Top Knots

Originally posted by Nichole@Mar 23 2005, 03:13 AM
As hard as I try, I can never get Toby's top knot to look right and I don't know what the problem is.  First of all, Toby has cottony hair so that may be the problem, but when I grow it out, it always looks like a big "puff" on top and I get frustrated and end up clipping it off.  If I let it keep growing will it be a flowy top knot? 

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When I do a topknot the first key is good bands. I like the tiny latex ones that groomers use because they hold tight and don't pull the hair.

First I brush the hair back smooth, then I take just the front teeth of the comb and make a part along the length of the head back to before the ears, right about the middle of the eye. Thiss prevents those fine hairs at the corners from being pulled back and making the eyes pulled open. So basically I am leaving "eyebrows" at the center to the end. I make the part on the second side and brush straight up and then even out the back. Then I double up the band on my finger and place it right around the top knot. Keeping one finger in place I secure the band so I don't pull the hair. I will take some pictures today of a step by step. Also after I am finished at the front of the topknot I pull just a bit of the rubberband up higher, to make the top knot point up and back out of the face.

Usually I will then secure a grooming bow around the knot for a nice clean finished look. I make my own bows and change them out daily.

Also for "cottony" hair, wrapping papers work really well to keep things in place and prevent the hair from being pulled. They also make it stand up better.



Robyn

I believe that JMM posted a top knot tutorial with photos. I found it very helpful and have now had a lot of success with our pup's top knot. We've even started to include bows! Are you using a very fine toothed comb? I use a flea comb to get all the little hairs just right. You can also try to use some sort of gel or conditioner to keep the little flyaways to a minimum. I use Infusium 23 spray. It works well and smells great. I start on the left side, run the comb from the outside corner of her eye up to the top of her head. I try not to go too close to her ears because that seems to bother her. I do the same on the other side. Her hair isn't long enough for a "show" top knot, so I do the "sprout" kind. I also use the super stretchy silicone bands that are super easy on their hair. I find the latex bands too harsh on the hair. These bands stay nicely and don't pull the hair, which maybe causing the discomfort. It may also be a matter of getting him used to having something up there. I started putting the top knot in for only a short time. I made sure that right after the knot went in, we played for about an hour. That way she was distracted and didn't fuss with it. It took about two weeks to get her to stop fussing. Now, she lets me know when she wants it redone. During grooming, she'll paw at it if the hair is too much into her eyes.

Originally posted by Nichole@Mar 23 2005, 04:13 AM
As hard as I try, I can never get Toby's top knot to look right and I don't know what the problem is.  First of all, Toby has cottony hair so that may be the problem, but when I grow it out, it always looks like a big "puff" on top and I get frustrated and end up clipping it off.  If I let it keep growing will it be a flowy top knot? 

What I am looking for is a top knot that looks like MsMagnolia's Sadie and Sassy (the pics in her siggy).  Can a cottony Malt grow a nice looking and flowing top knot?  OR the problem may be that I am pulling too much or too little hair into the top knot?  What exactly is the proper amount?  And lastly, when I pull Toby's hair up into the knot, I know I am pulling it too hard because he can't even blink! 

  So I end up pulling the front hairs out a bit to relieve the pressure.  What the heck am I doing wrong??? 

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Here is a picture of chesley with her top knots. She also has cotton hair.
I learned how to do it with my breeder as well as the JMM's tutorial on topknots.
I think I did a good job as the vet commented on how chelsey bows stayed in and did not fall off even after she was spayed. They usally stay in until I remove them to be done again. You should be able to to the top knots on both silky and cotton hair.
Maybe the hair is not long enough yet. In that case you will need to use some holding gel for the parts that stick out until the hair grow long enough.
This was my first time doing two knots

This one was the day before spay


This one was the day after spay as you can see some of the hair is in poor chelsey face, but the knots are still there.