Like night and day
Hudson: Took forty minutes...no growling or biting, but lots of squirming, and breaking for freedom. All we did to Hudson was a small "hygiene" strip for better, ahem, waste egress. One full stroke of the clipper...maybe two inches by four...FORTY MINUTES OF HELL. Then, he jumped on a chair, backed into it (to guard his flank) and curled up into the tiniest ball ever, glaring at us. Rudy: Less than ten...trimmed/shaved his eyes while he sat on the floor patiently-we held his face still, but it was completely unnecessary. Then we did the fur in all four paw pads (he willingly offered each one), and trimmed feet. We followed this with a similar waste egress patch, and then, with the eight or so minutes left over, we trimmed some tummy, and then headed downstairs, dawned the dreaded gloves, and expressed his glands. He has one that's always tough and unpleasant, so there was a small jump and a not so happy sound, but he came right back and wagged his tail while I cleaned him up, and then he gave me big sloppy wet kisses. Yet, when we walk them, Hudson's the good one and Rudy's the hellhound! What a pair they are. |
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| That sounds like Oliver and Lucy. Oliver, whom we've had since a puppy, acts like grooming is pure torture. He'll stand still on the table, but that's it. Lucy on the other hand will lay there for hours (I swear that girl purrs) and beg for more when she's done. I guess they can't both be good all the time-right? On a side note, which may be disgusting for some, can you take some pics next time you express the glands? I've never seen it done. |
| Oh, they are all so different. Paige would prefer we never stop grooming her, lifting a leg, "Hey, I think this area needs more attention. Are you sure the poop shoot is perfect?" MO was always Miss Dancey Pants, "Hey, stop that!" She still hates it all, especially the brush and comb. When it's poop shoot time she scrunches up her face, "OK, but do it quickly." None really like the rear end messed it, it's private back there. I can see Hudson backing into the chair......gotta guard the rear flank. |
| I would be happy to, except you wouldn't be able to see anything. You insert (sorry, gross I know) a gloved finger inside, only about to the first knuckle, and then the glands are basically at about four and eight o'clock. If they're fine they are very small and hard to feel. Rudy's impact, so they get quite large...like a green olive in size (or worse when we first got him...there was an infection). His left squeezes easily. You can feel the fluid come out against the glove. The right is tough. For both you use your thumb on the outside, and the finger inside. Interestingly, when the vet does it the fluid squirts outside. When I do it, the fluid remains inside (a lot less messy) and then I guess it gets removed with his next BM. He's good for the left, and the right is always a little uncomfortable. I don't know if I get it all, but the vet said that even if I only get most of it, it will prevent infection and other problems. We do it every three weeks. She was hoping that, in time, he'd get better, but all we've been able to do is keep him infection free. He'll likely need expressing every three weeks forever. Once you get past the thought of what you're actually doing, it's not that bad. The worst part was remembering regularly, so now I have a three week reminder in my cell phone. He runs around, happy and bouncy after, so they must feel uncomfortable when they're full. Rudy blogged about the grooming experience today. Here's a link if you want to hear his thoughts on it. http://ruddocksblog.blogspot.com/2010/1 ... oblem.html |
| Well said Rudy! But dump the sucking it up idea in regards to your bum, you want it all out.  |
| oh rudy i just love your blog makes my mornings!even though i am in evil fl i promise i will not send u any gators |
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