gettin groomed today
i decided to give it one more try (he was asked not to come back to his previous groomers). im bringing tranquilizers that the vet will use if walter gets snippy with the clippers or hair dryer. hes never been cut with clippers and i predict disaster might strike! hopefully he'll behave and come out looking beautiful. well here goes nothin... |
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| Good luck to you, Walter and the groomer. Pirate is going through a stage now.  He doesn't want me to brush him. I don't know if its because his adult fur is starting to come in, but he's getting lots of little mats, and really needs to be brushed. We are having a constant struggle all of the sudden. Maybe its time for a puppy cut. Any suggestions???? |
| If your dog has mats use the No More Tears detangler by Johnson and Johnson. It is made for children no tears if it gets in their eyes and it is great for mats. When your dog goes from puppy to adult hair it is hard to keep up with the mats this stuff works it is inexpensive and it won't make your pup dislike the hair brush. I used it on Oreo and it was great!
Oreo is at the doggy spa having his fur done. LOL He just walked off with the groomer no looking back at me. I felt sad but we want them to be comfortable with all situations and well behaved. I miss him! |
| I found it really hard to keep up with that puppy to adult coat change too, which is why I just clipped her right down. Also because she was too hot, I wasn't sure of that till after I clipped her down, because after Dancer was nekkid she became super brat dog, so energetic! LOL
I am looking forward to her being in full coat though, with my first oes I didn't find grooming difficult at all once she was clipped and only adult coat grew back in. They still have that double coat, and they still need lots of grooming, but adult coat seems to fall better and doesn't tend to get matted so quickly. |
| I'm glad its not just me, and Pirate. It seems lately, everytime I touch him (which is very often, cuz he's so touchable) I find a new little mat somewhere. Its very frustrating, and he's getting very impatient with me. I think I will take your advice and get him a cut to get him past this stage. It feels sort of like a failure to me, cuz I've been so diligent with him, but its starting to get out of control very quickly. And I don't want him to stop enjoying our grooming time  |
| 30 minutes until i can call to check up on walter. the drop off didnt go so well. the groomer was nice but told me that walter had to be shaved because the mats he had were close to the skin. she also made a comment about his behavior, something along the lines of 'a little obedience couldnt hurt either'... to which i could only respond that he had been through 2 different obedience schools but he has a hard time with anxiety in new places.
its frustrating for groomers to continually insult my ability to groom and train my dog. it makes me feel terrible, like i cant handle my boy. walter lets me groom him however i want, and i do. its just so hard when hes so active. one day at work with me and he comes home needing hours of grooming. i think the puppy cut will give me a fresh start, so i can keep him mat free until hes in full coat again. im determined to keep him looking his best from now on. his behavior is a different story. hes just a nervous wreck when hes at the vet/groomers. its upsetting that ive spent so much time an dmoney on his behavior and everytime i go there someone suggests that i train my dog.  i guess i just have to keep working with him and not let people drag us down! i know hes a good boy and i know thats hes very smart- thats all that matters! |
| It's unfortunate that Walter responds in this way at the groomer. Maybe you could try a groomer that would allow you to bring him and stay with him while he's being groomed. This may make him feel more secure and comfortable. You could also try and de-sensitize him by bringing him to the groomers - but not leaving him to be groomed the first time. Take it in baby steps - let him hang out for a few minutes - being rewarded for good behavior - having the groomer welcome him and then leave. See if it helps when he returns. If he keeps having to go to different groomers because of his behavior - he's never going to get used to one and overcome his fear.
I know you have spent alot of time and money on training. But - training methods vary so much and a dog like Walter may need a different approach. He's still very young - so I would take this opportunity to spend some more money & time and enroll him in a Positive Reinforcement Training class. He needs to build his confidence - and trust - and the training he's already had may not have done this - especially if it was more punishment based. I've seen alot of dogs come through Rescue with similar problems (especially grooming fears) and I know it's very stressful for all involved. I hope you find something that helps! Good Luck! Kristen |
| Groomers have a job to do and one is to protect the other dogs that are under their supervision. They certainly do not want something to go wrong. You have to think about how they feel and what their responsibilities are. Perhaps having 2 groomers working on your dog would help him, you could ask about that one to hold his hand and one to do the clipping. Having a dog shaved is not a puppy cut it is a very short hair cut. I wish you well and maybe your groomer will help you get your dog comfortable at being away from home. Godd Luck |
| I know what you mean, about feeling like others are scrutinizing you for his not-so-perfect behaviours, and feeling like a failure with grooming. That is not the case though. Some oes at that puppy to adult coat phase just have a tendency to mat easily and quickly. That's all there is to it. I spent hours and hours grooming Dancer, but with those little mats that form and need to be tugged out it couldn't have been very pleasant for her. Now she is happy, carefree, and nekkid! Although it hasn't been that long since she was shaved down and she already has more than a half inch of coat back. Dancer is my baby girl and my best friend. I would do anything for her, so it does hurt if someone says I've made this mistake or that. Someone actually said I was cruel for shaving her down and that she looks ugly with no coat! To me it felt like someone said I was cruel for giving my child a hair cut and calling my child ugly.
