Can you tell a difference?

[Sandi16]

They aren't the best pictures because Louie can never sit still long enough for me to take a picture unless he's sleeping.

You can see the hair on his back is parting and pretty long.

His face and legs are long, but he's looking more cairn-ish in my opinion. I have done even more since this picture was taken.

Here's our first "family picture". Unfortunately, without daddy. He's deployed right now

Of course Louie wasn't cooperating. He's got a very short attention span!

[bradl]

Great start! You've stripped his jacket down to the undercoat, which will allow a nice new coat to grow. Good job. While you wait for the new coat to grow in (be patient, it could take months before it's a couple inches long again) you can add even more Cairnishness by taking all the wispy hair off his hears - at least the top third. The ear tips look best if they are like felt.

For a five-minute grooming job, I like to tidy up the ears, trim the nails if terrible (mine too often are), use scissors to clip around their feet to eliminate "slippers" (Louie's feet look pretty tidy already), and shape the tail a bit (usually removing any straggly feathers along the trailing edge of the tail). You'd be surprised at how much effect those three little things have on the appearance.

[Kramersmom]

I can see a big difference. You are doing a good job. Also, a very darling family photo, except, like you said, missing your hubby as he is deployed.

I give you credit, I know it has to be so hard, 2 young children and hubby deployed. Both you & your husband deserve high honors for sacrificing so much to fight and protect our country. Please tell him thank you. My husband was a long time Marine, so I know. His country comes first and always will. Good luck to you and your husband.

[Idaho Cairns]

First and foremost, please forward my regards to your husband for his service to me and my family, and god bless him. Nice family I'm sure he is feeling the sacrifice. And you and the kids for your sacrifice.

That was a bunch of work on that dog! Hand stripping down to the inner coat is a greater job than I could ever do. It is very good for the coat--I used clippers on my first Cairn and her outer, more course coat never came back! I've never had the patience to do too much hand stripping--I'm not sure I could recognize the dead hair.

[Jetti]

Great job! Paco

[rileyboy]

Wow, that is a huge difference! Good job. You must have the patience of Job. How long did that take again? Riley still nips too much for me to even try. You know, I like the way the long coats look. I wish they did not really need stripped. They are so adorable all shaggy.

[bradl]

rileyboy - it is only when a coat is all one length and dead that it needs to be pulled down to undercoat. A Cairn can be kept in a nice shaggy, healthy, live coat if the dead coat is pulled a little bit at time, but regularly.

[SparkyJonesMom]

Great job! Louie and Sparky look just about the same right now! He got stripped about a week ago. Isn't it weird to see them with so little hair? They look so skinny and tiny!

[Sandi16]

Thank you everyone. It is hard with Dh being away, but we're used to it. It stinks having a husband that is gone half the year, but in this tough time, we're glad that he is gainfuly employed, so we try not to comlain too much

I've tried to pull his ears, but nothing seems to come off. I like the look of the cropped ears, but I pull and they are still attatched. I mainly did this because I couldn't before you know? It was a challenge and I liked it. I too prefer the shaggier look, but Louie doesn't get shaggy, just extremely unkempt. His coat seems... slicker? Softer? Silkier? I don't know, but it never seems to tuft out right, and just kinda goes limp and blah. Maybe once this grows in better, it will look that way as this is definitely more course than what I pulled. All in all in took me about three days, about 45 minutes a day. I'm a picker by nature, so this is the perfect dog for me. LOL

Bradl... so that's his undercoat. What will grow then when you say it will take awhile?

[sheila and Misty]

I think Louis looks cute either way- but it does look like your doing it correctly...I still havent figured it out and well...probably wont.

[Sandi16]

Ok I did his ears and took WAAAAAYYYY too much off. But, he still looks super cute. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow.

[Puddlesmama]

I think he looks great! I am new at this too with the girls..It is almost time for thier second stripping and I am getting kind of excited! Is that weird or what? HAha

And a big thanks from me and mine for your sacrifices:)

[Fudgie]

What a huge difference! I have not been able to get mine done yet. She is a wiggle butt for sure. And she acts like it hurts her shoulder and hips, even with a brush! So, she usually wins that battle. You have inspired me and I am going to try and do better!

And thank you to your husband and your family for serving our country. My DH (who sadly passed away in 2005) volunteered to go to Iraq after 9-11 for the USACE and did. During the time he was there, he was in charge of restoring the electricity in the souther 1/3 of Iraq. He had lots of stories to tell. He was also proud of his work there and all of the young soldiers he met and worked with. He was a Vietnam vet (2 tours) and taught a few of the guys to sit on their flak jackets when riding in the helicopters! Something about saving the family jewels!

Anyway, you have inspired me to attempt to work on my little cairn a little harder!

[Katie'sMom]

Louie is so cute. I'm anxious to see what you did with his ears. Katie's are a mess most of the time - as well as her face.

I too commend your family's sacrifice for our country - as well as anyone else who chooses to serve.

[Sandi16]

HEre's a new pic with the new ears!

At first it was shocking, but now I love it, and it really suits him.

[sheila and Misty]

wow amazing job!-mine after I groom them-looks like yours before you touched him. and I get alot off too! I just dont know how you guys do that..I gave up.

[josie&holly]

He looks so cute and so tidy!