First Grooming, Food and Photo Bomb!

I haven't been updating very much - bad me!  We are having fun, but there isn't enough time between playing with Dhali and trying to get something done while Dhali barks in his x-pen, because he wants to DO SOMETHING!!  He is very go, go, go.  For example, today I had him outside with me for 2+ hours while I washed the siding and deck.  He 'helped' by chasing the hose, biting the broom, digging holes in mud and running around like a crazy head.  It was HOT, but he just ran and ran.  I also worked on recalls - calling him away from all the fun he was having whereever he was.  A few times I lost him!  So it's good he recalls.  He was exploring underneath the deck, in the bushes, the far side of the house.  He's on leash, but I have my doubts that I could catch him if he didn't want to be caught!

Then I was done, it was still really hot and getting hotter and Dhali had been running and running, soooo time for a nap, right?  Ah, no.  Time for Dhali to scream in the x-pen.  For almost 30 mins.....now he has stopped and it chewing on a bully stick.  But if I move he will start screaming again.  This is why I don't get anything done around the house!   

It is now after 7pm and I started writing this at 1pm......yeah.

The only good photo of Tibby post grooming with a photo bombing Dhali.

So anyway.....Tibby and Dhali went for a grooming on Monday.  It was Dhali's first ever time at the groomer's!  I'm not sure how she did it, but he was groomed.  Magic skills apparently.  Nothing was snipped off that shouldn't have been.  I was a little worried about that when I saw that she had trimmed his wizzel fuzz.  All wizzel was still intact though - whew! 

Rockin' the 'puppy' cut, 'cause he's a puppy!!

5 seconds after this photo he was dirty and full of weed stickers again.  Had to rub off that stinky 'pretty boy' smell.

So it took the pups over 4 hours at the groomer's.  I didn't think it would take that long and I had an appt. out of town, so my Mom picked the pups up for me.  Earlier in the day I had brought home a bag of large breed puppy food and set it in the kitchen.  My Mom didn't know about that and Dhali helped himself.  Hmm, he must be a real dog or something.  Tibby would never, ever have done something like that.  Not lady-like ya know.

Nutrisource Food

The reason I bought the large breed puppy food.  Dhali's food is SO tiny!  I end up dropping more than I put in his mouth.  The lg. breed doesn't look that much bigger, but it isn't flat like the sm/med breed food.  I'm just using the bigger food for recalls.  It's also cut down on the amount of finger biting which is nice.  The only difference between the 2 puppy foods is the amount of protein.  The sm/med has a higher protein % per serving.

June Groom

Tibby went to the groomer's on Friday.

Pretty!  Right?

Sunday Smash Up

This is like Monday Mash Up, but on Sunday and more smashy-mashy.  If you don't know (I didn't know this until last week) Monday Mash Up is where you post pictures and things that don't go together, but you want to post.....or something like that.

I wanted to post all these pictures, because they are old news - our snow is meeeeltttting!  Yay! 

Now the back yard is mud - Nooo!

I'm really, really proud of how Tibby's coat is growing out.  Now if someone were to say, "She looks very well groomed."  I would be happy to agree.  Before I was always a little hesitant, because I knew how many secret matts were hiding underneath her top coat.  Now she is 100% matt free!!!  It's a lot of work, but also a nice bonding time for us too.  Someday I'm going to do a post on the 'secret' grooming tip I found.  I can't be the only first time Tibetan Terrier owner who struggles with keeping up their dog's coat.  Ok, ok, ok here's the secret.  I read it on a TT facebook page, "You have to brush every day."  At least at first.  Write down on a calender when you groom.  It had better be at least every other day - maybe every third (but then it will take twice as long).  I brush Tibby every other day now and I'm always checking her coat.  Is is snarly?  Did she roll around a lot on the carpet?  Has she been rolling in the snow?  I probably think about it 20 times a day.  Just watch I'll be on the My Weird Addiction show someday LOL!! :)

To be honest I think people think they are prepared for the coat maintenance, but they aren't (or at least I wasn't).  When I got Tibby I was told that, "Tibetan Terriers only require their coat to be brushed thoroughly twice a week."  Ohhh, you must use that really short 4 day week?  Right.

I'm not saying her coat is perfect.  It looks like I haven't touched it in weeks right after I get done brushing her.  Tibby always has to get rid of the prissy look by rolling around on her back after she gets brushed.  BUT any time, anyone, any where - you can run a greyhound comb through her coat and there won't be a single snag. 

I'm proud of that.

And it only took me a year to figure it out!