You just have to remember, it's your dog, and you are doing what you think is best because you love your dog. Whether you think they should be clipped down or kept in full coat, whether you like full coat and just can't keep up for whatever reason, all that matters is you love your dog, your dog loves you. Simple really.  *hugs* |
| thanks so much willowsprite- its nice to know that im not alone! and thanks to everyone else for the suggestions.
i almost cried when i saw walter. but it hasnt even been an hour later and i already think its just the cutest haircut ever. hes sooo soft and its nice to see his little wagging tail. the groomer said she would groom walter again only if he went to an obedience school. it stung at first but i sucked up my pride and called the trainer she recommended. this will be walters third time around... hes improved a lot with each trainer so hopefully this will help us in the areas were still having issues with. i love my naked sheepdog! i will post before and after pictures later. |
| I'm glad you are considering another round of training! A different trainer and approach may be all that Walter needs! It's worth a try - especially while he's young enough to be re-trained.
Finding a good groomer is very difficult! I've been through several for one reason or another - but the biggest reason is because of the attitudes of most of them! I have found that most of them don't really want to deal with a long haired (especially double coated dog) - so they will do anything to get rid of you! I wonder why they went into the grooming business to begin with. Your groomer sounds like she'll work with you - and she may be blunt about the obedience issue - but she may also be correct. You should also try and keep Walter on a regular grooming schedule - because you will blink and he'll be growing back and matting very quickly! Plus, if he goes when he only needs to be bathed and not be put through the shaving, and de-matting - he may be more comfortable. If he was groomed when matted previously - that can hurt - and maybe he is associating any trip to the groomer with that pain. You can also keep him in a puppy coat once he starts to grow back - but that can be alot of work as well. Keep us posted on the obedience issue! Give the nekkid boy a hug from me! I love them nekkid - especially in this weather! Kristen |
Willowsprite wrote: Someone actually said I was cruel for shaving her down and that she looks ugly with no coat! To me it felt like someone said I was cruel for giving my child a hair cut and calling my child ugly.
Why would shaving her down be cruel? That's ridiculous! It's not like it is painful for them - and actually - many of them are much more comfortable. Brittney LOVES when she is shaved. They should see the reaction of some of the rescues that come in completely matted and filthy - and they are finally shaved down! It's like you gave them a new lease on life! I don't know if I would have been able to keep my cool if someone said that to me! To each is own - and what business is it to anyone else whether or not you keep your dog in full coat or shaved down! Some people have more NERVE than they have brains! Kristen |
| We just picked up Oreo and he too is naked!!!!! He is so happy without that hair. We have central air and with that he was panting I was cold and he was hot. He is soft too and oh so huggable. They left a little on his face and top of his head he looks great and he is in front of the ac vent. Shaving your sheepie is not cruel or bad. They look even cuter as their hair grows back. You can take pictures every few weeks and have a pictoral of his hair growth. Oreo is light gray and his outer coat is dark gray. I'm looking forward to some serious hugs and sheepie kisses. |
| I almost want to shave mine for just to watch them. I don't think shaving is cruel, I bet the dogs love it. I haven't needed too, so I haven't yet. Heather, I am sorry you and Walter are having such a hard time with snooty groomers. It is too bad you can't walk around everywhere with a sign around your neck saying Walter has been to this school and this school and this ect...... I think you have done a great job handling Walter, he has came such a long ways since you first started posting here. I hope you find a groomer you are and Walty are comfortable with. Give Walter a belly rub for me. Stormi and co.
