So, Hudson got a new haircut because we’re taking a trip to an area that has fairly high incidence of Lyme disease. Lyme is tick-borne, so I want to make sure that I can find ticks on him. The thick, soft, heavy, long coat my boy has is definitely not helpful for that. Don’t worry, I haven’t cut away his moustache too much! But man oh man does he look different clipped very short.
It’s not his first time – last summer, we clipped him almost this short. Here’s a picture of him at the lake near my parents’ “cabin”. We went both to the lake and the beach during that trip, and let me tell you, this pooch prefers his water STILL! Even little wavelets disturb his furry little sensibilities.
It surprises me a little how different he looks depending on how long his hair is – he looks so much smaller, so much more poodle-like when he’s clipped down. You can tell with his hair short that he’s got the narrow hips and narrow shoulders of a poodle instead of the blockier build of a lab; only his head has that big squared look to it, which is what makes his muzzle look ENORMOUS in person. His brothers and half-brothers all have daintier heads.
This is the first time I’ve clipped his tail so short, though, and boy does it ever look silly! It starts out what I think of as normal dog tail wideness, but it gets very skinny very quickly- like a poodle’s tail. I’m so used to Labs and Goldens with their big thick tail. I can’t decide if it’s cute, but the boyfriend thinks it’s cute. Well, the boyfriend thinks most things about Hudson are cute, so it’s kind of not a good metric.
The one real bit of bad news was that this very short trim revealed that Hudson’s got a skin problem! Uh-oh! We’re due in to the vet a couple days after we get back from our little vacation. The most likely answer is that he’s got a variety of dandruff called seborrhea, but I’m not sure, because a patch of the affected skin on his tail has lost some hair, which is not typical with seborrhea unless there’s an underlying issue like mites or infection.
My parents are flying out across the country because my dad has a conference and his high school reunion a couple weeks apart on this coast and they decided to make a vacation of it. It’ll mean 6 hours of driving each way for us (OOF) but it’s near enough to where the boyfriend’s family lives that our parents will get to meet. I’m mildly nervous, in part because my mother and his are just about polar opposites in temperment but mostly because it’s the first time I’ve ever had my parents meet a significant other’s parents since I was ooh…15 at most.
I don’t know if the place we’re staying has internet available, so you may get radio silence from me until Monday the 25th or thereabouts.
They’re bringing the little nephew, now just over 2 years old. I don’t know how Hudson will react; he doesn’t have much experience with children and is a bit bewildered by them. The first meeting between Hudson and the nephew did not go well; Hudson was a little worried by the little guy walking over and then my nephew reached out and grabbed Hudson’s tender nose! And this back when Hudson was in his super-scaredy mode, before he at least got to trusting me a bit more. There were a couple of times when we managed to get the nephew to pet Hudson gently, but every incident involved Hudson kind of cringing and clearly wanting to escape. We’re hoping Hudson won’t remember him and the nephew will make a better impression this time around. Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll have some adorable little guy and Hudson pictures. Don’t get your hopes up too high, as I think the most likely answer is more Hudson trying to avoid the boy!
Hi Kali,
Well, now I know why, when I shaved Gadget down every summer, people kept asking me if he was a Labradoodle! They do look pretty similar (except the tail).
I think BMBB is why I’d like to pass the One Lovely Blog Award on to you. Do you accept? Read about it here:
Peace.
Oh my goodness! Sharon, I’m very flattered. I’ll definitely accept, though it will have to wait until we return from our vacation, so middle of next week.
I actually had someone ask if Hudson was a Bouv the day after you commented here! It made me laugh. I also get portuguese water dog a lot, since the First Family got Bo. Mostly, though, people just ask what he is.
I just discovered your blog today. I have eds too and last year I rescued a dog from a shelter and have been training him for balance assistance. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and catching up on previous postings. I’ve added you to my google reader.
I just found you today and have put you in my Google Reader. Cura and I will be following!