Once a swine, forever a swine.

[P3LH]

In his eleventh year, grooming of my eldest rough collie has become tricky. It’s very simple to take care of ‘what you can see’, but his underbelly, armpits, gentleman bits and back end take a bit more work that a) he doesn’t really enjoy being handled to do b) takes a long time and as a result c) he just doesn’t want to stand for that long anymore.

As a result I do the unthinkable, now quite regularly - initially as a one off when he got a bit matted a while ago, and clip him from his back side down to his chest. Easier for him, he lies down and goes to sleep. I still feel I have committed a crime considering I own a coated breed - but it’s what makes him happier, and that’s all that counts. He still looks his glorious self as everything else is life natural.

Today he had his gentleman’s tidy up, as I call it - I am still struggling with poor health so it was done by a begrudging assistant.
Everything was bagged up to be put out for the birds - but the phone rang just at that point, so the bag was left by the back door.

The scene that ensued looked like a small, fluffy dog, had had tnt inside it and exploded into a thousand pieces all over the garden. Or that it had been snowing. There was only one culprit. Who got a firm telling off as she cantered around the garden with a tumbleweed sized chunk of hair that looked as if she was attempting to wear a very Bojo’esque wig. As I shouted how much of a swine she was, she sauntered in and assumed her usual position on the footstool.

This is the face of a seriously told off dog. My methods are very good and have maximum impact as you can see. Both rough collies won’t have anything to do with such a hooligan today, they can’t fraternise with such a common lout.

She is nearly 2 and shows no sign of having a life affirming experience and changing her ways anytime soon - she really would be a ladette if she were human.

 

[PurBee]

Funny story! Looks are deceiving as she looks like butter wouldnt melt! Sweetie...such nice colouring.

When i was a kid, we had an GSD who had such a huge thick long fluffy coat - even in summer - so my folks decided to have her clipped...all over! Off she went to some mysterious place (we kids never went) and came back looking like a pig! Pink skinned with a GSD head, as they thankfully, left her head hair! Never in my life seen such a funny sight....and the poor dog felt vulnerable as she raced in, tail between legs, to go hide her naked shame in her bed. It helped her hugely through the warmer months and it grew fast enough to be fluffy ready for winter.

She was a young very active dog and was often throwing herself in the river beside the garden for a cool down swim, so would get soaked, very heavy, wet coat that would then stink. Clipping sometimes is the only solution!

 

[P3LH]

He still has a ‘full coat’, and to the untrained eye nobody would know the difference - he’s just clipped down short down below where it tangles and matts easily, and is too much hassle for an older dog to go through being roomed out with.

he has a big coat, but not as big as a lot of rough collie I see coming through at shows these days - I dread to think what caring for their coat is like or why some people are breeding for even bigger coats than ten years ago - when they were still a bit too big!

 

[Equi]

She needs an ASBO for sure! I had a setter/retriever who got the summer chop each year. No regrets. She loved it, she would bound about like a spring chicken when she felt the air on her.

 

[buddylove]

She's so cute though ?

 

[P3LH]

She's so cute though ?

I feel I should have relented to OH’s wish for a MLH dachsie as would have been less trouble I am sure!!!

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Your tale has made me giggle ?

I may well be tempted to take the trimmers to the long haired GSD come summer... She does not like being groomed and gets really rather hot.

 

[Bellasophia]

Luke. You have discovered the grooming world secrets...what you’ve given your dog is called a “false skirt”. The dog looks normal side on,but has all the refreshing benefits of a full shave under the belly and around the sanitary zone.

I do this on my stripped shanuzer..she has a cool belly but fullyskirted sides.
In the winter I do let it grow back to keep the belly warmer .

..

.whose going to know?lol .....
For sure it cuts down tangling,mud gathering and keeps the dog cooler.

 

[Parrotperson]

???? but how could you possibly tell that off?! Gorgeous

 

[Moobli]

Luke. You have discovered the grooming world secrets...what you’ve given your dog is called a “false skirt”. The dog looks normal side on,but has all the refreshing benefits of a full shave under the belly and around the sanitary zone.

I do this on my stripped shanuzer..she has a cool belly but fullyskirted sides.
In the winter I do let it grow back to keep the belly warmer .

