bonny, I'm going to go a slightly different route and suggest that you see what the shop owner does before going to a different groomer.

We do most of our own grooming for our cats, though we took Max to a professional a couple of times and Marie once. It's how Max ended up with two lion cuts, which he considered humiliating. (He was a pretty small cat under all that fur.)

Yeah, the Biscuit is like that too. And the abuse history means he doesn`t complain about some stuff that he probably should, like his tooth that needed to come out.

Wow, bonny, what an ass-hat! I'm not a pet person but if I had one and it was treated that way, I'd have taken my dog away and waited until the owner apologized for that guy before I took my pet back there!

IOmeN, I just advanced myself money on one credit card to help pay my middle and end of month bills, including other credit cards. *sigh*

Then I called my temp company and strongly suggested that a 40-hour-a-week job would be much preferable to the current 27-hour assignment I have. The woman I talked to wasn't aware that it was so few hours. Here's hoping I can get something more steady soon!

When it turns out it's actually not the best thing to ever happen she looks like we just kicked her.

Is there a treat she especially likes? If you hold it up over her nose, just out of reach, while you take a few swipes with the brush, it might become a more awesome experience. Bboy used to hate his bath until it became a major treat opportunity.

Here's hoping I can get something more steady soon!

Yes, this!

It's hard to get "just out of reach" and yet in reach of brushing her. She has finally gotten "sit" down, though she practically vibrates while she's doing it.

She has finally gotten "sit" down, though she practically vibrates while she's doing it.

Oh my. I know what that looks like. Patience is such a challenge for the furfolk.

The trick most trainers recommend is to wait until the vibrating stops before treating. To treat during the vibration reinforces it.

I had to do this with Bartleby today. He was soooo excited about the tasty...um, ear...he was about to get (ick) that he popped out of his sit and lunged for the treat.

"UH oh! Try again. Siiiiitttt."

It took a bit for him to cotton on that he would not get the treat without relaxing. The wait was worth it for both of us.

I once again envy those of you with a dog who cares about treats.

He was soooo excited about the tasty...um, ear.

I was highly amused when I first saw that there are "Better Than Ears" dog treats.

Mr Peabody will bark wildly about a passing jogger, but not make a peep when I've accidentally shut him outside. He just stares longingly through the glass.

Report from the field:

Valentine's chocolate is not yet half price at Target. There were a number of men wandering about aimlessly through the denuded Valentine's section, which looked positively post-apocalyptic.

We haven't had too much trouble the past few days with her popping out of a sit, but the whole time the tail is wagging and she's watching us intently as if we're about to do something that will send her to doggie nirvana. She is so eager to please.

Oh hey, I thought of something to ask. She pants a lot doing things that she seems to enjoy. Chewing a bone, playing with Oz, running from the back to the front of the house, or sometimes even getting good behind the ear rubbings. She doesn't seem distressed, she just has her mouth open with her tongue hanging out.

There were a number of men wandering about aimlessly through the denuded Valentine's section, which looked positively post-apocalyptic.

I am so, so thankful that I do not work retail anymore. No sir, I do not know what your wife/girlfriend/crush object would like for Valentine's Day. No, I will model the red lace ... thing you are clutching desperately so you can "see what it looks like."

I wanted to grab something for Jon today at lunch, but all the V-Day prezzies in the kiosks were for ladies. Don't boys get V-Day presents too?