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FoxersArtist
10-10-2008, 10:51 PM
Here are some before and after pictures of Brutus, AKA Boo. To date Andy and I are compromising on the names and collectively calling him "Brew" which works because his coloring looks like a good ale and his design seems like only that which could have been created by someone under the influence. LOL! Well see how the name transformations continue to play out as the days go by. :haha:

Brutus had a bath today and I have no earthly idea how it was accomplished. The dog was mainly an outdoor dog, I think and seems to have few skills interacting with people, but he is catching on quickly. This being said, getting him into the tub (which he entirely filled up) was a bit of an adventure. Front paws first, stubborn back paws next. 110lb lady vs. 130lb muppet wanna be - who do you think won?

Well, Brutus won the first round. I tried to bathe him in the oval tub in our bathroom but he jumped right out of that as soon as I turned the water on. I dreaded using the other tub, which was a typical sized tub that be just barely fit in. Front feet in first and my back is still hurting from trying to hoist his rear into a tub that he did not want to be in. I was certain that this dog could crush me in one rebellious movement and if he sat on me, I would be sure to become smothered by the hairest rump in existance. Good thing Brew is such an easy going guy. He both spared me and spared the bathroom, mostly. I had invisioned that he might bound right through the sliding glass doors on our shower and the whole room might shatter, but instead he tried to scale the other wall. He stood up in the tub (and he was taller than me!!!) but when he came crashing down he punched a few small holes in the top of the tub with his nails. I was greatful that this is the only damage that was done and after that he decided to hold still. In fact, he held so still that I could not pry his rear off of the drain plug to drain the water. So...with great hesitation I coaxed him out of the full tub with some cheese and he took half the tub full of water with him and prompty ran into the livingroom and shook on the carpet (which is still wet, BTW!) I am certain that if Brutus should ever be bathed again, he will go to a groomer even though the experience was priceless!

No one qued me onto the fact that great pyrenees dogs have waterproof coats and once you get their undercoat wet, it is nearly impossible to dry. At first I thought I would never get him wet and then I feared I would never get him dry. I toweled him but realized about 4 hours later that he was dry on the outside but not the inside, so back into the bathroom we went for a nice warm blow dry. He is still just a bit damp in a few spots and I think I'm going to try to blow dry him one more time tonight.

As a reward for such a hard day, I took him for a short walk down the street. After we got home, he had some turkey bacon with his supper and I think that really buttered him up. He is a little on the thin side so I have been giving him some peanut butter and some extra bits of meat.

The birds came inside tonight and though they seemed a little freaked out by Brew, he payed them absolutely no mind at all. I am absolutely in love with this giant silly creature and am so glad he found his way to us. No new news on the other dog, Braveheart.

Before:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo004.jpg


Brushed and bathed but wet:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo011.jpg

After his blow dry:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo013.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo014.jpg

Already learning that he can beg for scraps...oh, and also that he can easily just lean over and steal some scraps from gabes high chair. We'll have to work on that.
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo019.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Sloan%20Family/Boo017.jpg

Enjoy!
-Anna

Chrissy and Flock
10-10-2008, 11:37 PM
Anna I would definately let the groomers have him... it is worth the money. He is an awesome looking baby.... I know what you mean about getting him dry, cocker spaniels are the same way... some thing to do with being water dogs the hair is actually hollow and fills up with water.

MoluccanZoey
10-11-2008, 12:24 AM
Much better! You did a good job! I don't think a person has lived until they have given a LARGE dog a bath in their bathtub. Or a medium one that *really* doesn't want to cooperate.
BTW Anna- I'll have to see if I can find it (or have my mom look) but when I was a kid my family had an Akita/German Shepherd. My parents have a picture of me riding him, and using his ears to steer! (I was only a year or less). You SO need pictures of your kids riding him! But I'm sure there will be time for that. Those big laid-back dogs are such fun.

Larry, Baby and Me
10-11-2008, 04:18 AM
Much better! You did a good job! I don't think a person has lived until they have given a LARGE dog a bath in their bathtub. Or a medium one that *really* doesn't want to cooperate.
BTW Anna- I'll have to see if I can find it (or have my mom look) but when I was a kid my family had an Akita/German Shepherd. My parents have a picture of me riding him, and using his ears to steer! (I was only a year or less). You SO need pictures of your kids riding him! But I'm sure there will be time for that. Those big laid-back dogs are such fun.

Hi Heather... I don't want to hurt your feelings - for what I have read... dogs should never be ridden. They do not have the spine structure like a horse and their backs can be severly damaged by the weight of even a small baby placed on them.

Lar

FoxersArtist
10-11-2008, 01:10 PM
I didn't want to say anything...:smiles:

Irish wolfhounds in particular have raised spines (something that Brutus inherited too) and they are very fragile. It is very tempting to allow the kids to ride him because he's so huge but it could really hurt him in the long run.
-Anna

Julie
10-11-2008, 02:11 PM
Anna, if you ever do attempt to bathe him again we take our pit into the shower with us. We have a shower head that is attached to one of those long hoses and it works wonders.... He is a cutie, even if he has the "wind-blown" look to him!

Chrissy and Flock
10-11-2008, 05:12 PM
One of the clients at the shop I am training at has a Irish Wolfhound, I have not yet met him but it probably wont be long. Oh and I am 5' tall....