Airedales can look cute, cuddly, and adorable or smart, sleek, and stylish. I think it mostly depends on appearance, particularly, the length of their hair. (Of course, whether you want to cuddle an Airedale may also depend on whether her hair is brushed and whether she smells clean and fresh.) This is Nona, ungroomed (with her ears in helicoptor mode) ready and willing for a hug, a pet, a cuddle.
But the thing with letting an Airedale's hair grow is that it grows and grows and grows until it's a shaggy, straggly mess. For Airedales, grooming includes clipping or
stripping their coats. Since Nona's not a show girl she gets a clip.
But a bath comes before a clip. I didn't take any bath photos because we were a little busy with water, shampoo, cleaning her fur, and rinsing. Too much water for a phone. She didn't love her bath but she was agreeable. At least she didn't try to jump out of the tub mid-bath, and she mostly waited till she was towel-dried and covered with a towel before shaking. Good girl!
The day after her bath, I gave Nona a clip. There are no photos of that, either. It's been more than four years since I clipped an Airedale so I was a
little out of practice and paying close attention. We got the job done but let's just say there
will be some editing, adjustments, and improvements to the clip over the next few weeks. Thanks goodness hair grows!
All clean, dry, and clipped, Nona was a happy girl, especially as she rolled around in the grass. I love her big smile.
Five days after the clip I took her for a spay. She was pleased and excited when we arrived at the vet's office
yesterday morning. She's a social girl and loves to be out and about meeting and greeting people. I filled out some forms and then she happily walked away with the vet
tech--and I sorrowfully drove home.
Later in the afternoon I went to get her. The tech went over home-going instructions with me, then went back to bring Nona to the outer office. During that time, a couple
with two cats in carriers came in for an appointment. When Nona arrived
with the vet tech, she glanced at me, gave me the side-eye, then stopped
to greet the other humans. I wondered how long it
would take me to get back in her good graces. Thankfully, it wasn't
long.
Poor girl. I know she wasn't in pain but gosh, she was dopey. She just stood, or stood near me to get pets. She finally decided to lie down, then fell asleep for a while. A few hours later, I offered her a little food. She accepted the food but refused to drink water.
When the vet called after surgery to report, I asked whether she could go up stairs, since that's where the bedrooms are. He said it would be fine as long as she didn't race up the steps. So we went up to bed later in the evening (after she went outside and did nothing).
She's happier today but doesn't have much energy. I was hoping she would leave the incision alone but as a precaution, I put a men's tank top over her head and pulled it back to cover her back and belly. I think I added insult to injury when, after I saw her head too close to her incision, I pulled another shirt over her from behind with her tail in the head hole and her legs in the arm holes, to make it harder for her to get anywhere near the incision.. I'm glad it's not a hot day!
I'm confident she'll be back to her happy self soon, with a healed belly and hair a little longer, looking a little like she did a month ago, below.
We are enjoying this cooler weather and looking forward to plenty of walks and outdoor play this fall.
We hope all is well with you.
Nancy and Nona
