Gusman's Report Card.......

Ever since our beloved groomer up and got married and moved the heck to Texas, we have been struggling to find a groomer.

Actually, we have ignored the need for a groomer until Gus is embarrassed about how shaggy and unmanageable his coat is, and then we go into panic mode.

We tried a new little place in a strip mall in town. They did good work, only it was a crap shoot getting Gus in there. They didn't take appointments, you just dropped in. And you just hoped they might be there. Regular hours were not their thing. Perhaps they should have set up shop in Mexico, where that is the norm. Is it any wonder the business went under? (I mean it obviously has nothing to do with the crappy economy.)

Then we took him to an animal hospital, not his usual one because they don't do grooming, and they did a nice enough job. But Hubby had to call, make an appointment, take Gus, pick him up, and then remember to do it all over again in about six to eight weeks.

Yeah, that ain't happening.

So today, on Weesa's recommendation, we took him to the chain pet supply store that starts with Pet and ends with Smart (or, as Larry the Cable Guy asks, does it start with "Pets" and end with "Mart"?). No appointment was needed, and they said they would call when he was ready. Since they are only about 2.5 miles from our house, it was very convenient.

I don't know why, but like any parent I'm a little nervous when I take Gus anywhere for the first time. I dread negative comments like, "He barked continuously," "He bit one of the groomers," or the embarrassing, "Gus has fleas."

Here, though, is what his report card looked like:

"Gus was an absolute joy to groom! He was perfect for everything. I think he is part fox; his face is so cute. Thank you for the pleasure!"

I mean if nothing else, you just have to be giddy about a dog groomer who knows how to use a semi-colon correctly. 

When I told Stephanie that his last groomer said he loved the dryer so much he almost went to sleep standing up, she said, "He DID love it! He loved it almost as much as I loved grooming him."

Yeah, it might be a sales pitch. It worked.

He didn't understand I was only trying to take a picture of him. He thought I was trying to take his treat, which is why he looks so suspicious in these shots.

I think we have found a new best friend. And if it costs twice as much as his old groomer, I can take comfort in the fact that it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than driving to Texas.