Halas' Swimming Leads to Baldness!!!

[Leslie and Halas]

I posted earlier in July that I had been taking Halas swimming/creek hiking quite a bit.  He absolutely loves it.  The only downside is trying to brush him when we get home.  He hates it when I brush him, maybe because he thinks that takes away from his Tina the Groomer time.  He loves her, and she has told me many times that he's perfect with her, and he lets her do any grooming thing that she needs to without complaint.  So I was a bad mommy, and I didn't brush him like I should have.  The photos below show his progress.

Here he is right after we got home from one of our hikes.  Cute, curly, wet hair.

Here he is a couple of weeks later, after a few more hikes and swims.  He's starting to look a little rough...

And these next 2 photos are Halas now, after being groomed Saturday.  I warned Tina the Groomer that she might have to shave him, but she thought she wouldn't have to.  I wanted his coat shorter anyway, so as long as his tail and most of his head could stay fluffy, I told her I expected that she'd at least have to shave certain sections.  After spending about an hour on half of one leg, she texted me that he was going to be pretty short.  She felt terrible, but I told her it was entirely my fault.  I expected him to look pretty silly when I picked him up, but she was able to do more with him than I thought she could.  His beard had to be shaved, but he still has his tail and head hair.  The only things that look really silly are his legs.  I don't know how he holds himself up with those spindley things.  Anyway, I don't think he looks too bad.  I think he's still pretty adorable.  He's still got that cute face and those sweet eyes.  And now I can have the vet recheck his fatty lumps, since they are much easier to see now.  You can really see them on his right hip.  So here's my bald boy!!!

[Katie and Sophie]

Very cute. I suspect that I am going to have about the same thing for soph's next grooming. I have been trying to keep up with the brushing, but she swims so much it makes it hard. I would rather have fun in the water with the pups and have a shorter coat anyways!

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

She did a great job. Now Halas can swim to all his delight and you don't have to worry about brushing. I like it that way.