Dog Grooming Nightmare

So while Kinsey was having fun at the Event at Rebecca Farm I was left home alone suffering the slings an arrows of grooming run a muck.

This was my first summer jumping in and out of the ponds here at the ranch in order to keep cool. In the nearly fourteen years they were together Kinsey never took Lakota to a groomer. She brushed him out now and again but that was it. As a result she was not paying proper attention to what was going on with her new companion, that would be me. Before we knew it I had matted hair all over. On my haunches I was a real mess.

Before the Grooming Nightmare

Kinsey tried to comb the mats out but it was useless. First of all, I hate to be groomed so it's not easy to groom me under any circumstances. Under the circumstances in which we found ourselves it was impossible. Kinsey did try. I'll give her that but I wouldn't standstill so it was pretty much hopeless.

Whilst we were down in the Flathead, Kinsey took me over to Petco for a consultation. She knew other people that liked the groomers there. We met a very nice young named Jake and we both liked him. Jake said he thought my mats could be groomed out without shearing me like a sheep. How's that for irony? A sheep dog getting sheared. The place felt right to both of us so Kinsey made an appointment for the next day.

We showed up at the appointed hour and some older gal said she would be taking care of me. We had assumed Jake would be doing the grooming. As soon as this woman came out from behind the counter I tried to leave the building. I tried to give Kinsey every indication I did not like this woman. It is the first time in my life I have been anything but thrilled to meet a new person. I know Kinsey was concerned by my reaction but she left me anyway. Thanks a lot.

An hour after Kinsey left. The woman gave up on trying to comb out the mats. She called Kinsey and told her so. She got permission to try and shave the mats off. That's when the real rodeo started. Finally, Jake was free so he tried to help but by this time I was so freaked out I wouldn't even let him work on me. Finally, Jake called Kinsey and said I was only partially shaved but he was not willing to stress me out any further. God bless Jake. I had been in that horrible place for three and a half hours!

I wish you could see what I looked like. Kinsey took some photos but accidentally erased them before she downloaded them. I can tell you I was a sight. Tufts of hair on an unevenly shaved body. I was a mess. I looked like I was moth eaten. Jake suggested I bring Molly in on the following Monday and he would try and finish the job.

So we went back on Monday. She wasn't supposed to but Kinsey stayed and held me through the whole thing. I felt much safer with Kinsey holding me and Jake doing the grooming. It took about forty five minutes to finish the job. A made very little fuss. Below is how I looked after the second go around.

After the Grooming Nightmare-Short Haired Australian Shepard

I can hardly believe it's me but at least I no longer look like a flea bitten refugee dog. I may be a new breed, Short Haired Australian Shepard. Lucky me!

It's so hot right now I think I'm actually going to like it for awhile. It remains to be seen if my hair grows back to the beautiful coat I once had. We were told that sometimes if you shave a dog with an undercoat it doesn't grow back like it was before. We're hoping I'm one of the lucky ones.

Even though we liked Jake we both agreed the vibes in that Petco shop were not right for us and we will not be returning.

Ciao for now,
The very light and airy Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard