Tuesday 7 March 2017

Not the dog I was a week ago...

Do you remember me telling you back in January about how this winter I was the subject of a very important scientific experiment relating to my furs?

Instead of the normal 'little and often' hand stripping of my wiry hair, which is Gail's usual practice, this year she decided to leave my coat untouched all winter (other than a trim round the eyes now and then) to test the theory that come Spring the furs would be so loosely attached that the dreaded stripping process would be painless both for me and for Gail's increasingly arthritic thumbs.

As you know, I live in Northern Scotland, and if you are thinking that early March is these parts scarcely counts as Spring, well you would be perfectly right about that.

Ignoring this important fact, Gail set too with the stripping knife on Saturday. It was five whole months since I was last stripped and, well, I guess she kind of got carried away...



As I munched my way through two pig's ears and one medium sized  Pedigree Jumbone, a whole 6 oz of furs were detached from my person.

After another session on Sunday morning, I was most thankful when Gail finally called a halt, having spotted a couple of bare patches on my saddle. (The black furs are thinner than the white, and always come away more easily).

The brilliant news is that my paws are feeling ever so much better, and to celebrate this, as well as the completion of my mammoth grooming session, on Sunday afternoon I was taken on a 'proper' walk, my first in ages, up Scolty Hill.

Gosh it was nice to have a real leg stretch, although, given my sudden loss of insulation, I was a mighty relieved that the storm clouds gathering in the west passed us by.
PS Gail says we are not going to repeat the experiment next winter, having learned that when my coat gets longer and thicker it is much more effort to brush, collects more dirt, and when damp smells more 'doggy' (although I fail to see how that last point is a Bad Thing)..

20 comments:

  1. I'm so happy that your paws are so much better... and I'm deep impressed about that giant Mount Furs... :O)

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  2. We think you could just add water to that pile of fur and have a whole new WFT. SHE uses a rake on Dui, but Bella gets clipped.

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  3. Bertie, so pleased that your paws are better. You do look very smart, but I hope you won't be feeling too cold now that you've been stripped of all that fur. Perhaps you need to wear that nice sweater that Gail knitted for you?
    My old pal Petite-Chose could moult for Europe, and if she went to the groomers they would fill a big black bin bag with her fur, and she'd still moult !
    My peep has been muttering about a long overdue bath for me, and as it's finally a nice sunny day, I fear the worst !

    Love,
    Inca xx

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  4. Hari om
    Good grief Bertie lad, that is a whooe new sweater's worth of furs there... which if spun and knitted, you could be wearing next winter in place of the more frequent loss you have been threatened with! So v.v. glad those pawsies are more like their ood selves! Hugs and wags YAM-aunty xxx

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  5. I am soooo pleased to hear your poor paws are much better Bertie, that is good news.
    My peeps always complaining my Princess slippers are like sponges and soak up water and dirt so I'm not allowed to keep them *sigh* Don't peeps understand the effort us pups go to GROWING our furs?
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  6. Oh gosh, I am going to be stripped this weekend. My assistant wasn't doing any kind of experience ...she's just lazy and let my fur grow way too long!

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  7. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY STARS Bertie ALL
    that fur came off your handsome booooooody?
    Is Gail gonna have it spun into Bertie wool? I think she could make you several sweaters out of that. Wow I'm impressed at the amount of hair you can grow. Thank goodness your WFT is still okey dokey!!!!
    Thank goodness your paws are hike worthy and you are feeling fit as a fiddle
    Hugs Madi your BFFF

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  8. OMD, she removed a whole extra DOG from you!! We're very glad your poorly paw is feeling better and you get to RUN a little!

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  9. BERTIE... you look FABULOUS. OMD that is a hoooooooge pile of your furs.
    BUTT the Bestest News of ALL is that your paws are all better.

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  10. Bertie Bertie Bertie I think Gail just said you stank. I know the word stink it comes with the word bath. “If you want to be a genius, it's easy: All you gotta say is, 'Everything stinks.' Then, you're never wrong.”
    Thanks for being a friend
    Sweet William The Scot

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  11. It must have been soooooo nice to get a proper hike Bertie!! We are thinking you ay have needed a jumper with all the fur Gail stole from you!!
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  12. Crikey Bertie ..... get a load of that pile of hair!! You must feel like a different bloke. BUT ...... you didn't say ..... did it come out easier?? That stripping thing is such an ordeal. Our Lucy used to hate it and her fur didn't come out easily ever!! It was always hard work for her and for Mum. Our Harri (irish terrier) used to be real easy to strip. He was much bigger than Lucy but Mum could do him in a couple of hours. It took Mum two days and many hours to do Lucy. You do look very dapper mate and its so good to hear your foot is feeling better. AND those photos ..... oh my .... you sure live in a beautiful part of the world, aye??

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    1. Gail says: it was maybe a bit easier to strip Bertie having left it so long, but still more of a two day than a two hour job, and my mildly arthritic thumbs were aching at the end of it all! As I said, the black hairs strip much more easily than the white. My friend Amanda , WFT Horatio's owner, reports the same. Was that the case also with Lucy, I'm wondering?

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  13. Bertie, you must feel lighter than air minus all that fur. That's some impressive snacking that you did while being stripped, too. You're looking so handsome and congratulations on the walk, too!

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  14. Bertie -- we're glad to know the results of the fur experiment! And glad your paws are getting better. Mom just got home from work in the States! xo Toots

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  15. Dear Bertie,

    Wow, you made a whole other Dog! You are magic!

    Also, I think Dog smell is very nice. I'm not sure why the humans disagree, but then they also don't like poop smell. They are weird.

    Licks,
    Cobi

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  16. Hey Bertie!
    You do look great! However, is watch what Gail does with that fur cos toy may find a clone of you one day. Even worse, she may give it to the birds to steal like Ladee does!
    Sorry we missed about your poorly paw, but glad you are getting to go on good walks again.
    -ARRAN

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  17. Bertie - That fur looks like a spectral presence .

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  18. Goodness Bertie after that "plucking" we hope you are not feeling the cold!
    Could Gail take up spinning and then perhaps knit you a coat from all your fur ready for next winter? :-)

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