THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

8 July 2013

SNIPPET'S HAIRCUT


Goodness it's hot and a certain little black dog is a lot happier for a haircut, which occurred in two phases on Friday. Phase one - the scissors.....................phase two - the clippers. My mum barely recognised him this morning. 

Here he is after the initial session which resulted in me having to physically unclog the hoover due to sheer weight of hair.



To pay me back for inflicting the scissors on him, he took all his sticks and bones out of the kennel that he never uses, and scattered them all over the lawn. 


It was hot but cloudy that day. We have some coastal visitors from down river who seem to be increasing in number every time I go out. Fishing in the river perhaps?


In this heat, we normally head for water on our walks so Snip can have a drink half way. 


On our way, we saw foals with their coats changing colour........



...........and mares scratching their bums.


A male Broad Bodied Chaser at last:


On Saturday, we went to the beach at Teignmouth for the afternoon. 







He had a sand bath over and over again:


It was a blisteringly hot day and he drank a whole bottle of water in his travel bowl in one go.



It was clear there was a lot more fur to remove to make him comfortable so on Sunday, the clippers came out, much to the horror of the other two members of the household, who both use them for their own hair. I promised to clean them afterwards. I wasn't trusted to do so and there was a little hurrumphing and tutting but it was agreed he looked much better as a result. Another hoover-full of hair.

Today was sweltering again and after yesterday's clipper phase, Snip was looking and feeling good. Perhaps I could starting a grooming parlour? Perhaps not. 






Origami Boy wanted me to thank you all for you congratulations. He was very pleased. I was going to say 'touched' but that's an emotion too subtle for most nine year old boys. The summer holidays are looming again. I can't believe it's come round again already. Until next time, here's a happy seaside Snippet. 


36 comments:

  1. Love the new hair do. Bet he's appreciated it with all this hot weather :-)

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  2. Snippet looks great. He's a lucky dog to have Dartmoor as his usual playground and a trip to the beach for a change. He really seems to be enjoying it. I love the Broad Bodied Chaser image and the last one of Snippet looking out to sea.

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    1. Shame the Broad Bodies Chaser had to be with the zoom....I can't get anywhere near them at the moment.

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  3. awwwwwwwwwwwww, love Snippets haircut !
    In the third photo he looks like thehamish so much ! my son and I just enjoyed all of Snippets photo so much today.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. He does look like a different breed doesn't he?

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  4. Wonderful photos of Snippet. I'm sure he's very grateful for the haircut in this heat even though he had to make a point by taking sticks and bones out of the kennel. My dog Harry loves beaches and sand baths, too.

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  5. Great haircut Snippet! Dog grooming supreme :-). We seem to have lots of gulls at the moment too, never normally visit us, strange?

    Hope you're all staying cool!

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    1. I am not cool in the slightest and yesterday, nearly got caught out walking with a skirt tucked deliberately in my knickers! I wonder what the gull thing is about? Interesting that you're getting them too.

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  6. Snippet was hiding his light under a bushel! He's handsome!
    Jane x

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    1. He certainly looks less like a bear cub now.

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  7. I hardly recognized Snippet! I bet he feels a whole lot better without all that hair in the heat.

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    1. The facial hair cutting is what made the real difference I think.

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  8. The new hair cut takes years off him..

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    1. This is what he was MEANT to look like when he grew up. All that hair sprouted from nowhere in his first year of snow. Now I know I can do it, it will be a regular thing.

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  9. Snippet is looking very smart and must be feeling much cooler. When we had our Border Collie, Higgins, his fur frequently was very dirty and tangled. It was my job to wash, comb, clip, detangle--although he was meant to be Jim's dog. He wasn't at all cooperative, rumbling and getting testy over the process. He loved getting wet!

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    1. Snippet is not keen on getting fully wet. Funny how he's MY dog when anything financial or dirty is involved!

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  10. What a beautiful dog! I especially like the second last image of him standing in the water. The Blue Bodied Chaser looks interesting too - very segmented body compared to most dragonflies here in Aus.

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    1. I'll look forward to seeing your Aussie ones Christian. Those basic day to day creatures don't often get featured on wildlife documentaries. It's all kangaroos and deadly arachnids!

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  11. Snippet's body looks very different, with his smart hair-do, but there's no mistaking that cheeky little face :-D

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  12. Snippet looks so cute with the new hairdo :) Lovely to see him having so much fun on the beach and the Dartmoor Pony photos are gorgeous :)

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    1. Cuter than he really is probably, particularly when in the presence of felines!

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  13. Snips looks wonderful after his hairdo - and I am sure he feels betteer for it in this heat. I take Tess to be cut every two months - wish I dare try it for myself but am scared of making her look like an orphan. She is the first really hairy dog I have had - previous ones have been boxer, pointer and pug. Still miss them all.

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    1. With our potential new puppy likely to have border terrier in it, I've been looking into stripping knives so I can see why you send Tess away to have it done!

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  14. He certainly is a handsome boy. Dogs on the beach always look so happy.

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    1. I'll pass on your compliments but I think he'd rather have a bone!

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  15. Gosh - he looks a different dog and you have learned a very useful skill . . . I could do with a walk that involves water right now - I think I would be jumping in. I don't "do" heat. . . My husband on the other hand, would happily live in the desert!

    Lovely photos, and I see those foals are taking after dad in their colouring.

    Those last two photos are lovely.

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    1. I don't 'do' heat either. Any activity results in extreme sweat and fluster! Thank goodness it's always windy up here.

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  16. What a sleek Snippet! He really is a lucky dog to have such exceptional TLC! I love the photo at Teignmouth, with the red sand rising up in the breaking wave as a backdrop. Your photos of the foal changing colour are quite extraordinary. We also headed for the coast ... with fish and chips at Southwold (and ice cream). Here's to those lazy hazy days ...

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    1. Quite a lot of ice cream was consumed at Teignmouth too, I have to admit.

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  17. Isn't he smart! And pleased with his stylish haircut too! He must feel is much cooler too. My son's dog is a GOlden Retriever who spends as much time as she can in the water in summer - unfortunately no-one ever seems to clip Goldies ... Having seen Snippet, I think they should!

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    1. I think some people can over-snip and their dogs look almost embarrassed at their nakedness, but you're right - a little trim can do no dog any harm unless perhaps you're going to do the dog show thing. I don't think Snippet would do very well there!

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  18. It would be like us wearing big thick fur coat so I'm sure Snippet is thanking you! It looks like he has been enjoying his walks in this lovely weather!

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  19. At least Snippet decided to be naughty after the round with the scissors instead of during it, right? ;) And I think you should get him his own set of clippers so the other 2 users wouldn't be grumbling when you use it again. -Liza @ Pets on Broadway

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