I learned about all sorts of grooming things - pin brushes, greyhound combs, slicker brushes, foaming protein, final rinse solution, drop coats, ear plucking, whitening shampoo, color tinting and enhancing shampoo, leave in conditioner and recirculating bathers.

Now the things I would like to learn about this next year would be (Tibby coat related):

• What kind of collar is best - rolled leather? Doesn't matter?
• How can I get a cute little top knot to keep the hair out of Tibby's eyes, so she can see in agility???  This question is most pressing.  Right now I do two sad pigtails that look like a 3 year old put them in. 

Ok I guess this post is all about Tibby's coat and my weird obsession with it.  Whatever.  I have a soft and fluffy puppy!

It's worth it!

Grooms of the Year

A picture story of Tibby's grooms this year. 

 I think there were a couple more, but I didn't mark them when I uploaded them and now they are lost in the 50 million Tibby pictures on my computer! :P

I actually had to pull out my last check register and I was able to figure out a couple of the last ones, going by the date on the checks.  Next year I vow to do a better job of documentation!!!

These pictures are all post groom.

2010

2011

   

Miss What You Have

I took Tibby to the groomer today.  It's so weird.  I take her to the groomer and drop her off.  Then I go home and for the next 3 hours I'm looking for her in my house.  I'll be busy doing something in the house, I'll walk into another room and automatically look for Tibby.  Is she sleeping in her crate?  On the back of the couch?  In my bed?  Outside?  Oh yeah.  I dropped her off at the groomer's.

I did that about 10 times.

She was only gone for a short time, but I missed her.

I can't even imagine what it will be like (far, far in the future, hopefully) when Tibby isn't in my house and she also isn't at the groomer's. 

When I will look for her and she won't be there.

Groomed July

I forgot to post Tibby's picture from Friday when she got home from the groomer.

I love taking Tibby to the groomer and talking to her groomer.  We only get to talk for a few minutes, because she is busy and usually has a dog waiting (patiently) on the table.  I learned something new about Tibby on Friday.  Tibby is not a fan of being crated, that's why I take her to Woof Dah - they are crate-free/free range puppies.  I have always wondered how she did at the groomers when she had to go in a crate.  Tibby's groomer explained that the first thing she teaches a dog is to be quiet in the crate.  She said some are more stubborn than others, but they eventually figure it out.  I like to think of Tibby learning something new - even at the groomer's!!

Brought Home A New Dog Today

Some of you might be mad at me, but things just weren't working out for me with Tibby.

Sometimes that happens with teenagers.  They are cute as puppies and then they change.

You know what they say, if you love someone let them go and if it's meant to be they will come back to you.

So, I brought this new dog home.

This dog is awesome!

It's lighter, softer and lets me pet it!

The only thing it needs is a coat.

Just kidding!

Tibby's matts were inoperable, so, sadly (cried a few tears) Tibby had to be aggressively groomed.

I'm still getting used to it, but I think I like it.

It's nice to just pet Tibby, instead of constantly trying to comb through Tibby's hair (which she hated) with my fingers whenever I touched her.

I dunno I think I would love her if she were green and hairless!

She's still my baby, just with less hair.

Grooming Day

Today Tibby went to the groomer again.  I'm embarrassed by how long it was between visits.  I've mentioned before that I think Tibby's groomer does a great job.  When I went to pick Tibby up, she heard my voice and started to make a ruckus.  The thing I find interesting is that she can go in a crate at the groomer's and be quiet.  Hmmmmmm.  I love it when she comes back from the groomer!  Her hair is so soft and fluffy.  Her head looks a little flat, but I think that is because of the terrible bang trim I gave her a couple weeks ago. 

Here are the before pictures:

And the after pictures:

"Good to be home!  I'm starving!"

"Num, yum, crunch mmmm food."

"Pffft  I'm not doing anything.  I'm so tired."

"Really?  You want me to stand up?"

"Give. Me. The. Treat."

I love her little feet when they are groomed!

Yup she was tired.

Haircut Time

Tibby had a haircut today.

Before:

After: 

Her groomer is great!  I think she does a very nice job.  The first time I took her I was very nervous that she would want to shave Tibby.  I didn't want that, because I love her beautiful fluffy hair! 

She gives Tibby a bath, brushes her out, gives her a little trim, cuts her nails and cleans her ears and teeth.  She comes home smelling slightly minty, but NOT like a bottle of perfume.  I think she is an awesome groomer.  I want to take Tibby every 2 weeks, but unfortunately Dirty Dogs is very busy and you have to make an appointment waaaaay in advance.  Anyway, Tibby doesn't really need to be groomed that often.

I asked the groomer to cut the hair around Tibby's eyes short.  It's hard to work on eye contact when you can't see any eyes!