The last couple of times that I've groomed Gunner I haven't been able to get any good pictures of him.  He has a very happy tail and squiggly body when I'm not holding him, (or cuddling him, he gives such sweet hugs) and looks straight up in the camera, so it's hard to get a good clear pic!  

Today, success!  I really wanted to show how cute he is, with his soft plush body and cute little teddy bear face.

He tried to convince his Mom on the way in that he didn't want a hair cut today, but once we started and the separation from Mom was over, he had a great and relaxing time, smiling, cuddling, and just enjoying the nice feeling of having his hair done.

Happy Tails!
Miriam

I love long topknots on dogs.  If I had a long haired breed I would leave the topknot long.  I just think it looks cute.  Mao came to me after his Mom had trouble with her clippers not working, and they ended up trimming him too short in places on his body.  

So I had to do his body with a #10 blade, which is a little shorter than the shortest blade I usually do on a shave, but his fur was dense enough to handle it.

Since his Mom likes his body shaved and his head and tail long, I suggested having this cute teddy bear style muzzle and she said okay.  She looved it!

Mao's Mom had trimmed a little eyebrow fringe over his eyes, and I suggested growing that out so that the whole thing just goes into the topknot cleanly.  So I put two elastics in over his eyes to gather the short hair and then did the topknot.

I hope I get to continue grooming Mao, he's so cute and fun to do!  Though I know his Mom likes to groom him too :)

Happy Tails!
Miriam

I just love giving cute and different styles to my clients.  This is Song-yu.  She has been coming to me for a while, and today we did her body a little different to give her more of an Asian flare. Her Mom didn't want to her body too short because it's winter, and also not too long in those trouble areas like chest and armpits.  So we gave her little leg warmer style boots.  Cute eh?  She's such a pretty and feminine little girl :)

Happy Tails,
Miriam

Really this just means Asian influenced style.  In Japan and Korea, they groom breeds not so much by their breed standard, buy by what they find cute.  Their faces look like teddy bear's, and I quite like it!  I don't go for every style, but some I just love.

Here are a few samples from a Google image search for 'Asian fusion' and 'Japanese style' grooming.  They often have tight round muzzles that are short under the chin, and long topknots blended into long ears.  Also common is short bodies with flared legs.

I don't often get people who want long coat on the legs and particularly the feet, but the faces are quite practical, and very cute! (I would totally do the full style on anyone who wishes it for their furbaby though)  I think I will look into the hair dye, I know it is non-toxic, I think the ears are cute (^^)

Happy Tails!
Miriam

Did you just die of cuteness?  I'm sorry, this is what I have to endure on a regular basis, pull yourself together now.

So so darling, Coco came into the Spaw, little cute sweater on, and flopped on her back on the counter for me to love her and adore her.  She is only 11 weeks old, and she knows exactly how it goes in this human and dog world.  I love to see a happy puppy!

Well, oh yes, that's right, they are still unlearned babies, and we do have to teach them.  Like when I had to groom Coco's face and she didn't LIKE it.  Yes, you are perfect in every way and I adore you, but you are not aloud to protest things that you would rather not do by naughty growls and teeth abuse.  

Gentle consistent and confident assurance is how I deal with puppy fear issues.  We talk through it and I do as much as I can showing them that they can voice their fears and they will be heard but they can not bully me into giving into their fears and I will not let them give in to them either, to a point.  Everyone has their limits of learning something new, and it is more important for a baby to learn the lesson on a positive note, so as far as it is still positive even if they are having to do my will and not their fears will, I will not push farther.   

I had another little baby Shih Tzu boy in just before Coco, same age and a friend of Coco's, and he was great for everything except cleaning the ears.  so I did a little, then stopped.  It is more important that he has a good experience, and now he knows that I will need to do that every time, it will not be a surprise to him.

Nap time!  Happy Tails,
Miriam

This holiday season is my first with my own DogSpaw.  It was great fun, and I was very happy as I was able to get many people's dog's groomed to look and smell good for their family holiday time.

My Mom and her husband live on Hornby Island, a great place to visit any time of year and shop from all the artisans who have made a community there.  I have said it before, I love art.  I guess it is a big part of why I love dog grooming, because grooming really is an art.  And to do so, I have the privilege of working with all these dogs!
 
So, art.  I do come by it honestly, my Mom is a potter and a musician, my step-Dad is a painter/multi media artist and musician, you can visit their website here,  my Dad is a poet, here is a link to his site Mellow Wolf Publishing, and my step-Mom is a dog groomer, check out her work at Danielle's Dog Grooming Studio.

I don't get to visit my Mom and step-Dad very often because it takes 3 ferries to get to Hornby Island from here, so I was happy to have them come and visit here.  I wasn't going to work the two days I had them, but....

I couldn't say no to Daisy.  She wasn't a regular customer and just had to get cleaned up for New Year's, so I said yes.  She was the only one that called that day or I would have probably said yes to more too, lol.  I love grooming and I really love allowing for dogs to enjoy their party by being clean and beautiful.   

So, the story my son will tell forever? It's not related to art, just being a kid while I was grooming Daisy.....  I was about 15 minutes away from finishing with Daisy, when my 8 year old son comes downstairs into the spaw and tells me my 2 year old dropped the iron on his face and is covered in blood. WHAATT??  I run upstairs and sure enough (no the iron was not on) my Mom is holding him and there is blood over his entire face, in his eyes, mouth, down his shirt....my poor Mom.

Apparently the little monkey had gotten into the computer/sewing room alone and had pulled the ironing board while trying to climb up the shelf where the video games are.  The iron was sitting on the end of the board in the back corner.  Well, not there anymore!!  That room is usually locked....Yeesh, all in a days work with kids.  Don't mind the grey hair when you see me next, lol!

I have heard so many times about how head wounds bleed profusely, and yes it is true.  I looked at the source and it was only a little cut on his forehead, which had already stopped.  I cleaned him up, put a bandaid on, kisses all better, and he was good to go.  Back to work!

(He was fine, it really was just a small cut, but....ouch!)

Happy Tails and Happy New Year everyone!

Miriam

Romeo, oh Romeo, where for art thou....okay never mind.  He he ;P  This boy is a pretty awesome charming boy though.  I must say, this Golden Retriever and Poodle breed is great for temperament. Such a peaceful gentle soul in every one I've met, even if they are young and excitable too.

So, Romeo's last groomer tried a longer on the back of the head and neck style for his last groom.  Okay, fine, except his Mom openly admits that she does not like to brush him, and waddaya know, all that gorgeous long shaggy hair became solidly matted.

I thought I was going to have to shave it, *cry*, but with slicker and spray and cream rinse and dematting tool, once again I was able to save his fur from embarrassing baldness.  His head was a little shorter than would be liked, especially on the matted parts over his ears, but much better than otherwise would have been.

His Mom also really really dislikes round fluffy feet on Romeo as the fur tracks in all the dirt and sticks and the like into the house.  It has always been a challenge to accommodate for this problem without making the dog who has fluffy legs not look like they are walking around on pointy pencil tips, (and of course definitely not like a Poodle!!), but I came up with something that I think works well.

I shaved the top of the feet and the front part of the legs with a blade that leaves a short plush length, and scissored the hair out from between the toes (it is always matted there on these dogs).  Then I blended all the lengths so that there was no obvious long/short areas, like a Retriever has, but really the same hair growth pattern as the Retriever.  Modified, and blended.

Looked good, smart, functional, Mom is happy, mission accomplished.

Happy tails!
Miriam