I just couldn't take it anymore!!!$@*!!!

Doberluv

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#2
From this...an hour a day, brushing through tangles, unbanding, then re-banding...just an awful lot to keep up a show coat on a Poodle.





To get this:



And since his injured ligament is taking forever to heal, he wasn't going to be able to show for a loooooooooong time. Soooooo...I decided to bag the title for American grand champion which he wasn't all that far from getting (8 points and 1 more major) and let him be a pet...not that he wasn't a pet before. lol. But I mean "only" a pet. I can always go back to it later if I want to grow out that hair again, which I don't see forthcoming. It's just not that important. He's my little champion and most of all, just a darling, smart, fun dog.

To this: (don't laugh at my amateurish groom job)






His ears are thicker than they are now. It's been a few weeks since I did this. I took off some from the inside of the ear leather so it wouldn't be quite so thick and hard to get dry.



Jose` was fascinated with him as soon as he saw that new hair cut. Maurice had to be locked up in the ex-pen. He thought some cute little girl had come to visit or something. He turned into a major humpmeister. Now, after several weeks, he's simmered down. LOL.



Anyhow, I think he looks cute. And such a change. His pretty spray up hair style only happened for shows that were few and far between. So, compared to all those pony tails, parts in his hair and that big jacket up on his withers, I think he actually looks better day to day. And he feels so much better. Plus, we both don't have to endure hours of grooming. It takes about 3 or 5 minutes to brush him out now. If I keep his body this short or nearly, it's only his head, ears and bracelets and tail that might get a few tangles. So, this is fun.
 

Maxy24

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#3
Awwww, he looks great! I don't know how show people do it with some breeds, not only must grooming take forever but they must get so messy when they go outside. We have a little coton (I think) in a full coat that boards with us sometimes. By the end of his stay he's just disgusting. I could never deal with it! You did an awesome job, he's still very poodley but without all the upkeep.
 

FG167

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I totally don't blame you! We just buzzed down Kastle's front leg hair and his ahem man parts for the same reason. It was a pain to keep it mat-free and he's no longer able to show (dysplastic and then neutered)....what's the point. Especially now we've hit mud season!
 

Elrohwen

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#6
I totally don't blame you! We just buzzed down Kastle's front leg hair and his ahem man parts for the same reason. It was a pain to keep it mat-free and he's no longer able to show (dysplastic and then neutered)....what's the point. Especially now we've hit mud season!
I have fantasies about cutting off all of Watson's feathers. They don't mat, but he does pee (and occasionally) poop all over himself.
 

Doberluv

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Thank you all. I, of all people totally get wanting to snip or shave off those long feathers or places that get tangles. Tangles start, then they evolve into mats. So I don't blame you either. LOL. With these Poodles, you can't breathe on them or they can get a mat. And I imagine retrievers or other breeds with feathers or just longer hair going through water or brush, being so outdoorsy...oy...a nightmare. I've always had very short haired dogs and the Poodles are my first that take some serious grooming. But only having to clip them once a month or 6 weeks or so makes it easy in between. I usually wind up doing something with them more often, especially the shaved places. And I love how they don't shed all over.

If one lives out in the country and it's messy, there are so many ways to clip a Poodle and they could be clipped very short all over to avoid too much mess. I live in the suburbs and have a small yard that most of the time is pretty clean. (Not right now...some muddy places) So I can make them sort of in between. Not too short or long. Well, their bodies are pretty short to keep tangles to a minimum. But they still get to have a top knot, something around their ankles if desired, their tail pom. And then the next time for grooming, a person can try something else...kind of fun.

When you discovered Kastle couldn't show anymore, how did you feel? Does his dysplasia give him a lot of trouble? I know some people are reeeeeelly into showing. I liked to win to be sure... and it was kind of fun and exciting, but there were some aspects I wasn't crazy about.

Matisse's over-stretched ligament in his leg should heal eventually but it's been 3 months or a little longer and the vet just keeps telling me to be patient. I do recall injuring my own ligaments and tendons and they do take a long time. For some time he was on limited exercise but now the vet says to go ahead and let him do what he likes. It's not ruptured and doesn't seem to cause him any pain much.

FG167...LOL.yep, those man parts need a little light shaving here too or they get pee on them. And on the tummy just in front and even the insides of the thighs. I don't shave closely there....but just sort of swipe at it and get some off.

And Matisse and Jose` both get pee on the back of their front legs sometimes too Elrohwen. It's terrible when you're watching and you can't do a thing about it. LOL.

Maxi, do you work at a boarding kennel then? Do they ever have a groomer come in? It sounds like that little Coton could use one before he goes home. That could be an extra that could be offered to customers for an additional charge. lol.

