Grooming Gracie

Anyone who says that dogs don't have personalities or moods or smile has clearly never spent any time around a dog.

And Gracie may have more personality than any dog out there. She's almost seven, and she's a rescue. She's a full bred Golden, we got her when she was about six months old. Even tho she was still young, and she's been with us for six years, she can still get skittish and a little frightened. But more often than not, she's a Happy Girl.  And she is absolutely my first baby.

Last summer was the first time I had her shaved. And she was seriously MAD at me for several days. It was like she was embarrassed.  I think last year Bill didn't believe me, until he came to the house and saw that she refused to even look at me! She'd stay in the den with me, but would keep her back turned to me.  I have to think she felt silly, that her gorgeous golden locks had been taken away and she didn't feel pretty.  And last summer... after she got over her mood at me, and finally figured out how much more comfortable she was in the heat, minus the fur.. she LOVED it. She was running around like a puppy.

Fast forward 12mos.  We had a super hot second half of May, but I was hesitant to have her shaved too early in case it got chilly again. So I called right after Memorial Day to get her an appt, and the next available was two weeks away! Sheesh. And I knew she was uncomfortable, because she was panting like mad ALL the time, not to mention hogging all of the AC vents in the house.  I sat down and had a heart to heart with her to let her know she had to be patient.  And don't think for one minute she didn't understand me, and oh yes, she was also quite peeved that I hadn't called earlier in May to make an appt for her.

So yesterday was her big day. She was thrilled to be going to daycamp, and of course she was ready to get her hair did.  Bill picked her up after work, and I got home after them.  Coming home to a dog is quite possibly one of the best things in life. I pull into the garage, and POOF! Gracie appears at the door, grinning while at the same time presenting me with her stuffed frog, her tail wagging so fast & hard that it may just air lift her (not to mention knock someone out if they get in the path of The Tail). And she's got on her little pink bandana from the groomer, and she is so very happy.  So not like last year when she was mad. I walk into the house and she just started running all over the house, it was like the somewhat aging pup had morphed into a six month old.   I'm also fairly certain she is now 3-4 lbs lighter.  Last night was the first night in weeks that she didn't sleep smack on top of the AC Vent, and therefore it was the first night in weeks we managed to sleep and not sweat.

So yes, I just wrote an entire blog about my dog getting shaved. But then again, this is the girl who also wrote an entire blog - and took pictures! - about Eileen's dolls.  I'm crazy like that.

Happy Friday!