[techwife]

I have the most wonderful dog I've ever, ever known could exist. He is so loving and caring and loves to sit on me and go for walks and just loves everybody and hasn't got a mean bone in his body...

unless..

I'm trying to brush him. At this point, he becomes a total and complete jerk!! I can't say as I blame him to a point because he has so much fur and little knots and things...it can't be too comforable and he is a BOY and what boy likes to be groomed? But the fact remains that he's an old english sheepdog and NEEDS to be brushed out...at least moderately...every day. But he growls, bites and fights me the whole way. He's already been shaved once in the fall, and I don't want to do it again. Everyone tells me I need a grooming table, but in order to accomodate his sheer girth (he's 110 lbs!!) I'd need a $400 table with hydraulics!! I have a plastic brush and the teeth keep snapping out of it...which tells me maybe I'm getting little too rough with the brushing, but if I don't get a little rough, I can't get into the undergrowth and get the knots out.

Any suggestions?

I attached a picture of Junior when he was a puppy last summer. Now he's the size of a twin size mattress and all the black fur it gray. Isn't he cute?

[happydaisy]

I don't know what to tell you about the grooming (I'm a pug lover - not much of a grooming issue there ) except to maybe make it as positive as you can (i.e. treats, a walk immediately following, lots of praise etc.. I just wanted to tell you I think he's gorgeous!! What's his name?

[BeatlesFan]

Hi techwife! I had an OES growing up, but I am currently the loving Momma to a Bearded Collie (and several other critters and kids) I groom Beardie at home and I just sit on the bathroom floor and groom him. He doesn't get as nervous as he would on a table and he gets to immediately strut his sexy new self around the house.

As far as grooming I've had great luck with an undercoat rake. Good luck and enjoy your gigantic ball of fur.

[Sarah Ann]

Techwife, you have my total sympathy! I am owned by a couple of black labs and I hate grooming them. The only thing I can suggest is to make it in to a great big cuddling and petting session.

Luckily labs don't take much grooming but the day before yesterday my older one decided to add the delicate of fox muck to his body by rolling in it. I should have turned the hose on him but it was snowing so I decided to shower him. Luckily we have one of those wet-room kind of showers - well... getting him in there on the tile floor was probably the best work out I've ever had, then, of course, he shook... a lot.... leaving a million little black hairs all over the white tiles and ceiling - but he wasn't finished yet - then he went racing to the kitchen and did the same there.

I wouldn't be without him though!

Next time we go to the big pet store I'll take a look at what's available over here for grooming OES - you never know, there may be something different.