Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

I only do it a few times every year - spring, fall, and once in between.  It's not something I look forward to because it takes to long, but I am very happy when it's done.

It's giving Sami and Halle a bath!

Spanning two days, the process goes like this.

Because their fur is so thick, the first step is to brush them really well to remove any of the loose fur.  If I don't do this, it will come loose during the bath and then it tends to cause mats afterward.

Yesterday I got TONS of fur off Sami and Halle - mostly Sami.  It took me about 3 hours to comb and trim them, with Sami huffing and puffing and whining in protest.  Halle doesn't mind - I think she sees it as getting one-on-one time with me!

Today was bath day.  I managed to get it all done in 2 hours!

Sami was first. If I do Halle first, he stresses too much.  He actually doesn't mind the warm water in the shower and the shampoo/rub down.  This is followed by a conditioner which helps prevent their fur from tangling.  Then I dry him as much as possible with towels.

He looks so pitiful, doesn't he?  We think he looks like Eeyore.

Halle was up next.

She really doesn't mind it at all!

Isn't she adorable?

This is what I couldn't live without - my Metro Doggie Blow Dryer!

Rather than blowing hot air to dry their fur, it blows cool - but really forceful - air.

 You can actually see the water blowing off in the air.

Halle is pretending her head is in the wind riding in the car!

Just to show you how powerful it is, here is a picture of my nice, toned, muscular thigh  :)

 And here is my nice, toned muscular thigh with the air blowing on it!

OK, so bath time is done!

The first thing Sami does is go lay down in the dirt.

Halle doesn't take any chances that I will do anything else to her today.  She hides under the rhododendron!

They are all set for our visitors on Saturday.  A couple from Westchester County in New York is coming up to meet them.  They are thinking about getting a Finnish Lapphund from Shadagrace Finnish Lapphunds in Winnipeg, Canada and that's kind of a long trip for just a visit.  So instead they will meet a Lappy from Shadagrace - Halle.  If you look at the dogs on their website, you can see Halle's mother, Skyla, and her father, Oakley.