Today I finally trimmed Schultz's doggy toenails. I start telling myself it's time to do it about a week before I actually do it. Which is really dumb.
He hates this. I hate this. The husband hates hearing about how much Schultz and I both hate this. Yet it's something I have to do or the poor little guy's toes go all wonky and sideways, and that's worse than anything. I know I could take him to a pro, but then he'd just get all traumatized by strangers.
It's never as bad as we both expect it will be. I use my Dremmel with a sanding barrel, and it's literally over in fifteen minutes, tops. The same thing goes with the bath and the haircut. He's a great little guy, and tries to be patient, but as soon as he hears the water running, and I come to pick him up, he growls a little just to let me know he'll cooperate, but not happily. Nevertheless, once we're finished, and he's got a special Grooming Day treat (he throws it around and dances for a while in his joy), we're both happy and can forget the d-d-d-dog grooming for a little while.
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| When he was seven or eight weeks old...I could bathe him in the sink. |
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| Now he's big--23 lbs--and he still hates baths. He doesn't shed, but he gets awfully woolly... |
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| Looking ever so tidy after a bath & haircut...hangin' with his foster cat Waylon. | |
Sounds familiar, except for the cooperating unhappily part...my kitty turns into a mountain lion when we cut her nails. Yes, WE. It takes one person to hold her down (wrapped inside a blanket with only her paw out) and the other to do the cutting. The way she hisses and whines you would seriously think we were cutting her legs off!!
ReplyDeleteAw, the poor baby. He's beautiful! My daughter has a dog like yours, and she keeps him shaved and I swear his coat is like velvet. And I love your black Wayon, always did like black cats!
ReplyDeleteHave to go blow my nose again, be well,
He's awfully cute! My old dog never cared for nail-clipping, but it must be done. Our current dog - Halley Joesphine - is much better … possibly because we preface each nail-grooming session with LOTS of LOVE, petting and cooing, massaging and all the lovey-nonsence us dog-lovers do - before ever exposing the clippers. And there's more love after the clipping too. She is more relaxed with it … but it took time. It was sosososo necessary for us - she came to us at a year-n-a-half with *very* long nails. Almost two years later, and we're still edging the quick back.
ReplyDeleteIn any event - give Schultz a big hug from me - and Halley!