Get those things away from me!

[Sam I Am]

This is about Rosie but also for every dog and animal I have had a partnership with. (I don't like to say owned....I know it's me. ). Today was clip and a bath day. Not one of Rosie's favourite things to do on a sunny afternoon. As a matter of fact, the minute I opened the "hairdressing tool" cupboard, under the bed she went. With a  bribery of cheese, out she came and I nabbed her right away. I clip her and it's taken a few years for her to be almost  good. Almost I say as the minute I get near parts of her face, it's a game of who can move faster. She can. But it's me that is raising my voice, grabbing an ear, a bottom, a leg....any part so I can muscle her into behaving. Jello...that's what she turns into...ever tried to hold down jello with one hand when it's giving you attitude? She is never aggressive just so darn lightening fast and that always makes me nervous as I don't want to land up accidentally cutting her. Jock was not clipped but I did use a Mars comb, there were time the soft muzzle had to come out or I would not be typing this with all my fingers intact. Having had horses all my life, most of them youngsters when I got them, also needed to be clipped for the show ring. Now you have a 1000+ pound animal that has never had a pair of clippers near them. No wrangling or a soft muzzle happening there!

What always amazes me though, even though all these animals were nervous, afraid (and grumpy...Mr Jock), that afterward, being clipped, stripped and bathed, their loyalty, love and affection and most of all their trust never wavered. Even Jock... although I was shunned for a while by him if I dared strip his coat. Supper made it all better.

[hheldorfer]

It's a wonder you survived.  I'm planning a bath day for Buffy this weekend and it will be a struggle from start to finish.   

[Rylee's mama]

I agree with Helene; it's a wonder you survived. I have to do bath days with Rylee sometimes and that is terrible from start to finish.

[sanford]

This is what I love about this site... Until I read these posts, I thought Ruffy was the only one who was such a scoundrel when it came to grooming/stripping!?The more I do, the louder he complains so the result is, I only accomplish half of what I need to do.?

As a side issue, what baffles me is that on the occaisions where I've had Ruffy groomed professionally, the groomers have always praised him to me, saying how well-behaved and what a gentleman he's always been! I figure that they might be saying this because it's good for business, (assuming that most owners wouldn't like being told: "your dog is a horror and fought me the entire time"!)...Or could it possibly be that Ruffy really is well-behaved with them, but not with me?

Hmmm... Which version is true... Who is the "real" Ruffy??

[Sam I Am]

They lied Sanford!

 

[Idaho Cairns]

That is why a van comes up in front of the garage and a nice lady comes to the door and asks, "Are your dogs ready?"  Other than the occasional clip of hair around the eyes, we leave the heavy stuff to the professionals.

[Kathryn]

The woman who strips Oban (who raises and shows cairns) has admitted she almost has to sit on Oban at times...

[Lupinegirl]

That's part of why I love this site, too. XD I don't feel like such a terrible dog person. My eleven year old cairn can waddle as slow as molasses when he doesn't want to go somewhere, and find every excuse to stop and smell the grass, or sit if he thinks I'm stopping to smell the flowers.  But when I try to brush his teeth, give him a pawdicure, a trim, or any brushing more intense than soft strokes down his back and under his chin, he's history. It's amazing how a chunky, stocky, thirty pound dog can melt through my hands and evade every step I take toward him.  But if I put my tools down, show him my hands and say "all done" he comes right back to me with smiles and butt wiggles, ready for cuddles and scratches. Then he reminds me that I owe him some cheese or beef for the trauma, even if I did not accomplish what I set out to do.  Le sigh... Hehehe.

[josie&holly]

The groomer I take Ivy to says that she is the best behaved dog she has ever hand stripped!  I try to brush/comb/tidy her and it is like dealing with a eel!  Get brush or comb out. First you have to catch her, then hold her at the same time as brush her.........

what do groomers do that we don't?

Edited September 22, 2016 by josie&holly

[Hillscreek]

That's right-hating me get brush and comb out but bearing no grudge after.

[Autumn & Lola]

These posts are quite funny.

It always amazes me that we shower Lola with love, attention, play time, cuddles, food, treats, medical care, etc. etc., but when we come anywhere near her with a scissors she is *convinced* we are going to murder her! ALERT! ALERT! DUCK! BOB! DIVE! WEAVE! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!

We have a lady come to the house to groom her, but we'd like to be able to trim around her eyes and do the occasional butt tidy-up when necessary. With the stealth and cunning of a precision military operation, it takes the three of us to catch her and restrain her, and even then we are lucky if we get two snips in!  She is finally used to the brush, but even then it has to be when *she* feels like it.

[kieiras mom]

Had Keira bathed and  groomed and the groomer said she was like a wet noodle, but good>Not so with me. Was a total wrestling match the whole time!

[hheldorfer]

I think professional groomers - like vets - have that alpha attitude and dogs tend to cooperate more readily.  Ziggy is a squirmer when I groom him but his 'real' groomer, Andrea, says he's a perfect gentleman.  As for Buffy, I wouldn't subject either her or the groomer to that ordeal.

[Bridget]

I'm thinking it's like how kids behave better with other people than they do with their parents. Ruby goes to the groomer and they say she behaves very well.  We have bathed her twice and she's good, only slowly and continually tries to climb out of the tub.  She doesn't fight, exactly, just perpetual motion towards the edge of the tub.

[hheldorfer]

42 minutes ago, Bridget said:

She doesn't fight, exactly, just perpetual motion towards the edge of the tub.

Ah, yes . . . I believe pkcrossley named this move.  It was something like the "Cairn ninja stealth creep".  (Forgive me, pk, if I butchered it!)

[Bridget]

"Cairn ninja stealth creep." I like it!