Rua's First Grooming - Updated

[Dori & Rua]

I have mixed emotions...she looked so stinkin' cute with her shaggy hair look and she looks so stinkin' cute with her velvet soft hair.  It really is weird...depending on which way the light hits her, she is either REALLY dark or REALLy light.

 

Take a look at her! 

 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/photo/albums/ruas-first-grooming

 

UPDATE:  More on Rua's first grooming.  The groomer that I took her to is where she goes for daycare twice a week.  Before I even made the appointment, the groomer told me that the first time they like to have the puppy for 1/2 a day to get them used to the whole process of grooming...taking it slow, making sure they are OK with things.  She also gave me some tips on grooming at home.  She gave me a short lead to use and told me to put her up on a table or washer (on a non-skid mat) so Rua got used to that.  I told her that Rua kept wanting to chew the brush, so I gave Rua a brush different brush to chew with while I was brushing her and she told me to stop doing that which made sense (it's like giving her an old shoe to chew on and then having her chew on good shoes).  So, I worked on regular brushing, ear cleaning, tooth brushing (OK, mostly me trying to rub toothpaste somewhere in her mouth), bathing and drying.

 

Before we went to California, I asked the groomer to trim her nails and trim around her eyes.  They also trimmed the hair between her toes.  They charged me $15.00 for this (I had paid $10.00 a couple of times to PetCo to get her nails trimmed so I thought $15.00 was reasonable).  She called me the next day and told me it was time for Rua to get groomed...her adult coat was coming in and she really needed to get used to the whole grooming process.

 

After reading all of the horror stories about grooming, I was really nervous, but, it grows back, right?  The owner did the grooming and didn't remove more than an 1" or so.  She gave her a cute little sani-cut (I had a black labradoodle that a large pet place shaved down to the skin once and it looked awful)!  She told me Rua did really well up on the table, but she kept trying to bit the blow dryer.  Oh - Oh.  Remember the "give her a brush to chew on" issue, well, I am guilty of making blow-drying a game.  I would sit on the floor in the bathroom, turn on the dryer and let her "zoom" around the room.  Rua would run to and fro, going past the dryer and would stop and "bite" at the air.  So, the groomer gave me some advice on how to hold Rua and get her used to the blow dryer.  Another training lesson for ME!!!

 

So, I paid $44.00 for Rua's first experience (which I am assuming would have been more if her nails, pads and eyes hadn't just been trimmed, but less if it wouldn't have been her first time since it took longer, if that makes any sense).  Since Rua is fairly small, perhaps one day I night attempt to groom her myself, but until then for $50.00 (with tip), I think that is pretty reasonable.

 

When my DH came home and saw her last night, he just thought she looked really cute!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Rua - your new haircut is very cute and it is warm here in FL right how so you will be very happy not to have such long hair for your visit here.  Rooney is very excited to meet you and your mom!!!  Rooney will look like a hairy beast next to you as he is due for a face trim next week.  He has not had his first big boy haircut yet and his hair is over 4 inches long now.  See you soon.

[sandy b]

Love the haircut, she is so adorable.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Looking good Rua!

[Jennifer and Jack]

She is adorable!!!!!!!!

[Sharon & Monty]

I think that sometimes we could compare to having children that are growing and getting haircuts.  As they age and mature, they look different with different cuts.  I know that I hated and cried when Monty got shaved, but having him at different stages of taking care of his hair, my position is changing.  When my daughter was young, she expected me to comb, brush and design hair styles for her EVERY DAY!  She ended up with 3 feet of hair by the time she was a junior, and she really loved when I would spend hours and hours putting it into teeny tiny braids........oh.  Although she outgrew the need for mom to care for her hair, she also had outgrown the want to hair such long, long hair.  Hairstyles for us, hairstyles for our dogs, do what suits at the time.  *I still like Monty best longer if I dont ruin him in mats. :)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Very cute....she looks so soft!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Rua, could you be any cuter. Great cut.

[Rose]

Rua looks adorable!

[Camilla and Darwin]

I think it's normal to feel mixed emotions about the "after" do, especially after the first one. Because they always look so different and it takes some getting used to. Anyways, Rua looks absolutely gorgeous and she looks so silky!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I think she looks really cute!! The groomer did a good job of not "over grooming" her!!  And she will be back to her little shaggy self faster than you can believe!!