Yet another haircut

Meadow's coat had gotten quite long. Summer was here, regardless of what the calendar said; Seattle's weather had been unseasonably sunny and warm in June. So, on June 13th, I subjected Meadow to yet another haircut.

In the photo above, she's unhappily waiting for me to start. Mind you, before starting with the clippers, I've spent hours - spread over many days - raking as much of her winter undercoat out of her fur. She hates that even more than the clippers. I've filled several plastic grocery bags full of that same undercoat. Unless you've been lucky enough to have lived with a northern breed dog, you have no clue just how much fur comes off these dogs every year!

And Meadow is a "woolly" Malamute. Within each Malamute breed line, the woolly gene lurks, waiting to express itself and irritate humans. The woolly's coat is extra thick and long, and requires tons of regular grooming attention. By the time Meadow was a year old I realized the best way for me to manage her fur was to buy some professional grade clippers and teach myself how to give a dog a haircut.

My efforts have improved over time, and Meadow is also more patient with me. I honestly believe that while she dislike the process, she loves the results. After each haircut, I see a definite new bounce in her step and she's always more playful for days. Almost like she's showing off her new 'do.


Meadow post-haircut. Finn treats the larger tufts of fur as toys, biting them. Long ago I learned it's best to give the haircut outside, and to wear clothing least likely to attract dog hair.

That's my girl!