Since I have started offering my own Rally-O classes, I thought I should make it official. Lay out my training philosophies, advertise my classes to the online community as a whole.
I would love feedback on the website. I've been playing around with the Blogger layouts to tweak it into a website, so there are limitations. But if you think I should include something that isn't already there, or remove something that is, please send comments my way!
I just received a message saying that Life is Better with Sheltie Hair has been awarded the "Cool Dog Site of the Day" award by Pet Supplies Place. I can't seem to figure out how they choose the sites or even who the past winners are, but pretty cool none the less! Thanks!
Romeo and I went to visit his breeder this afternoon for a couple of hours. Her and I like to chat and keep in touch, and Romeo just likes to play with a whole BUNCH of Shelties!
Copious amounts of barking, chasing, and running!
Playing "Chase the new kid"
Romeo in the back ... with the ball, of course!
Get ready ... Get set ...
GO!!!
If I had a yard like hers, I would NEVER get the dogs to come inside! Romeo would protest and camp out in the back corner forcing me to go out there and carry him in, kicking and screaming.
After yesterday's blog post, I received a couple of questions on how to use the FURminator, specifically with Sheltie-type coats.
Using the FURminator does take some practice. I have made Gio's butt nearly bald when I first used it. It was a situation where I was so amazed at how much hair I was getting out, that I just kept going ... and going ... and going. Poor Gio. But it grew back in, no problems. I go off of feel a lot when FURminatoring (new verb!). If the tool glides through easily, then keep going. As soon as it starts to feel choppy or rough, stop. You've got all the undercoat you are going to get.
I line brush when I use the FURminator. Meaning that I part the hair down to the skin, and work at the very base of the hair with the FURminator. Short strokes just to loosen the hair, then use a slicker brush to pull the hair out. I find that if I try to pull the FURminator right from the base of the hair to the tip that it ends up breaking some of the guard coat. By line brushing and just working the base of the hair, the guard hairs remain undamaged and you only remove the undercoat.
Another thing to keep in mind, is to not work on one area for too long. I only do about 5-7 strokes per "piece of skin", and not pressing down overly hard. The teeth of the FURminator are quite sharp (comparatively), and can damage the skin if you work one area too much.
When introducing the FURminator to your dog, I find it easiest to just do a small patch at a time. When I started, I did 1/4 of a dog per session, one session per day. As I got used to using the FURminator and the dogs began to accept it well, I would increase the area I would groom. Now I can do a whole dog in one session, usually with a break half way through to stretch my back and let the dog wander around for a minute.
I can completely strip the undercoat of both of my dogs in about an hour and a half. I try to do this about once a month in the summer time, slightly less often in the winter. In the summer, I try to get as much undercoat out as I can. In the winter, I use the FURminator sparingly, only thinning out areas, not removing the undercoat completely.
Here is a brief video of how I use the FURminator. Keep in mind that the boys were just stripped yesterday, so there isn't much undercoat for me to remove as a demo. I jumped around a lot trying to find a good place with some undercoat left. Normally I would move very systematically from the hindend of the dog to the shoulder.
And no, the FURminator people are not paying me. Though, if any FURminator people are reading this, I would be happy to accept "thank you" presents! Have your people call my people.
Long, layered hairstyles are the most popular today. Layers are essential to get a long hairstyle to lay right and look good.
Layers of course do require extra work and hair care products. If you do not have the proper haircut, your layers might not lay right.
Check out all the latest long, layered hairstyles and steal one of these looks for yourself. If you don't have long hair, you can even get one of these looks with hair extensions. Don't limit yourself!.
I admit it, I have been slacking off in the grooming department. My excuses? Well, with Gio being ill he hasn't been going on his therapy dog visits, so I haven't been as diligent with feet trimming and grooming as I normally am. And Romeo, well I really don't have an excuse, except for the fact that stripping him out is such a daunting task I prefer to ignore it most of the time.
But I finally broke down and decided that a good stripping and brush out was long over due.
Which leads me to this very important declaration ...
PEOPLE OF THE WORLD ... ILOVEMY FURMINATOR!!
I believe I was able to strip 2.38 Miniature Poodles out of my two boys.
Proof? You want proof? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE PROOF!!
