Dog hair makes me sneeze!

I just finished grooming the third and final dog this week (two for co-workers and one of my own). I love the satisfaction I get when I take a scruffy mutt and turn her (or him) into something suave and cool -- or something that resembles a naked little bat as in the case of my Baby Belle's cut tonight. I don't groom dogs for a profession, I just do this because I enjoy it... I must be sick!

My favorite type of dog to groom is the poodle. I guess it would be safe to say that the poodle is the only dog I know how to clip and make the cut look decent. I have certainly come a long way in the past 11 years since the first poodle that I worked on out of necessity (because it cost more than I could handle as a young, college grad).

My poor dogs. Despite the fact that I enjoy grooming, I am afraid to say that they probably feel like it is poodle torture. My little Belle "hightails it" to her kennel whenever she sees me open the drawer that contains the grooming tools; she is no dummy! She goes there with the hopes that I am not going to clip her fur or toenails -- I always laugh at the way she looks side to side but avoids eye contact whenever she is hoping I won't pick her.

Tonight, after I put a newly shaved Belle on the ground, my other dog (Sparkles) started growling at Belle and asserting her dominance because she is the bigger dog. Weird! As if she didn't know who she was -- it's not as if Sparkles hasn't spent every waking moment with Belle for the past year-and-a-half. (She truly is the dumbest dog I have ever seen -- but I love that about her!)

The worst part about the entire grooming experience? Clipping canine toenails. It is funny how this horrendous task is the most traumatizing experience for each dog. I hate fighting with them in the attempt to gain 'control' of each paw. They probably don't believe it but it is just as traumatizing for me as it is for them... I wish I could figure out a 'magical' way to get that job done with the least amount of resistance.