From Purgatory to Paradise

Sometimes it's tough to be a dog.  Especially one of my dogs.  First, I get a little glint in the eye.  Then I put on a grooming smock.  Then dogs start disappearing.  I guess I could take the easy way out and just get them clipped down by a groomer every few weeks.  But I love the look of a stripped coat.  Plus the fact I keep trying to get better at grooming.  Hard to do if you don't have a dog or two to practice on. 

So, today was the day.  First it was toenails.  Everybody hates having nails done.  I tell them it's part of the price to live here.  The smock went on and a black dog was grabbed and taken.  It happened to be Blue, who, after 5 years of this, stoically submits with a certain amount of grace.  A couple of hours later (after fortifying myself with some lunch), it was Vivi's turn.  Being still relatively new to the ins and outs of grooming, she does the circle game:  every time I grab one end, she turns to present the opposite one to me.  It's an exhausting dance for her and for me.  Not to say it doesn't have it's own little rhythm after a few minutes.  But still.  It sure would be easier -- and faster -- if I didn't have to keep turning her around and/or circling the table myself.

She's learning though that there are certain compensations for beauty work.  If you wait long enough, patiently enough, something wonderful happens.  You get to get DOWN.  And not only DOWN, but OUTSIDE.  Where all kinds of surprises can be awaiting................

TABLE PURGATORY

PARADISE