Introducing Rosie

[Bodee]

Hi Boyd, Rosie went into season at the start of Feb just before she was 7 months old. Poor wee thing - her rear end swelled up like a baboon. She ended up having a split season as her mammary glands have only just gone down.

When she was in season I walked her very early in the morning and late in the evening and had no trouble at all. She's always been an affectionate girl but since going into season she became even more cuddly and loves to lie at my feet or beside me on the sofa.

She was very attentive to her own hygiene when necessary and we'd only a few drops of blood to clean up. She usually lies on a blanket on the sofa/carpet and was happy to have an old towel on top to save the furnishings.

We had wondered about letting her have 3 or 4 seasons before getting a stud dog then keeping one pup as a companion for Rosie but she really isn't in to being friendly with other dogs and we think it would upset the equilibrium in the house too much so I think that we've decided to spay her at the end of May/early June but that's subject to my wife not changing her mind.

Sam, this sounds silly but I'm beginning to think I may have missed Milla going into season. There was some swelling but not much and she did go down there quite a bit but there has been no visible signs of blood. The only possible sign might be that she has been a bit faddy with her food over the past 2-3 weeks.

I will wait until she is 9 months and if nothing happens I will take her into the vet to see what he thinks.

[Schnauzer Sam]

Sam, this sounds silly but I'm beginning to think I may have missed Milla going into season. There was some swelling but not much and she did go down there quite a bit but there has been no visible signs of blood. The only possible sign might be that she has been a bit faddy with her food over the past 2-3 weeks.

I will wait until she is 9 months and if nothing happens I will take her into the vet to see what he thinks.

Hi Boyd, that's how Rosie started. She became very faddy with her food which is something we hadn't seen in her before as she was very food orientated. A few weeks later was when the swelling started. It's very possible that Milla's first season is very "understated" and indeed there may have been very few visible signs. Next time round she'll be much more mature and will probably have all the correct levels of hormones to have a "normal" and complete season.

[Schnauzer Sam]

What a rotten Easter Break we had here in Guernsey. The weather was generally horrible with a couple of warm and sunny spells. This afternoon we got to Moulin Huet (pronounced Wet). Schanuzer's have very spindly looking legs when the furnishings are wet. I think she still looks lovely !

[carolinh]

Yes she still looks great...and one day it will get to spring and the rain will finally go away..I hope!...mine don't like the wet at all.
Caroline

[Robin black mini]

Hi s Sam.. I'd get her a waterproof coat,I've used gillrugs.uk many times for their waterproofs ..so lightweight they pack into your pocket...
Nowadays I sew my own coats as my girl walks all weathers,snow,rain etc but always wearing a coat...I keep her legs cut short so they are easy to dry...but the stripped coat is a boon under therain coat as its water repellent and so easy care .

[Schnauzer Sam]

Hi Jo,

She has 2 waterproof coats - a winter one and a lightweight one. We were walking on the southern cliffs of Guernsey and on a whim (the sun came out) ended up on the beach at Moulin Huet and Rosie decided to explore the beach with no experience of rock pools and ended up in a "puddle" of water that was actually 9" deep. She wasn't in long though! I must be a bit soft because immediately after I took the photo I wrapped her in my jacket and carried her back to the car.

[Robin black mini]

Hi Sam..you did well to pop her under your coat to keep her warm..small dogs lose body heat so fast as their surface area is huge related to their small volume..I really miss the beaches in uk,we used to live by the seaside there and walk every day in whipping wind and loved every minute of it!
How is your stripping going?

[Schnauzer Sam]

Hi Jo,

I've been carding out the soft undercoat now for about a month and the salt and pepper colouring is really coming through. I'm stripping this off with a course Mars knife and she's very tolerant of it all though I do get an old fashioned stare if, on occasion, I forget to keep her skin taut

I'll take a few pictures and add them here and will appreciate all constructive criticism and advice.

[Robin black mini]

Hi Jo,

I've been carding out the soft undercoat now for about a month and the salt and pepper colouring is really coming through. I'm stripping this off with a course Mars knife and she's very tolerant of it all though I do get an old fashioned stare if, on occasion, I forget to keep her skin taut

I'll take a few pictures and add them here and will appreciate all constructive criticism and advice.

Sounds like it's going well..may I suggest you also get a fine knife so you can get the coat shorter as you progress with her stripping..I can see her wire is coming in well ,and she will have a lovely colour.
I suspect you are trimming under the eye at the top of her nose bridge..best if you can let the hair grow here and it will soon be part of the beard.Keep stripping every week...takes less time and the coat will transform fast.
Also,you can start trimming around her feet,under pads etc...I use my clippers here on 1mm setting...keeps the feet easier to clean/ dry.....I have dog standing on table for this and lift feet like a shod horse.
Are you going to clip head / ears or strip? I do the former on 2mm setting.

[Schnauzer Sam]

I'm stripping her every Saturday at the moment but carding twice a week. Her coat is lying flatter (no fluff below holding it up) but I was wondering how to get it shorter - seems you pre-empted my query - use a fine knife!

I've been trying to strip her head and that seems OK with her but I will clip her ears and butt!

Very observant on your behalf about her eyes. I do trim them into a little "batman" mask but I can let them grow into her beard.

Poor wee thing's really off colour at the moment. The last few days she's been hiding under beds to be on her own and has gone off her food again. I thought it might be hormonal as she had a split first season and phantom pregnancy.

She has a raging temperature and just wants to sleep. When she wakens, she wants cuddled, then drinks, does her business and goes back to sleep. Most unlike her.

When I walked her at lunchtime yesterday there was some blood in her poop so I took her to the vet who thinks it's gastrointestinal and has put her on antibiotics/bland food. She walked this morning with a little coaxing and took some roast chicken pieces when handfed as she was disinterested in her food. If I see no improvement today then I'll take her back to the vet on Saturday - I just want my wee girl back.

[Oscar 12345]

Hope Rosie feels better soon Sam.

I am curious about the fine knife and still a newbie when it comes to stripping. I like to understand the logic of the tools and how they work. How does it make the coat shorter? I am using a coarse knife recommended by Jo I think. Otto's coat is lovely and wiry but quite long and I would like it shorter particularly for Summer.

[Robin black mini]

Sam..you ve been to the beach recently..it could be she's drunk a bit of salt water to cause her upset..keep her well hydrated..
Give her a probiotic..enterogermina,straight into her mouth..comes as a liquid in a vial..mine get this weekly as a norm.
Also, I would test her faeces for worms..these too can cause a blood stained stool..we do this every few months ,even if my dogs are on cardotek plus( heartgard) for filaria and worms here..
I would think her symptoms are from her gastro issues...I know it can be caused by hormones,but in over 50 yrs with females,I've never had this happen. Hope she's back to normal soon for you.

Sam and Oscar..I will put up a post soon specifically on getting the coat shorter..I'm really pleased with robins coat now as its really short and keeping this up was with a combo of knives.

[Oscar 12345]

Jo, thanks, I will look forward to reading that.

[Robin black mini]

Oscar have you got a fine knife ? I actually find the Mars fine better at the moment for the neck areas and the df for the shoulder / thigh...
If you have to buy just one I'd get the Mars fine for now ( cheaper and works well..)

[Oscar 12345]

Jo

I have just ordered the danish fine or little yellow I think it is called. Of all the knives I have the danish rainbow coarse is so comfortable (thanks for that recommendation) and easy to use I thought I would get a fine from the same brand. I do have a Mars fine stripping knife and I haven't been successful with it at all that's why when I got the danish coarse it completely changed how I felt about stripping and I finally got it. Is it the way I am using it I wonder, with the coarse knife I push the hair back to reveal longer hairs and gently pull with the knife, it really is so easy. Is it exactly the same action with the fine knife? It just doesn't seem to suit my hands. Changing topic slightly, I am struggling with the thigh - the bottom of the thigh really as the hair is really soft at the bottom where it meets the leg fringe. I decided to scissor cut to blend as I just couldn't pull the hair without hurting Otto. The other really difficult area I find is at the sides where the body tucks in. It is just difficult to grip the area there - Otto won't lie down and trying to do it with him standing is difficult. I did scissor trim that area to blend but that was a mistake so letting it grow so I can do a better job next time. Other than that I am really enjoying the process and Otto does love it as it seems to give him with a good massage/scratch. How long are the longest hairs on Robin and is it shorter in some areas and if so where and what length?