Jasper-Shearing Day

Happy Easter, everyone! We celebrated with our annual Bread Bunny from Great Harvest:


Then we got going on the work of the day: clipping Jasper. Since we're on our fourth day of snow in four days of spring, we first set up the space heater to warm up the porch. To be a little kinder to our backs, we also decided to work on the table instead of on the floor.

Here's very fuzzy Jasper before we got started:




We brushed him out, then started clipping. Here he is after a first pass over half his body (left side of photo still fuzzy, right side clipped).


To get at his belly, Alex had to hold him up. Jasper is mustering an enthusiastic face for the camera but generally didn't enjoy this part too much.


We used a combination of clippers and scissors, depending on the angle we needed, the consistency of the hair, and Jasper's level of tolerance for the whole affair. Most of his head and neck were scissored, along with most of his legs. Lucky for him, most of his walks come in the evening, so there shouldn't be too many other dogs about to laugh at our incompetence as groomers.

Here he is as we were finishing up for the day, almost four hours after we started. He had so much extra hair (and some matting, despite our best efforts with the brushing all winter) under his ears and around his throat and neck that having it cut away has really changed his whole shape. I'm still trying to get used to his new face!


See, we told you there were eyes under there!


Jasper and his pile of fuzz:




So, Phase 1 is complete. Phase 2, which will occur sometime this week or next weekend, involves a good scrubbing in the bath and further tidying up and trimming on his legs and neck.