I finally got around to fully grooming the dog today. I had taken some scissors to him a month or so back, but I never really got to his front legs, so he began to resemble a Clydesdale horse in front. Not a good look for a dog, trust me. And then when I got the riding mower out on Wednesday for the first time this season, Freddie ran through the freshly cut grass only then to look like a Clydesdale horse . . . from Ireland. Or something. Anyway, the grooming, it had to be done. So this morning I sat with him on the floor, tethered him to the chair (which was key to my success, come to find out), and got to work using our new dog clippers. I had avoided getting them in the past and made do with what we had, but then I would get fed up trying to use the far less powerful (but quiet and kid-friendly) hair clippers I have for the boys and just end up taking him to the groomer. Not cheap. For the cost of one trip to get it professionally done, I now have the clippers to do it myself forever. I really need to figure out a better system though because sitting on the floor all that time and hunching over my work has done a number on my back. To sum up: I am incredibly old and wussy, but Freddie was such a trooper. I think he was ready to get all that extra fur off of him.
Observe:
This was just before the big cut, snuggling with "the cat."
This was the pile 'o hair after the deed was done. (p.s. those tiles are 1 s.f. each and the pile itself had some height to it)
And here he is now. The picture makes the guard lines really show up, but I don't think they are quite so stark in person. Besides, I'm pretty sure they will fade soon. Even if they don't, we're certainly not trying to win any pageants around here :).