..

.whose going to know?lol .....
For sure it cuts down tangling,mud gathering and keeps the dog cooler.

I used to do this to my two longhaired GSDs and decided never to have another longcoat when those two had gone. Never have either.

 

[P3LH]

I used to do this to my two longhaired GSDs and decided never to have another longcoat when those two had gone. Never have either.

As much as I love them - I won’t have another rough in the days I don’t have these two. Several reasons but grooming is a big one, and I’ll never get another with a coat like Cooper’s so have resigned my fact to that being that.

 

[buddylove]

I feel I should have relented to OH’s wish for a MLH dachsie as would have been less trouble I am sure!!!

If Battersea had come knocking for my 3 today I would have handed them over without a moments hesitation, they have been monsters!!!

 

[P3LH]

If Battersea had come knocking for my 3 today I would have handed them over without a moments hesitation, they have been monsters!!!

If it wasn’t for the jumping n furniture business I think I’d relent to OH’s wish. You have to avoid all of that when the corgi’s are young but once older they’re fairly robust and sturdy (although some breeders don’t allow them to go on furniture at all - I would suggest those lines of pembrokes are not the correct shape if they can’t do an armchair and are still supposed to be a stock dog!)

 

[buddylove]

If it wasn’t for the jumping n furniture business I think I’d relent to OH’s wish. You have to avoid all of that when the corgi’s are young but once older they’re fairly robust and sturdy (although some breeders don’t allow them to go on furniture at all - I would suggest those lines of pembrokes are not the correct shape if they can’t do an armchair and are still supposed to be a stock dog!)

The cream is lame after spraining her paw jostling through the door with the other two, stoopid dog! Mine don't realise they can jump on the sofa, they wait to be picked up, but jump off without a problem. They are generally fit as fiddles, lots of off lead runs in the fields. I'm a firm believer if you keep them fit and strong it will lessen the chances of back issues.

 

[P3LH]

The cream is lame after spraining her paw jostling through the door with the other two, stoopid dog! Mine don't realise they can jump on the sofa, they wait to be picked up, but jump off without a problem. They are generally fit as fiddles, lots of off lead runs in the fields. I'm a firm believer if you keep them fit and strong it will lessen the chances of back issues.

Food for thought. When we did look at things recently the breeders we spoke to said categorically no jumping on or off furniture ever, no leaping in play, no stairs - we were even told no steps down into garden (they are relatively small steps). Because of how the other dogs, particularly madam, leap and bound around it made me put my foot down and say no as didn’t feel it was fair for one not to be able to do things the others day - based on what the breeders we spoke with, were saying.

 

[buddylove]

Food for thought. When we did look at things recently the breeders we spoke to said categorically no jumping on or off furniture ever, no leaping in play, no stairs - we were even told no steps down into garden (they are relatively small steps). Because of how the other dogs, particularly madam, leap and bound around it made me put my foot down and say no as didn’t feel it was fair for one not to be able to do things the others day - based on what the breeders we spoke with, were saying.

I think, as with anything, some people take it to the extreme. Wrapping them in bubble wrap is never going to benefit them. Yes, awful things can happen and they can have catastrophic accidents, but I apply the same logic to dogs as I do to horses, if they have the musculature to support the skeletal structures, they have a much better chance of living long and healthy lives.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Confused, you name changed! I was all excited at another corgi!

 

[poiuytrewq]

It’s all a lie, butter wouldn’t melt!

what is it with dog hair though, I used to rake mine and it was like a race as to wether I could put the hair in a bin before it was grabbed and run off with!

 

[meleeka]

Your tale has made me giggle ?

I may well be tempted to take the trimmers to the long haired GSD come summer... She does not like being groomed and gets really rather hot.

I trimmed my GSD’s belly for the winter. I just couldn’t be doing with the mud and constant washing. I would like to clip it but I don’t think she’d allow that and she doesn’t really like being groomed underneath or back end either. Poor dog looks absolutely delighted when it rains and she runs into the garden to sit in it. I think she must spend most of the time too hot.

OP- your dog looks like butter wouldn’t melt, such a angelic face! I bet the birds will be happy with that.’