Ignorance Is Bliss...

[Pat and Traveler]

When I retired a couple of years ago, I decided it was time to fulfill a life-long desire to get a dog. My previous experience with dogs consisted mostly of wonderful child-hood memories of ranch dogs in Montana–loveable, smart, working dogs. If those dogs had any issues with food, fleas, ticks, illnesses or grooming, I’d certainly never heard about them.

It didn’t take too long (okay, several weeks of poring over pictures and descriptions) to settle on either a goldendoodle or labradoodle. Medium sized, so I’d be able to lift it, if necessary. I had part of the back yard fenced, and started looking for MY puppy.

By this time I’d realized that you have to BUY a dog. Even from the Humane Society. Even if you’ve just paid for a fence. There would be no-cardboard-box-full of wriggling little goldendoodles or labradoodles on the corner by the grocery store, advertised by a crookedly printed sign saying ‘Free Puppies.’ I started checking out puppies from local and even national breeders. It took a while for the sticker shock to wear off. But–I’m retired, and don’t need to take a vacation every single year, do I?

Traveler came home on Christmas eve, 2009. MY puppy! I was completely enchanted! He was adorable, raised in the house by a Good Breeder, well-socialized with people and other animals, health-tested, neutered, chocolate, fuzzy, playful, quizzical–MY puppy! Oh, I’d fallen hopelessly in love and have been ever since!

One of the items on the Breeder’s list of essentials was a slicker brush. I stood in the pet store with my already-filled shopping cart, and inspected this item. WTD!? It sure didn’t look like any brush I’d ever seen. But I tossed it in the cart, along with the one I REALLY liked, a cute little soft-bristle brush. Is the road to hell paved with cute things?

A few weeks later I was showing off the pup to my daughter and a friend. I mentioned that I’d found a couple of fleas on him, but had gotten a flea collar right away. Instead of the praise I’d expected for getting right on this situation, they both started talking and gesturing at the same time–WTD!? I needed the front of a what...? Off we went to the vet to get our Frontline (more sticker shock), and the flea collar went into the vacuum cleaner. Do NOT go online to read about the life cycle of fleas–not if you ever expect to sleep again without feeling creepy-crawlies all over you.

There’s no way I can bathe Trav at home, not with a tub/shower combo that has a sliding glass door. I took him to a local pet-grooming shop, and the nice lady said to come back for him in four hours. Say WHAT!? He wasn’t THAT dirty! Four hours later I had clean pup, who looked like he’d been electrocuted. His fur was standing straight up all over his body, his nose was shaved and there was what I can only describe as a target on his rear end. Thus did I learn the term ‘sanitary clip.’

In the meantime, the cute little brush seemed to be missing some spots. In fact, it seemed to be missing a whole bunch of spots. There was a trip to the groomer for consultation, and for the first time it really registered: many dogs have to be shaved because they are matted. Shaved!? Like a new-born mouse!? I blew the dust off the slicker brush, got Cowboy Magic, a dematting tool, several other tools, sprays and liquids, and spent many not-so-happy hours trying to play catchup. This could also be called prolonging the inevitable. About this time I also found DoodleKisses. Yeah! What a perfect place for me and the dawg!

Yesterday...ah, yesterday...Traveler got trimmed. Pretty much shaved. It would have been just too painful for him if I’d tried to keep on combing out the skin-tight matts. Wow! He really has a loooong poodle muzzle! And such fragile-looking, skinny legs! And he still has matts. Not many, but around his ankles (do dogs even have ankles?), a couple along the edges of his ears, etc. I’m sure I can deal with those. After all, I have practically every grooming thing known to dogdom now. Except clippers. And those will no doubt be added to the basket before too long. And I’ll bathe him myself from now on, at one of the local you-do-it-yourself places.

Traveler. He’s my Soul-Dood. My beautiful, cheerful, smart, funny, beloved, now-naked companion. How did I ever get along without him!!?? And, in spite of it all, he still loves me. :)

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

If you do try the hand-held shower be sure the water is not too warm, they get overheated very quickly. And
be prepared for the great "shake-off" afterwards! We have been using No more tangles/no more tears type shampoo for babies lately and love it; leaves her soft and smelling great!

[Pat and Traveler]

Thank you for all the great suggestions and comments! I have to say, I've been looking at the shower and wondering... On the other hand, I have tried a U-bathe place, and it was nice to have a tub at the right height and a long hose with a showerhead. Maybe I should just bite the bullet, get the hand held showerhead, throw some towels in the tub and give it a try. :)

[Carol and Banjo]

Maryann - Our shower is large enough for Banjo and I....I have a hand held showerhead so it's a breeze to get him all wet and rinsed well. Um....I wear old shorts and sports bra tho...call me old fashioned but gettin neked with the dog is just too weird!!! LOL. He gets to shake off a bit before stepping out and then I use a beach towel to dry him (he LOVES this part) to the point I finish him off with hair dryer. The bathroom is small enough that he's a "captive audience" for the whole process. He's getting his Thanksgiving shower today!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

PS It is perfectly possible to bath Traveler in a bath/shower door combo. You both get into your birthday suits, well, traveler is probably already in his, and then you just climb in with him. Put old towels all over the floor to get out on, wash Traveler first and put him out to roll on all the towels, while you clean yourself. Doodles don't shed much so it is not necessary to put a strainer over the drain. Happy showering.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

You made me LOL. The road ahead of you is full of more fun doodle adventures. Try to find a doodle romp in your area, they are the best. Welcome to doodle insanity.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This was so entertaining. There is still some real sticker shock even when we think we are experienced dog owners. First the brush and comb and Cowboy Magic and other grooming stuff, then the EPO because they itch, then metal dishes because plastic is baaadddd. Then, of course the highest quality food (WTD - you feed them better than you eat!), and so on and so on... AND WE LOVE IT!!!

[Susan and Sasha]

Oh Yes!!!
That's the way it is...
We try...and try...Oh So Hard...Not to have them Shaved!!!!
How long do we try to keep that from happening???? Lol...
Our Loving Doods....and Yes...they are Loving...to put up with us...because...we Don't want to lose their Beautiful Long Coats...that we Try...and Try...Again!! (smile)
When...the time comes...that we...Finally... have to get them "Shaved"...
We now have a "Perfectly Beautiful"... Shaved Doodle...
And we find...that our Doods...are Beautiful...Long...or Short...Or...In Between!!
But....In the End....(not a pun)...our loving Doods...Love us...In Spite Of Ourselves!! Lol...

At the End of the Day...We Are All...Doodle Parents...Trying Our Very Best...To Love and Take the Very Best Care Of...The Very Precious Doodles In Our Lives...

My Question Is This...

Why...Oh Why...Are They So Very Patient With Us????

I Think the Answer Is...

Why...Because...They Love Us!!!! And...They Know That We Love Them!! (smile)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Loved your blog!

[Pat and Traveler]

We all have such great Doodle stories--happy, sad, frustrating, funny--life spelled D-o-o-d-l-e. I've spent hours reading here. Love that we just keep on adding to that store every day. What a wonderful site, and what a great group!

I was laughing too, remembering all the craziness, and adding other Doodle-folk memories to the whole situation. I've always written--only rarely was there actual money involved. :)

[Ginny Nightingale]

Very entertaining--and deja vu! I have done all of the above and even added a second doodle--who is now expecting puppies! (Done on purpose with my breeder and her male) AND I have a grooming table, clippers, etc as of a week ago and I am grooming my guys myself as well as three other doodles in the area--so who knows where your future will take you!!! One suggestion: get a Les pooches brush from doodlecountry.com and a dematting comb!