Sunday, October 31, 2010

Extreme Makeover - Gordon Setter Edition

Next weekend is my Canine Freestyle competition. We have been practicing a lot and I hope that we will get good scores. Barbara said that is important that I look particularly beautiful (probably because she will be looking spectacularly un-beautiful and she needs me to distract people from looking at her) because I will be the only Gordon Setter there and I have to be a good representative of my breed. I knew that this meant extreme dog grooming torture.

This morning Barbara drove Ambrose and me in the dog-crate-on-wheels up to VA to visit my Aunt Karen, who is my breeder, and my biological mom, Misty.



Misty is 10 years old but still quite active and playful and of course very beautiful and good. Whenever I get to see her I always give her a little kiss on the face. She is the only adult dog that I do that to. I am very respectful of my mom.



Misty is a good hostess and let us run all around her house and yard. She was very tolerant of goofy Ambrose who brought all his cooties along and left them everywhere. I noticed that she was carefully marking over all his cootiefyed pee-mail.



After some good play we went down to the special dog grooming torture chamber. Look at the array of evil implements that were laid out to be used on me.



Here is my before picture. I am all tufty and my feet are like bedroom slippers.



My Aunt Karen is quite skilled with dog grooming torture of Gordon Setters. She managed to snip or clip every hair on my body. She was very gentle with me and never let the clippers get hot and never poked me with the shears. I was pretty good through most of the torture, but I did get fussy when she worked on my back feet and when she got close to my ears. Aunt Karen gave me lots of breaks to relax and Barbara gave me liver treats when I behaved myself.



Ta-da! Here is the after photo. I think that I look pretty spiffy.



And I am very happy to have survived all the torture in one piece.



You can see where I get my good looks. That is me in the front and Misty in the back.

9 comments:

Lucy-Fur, as typed by Dr. Liz said...

You are MOST spiffy looking! And we definitely see where you get your good looks from - Mom is a very pretty lady! Good luck at your competition!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

Lorenza said...

Hi, Niamh!
Sure it was great to see your mom, right?
You look gorgeous!
Your Auntie is sooooo good!
I know you are going to do it pawesome!
Good luck!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Duke said...

You and your mom are both gorgeous Gordon's Niamh!
Good luck to you!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Dexter said...

So worth it! You look fantastic. I love your tail.

Slobbers,
mango

MurphyDog said...

Woot Wooooo!

You sure are a pretty gal, Niamh! Beauty obviously runs in your family!

wags, wiggles & slobbers
Murphydog

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

You look so great.. You will really catch the eye of those judges..


Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Agatha and Archie said...

Gosh you sure do look spiffy!! We need a grooming very badly... Archies feet look like clown shoes and my tail cute swat away well really anything!! We have to wait till PL1 has time which we hope is never!! Love A+A

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

MIsty is very beautiful, Niamh! You clearly have very good genes!

By the way, #1 met a gorgeous (she says...) Gordon Setter girl pup at the horse show!

Woofs,
Tommy

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

Very beautiful! Ick! I hate getting groomed!
~lickies, Ludo