Hair of the Dog

Before

Lola the dog gets the most expensive haircuts in the family.

I am not even going to say how expensive, since my husband and mother read this blog.

And it’s involved. Lola is at the groomer’s all day. Bath, blowdry, clipped all over, face and belly shaved, nails cut, teeth brushed. And worst: her ears are plucked (ow) and her anal glands expressed (ew).

With those last two, I even said to both groomer and vet that they weren’t necessary. After all, how many billions of dogs in the world do just fine, never having their anal glands expressed?

After

Oh, said the vet, but they do have problems, which is why they scoot their itchy rear ends along the floor.

Okay, then.

And if Lola doesn’t get her ears plucked, she gets ear infections, which are worse than having ear hair yanked out. Poor Lola. Our groomer does apply a numbing powder in her ears before yanking, though.

Which is why I chose the grooming place we use. It calls itself a “pet salon and retreat”  and is fancy. But the whole reason I picked it is that other “dog people” told me their dogs actually like going there.

Does Lola? It’s hard to tell. She loves to say hi, but once that’s done, she would very much like to leave with me.

How does she feel about being groomed at all? Some people tell me their poodles, after being groomed, know they look good. Lola doesn’t care. She even forgets the ribbons in her ears. What she does like, however, is all the attention she gets. 

So, after she’s groomed, my athletic, bouncy dog immediately goes into the mud and dirt, to wrestle with her dog pals.

It’s like watching a Tibetan sand painting getting swept away.