Another photo of Cutter to demonstrate what a difference a proper grooming can make.
Thank you to every one who expressed their likes and dislikes about schnauzer hair....clipped hair vs.NOT. I wasn't surprised being that most people that have a purebred dog are attracted to the breed visually, then (hopefully) they explore the breed traits and if they love 'em, or, can at least survive 'em they choose the breed for themselves.
Occasionally over the years owners of our schnauzers have sent me similar photos to those I have shared of Hope, void of the long hair on the legs (we call those furnishings) beard and brows. The first few times an audible gasp involuntarily escaped from me. When I use to groom dogs for a living I refused to trim schnauzers in this manner, just could not bring myself to running the clippers over them to that extent. Gosh there was a time when I would never of thought to even clipper the coat of my retired dogs, I didn't clipper Hugo's jacket until he was past 12 years of age.
How times change, I cannot wait to clip most of my dogs down if they do not have a show career, and immediately the clippers come out once they complete their show championship. If you have owned a Senior Schnauzer you will marvel at the 'grungy beard dreadlocks' their saliva can produce as they age, most senior schnauzers eventually sport a beard similar to what they had growing in at about 4 weeks of age, I think of it as 'beard growth reversal' as they move further into the double digit years of their lives.
Many MANY of my views have turned around drastically the last several years. Perhaps it is related to years of experience with the breed, maybe it is my own age and realizing that life is indeed short and do I really want to spend a big block of that time grooming dogs?? I know as my breeding program matures I have less and less time for a poor coat, I want a harsh, wiry, fully rotating coat that takes only minutes not hours to keep in shape. For instance, I popped Fiddle on the grooming table Thursday, she was looking like some kind of schnoodle-doodle, in less then 45 minutes I had her coat raked of undercoat, long guard hairs stripped out and looking like a handsome schnauzer once more. Fiddle's coat has set the bar pretty high for me when it comes to a schnauzer coat.
One more question for ya all. Would it be worth my while to put together a grooming video on the Standard Schnauzer that covers the technique of hand stripping as well as a 'proper' pet clip?
Advice on how to quickly tidy up your Schnauzer in minutes to keep them looking good between trips to the grooming salon? For those that don't want to do the job themselves, maybe advice on what to ask your groomer for so that you end up with a decent trim for your dollars. God knows I have seen the horrible job that many professional groomers do to the breed.
Anything else that you wish someone would show you how to do yourself? Let me know.
I am enjoying the growth of Hope's coat, from fully shaved ( click here for the video of her ) to the new formation of short beard and brows. I have to admit I have totally loved her shaved down look and have contemplated keeping her that way.
What do you think, thumbs UP or DOWN on the smooth coated Schnauzer look?
Hopefully the biting cold weather is on the move and I can start pulling out the rather shaggy winter coats the dogs have been sporting. Hexe is at the top of the list to have her coat stripped out.
Last year I started clipping Hexe's coat, being black it immediately began to fade and lose the wonderful deep black colour. I decided that I would attempt to strip out her coat and see if I could restore it to it's original glory. Yesterday I spent almost two hours pulling at Hexe's coat, what a job...and it still looks like hell :-(
I will continue and see how long it takes to get it looking nice again, I am hoping one or two full strip outs should have it growing back in with proper texture and colour. Will post photos over the months to show the results.
Such a lovely day yesterday we did a little photo shoot with Hexe in all her wavy undercoat. I am a little biased but doesn't she look gorgeous.
Changing the topic but still about Schnauzers, friend Patti of Torhaus Standard Schnauzers has handsome 10 month old Hershey (photo below) available to the right home.
You will remember Hershey as the wonderful WMPP (Worlds Most Perfect Pup) photographed at the beach with Beamish last summer.
If you have been thinking about a Standard Schnauzer, or, better yet, a second one, drop an email to Patti and she would be happy to talk further about this super young boy.
Go to my website HERE for more details.
I did manage to have Schnauzer Noah and his owner over for a small grooming and show ring preparation lesson. Hopefully my head was clear enough that Heather picked up some handy tips for getting Noah ready for his first show. Noah is a pup from our breeding last year of Finn and Abby, and what a handsome man he has grown up to be. His owner is doing a super job on his coat, Noah was extremely well behaved considering how long we had him on the grooming table.
Below are a few pics I snapped before they left. In past photos Heather has sent me I have always thought Noah looked most like his mom Abby, in person I was floored by how he resembled his wonderful dad Finn.
Why is it whenever I clip one of the dogs down the temperature drops? Poor Gussy, I no sooner gave her a nice trim and baby it got cold outside. Lucky a friend knit two beautiful sweaters for my schnauzers a couple years ago, Gussy didn't put up any fuss as I slipped this one on her. I think she looks wintry and festive in the blue sweater.
As promised my shaggy dog Fiddle looking a little less shaggy then when photographed a few weeks back
No it's not a fabla-doodle-super-schnoodle or what ever the latest mixed breed fad is, this is a Standard Schnauzer in glorious full 'blown' coat. People see the Standard Schnauzer at dog shows or when visiting a breeder in beautiful hand stripped, tidy show coat, many ask me what happens if you just leave the coat to grow in....well this is what happens :-)) Doesn't she look adorable!
I will be pulling all this long coat out over the next couple of weeks and will post an after shot up of the same dog. But in the mean time I am enjoying taking lots of photos of her in her marvelous shaggy wiry coat.
Thirteen year old Jewels and her ten year old daughter Gussy sporting their too long winter coats pose yesterday for a before photograph.
And today they are both a heck of a lot less hairy, and rather pleased with themselves.
Monday the clippers were taken to Cutter as well. I had been attempting to keep Cutter in a hand-stripped coat, but finally I gave in and gave him a new, short, tidy Spring clip as well.
Cutter is such a weenie when it comes to grooming, he is pathetic about every plucked hair. Clipping him down was a lot less traumatic for Cutter....and less annoying to do.
I actually think he looks very handsome.
