The Annual Shearing of the Dog...

So we have two dogs. A Beagle named Crash and a Cockapoo named Coker. Crash's fur is a constant thing. He sheds but it will only grow to a certain length so caring for his coat is fairly easy. Coker's coat is an entirely different thing though. It just keeps growing. And we don't really trim it over the winter as he needs that extra protection - not that they spend a lot of time outside in the winter, but still. Unfortunately, he also doesn't get brushed nearly enough so by the time spring rolls around he's got long fluffy hair and he is terribly matted everywhere.

So every year in the spring, he gets shaved. By yours truly. Because finding a groomer in this town that has openings is HARD.

Now, we've had nothing but snow for the last two days (and yes, I'm traumatized by that because it's April 21st, for the love of God!) so it's not the best time to shave him but it needs to be done (desperately because he's stinky!) and I need hubby home to look after the little man so it can get done. So, snow or no snow, today was shave day.

So.... here's how our boy started off his afternoon.


Note the matted wave of his coat. The fluffy body. He looks "fatter" than he really is because of all that hair (five inches long... I measured) and it took a very long time to shave and cut. A little more than two hours, actually, because I had to work through the matted parts.

So, after two hours of long-suffering work - Coker because he doesn't enjoy this and me because Coker keeps trying to hide in the tub where there's no place to hide and Crash spends the better part of the time crying because he's locked away from the festivities or trying to climb into the tub with Coker... argh - this is what I had in the tub...

I think there's enough hair there to make another dog.

So, after all that work, Coker is shaved.

Here, ladies and gents, is our end product.

My poor... poor... pitiful... puppy.

~just leans back and laughs herself silly~