One of my favorite methods of keeping long hair out of my Lhasa’s eyes is to braid the view. Braids not only keep the hair out of the eyes, but they also frame the head nicely, help train the part, delay tangles and tangles, and require less maintenance than other methods. Braids are quite attractive, especially when they are long. People always “ooh and aahh” on Lhasas (men and women) sporting braids.
If you want to try braiding, follow these steps:
1. Part the hair exactly in the middle of the Lhasa head.
2. Part the hair to be braided. The thickness of the section will depend on the thickness of the Lhasa eye drop, but generally the section will start somewhere between the middle and outer corner of the eye and go back about two inches or so. You just have to experiment to find an amount of hair that is comfortable to work with and that looks good for the shape of your dog’s head and eyes.
3. Divide the large section of hair into three smaller equal sections. Spray lightly with water or hair conditioner to make it easier to work with the hair. The coat conditioner helps prevent tangles and tangles.
4. Begin braiding by crossing the section closest to the eye over the center section. Keep the braid close to the Lhasa head and continue braiding until you run out of hair. Braid “down” and not “out”. Straighten hair while braiding.
5. Secure the bottom of the braid with a small latex band. The braids should be close to the head. If they stick out, it means you’ve braided too tightly, tried to put too much hair in the braid, or started at a right angle to the dog’s head. In any case, you will have to start over.
That’s basically it! Braids should be brushed and braided every few days. Hair can still tangle when braided.
Oh, a warning for those of you who want to show off your Lhasas. Braiding causes wrinkles! If you bathe your Lhasa and plan to show it to her the next day, do not braid her hair after the bath or her eyes will be crinkled from the display ring in the morning and the eye will need to be wet, dried and ironed. Please understand it before you show it. Braids are for home or after the show. Eye wrinkles are definitely NOT stylish for display ring!
Please note: Permission is granted to reproduce and / or circulate the information in this article. However, the article should be released in its entirety and credit should be given to Joyce Johanson, Lhasa Apsos of Joyslyn. Thanks!