and Amy thinks she's going to remove it...

With the expanded roaming range, Ami is now getting more s... in his fur.  

Last night, as I was hand feeding him his midnight (ok, 2 AM) snack, I was reveling in a new step in cuddling with Ami.  As many of you know, he is not a cuddly dog... an ear rub, yummy.  An on schedule, morning belly rub, that's wonderful.  Any other time, "keep your hands off of me!"  Last night, I sat on the floor next to him on his blanket and proceeded to hand feed 2-3 pieces of kibble at a time.  For the first time, not only was I able to rub his ears with the other hand but was able put my arm over his shoulders and he actually leaned into me as I fed him.  This went on for about 10 minutes.

Unfortunately (fortunately?), in doing so, I found an intact burdock in the fur just above his left elbow.  Now, earlier in the day, Ami was in the kitchen and removing some burdocks from his feathers which resulted in him gagging and hacking, pacing frantically, retching and wanting outside (my baby did NOT want to throw up in the house, apparently).  Wayne had me give him some bread in hopes of encapsulating the pieces of burdock, which seemed  to work.  In the process, I googled burdock in the throat and found that burdocks were the original model for velcro and if caught in the throat, risk an abscess.  (You know me, Mrs. Hypochondriac  )  So I did not want to leave the burdock for Ami to remove, which is his preference.  Nor did I want to wreck the moment semi-snuggling.  So I waited until after he finished his snack.

Then the games began   I asked Wayne to feed him bits of cheese while I, I thought, would just do a quick snip with the scissors.  Hah!  First, despite my best efforts, he saw the scissors.  Under the table he goes.  Wayne coaxes him back out with the cheese, he's laughing, Ami has one eye on the cheese, the other on me.  I sit down and feign disinterest.  Ami eats another morsel, I, as nonchalant as I can be approach Mr. Dog, reach for the burdock, he scoots his hind half around to the right, I grab, he ducks under my arm and around to the other side of the table.  By this time, Wayne is laughing so hard, he can barely parcel out the cheese.  It was down hill from here with several variations of the preceding until I finally just grabbed the boy, straddled him, rode him like a bucking broncho, managed to get 2 fingers on the burdock and fur and pulled, using Ami's bolting to finish the removal of the burdock.

And people ask..."How long should a grooming take..."

I am just imagining this rodeo going on and cracking up so hard.

At least you got it out? Small victories? lol.

simplify wrote:

I am just imagining this rodeo going on and cracking up so hard.

At least you got it out? Small victories? lol.

You captured the whole thing in one word...rodeo is sooo accurate

I'm actually not sure if he really just doesn't like me manipulating his coat and paws or if it has just become a game. Once he gets away from me, he stands feet planted, head slightly down with a rather expectant, come get me look We have a small kitchen island, "the butcher block", as well as the kitchen table. What generally happens is he runs around behind/under them just like he does with Archer outside with either the lilac bush or the Adirondack chairs. Sort of like "Three Stooges", husky style

Hahaha. Mishka will do that around our coffee table. Sometimes even if I just need to put his collar back on or ESPECIALLY when I want to put a harness on him. He runs one way, then the other, he will hop over the couch, and BOLT to the bedroom on the bed and repeat. They do keep us on our toes! XD

simplify wrote:

ESPECIALLY when I want to put a harness on him. He runs one way, then the other, he will hop over the couch, and BOLT to the bedroom on the bed and repeat. They do keep us on our toes! XD

Yes!!! what is it about the harness that they do this?!!! I have to get up like 30 minutes early each morning to take Kohdi and Mishka on their morning walk cuz thats how long it takes to get Kohdi "caught" so I can get his harness on...he even tries to stuff his big ass under the bed so I cant get him!!!

Artic_Wind wrote:

simplify wrote:

ESPECIALLY when I want to put a harness on him. He runs one way, then the other, he will hop over the couch, and BOLT to the bedroom on the bed and repeat. They do keep us on our toes! XD

Yes!!! what is it about the harness that they do this?!!! I have to get up like 30 minutes early each morning to take Kohdi and Mishka on their morning walk cuz thats how long it takes to get Kohdi "caught" so I can get his harness on...he even tries to stuff his big ass under the bed so I cant get him!!!

that's the 1 time I don't have a problem - loves his harness!

Oh, no, poor Ami -- and poor Amy!