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Does your dog have a lot of hair?
And does it seem to upset people?
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Found [33] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
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Posted: 5:04:24 PM 6/21/2005
One of the strangest reactions I receive about my dogs is people asking when I'm going to cut off their hair. They ask me as if I've been negligent to my dogs grooming and forgot to have it all lopped off.

I even had someone stop and stare at Daemion in horror when he was a puppy and say "you ARE having his hair cut off right?" and I said "No, its just growing in" and she was like "oh my god you have to cut it off!"

Now I find people are projecting their own wish not to groom on my dogs, but its becoming excessive. They are again horrified to find out that I groom my dogs myself.

Then we had interns at the office. I was not impressed with this boy adn even less after he asked to see my dogs and I showed him. His resposne was "UGH! All that hair is gross!" and basicly ran out of the room in disgust.

I understand more why some breeds are so popular. Its their actual coat and coat lenght... amazing.
Posted: 5:07:24 PM 6/21/2005
What kind of dog do you have? Some people just fail to realize that some dogs are SUPPOSED to have long hair, this is probably why they over react.
Posted: 5:10:24 PM 6/21/2005
Well, Icy- taste is something that many people in your world seem to be lacking! :)

An Afghan's coat is their most recognizable and beautiful asset! CUT it OFF?!

What- should PEOPLE with well kept long hair cut it off- because it's somehow inherently disgusting? Puh-lease.

I would've felt the urge to hurt that little snotty intern. He'll never make it with that kind of attitude. :)
Posted: 5:13:42 PM 6/21/2005
Oh, an Afghan Hound. Are you serious? Cutting an Afghan's coat is like shaving a Chow Chow bald.
Posted: 5:15:00 PM 6/21/2005
Oh dear Icy, I can imagine what reactions your Afgans get, LOL! My guys have plenty of fluff, but nothing like your guys. The funny thing is that I have had a short haired dog at one point in time and rehomed her in large part because of her hair- it was EVERYWHERE, woven into EVERYTHING! Two shelties in the house and what did I find everywhere but rat terrier fur in everything.

Seriously!

I think you have hit the nail on the head though, about the grooming- most people would just as soon NEVER brush their dog- I find it an enjoyable thing to do, and have really enjoyed learning the finer points of show grooming, as it is really fun to trim them carefully and have them really beautiful. I only have one showable dog, but they are all trimmed as though they were going to a show this weekend, with the exception of whiskers- I leave the whiskers on. Can't stand cutting them off! Have to for shows, but do it loathingly!

People are often surprised by how rarely I actually have to brush my guys though- they have proper coat texture, and it isn't as pressing an issue as many people think it would be. My guys go two or three weeks at a time and don't mat. But the key there is that I know how to brush them correctly when I do actually do so!

Honestly Icy, I'd LOVE to see your dogs in person- I love all the hair. Running in disgust I would not do!)
Posted: 5:20:50 PM 6/21/2005
I got comments about Cider's hair before I cut it for summer. No one seemed to understand that it technically should reach the floor, and she'd look much better with it all in, but I'm not sure I am up to that much cocker grooming. Even with 2 inch long hair she kept what seeed liek half a bath tub of water in her fur.
Posted: 5:28:43 PM 6/21/2005
This is the photo of Daemion that got the ugh.

http://www.rakunna.com/logo/DaemionWinners06-25-04.jpg

He was only 16 months to.
Posted: 5:31:30 PM 6/21/2005
Yes Icy, as you know, mine have hair and LOTS of it. Does it upset folks? Guess it may be because they are a rarer breed around here, they get lots of comments on how pretty they are and requests to pet them.

Only neg. comments are along the lines of having to sweep up all the hair and how much work it must be. Personally, I feel being covered with white hair is a fashion statement~grin.

When I get rich enough to hire a cleaning lady, then SHE can comment on it, but only to a small degree~after all I'm paying her (well, in my daydreams).
Posted: 5:39:49 PM 6/21/2005
Daemion is a beautiful Afghan with a lovely coat and great potential. :-)
Posted: 5:41:58 PM 6/21/2005
Thanks Kirk. He is out with a handler right now. Hes singled out and we're waiting for the magical number of dogs to appear in an entry to try for the majors.

This is a month ago winning his last singles.

http://www.rakunna.com/buttons/damionkansas.jpg
Posted: 5:48:54 PM 6/21/2005
He is great, I am reminded of why I love Sighthounds.
Posted: 5:54:36 PM 6/21/2005
Icy, that's a serious issue here in the south, projecting the desire to groom onto other people.

