someone can video it and post for us poor souls that can't come?  |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|