Anxiety and Pics

OK, I'm a little too anxious about starting at the new groom shop tomorrow to write much of anything serious, so today is going to be heavy on the pictures. I don't think you'll mind!

I did this dog a few days ago. A Shih-chon, I think. Anyway, he had been bitten by a dog a few weeks ago and had a massive bald spot that the vet had shaved to take care of his wounds.

He usually gets about 1/2" left all over. His mom sort of gave me leeway to be flexible, so I did one length shorter than usual in order to blend that bald spot a little better. I think it turned out pretty good, what do you think?

I love blending things like this. It makes me happy that I can make bald spots less noticeable, whether it's from a vet or if I had to go shorter in some spots due to matting.

Then there's this crazy fur ball. I think standing for an hour to be groomed is the most exercise she ever gets. She HATES to stand, which gets frustrating. Anyway, here's the before.

And after. I can see, I can see!

Don't get me wrong, she's very sweet, she's just terribly terribly lazy, and in healthy dogs, that makes me insane!

Now we have Kanga...

...And Roo.

I usually never use dogs' names here, for various reasons, but a) I love their names, b) I have nothing bad to say about them, and c) They are rather unique and would be recognized even without their names.

Kanga and Roo were both rescues - I think from a puppy mill, but I don't exactly remember. Kanga has a collapsing trachea, which is why the loop is around is leg and not his neck. He's a really good boy.

Roo is also really sweet. She was born without eyes, which is why they like the visor so long. She doesn't need it cut short to see, so we may as well keep her tiny vestigial-type eyes covered.

And then there was this puppy. I don't know exactly how old he is, but I'm guessing he's about a year old and had never been groomed before. Oh, and his entire butt and back legs were matted.

The lady who brought this poor guy in said it was her daughter's dog. I have no idea how old her daughter is. Anyway, I told her he would need to be shaved because the matting was too severe to brush out. She said, "You can't shave him. My daughter will kill me and it won't grow back, I know it won't." Actually, it - "It won't grow back! Can't you just shave the part that's matted and keep the rest?" Well, I could but it will look ridiculous. "Well you can't shave him. My daughter will kill me." Okey dokey...

It turned out better than I expected, but still...By the way, I noticed that long piece on his chin and trimmed it before he went home.

So I take him out to his owner, and she says, "Well I sure hope he grows back, otherwise he's going to look ridiculous!" It will grow back, it grows about half an inch a month. "Half an inch a month! We'll just see what my daughters have to say about this."

Sheesh.

Did it never occur to her that maybe they shouldn't have waited so long to get him groomed in the first place?

Anyway, I have to run. I have appointments to keep and miles to go before I sleep. ;-)