Half The Dog That He Was

Yesterday (Friday) saw Wolfie take a trip to the local dog groomers - following a conversation last weekend with another Keeshond owner we took their advice to get Wolfie's undercoat stripped out.  The groomer is one that we use for our own dogs and sometimes our guests and he is familiar with dealing with double coated dogs.  We had tried stripping Wolfie out ourselves but it wasn't a particularly successful exercise so, with the authority of Wolfie's hufamily the dog groomers it was. 

The village where the groomers is based is just a short drive away and Wolfie happily leaped into the Jeep for the 10 minute trip - John, the groomer, said he would give us a ring when Wolfie was ready to be collected.  Though Wolfie would miss out on his morning walk it did mean that walking the 4 guests left, Kiva and Mylo could be done in one shift.
As things transpired Wolfie wasn't ready to be collected until 2.30 - 5 hours after being dropped off.  On my arrival to collect him I saw a somewhat smaller but very smart looking Wolfie - next to him were 4, yes FOUR, carrier bags filled with his stripped out undercoat - what a transformation.

The difference really is amazing - to the uneducated eye Wolfie still looks like an incredibly fluffy dog however when he walks and runs his coat now bounces and gets caught in the breeze - I think that Impi approves too.

Of course we must remember that we don't just have Wolfie staying at Dogs to Stay as Wheeto and Oreo are with us 'till early May as well as Stig and Impi being with us for the weekend.
Impi has settled in remarkably, we were, at first, concerned that she and Kiva might not get on, we have past experience of them not being sisterly, however the 2 of them are no trouble at all.  Impi is very taken by Wolfie, the expression "joined at the hip" springs to mind.  At just 8 months Stig is a hooligan, in the nicest way of course.  He has tried to dominate everyone, with the exception of Wolfie; Wheeto was the focus of his attentions at first - Wheeto was NOT impressed, then it was Oreo, sadly for Stig to no avail, at just 5 months little Oreo is more than able to look after himself.

Stig then turned his attentions to Mylo - not the wisest decision as Mylo doesn't tolerate being harassed, one bark from him was all it took for Stig to know who was boss, lesson learned.  With just one dog left to try to impress he turned his attention to his mum, Kiva - another lesson quickly learned; Kiva, like Mylo, doesn't like being messed with - however she is quick to forgive.

The weather has been fabulous, more summer than spring like, so the dogs have been able to enjoy the free run of the garden.  We still have a full compliment of flowers, bushes and shrubs and have no new holes in the lawn or flower beds.  OK the trellis has a few more holes in it that it did before Oreo arrived but hey ho, what's a trellis without a few holes?
Just another day at Dogs to Stay.