Living in the country, our pets have slightly different qualifications before being selected to live here on the farm.
For instance, Chloe is not your typical farm dog. Being a Maltese/Shi Tzu cross, Chloe must be on a bi-monthly grooming schedule, I found this out the hard way. Because if not, her long hair will collect all sorts of interesting treasures. Foxtails are the number one attraction to Chloe's fur and if they're not found right away, they tend to embed themselves into her skin or become entangled in her hair.
The second, and most horrific hitch hiker found in Chloe's hair is the itty bitty black tick. Now Chloe is protected from ticks but that doesn't keep them from latching on to her hair for a free ride inside the house. The short haircut helps immensely when it comes to both of these issues.
If Chloe had her choice, she would prefer her rag-a-muffin long hair look rather than the buzz cut she gets at the groomers. As a former Cosmetologist, I thought I could keep a handle on grooming Chloe myself. I was wrong. Professional dog groomers do a much better job. After her first grooming experience, Chloe came home buzzed with bows. So cute! We have since learned, Chloe does not do bows, she pulls at them violently until she's ripped them out.
So I Photoshop them in.
Keeps us both happy!
