Difference Between Long Hair and Short Hair Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso’s are known for having a beautiful soft hair that requires regular grooming. I like my Lhasa Apso in a long hair but when I get a little bit lazy, I cut them short.

So, what’s the difference between long hair and short hair Lhasa Apso? Basically, long hair Lhasa Apso’s have a coat which parts in two sections in the middle and falls on both sides of its body while short hair Lhasa Apso’s have a coat that has been cut 1 to 2 inches long only.

Lhasa Apso’s that are for shows mostly has long and flowing hair so they can be styled in different manners while those that are not for shows mostly have short hair.

Caring for a Lhasa Apso’s coat is not an easy thing to do but there are other hairstyles that can be done to prevent the high maintenance of a typically high maintenance coat.

Haircuts and hairstyles for a Lhasa Apso

A Lhasa Apso’s coat requires a lot of time and consistency in grooming. Aside from it being long, once you cut it short, it grows long again within a short time span. So have some patience. Below is a list of hairstyles and haircuts that can give you an idea what you want your Lhasa Apso to look like.

Haircuts

Long hair

This type of haircut is the most high-maintenance of all. It requires regular grooming and brushing to avoid matted hair. Start bathing regularly when it is young so it will be used to taking baths. She won’t have her double coat until she becomes an adult so be prepared for more difficult tasks when this happens. Mostly for Lhasa Apso’s that are for shows.

Short hair

This type of haircut is for the lazy ones like me. If you don’t want daily brushing and monthly extensive grooming sessions, this is the haircut for your Lhasa Apso. Keep the whole coat, top and undercoat, 1 to 2 inches long. But you can only start cutting its hair when he turns 10 months old. Why? It is because a Lhasa Apso’s coat undergoes a lot of changes before that month.

Puppy cut

This type of haircut is a lot like the short haircut. Only it is a little bit longer. Some dog owners want this type of haircut to preserve it looking like a Lhasa Apso. It will still have its fluffy look and the fur stays soft with grooming.

Sport cut

You can actually play with a combination of two haircuts. You may cut the hair until it is close to the skin on the body while leaving the legs and head with long hair. This can also be done for show dogs.

Hairstyles

There are also other hairstyles that can be done to your long-haired Lhasa Apso.

Wrapped up

This is a popular thing among owners of show dogs. To avoid getting a regular monthly extensive grooming and regular brushing, they wrap up their Lhasa’s hair. In this way, the hair won’t be spread with dirt easily and quickly.

Spray the coat with grooming oil or apply conditioner to keep the coat flat and avoid tangles leading to mats. Divide the coat into small individual sections and tie them loosely with a hair band. Wrap each small individual section with rice paper. Next, roll them and tie them.

This will keep your Lhasa’s hair out of its face and keeps it clean. Wraps should be taken off and replaced once a week.

Cool and Funky

Since you Lhasa Apso’s hair is long, this will give you more ideas to style its hair. Think of cool and funky looks.

Bun – Pull and tie it up to its head in a top knot or a bun.

Ponytail– It will be really cool to do ponytails to your Lhasa Apso especially if you can create a lot of ponytails around its body.

Pigtails– Part the hair and create several pigtails out of it.

Bunches– Like the pigtails, create several bunches out of the parted hair.

Bowed– Gather the hair on top of the head and tie a bow. Or make two small bows by parting it in the middle.

Braided or Plaited– It would also be nice if you have the skills for this. Braid or plait your Lhasa Apso’s hair.

Grooming a Lhasa Apso’s hair

According to your Lhasa Apso’s haircut, long or short, you can do grooming on your own on a regular basis or you can ask your groomer to do it the way you want it to be done.

Short hair

Like I have said above, this is a haircut for dogs with lazy dog owners. Start cutting a Lhasa Apso’s hair only at 10 months. If it is your first time, take your Lhasa to a pet groomer. They will know exactly what to do. Ask them if they can offer you lessons and tips for the next haircut. If you are not confident, bring it to the groomer every time it needs a haircut.

Brushing- Brush your Lhasa Apso’s hair before bathing. This will remove any dead or matted fur in your Lhasa Apso’s coat. It will also limit tangling during bathing.
Bathing- Bathe your Lhasa Apso and be sure to put conditioner for easier brushing afterwards. Dry them thoroughly then brush gently.
Cutting- Set up a clipping table and offer her treats to help her relax. If she can’t relax on the first cut, try to ask for a friend for assistance. Cut your Lhasa Apso’s hair close to the skin or leave it a little bit longer to preserve its Lhasa Apso look. Here are a few tips if you want to cut your pet’s hair.
If your Lhasa Apso has matted furs, get a professional groomer’s help as this will be painful for your Lhasa Apso if removed the wrong way.
Use a Number 4 or 5 sizes of blades for the clipper when cutting the hair on the body. A Number 10 will do well when cutting the hair on its face.
If you plan to use scissors, be sure to test it out first if it is sharp enough. It will just pull your pet’s hair if it’s not making your dog squirm a lot during the process.
Use smaller scissors when cutting hairs in the face, near the ears, at the tail, and on all four paws.
Try to have trimming sessions often to make her used to it.
Maintaining- A short hair doesn’t mean no maintenance anymore. This will only save a little bit of time grooming. You still need to give it some time. Once your Lhasa’s hair becomes short, it will need brushing once a week. However, watch out if it will still get mats while it grows then you will need to brush more often.

Choose the right hair brush for a short haired dog. A rubber brush is good to remove dead skin on a short-haired Lhasa Apso. A bristle brush, on the other hand, is good to remove dead hair.