Well, thank you everyone. I appreciate your nice comments. :)
 

FG167

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#9
When you discovered Kastle couldn't show anymore, how did you feel? Does his dysplasia give him a lot of trouble? I know some people are reeeeeelly into showing. I liked to win to be sure... and it was kind of fun and exciting, but there were some aspects I wasn't crazy about.

FG167...LOL.yep, those man parts need a little light shaving here too or they get pee on them. And on the tummy just in front and even the insides of the thighs. I don't shave closely there....but just sort of swipe at it and get some off.
I was devastated to be honest. In fact, I sent his x-rays to two separate organizations (one not even in the US) to be read. But, not because of the showing, because of all the other hopes I had that related to that. I was showing him in SV to go along with his IPO training. I REALLY wanted to be able to breed survey him and just...do it all with him (title in multiple sports and show him). He was my first IPO dog and I had a lot of hopes and dreams. I had people interested in breeding to him if he titled well and finished well. But, turns out...he's got so many other issues that he's not really breed worthy anyway. I would never breed him now (if he wasn't already neutered LOL) and I am not even planning on going to IPO 3 with him. I'm just getting his IPO 1 (I hope) and retiring him. My backup plan was also shattered because of the dysplasia - he can't do flyball. He has elbow dysplasia and one hip is not as good as the other (one got good, one got fair). I don't see anything bothering him at all normally but judges have commented they can see he throws that elbow out a little wider when he gaits, visible from the front only. He's not careful and he has an unfortunately, extremely high pain tolerance so I don't expect to see any changes until he's REALLY hurt.

Yes, we did just around his groin area, and the insides of his thighs. We just took scissors because that's all we've got for "grooming" LOL Horrible I know. It's a hack job, but we don't care, and neither does he.
 
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#10
I think he's super cute with his new look. I have apersian in show coat and there are days when I just want to shave her and be done with it
 

Izzy's Valkyrie

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#11
.... Show coat for a persian?? Isn't it always super long because that's the breed? Do people trim persians that aren't show cats?!

I love the haircut, he looks much happier and bouncier :)
 

Maxy24

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Maxi, do you work at a boarding kennel then? Do they ever have a groomer come in? It sounds like that little Coton could use one before he goes home. That could be an extra that could be offered to customers for an additional charge. lol.
Yes, we do have groomers and people can have their dog groomed before they go home, these people don't get him done for some reason. During his last stay they did have us brush him daily though which they had not done before, perhaps they didn't know we could do that.
 

Grab

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#13
I think he looks great! Brooks' leg peeing (which has yet to diminish with age, no matter how much I trim or do not trim penis hair, lol) is the reason he ends up with a short cut a few times per year. Especially in the summer when he's often playing in water with the kiddo. Crispy pee legs + water+ Arizona dirt yard = disgusting stinky legs. Not to mention tangles if he's allowed to air dry. Horrors.
 

Doberluv

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Izzy...we had a Himalayan cat years ago and it was so prone to matting just like your Persian. We didn't do that well on brushing enough and wound up getting him sheared at a groomer's. It was awful. So no more long haired cats. Not only do you have to brush them a lot, but they shed too! Double punishment. LOL. But those Persian cats and Himi's sure have lovely temperaments.

I see Maxi. Yes, I would think that would be an almost necessary added feature to have a groomer there.

Thanks guys for the nice comments on my little Matisse. He's really quite a darling little fella...getting so much more mellow and his sensitive side is showing more and more.

Grab...that does not sound like a good recipe. LOL. I can relate though. Only it's not Arizona dry dirt. It's mud, grass, burs sometimes....oy!
 
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#15
Where did you find those bright blue bands for his hair? I've been looking for blue ones forever. The only things I can find are black, clear, or really tiny neon bands for braces. With a black Afghan none of those are good options, but I use the black ones because the hair doesn't "stick" to them as much.
 

noludoru

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#16
Where did you find those bright blue bands for his hair? I've been looking for blue ones forever. The only things I can find are black, clear, or really tiny neon bands for braces. With a black Afghan none of those are good options, but I use the black ones because the hair doesn't "stick" to them as much.
I didnt know you have an Afghan!?
 

Doberluv

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Where did you find those bright blue bands for his hair? I've been looking for blue ones forever. The only things I can find are black, clear, or really tiny neon bands for braces. With a black Afghan none of those are good options, but I use the black ones because the hair doesn't "stick" to them as much.
I got mine at Cherry brook dog grooming supplies quite some time ago. They're Lainee brand.
 

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