Haven't you ever wondered how your dood looks under all that fur? I have and now I know....

[Ann Kendig]

I finally did it.  I took the plunge.  I'm not sure if I would ever do it again but thankfully it grows back.  I got tired of grooming and needed a break.  Because of all of the burrs, ticks, swimming and their allergies I just felt it would be a lot easier for the summer. Recently Camilla had Darwin shaved down and it gave me the courage to do the same.  

Here's an old photo of Duke and his brother.  : )  

Isn't it amazing how much fur they have on their bodies??  When this photo was taken a year or so ago he wasn't even at his longest length and still I got a big pile of fur and he got a bad haircut.

This is my favorite look for my dogs but pretty hard to manage on a daily basis.

This photo was taken the morning of the "Shave Down".

And now....

Notice the stripes in Sheba's fur and her panda bear eyes?  I am amazed at how beautiful her coat is.  When her fur is long you would never guess she looks like this underneath.

Duke....

I really thought they would love being shaved down but actually I think they were a little depressed. My husband thought so too.  When they were shaved the weather was warmer and then it got cold again. Instead of seeing them comfortably lying on the cold tile floor when they were hairy they sometimes curl up on the carpet in a little ball.  Poor babies, I feel bad.  I've noticed that when I give them attention now I pat them instead stroking them like I did when their fur was longer.  

Like I said, I don't know if I would do it again but if I did I would wait till maybe the end of May.

That being said, last Sunday was a beautiful, warm day.  Sheba is now obsessed with her version of fishing,  standing on the dock, barking at the fish, pawing at the water and then occasionally falling in.  Duke follows suit.  Sheba finally learned how to dock dive (after I pushed her in a couple of times, bad mom) and she now knows how to land in the water without her head going under.  (She will never be as good as Spud though...he is awesome!!)  Duke spent part of the day in his life jacket.  The jacket  has handles on it so a few times I lowered him into the water on the end of the dock.  As the day progressed he finally took his maiden voyage and did a long distance swim without his jacket.  Yay Sheba and Duke!!   (I was thankful that their fur was short that day.  It dries so much quicker and I didn't have to spend time taking the matts out of Sheba's fur and brushing them both out.   At the end of summer I'll let their fur grow back and have my furry doods back again.  : )

Look at Spud dock dive, amazing height!  (This photo was taken last year and not at our house).  Sheba wants to be just like him! 

Sheba likes to stay low and close to the water right now.

Duke swimming on his own for the first time....

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Ann - you sure did a great job!  I would think they feel great with as much time as they spend in the water.  And you can do something other than groom for a few weeks.  We had Charlie cust way down in Dec before we went to AZ and he is already grown out.  I really think he prefers to be short, but I like it a little longer. I wish I had your courage!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Sheba and Duke look great!  It amazes me how many people think doodles are "fat" because they're fuzzy. 

I wonder how many doodles' colours would change drastically when shaved?  I know Luna would look really different if we shaved her.  Her longer hairs are almost all cream/white at the base and red at the tip, so she would suddenly be a cream-colored (or light apricot) dog!

What lurks beneath...

[BG and Gavin]

Love this pictorial Anne!  They both look amazing shaved down and its always so nice to "start fresh."  Looks like a summer of swimming and dock diving ahead for your doods!

[Bonne Bouche]

I love Sheba's coat and the first photo of Duke is hilarious! Your property is amazing, and your photos are beautiful, as always! ;-] We understand completely with the difficulty of managing a doodly coat in summer. We cut BB exactly like you, and LOVE his beautiful long "plume" and athletic body. He dries so quickly, and finding ticks are infinitely easier.