Re-clip your Lhasa Apso every time it needs one. A regular trim can also do the trick. Trimming involves clipping a bit of your Lhasa’s hair once it starts to grow longer.

A long-haired Lhasa Apso may be really beautiful to look at, but a properly groomed short haired Lhasa Apso can be equally attractive.

Long Hair

Owners of show dogs want this haircut as this can provide them with better ways to style their pets. This requires regular grooming though.

Brushing- You will need to brush your long-haired Lhasa Apso daily to avoid mats and get rid of tangles. A slicker brush is a good choice for a long-haired Lhasa Apso. This will remove dead skin and hair. But use a soft slicker when brushing its ruff.

Start brushing at the tips of the coat then work your way up to the ends and start at the front towards the tail. This will ensure easier removal of tangles.

Be gentle when brushing. Your pet will not enjoy the brushing session if you are too rough on the comb with pulls in here and there.

Bathing- Be sure to use conditioner on your long-haired Lhasa Apso to maintain a soft and flowing look on your pet’s coat. Do not apply shampoo in a circular manner just to make more bubbles. This will only create tangles and mats. Apply it in a downward manner.
Trimming- Be sure to go for a bit of trimming from time to time. It is not good to keep it growing too long. Take her to a groomer to do this for you.
Maintaining- Use a detangling spray every time you remove mats. Spray it on the coat and leave it for 1 to 2 minutes. Untangle the mats by using your hand and slicker brush alternatively. Brush the hair regularly to avoid this problem.

Be committed to grooming a long-haired Lhasa Apso. It takes a lot of time and patience doing it.

DIY versus Professional grooming

Are you on a tight budget for grooming your Lhasa Apso? Are you having doubts about doing it yourself? Well, here is a list of Pros and Cons for DIY versus Professional Grooming.

Do-It-Yourself

Pros:

Saves costs – It says it all. Hiring a professional will be costly. If you do it yourself, you will save a lot. Although you will be purchasing your equipment for the process, it will be a one-time out of the pocket situation.
Comfort – If you do the grooming yourself at your own home, your Lhasa Apso will not face the typical anxiety that she may feel every time you both go to the groomer. She will feel at ease just staying cuddly with you while enjoying the relaxation your grooming process provides.
Bonding time – Doing the grooming yourself can provide you quality time with your pet.

Cons:

Cleaning – Unlike going to the groomer, you will have to clean up after the process.
Time – Doing it yourself rather than by a professional will surely take more time.
Products – You will have to be the one selecting what products are best for your dog and you will be the one to purchase them every time they run out.

Professional

Pros:

Professionalism – It says it all and this is the only advantage that I can list because of so many reasons.
Letting a professional do the job will certainly make you feel that the best service is being given to your Lhasa Apso. Way better than what you can provide.
Any treatment you want to be done to your dog can be done by a professional. From regular clipping, ear cleaning, to special coat grooming. And you can assure that they can do it really well.
It may be challenging to keep your pet still during the process but they can do it in their way rather than wrestling with yours at home just to cut one protruding air.

Cons:

Costly – Some of the services offered are costly.
Pet exhaustion – Your Lhasa Apso may not like long car rides or hates crowded places. This can be exhausting for your dog if you travel to and from the groomer.
Choosing – Not only the groomer but also the facilities and equipment. Choosing the right place is really difficult because you want the best service for your pet.

Think really hard about it. After all, we only want what’s best for them.

Lhasa Apso hair issues and how to avoid them

A Lhasa Apso has a hair that is very light and soft that you may even consider it to be perfect. You may consider it not facing any problems at all. But there are a ton of problems in it actually. Below is a list of the common issues a Lhasa Apso hair faces.

Mats – Like other dog breeds with long fur, Lhasa’s face this common problem among them. Mats can form due to tangles and other things that they pick up during walks. It can also form if the shampoo during bathing was not washed off properly.

How to avoid mats

Wash shampoo thoroughly
Use shampoos that can provide good hydration
Use shampoos that are natural or organic.
Use conditioner or grooming oil after shampooing for easy detangling
Use detangling spray
Stains around the eye – Lhasa Apso’s have a long fur so sometimes we neglect to notice if their hair is out of their face. The hair on the face can make the eyes teary. And when their eyes tear, it will leave stains around it if they are not wiped immediately. This happens especially to light-colored Lhasa Apso’s.

How to avoid stains around the eyes

Just regularly check the eyes for tears and wipe immediately.
Do ponytails or buns like the ones I described above to keep her hair out of her face.
Stains around the ears – Like stains around the eyes, this can also happen if we don’t try to pay attention to them. They must be regularly checked and wiped for liquids immediately. This also happens on light-colored Lhasa Apso’s.

How to avoid stains around the ears

Pay attention and give special care to these areas.
Check the ears regularly.
Stains underneath the tail – Long-haired dogs face this common problem as well. If a Lhasa Apso litters, we cannot avoid the fact that it touches some of the hair around the anal area leaving it with a stain that can be difficult to remove once it stays there for a long time.

How to avoid stains underneath the tail

Keep looking out if she does her thing and have the wipes in easy access.
Wipe it off immediately.
Hair loss – There are underlying causes for this. It may be because of left-over shampoo that causes itching which leads to excessive scratching and eventually leads to hair loss on that part. It can also be caused by allergies to food or sensitivity to some hair products.

How to avoid hair loss

Wash shampoo thoroughly
Pay attention to what food allergies she has.
Select only the suitable hair products for your Lhasa Apso.

One remedy to make your Lhasa Apso’s hair look healthy and soft is by the use of Omega-3 supplement. This can cure a Lhasa Apso’s hair if it is dull and thin. Ask your vet about it for a prescription.