Grooming questions

Hi there, Debbie, Susan here. I have a question about grooming my Gompas. My routine has been to send them to the groomer every four weeks and she has cut them SHORT. That makes life very easy. The kids missed their last appointment (story not worth telling), so they are coming up on an appointment after 8 weeks and I’m thinking…..dangerous, I know. Well, what I’m thinking is about how to go somewhere in between my traditional short short cuts and the very formal very long dooos that the show dogs seem to have and which I don’t like at all. Do you by any chance have pictures of dogs whose cuts are somewhere in between so that I might start on a new longer but not too long journey with Raji and Rinchen and Sammy and Pony (whose tail is now full and fluffy as you said it would be). Susan

I keep most of my dogs in the haircut you seem to describe. In the Apsos! Apsos! section of this blogsite, hit the Grooming link. Scroll way down the-in-need-of-editing-page and check out Aaron’s hairdo. The length on the body can be adjusted, depending on the size of the comb-blade used to set the length. Most of my dogs are shorter than Aaron, but the hair still ‘drapes’. This is my favorite Apso hairdo because it retains the look of the breed, yet is manageable. The instructions are detailed, so share them with your groomer should you decide to make the plunge. There is a point in the growing stage where the hair gets ‘snarly’ – usually at about an inch-and-a-half. Once it’s past that point, I’ve found maintenance easier than keeping the coat really short. Given that your dogs are groomed every 4 weeks, I don’t anticipate much of an issue getting them past that stage.

Anyone have photos of their favorite Apso-dos? If so, send them and I’ll share.

Way to Go!

I just finished this little gem, written by my fav, Pat McConnell and her friend Karen London. In clear precise words, they put into words so many of the things we ‘dog people’ do instinctually when teaching puppies…and, then, neglect to pass on to puppy buyers.

Saluki, Norwegian Elkhound, Basenji..which breed of dog came first?

Read Saluki, Norwegian Elkhound, Basenji..which breed of dog came first?

Interesting books from Dogwise

Most of you receiving this weekly update are successful at training dogs – at least your own, right? Training someone else to train his or her dog – or how to deal with their dog’s behavioral problems – is a significantly more challenging endeavor, however. Fortunately the human side of the equation is being increasingly recognized as something the professional dog trainer must get a handle on to be successful. Our book of the week was one of the first to address this issue by one of the real pioneers in the field, William “Bill” Campbell. Bill’s Dog Behavior Problems – The Counselor’s Guide takes a long look at things from both sides – in particular the dog owner’s perspective and the dog trainer/behaviorist’s expectations. It really does take three to tango on this subject – you, the owner, and – of course – the dog. Special 20% savings this week, get it now for only $15.96. Of course since Campbell’s book was originally published in 1999, there have been a number of books written and DVDs produced on this subject. Some of the more popular and important ones we carry are: It’s Not the Dogs, It’s the People! by Nicole Wilde (available as a book and an audio CD) The Family in Dog Behavior Consulting by Lynn Hoover Teaching People, Teaching Dogs by Dani Weinberg Getting Compliance and Working with Difficult Clients (seminar DVD) by Nicole Wilde Coaching People to Train Their Dogs by Terry Ryan (available as a book and a seminar DVD) Click here for Dogwise.com