We are down to the last week of Fiona's pups making their debut so I did a marathon of washing the adults. I have yet to wash the Spice but will tomorrow. I ran out of steam.
When I wash, I cut the hair between the pads as winter time brings snowballs and when the havanese tend to bite them out, they also can create mats between their pads that are painful. Some people use a clipper and I use a pair of curved scissors but also my dawgs lay on their back and let me do it. I have yet to achieve this with Spice yet so with her it wil be a two person job, I imagine. We shall see as I will try.
My goal is to get her to lay on her back so I can find any mats in her armpit area and it also allows me to groom her underneath. It's a true bonus to get them to lay on their back and I always work at having that as a goal. It's just conditioning and trust that is a factor.
I also use grooming time to check their ears, clean around their eyes and just simply make sure they are knot free with a comb. I don't pull out the mat with a comb. I just either hold the mat in place and pull it apart with my fingers after spraying it with grooming spray or I use a brush to break it apart. Then I go on the hunt again with the comb. If you are this thorough at bath time, your job in-between is much easier even at the once in a lifetime 'blowing coat' stage.
PS: they don't blow their coat but actually they get their undercoat and due to the different lengths, it creates mats more easily. That is why so many choose to cut the hair during this time to even it out and let it all grow in one length reducing the struggle.
Besides, hair does grow back says I with my long hair. ROFL!