# Billy Has A New Top Knot Style



## apoodleaday (Feb 22, 2010)

You'll have to let us know how you like it over the next couple of weeks.
It looks very clean and out of the way.


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## BFF (Jun 10, 2009)

That looks like a neat idea. At least the bands won't whip him in the head. They look a more manly this way too. Of course, he looks fabulous any way you do his hair.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Vinnie's brother, Jack, has a really long TK and this is how he is kept banded. She's got some really cool pics of him that way. 

It's a good look for Billy!!


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## vtomblin (Jul 18, 2010)

Thats how I do mine too! It works great. And yes it is the manliest look I could come up with also. We call it the klingon look. It also helps keep the ends from getting dry and sunburned. Sometimes i join it into one or leave antennas. I also do the same thing down the neck and back. Faster, easier and better than wrapping. (in my opinion  ) we must think alike!


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

so if i want to try a continental or longer topknot just for fun cause i have never gotten to do it, but i dont intend to show, i have to keep my boys hair banded all day every day? i never get to see that pretty hair? My pup will be in public every day at the grooming shop, is there a chance i can keep enough hair for a shorter version of a cc without banding? and at what age do you start? redo it every three days? dont they get ponytail headache? i certainly do.


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## vtomblin (Jul 18, 2010)

I usually reband every 4 days at the most but would try to make it to his weekly bath. You can do a short continental with a trimmed top knot no problem. People call it HCC on here historically correct continental. Should be lots of pictures too. I would not suggest banding unless you are showing as it is alot of work and you only get to see it at a show. Hair in the eyes and mouth and water is not cool. but you could do 2 little horns over the eyes. Pretty cute.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Itzaclip, this is for show dogs, who's hair is gold and has to be kept as long as possible so it needs to be kept carefully tucked out of the way in bands. 

Look at my Paris' pics: Paris photos - a set on Flickr 
Paris isn't a show dog, but I have a huge topknot banded in the front but that's it! She has her hair out and flopping about 24/7 cos I'm not TRYING to keep her hair perfect, I love the 'big hair' look, and she just has the bands in the front to keep it out of her eyes (and cos I like the banded look!) She is in the grooming parlour with me every day too, and everyone loves her huge hair. lol! I re-do her bands every week when she's bathed.

It's totally possible to do it like Paris for a non-show dog, and it's fun. For a show dog, you have to keep it all banded into the klingon look, or snakes or wraps or something. lol!


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Are you guys still thinking of showing Billy? I ask because if banding is just about getting the topknot out of his eyes then what you have done is fine. If, however, you are trying to grow show coat...... we need to talk.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

cbrand said:


> Are you guys still thinking of showing Billy? I ask because if banding is just about getting the topknot out of his eyes then what you have done is fine. If, however, you are trying to grow show coat...... we need to talk.


_Carol, I sent you a PM. Thank you._


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## vtomblin (Jul 18, 2010)

cbrand what is wrong with this way? I have had excellent results so far. Less breakage than 'horns' and dry ends improved. Phoenix has extremely thick coarse coat. Have I just been spoiled with tough hair? Does coat texture make a difference in banding this way. Sookie has finer hair cuz it's still puppy hair. Have you experienced issues with different coats? I know alot of silver owners wrap the top knot because the hair needs to be handled very delicately. I'd really like to know what you've found. Want to do it right with Sookie if you have ideas. Thanks in advance! I love hearing about your experiences.


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

perfect, thank you flying duster, i also like just the band in the front and to see that hair, i wouldnt want more than what you have, i am glad i dont have to keep it banded just to grow that much. What a dummy i must sound like, but I am a pet groomer, and the only "show grooming" i have done is maintenance on cockers(full trims but not for the ring) and akita and other double coats. gorgeous camera shots and i also want to copyright watermark all my grooming pics as i already had a crappy grooming school take one of my pics and put it on thier site claiming one of thier students did it! thank you for the tips..


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

vtomblin said:


> cbrand what is wrong with this way? I have had excellent results so far. Less breakage than 'horns' and dry ends improved.


No the center part is fine. I had issues with other aspects of coat care that I could see in the picture. Perhaps Spoospirit will post them. I sent her a PM with lots of nit-picking, but in the end it is that level of detail that can make the difference between showing and not showing a dog.


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## vtomblin (Jul 18, 2010)

Thanks cbrand. I worry about hair too much I think. I worry something I do will wreck everything. Since I'm on my own for showing and grooming I gotta ask lots of questions.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_I had a Valentine's Day wedding to shoot yesterday, but I'm back and here is the message that Cbrand sent to me regarding Billy's coat care:_

Ok, I think you should take this public because I think it would be a learning experience for everyone. Billy is a nice dog. You need to do your part to make him look his best. IMHO he is finishable. 

Given his age and how long you have been growing this coat, he does not have much hair. I suspect that allowing the dogs to run and play together has something to do with this. I know you think that they don't rip at each other's coats, but I look at his topknot and I know that the must. I would stop this immediately and exercise him separately. I would not allow the other dogs to be with Billy unsupervised. Ever!

Ok specific things:

Wash Billy every week. No exceptions. A brush slides more easily through a clean coat. Less drag on the brush means less breakage. His coat needs to be blow out completely straight every time. In the picture you posted, he is curly. (Is he in oil?) Curly Poodle coat naturally wants to form into cords. We are constantly fighting this process. If he gets wet, he needs to be dried again.

Parting, banding, wrapping et al. 

Do you have a knitting needle to part the hair with? If not... get one. It will make your job easier. The center part is a good way to do it. Start banding all the way down the neck past the shoulders. Your parts should be nice and straight and clearly defined. This will cut down on the webbing between bands. If you get done and the parts are not straight. Pop the bands and start over. Forcing yourself to do it correctly is the only way you will get better. Change the bands every 3 days. No exceptions. 

The hair in each band needs to be straight and well combed out. If it is not, it will web under the band.

Billy should never have his ears down or only banded. He needs to have his ears wrapped starting NOW! They will be wrapped 24X7 until he finishes showing.

With all that hair down out of the bands and with how short it all is, I can't help but think that he is scratching or rubbing out his bands. Can you give me some insight into this? If he is scratching out his topknot, you need to put socks on his feet. I had to do this to Delilah in November because she started scratching and ripping out her topknot. I can tell you how to work the socks.

Hope this helps...

_THANK YOU CAROL!_


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## vtomblin (Jul 18, 2010)

Thanks spoospirit. I think I'm being neurotic about Sookie's neck hair. It's good to get reinforcement that what im doing is correct. But at the fun match a few weeks ago I bought a new show chain with what I was told to be a hair friendly link. But after that day it looks like someone took a bite out of her neck hair right where that choke went. I have since switched back to my standard nylon show choke. Makes me mad that all my effort to protect her hair from the other dogs and collars got wrecked in one show. Well live and learn. I don't even use the nylon choke at handling class any more. Use the satin hair protector one in class.


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