I don't have a picture of her yet, and she might want me to spare her the humiliation of being posted online in her new, relatively naked, state, but I finally broke down and had my dog shaved.
I have an American Eskimo dog and we've resisted shaving her for years because Eskie coats, once shaved, tend to grow back in in a coarser, woollier, texture, and because she has pink skin and could sunburn if she spent too much time outdoors. However, she's sixteen years old now and no longer willing to tolerate prolonged brushing sessions, and I think she's both too arthritic and too cognitively dim to withstand trips to the regular groomer's (this is not an issue with the groomer. We have no reason not to trust our regular kennel/groomer and I would recommend them in a heartbeat. I just think my dog as an individual is a little past being able to deal with it all). She had her annual check-up on Friday and not only did she try to bite Dad and I as we put her in the car--a first--but she was absolutely terrible during the exam.
Also, to be honest, I'd feel like a total jerk inflicting my chronically-sore, slightly-senile, seizure-prone, old dog on a groomer. I know they get paid to deal with animals, but working with animals is hard enough without having to handle animals who probably shouldn't be in the situation in which they've been put.
However, she was also smelly, blowing her coat in the spring heat, and, since her allergies have gotten worse as she's gotten older, developing skin problems. Our veterinarian now has a groomer in-house, which means that a) someone is on hand who can safely sedate her if needed, for the sake of both dog and groomer, and b) if she freaks out and something happens, medical attention is right around the corner.
She looks tiny. And naked. When I posted a "fat pic"
of her on Flickr and swore she was only fluffy, I meant it. Undressed,
she clearly didn't fall victim to middle/old-age spread.
She doesn't go out much any more, anyway, so sunburn is no longer a worry. She'll be cooler. She'll be much easier to keep clean, and it will be easier for us to keep an eye on her skin (the vet noted that she never did get the thinning fur that some elderly Eskies get. I've seen dogs who were furrier, but only chow-chows, Samoyeds, and well-groomed Pomeranians. This dog has a serious coat on her).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Now I need to get my own hair cut. I'm not going as far as the bob again, but I need about 6 inches cut off to even things up.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Butterick 4865 (1976?): Tubular shirt-dress or tunic and pants. There are two Seventies patterns on here this time; so sue me.
I needed something summery to wear with the engineer boots. I'm hoping to find a shirt-weigh gray and black plaid, and I might make the collar more pointed, like a normal shirt collar.
Simplicity 7673 (1976): The square-necked blouse is meh but I like View 3 with the cross-over inset. I might actually lengthen it into a dress, and probably add bust darts. I like the blue and red version at left.
McCall 5118 (1943): All-purpose blazer. I'm not sure if I'll do the patch or welt pockets--I'm sort of leaning toward welt right now--but this will be brown corduroy with brown print cotton lining, to wear with my 1940's housedresses this fall.
Simplicity 2937 (1949): Fashion goes sort of Charles Eames here. This is kind of underwhelming from a learning-potential standpoint, but I kind of like the low-level drama. This might force me to get my ears pierced so I can actually wear my lovely Mexican silver earrings.
Simplicity 3428 (1940): Day dress with tucked bodice and raised midriff.
Wartime models always look so athletic and purposeful.
Advance 8476 (1957): I don't do a lot of 1950's dresses, but that red and black dress in particular is pretty awesome.
Advance 3705 (1944): Adorable housedress with darted waist.
Advance 3664 (1944): Housecoat or wrap-over housedress.
For some reason, I feel like this needs to be made out of something printed with carrots.
Comments