I swear, people are in a state of disbelief that I don't shave Bowen. Personally I can't stand the change in coat texture that shaving a dog will give.
Posted: 6:40:26 PM 6/21/2005
I wouldn't be to upset what a few crazies say about it, Its like no one out there is actually interested in takeing care of the coat of the breed that they have.
For grooming, most people just shave it off, HOW BOREING! is that, and irresponsible. Then people will say, well its easier to keep,Duh, what did you think before you got him.
I have a friend who is a trainer and a pet Stylist, she refuses to shave ANY dogs, and if they are matted, she turns them away till the dog is in better shape, then they can come back.
She tells them "This ain't No Chop Shop!!"I laugh every time I think about her telling people that, cause I don't really have that choice being in Vet Clinic, they don't really understand why you shouldn't shave a coat.
I would kill for a dog to keep its hair in good shape.
The condition of your dog tells alot about how you feel about its well being and care.
I would just comment back that its really irresponsible for an owner to hack of a coat that a dog is supposed to have, and walk away...
Posted: 6:56:56 PM 6/21/2005
I know! Isn't it rude that some people want to tell you what you should do with your own dog? They think their opinion is the only opinion and everyone else is wrong.

Sounds like some people on this forum, doesn't it.

Come on people! Just because someone thinks you should cut your dogs hair, they are "crazies"?

quote: I would just comment back that its really irresponsible for an owner to hack of a coat that a dog is supposed to have, and walk away...'

Pleeeeeeeeaaase! Give me a break! Irresponsible to groom a dog? Not if that is what the owner who paid for the dog wants to do.

You people are something else.

By the way, Icy, your dog is beautiful. I wouldn't cut a hair on that body!
Posted: 7:11:50 PM 6/21/2005
uh oh! I have noticed all the senoir members here and most of the new ones are being fairly civil. and then a couple times a day someone with a few post comes on here. and then complains about the problems here. this place is just like any other group. if you are not part of the group dynamics yet, your bostrious obnoxious comments are not going to be taken lightly by the regulars, you are not apart of yet. It's a group dynamics thing, a law of social situations between humans, not that we are elitest, it's like that every where, school, work, church, a new social venture anywhere. you wouldn't go to a dog obedience class and say, you people are all rude and arrogant cause they were discussing something and maybe not agreeing. o
Posted: 7:45:42 PM 6/21/2005
"its really irresponsible for an owner to hack of a coat that a dog is supposed to have, and walk away..."

I think sometimes, a short coat is called for.

As some of you know, I started doing my own grooming on my toy poodles.

Since I started doing so, I learned that two of my girls do not have a good hair texture (it is very thin/soft) to keep a long coat (this according to my grooming book); therefore, I decided to keep their coat, especially with this hot weather fairly short. They look more neat and easier for me.

If any poodle groomers out there had the same problem and were able to get a solution please let me know. I still have alot to learn about grooming.

***Edited By: alldogslover on 6/21/2005 7:49:01 PM***
Reason: .
Posted: 8:01:33 PM 6/21/2005
I think some don't really get what I meant, some breeds are meant to be clipped, some are not. Do you have any idea how many people come to me to shave their Goldens, I've even clipped a Lab, A LAB!
What I mean is if you have a long haired breed and you take the time to groom it, thats responsible
ownership.
One of my neighbours used to have Afgans, they were far from responsible. the dogs were always matted, so eventually they had to be shaved. Peoples ideas of how their pets should be cared for is really fustrating.

Every year we get this lady that always comes in because her dog gets maggots. She isn't comeing in because of the matting..We have to beg her to let us clip the dog...
I'm not kidding, sometimes her matts are so tight, she is being squeezed to death. Meanwhile the maggots are eating away at sores that the owner can't even see becasue of the matting. But every year she still doesn't get it. But becuase she still brings in the dog, she doesn't get into trouble.
Anyway I'm just getting upset now.......Sorry a little steam burnt off...:C
Posted: 8:19:28 PM 6/21/2005
ICY- your dog is absolutly STUNNING!!!
Posted: 8:25:28 PM 6/21/2005
when we had prinny people would always comment about how much hair my house must have because of her fur. for those that dont know prinny was oiur pyrenees. but i dont believe i ever came across someone who told me to lop it all off.
Posted: 11:55:46 PM 6/21/2005
I have mostly Shelties and Aussies but we do have one Springer Spaniel and honest to goodness the Springer sheds about double what the "long haired" dogs do. People have the hardest time understanding that long hair doesn't mean more shedding.

I personally would be lost without dog hair. (It's supposed to get everywhere isn't it? :) I brush my kids once a week and only have a minor problem with it because there is so many (a little shedding from a lot of dogs adds up :). When I my extended family visits they no longer complain about the dog hair because I flat out looked "Uncle Whiner" in the eyes and said "They live here, you don't. You're free to leave whenever you want to!" And a good vacuum goes a long way...

I've only met a handful of sheltie owners who have ever tried to tell me that they "shaved" their dog. Believe me it involves a lot of self control to make sure I don't wack them up along side the head. They're supposed to be a longer coated breed and people should know that before they adopt one. And their coat serves a purpose.

IcyHound - when I was about 10 I had hair down past my waist and my Mom used to get so much guff because she let me keep it long and everyone kept telling her she should just get it cut short. :) This reminds me of that. :)

And I agree with Hope - I think grooming my toys is a really relaxing thing - and it also helps me keep an eye out to make sure no one has any cuts or bumps that weren't there the week before. I like having hands on where my dogs are concerned. I think it's part of being a good parent. I know my Mom didn't hire someone to give me a bath when I was a kid... :)
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Found [33] Posts :: Page 1 of 2
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