My dog blows (her coat) June 22, 2014
Posted by mareserinitatis in pets, photography.Tags: dogs, Gigadog, newf, newfoundlands, pets, pictures, teradog
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Newfoundland dogs have this funny habit of losing their undercoats a couple times a year, something people refer to as “blowing coat.” I suspect this is because fur ends up everywhere: it’s not unlike blowing insulation into your attic. Teradog doesn’t do it so much, but Gigadog definitely does. She seems to do this twice a year: once in summer and once in winter. (I don’t understand why she loses undercoat in January, but I suspect it’s because she’s inside an awful lot.) Anyway, to get an idea of what this looks like, I’ve included a picture. This is one of about a dozen groomings she’s had in the past 3-4 days.
As you may be able to tell, she’s pretty relaxed. She seems to enjoy being brushed (I think this losing of the undercoat makes her itch). Teradog, on the other hand, hates being groomed. I suspect it’s because he wasn’t groomed much before we got him. He also has a much more cottony coat which is prone to clumping and tangling, and he’s had problems with skin infections in the past. Because we simply can’t get him to cooperate with regular grooming, he gets a shave in the beginning of every summer. I do keep trying to get him acclimatized to regular brushing, but we’ve not had much luck. It’s too bad, though, because I really enjoy brushing the pups. Either way, I think it looks funny because even though he’s about 40 pounds heavier than Gigadog, she looks bigger with a full coat.
Wordless Wednesday: Newfie Nose April 30, 2014
Posted by mareserinitatis in pets, photography.Tags: dogs, Gigadog, newf, newfoundlands, pictures, wordless wednesday
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How Newfs are like toddlers January 25, 2014
Posted by mareserinitatis in pets.Tags: dogs, newf, newfoundlands
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A friend recently was asking about some of the behavioral characteristics of Newfoundlands. My description was basically that they’re big, fuzzy toddlers. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how true it was. I figured I’d elaborate on many of the similarities.
1 – They need naps. (If they’re not moving, they’re probably napping!)
2 – They drool a lot. If you’re smart, you have bibs on hand.
3 – The best way to understand something is to stick it in your mouth.
4 – Even though they’re potty trained, you still have to clean up messes regularly.
5 – They’re happy to see you when you get home. They can come running up to you and cause you to lose your balance in their excitement.
6 – They are very sad when you leave, and there is no way to assuage the guilt.
7 – They make messes. Lots of them. Carpets and upholstered furniture aren’t safe.
8 – You need to be concerned when they’re too quiet (sneaking food and taking it behind the couch, anyone?). Conversely, they’re terrifying when they’re really loud.
9 – Some of them really hate it when you brush their hair.
10 – They have ways of letting you know that no one could ever love you more than they do.
Anyone else have some they can share?
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