A non-shedding dog certainly does make vacuuming less work, but comes with its own work load. Lucy might shed her own body weight in fur everyday but she also sheds all the dirt she picks up in it too. Archie, however is like a walking sand trap. You could hit a bunker shot off him some days. Thanks to Lucy my home is covered in fur, thanks to Archie, my car has more sand in it than the Saraha.
One of the best investments I ever made, though, was a pair of clippers. I bought them in an act of desperation when I had my last dog, Moody, because I would always leave it too late to book him in to get his coat clipped and then the weather would heat up and I would feel awful. The local dog groomers were often booked up months in advance on the weekend and he would get stressed if I left him at the place all day while at work.
In desperation one weekend, I went to the shaver shop and bought a pair of Wahl clippers. I have no experience in using these things and one look at my own hair is all it would take to confirm I was no loss to the world of hairdressing when my career path took me elsewhere. Someone at work, who had done a course in grooming had recommended them to me. At $180.00 they were not cheap, but as it cost at least $50.00 a pop to get a dog groomed, they paid for themselves very quickly.
Archie has only been to the groomers once since I got him, so he as been the lucky recipient of a number of stylings chez Salon FiFi. Fortunately, he is a dog so has no idea when I have made a mess of it. Quite the reverse, he loves getting clipped, just as he loves being combed, and will lie for as long as it takes while I run the clippers over his back and tummy. The only thing he is not too keen on is having his paws trimmed. He will allow me to hold his paw in my hand while I run the clippers down his leg, but as soon as the blades get near his toes he starts wriggling. Frankly, I am just as squeamish about the toes as he is, so don’t push it, with the result that I have a dog who looks not unlike a shire horse.
This morning I had given his a good brush and noticed his fur was getting very long. I normally try to avoid clipping him in cold weather but there was no way I was going to be able to delay it for the rest of the winter, so I snapped a number two guard on the blades, lined up some liver treats and got going.
Later, sporting a pair of huge looking brown eyes that were no longer lost in a face full of fur I slipped a newly smart Archie into a fleecy vest so he wouldn’t feel the cold, but he did not seem to mind too much. Despite his fur being quite thin, he seems pretty unbothered by drops in temperature, whereas Lucy, who sports the same coat all year around is hiding under duvets the minute the Mercury drops. I have to say I was pleased with the way he looks after this cut. I may even be getting quite good at this barbering lark.
Still they are both in bed with my husband now as I type this. I have almost two thirds of the way through a Bourne-A-thon, and Matt Damon is currently tearing up the streets of Moscow.
He is a good looking man, Matt Damon. I wonder who does his hair?
fifilab 