Yes, We WANT PICTURES!  |
| Well, Pirate is at the groomer to get what we call, "the big boy" haircut today. His mats have gotten out of control on his chest, and to be honest, the last month has been a constant struggle to keep him mat free...a struggle that I will admit, I've lost. Paula, the groomer, just called was amazed at his coat, since she just groomed him less than a month ago. She is going to cut (NOT SHAVE) him to about an inch. He even has mats on his ears! She seems to feel in addition to his adult coat coming in, he is drooling alot in his crate and causing the mats. Short of putting him in a wetsuit, any ideas how to keep this from happening? I'm excited to see him after the cut...and a little nervous. OH! I weighed him this morning and at 7 mos. he's weighing in at 74 pounds. He's a biggin'! Any advise and well wishes are greatly appreciated! |
| Wow! He is big! He's going to be huge! LOL
I think Dancer has been drooling more in her crate lately too, she has adopted a 'doggie'smell which I have never noticed from her before except in the last two days. It's making my hubby's and my allergies and asthma act up. Not a big deal though, we just take a n allergy pill and keep our inhalers handy, but I wonder why she smells so much like a dog the last couple days? I don't want to bathe her since I just put advantage on about a week ago and it reduces it's effectiveness if you bathe them... |
| Hi all...need your advice. I'm cross posting the following letter that I posted on the OES-List, for those of you who don't go there and may have advice for me and Pirate. Thanks! The past month or so, I've been having a terrible time with Pirate matting. I think it has to do with his adult coat coming in. Seems everytime I run my hands over him, there are new mats. I had been working on them so much, he was getting irated with me, and I was starting to worry that he would develope a hatred for being groomed. So, I decided to get him a puppy cut...NOT A SHAVE. He has a regular groomer that he goes to every 4-5 weeks, and she has always commented on how well groomed I keep him. Something that has always made me feel proud. Paula and I discussed his situation at length before I left him with her. He had a terrible patch on his upper tummy, and she said she felt that would need to be shaved, but that since his back was in good shape you wouldn't be able to tell. She called me about 5pm (he went in at 7am) to tell me she wasn't finished and needed him there until 5:30. She said she was amazed how bad he had gotten, in fact (she said) she felt he was matting before her very eyes! Last time he was in (the middle of July) he was completely mat free. She didn't quite understand what was going on with him...she thought maybe it was from him drooling. Have any of you heard of that? Well I picked him up and my initial reaction was, boy is he cute! I was so surprised that his whispy black fur was gone..and his back was a curly salt and pepper...sort of the texture of terrier! It actually is very cute, and very soft, but hard to get used to. Now...here's the rub. She had shaved large patches behind both of his ears! She said the mats were so bad there, that was all she could do to get rid of them. Unless he turns his head, you can't tell, but his head does look like an odd shape. She also shaved random patches on his legs! He looks like he had an iv! I know she worked very hard on him. I know he was a mess (he still does have some mats on his legs). But I'm really not happy with the job she did. Do you think another groomer could have done better, or, do you think she did all she could do? Should I look for someone new? How do you interview to get a good groomer? I'm feeling so torn. My poor little Pirate looks like Ringo Starr Deborah, Pirate and mean ol' Molly (HA HA, hey Pirate! did ya run into a lawn mower? |
| Deb I think she probably did the best she could since you insisted you didn't want him shaved.
When the mats get close to the skin, it can cause sores and infections and a lot of pain, so she probably had to do what she did. I don't mind them shaved down, but that's just me. I prefer even length all around, so I shaved Dancer right down when I decided to clip her. I didn't plan on shaving her right down, but I did because I didn't want uneven patches. Dancer spends most of her time in an air conditioned house and is never left outside unattended, so I wasn't worried about her getting too hot or burning without the protection of at least some coat. If you are really unhappy with his look, you could request he be shaved right down. It really doesn't take long to grow back at all. Dancer was shaved right down about a month ago I think, and she already has about an inch and a half of coat back. I know some people really don't like the look of them shaved right down so I guess that is personal preferrence, and whatever you feel is best for you and Pirate. I would say your groomer was trying to do the best she could though, and finding one you and Pirate likes is like finding gold. Good luck Deb! And give Pirate a big hug for me from Dancer and Sky! |
| Hi Deborah, I think Pirate is at that age with puppy hair going and adult hair coming in. Oreo had an exploratory laporotomy for a undescended testicle and he had been shaved near his tummy area to his side, even with that done he had lots of mats from him licking his stitches. The vet had lifted his hair up and shaved him so that when his hair was down you did not see that he had been shaved. We went to the groomer a month after his surgery and even where he was shaved he had mats so I told them cut off the mats. I wanted the groomer to be a positive experience for him and I said cut off the mats make him comfortable and don't sweat the mats take them off. He looked great but at 9 months or so their hair goes bonkers and it is hard to keep up with the mats. They can't give a puppy cut if you have mats. Today is 3 weeks since Oreo was shaved well his bangs are sitting on his eye brows and it looks so cut it nice and fluffy hair. Their hair grows in very fast I would have Pirate shaved and spare him all that time dematting him. Good Luck! |
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