Grooming Day!

This day comes but a few times a year. This is just one of those days when I gather my Old English Sheepdogs and take them to the groomer. The trip itself is an adventure. I get both Sheepdogs in the car (SUV,) my female (Liberty) is not a fan of cars so she wants to sit in the passenger seat. My male (Patriot) on the other hand loves to travel, and wants to drive. He refuses to get out of the drivers seat. I cannot drive the car when he is in the drivers seat because he is nearly as big as I am. Nothing else to do but to wait him out. I just sit in the driveway until he settles in, and eventually he will move to the back seat, but only after he has tried to sit on top of Libby in the passenger seat.
You are probably thinking why not put them in the very back, it is an SUV..... well, I tried that last time! No way I am doing that again! I put them in the very back first in a kennel, they were so upset I stopped at the end of the driveway and pitched the huge kennel. Since I do not kennel the dogs they were not familiar with it.
After I pitched the kennel, I just left them in the back loose in the hatch back of the SUV. At first they were relieved to be out of the kennel so they sat quietly for about 2 minutes. Then, once I was on the highway they wanted into the front. They jumped seat to seat.... I could feel the entire car shaking side to side, until finally they ended up in the front.
Now a days, I just start with them in the front, give them sometime to calm and then head into town.
The fun actually starts once we get to the groomers. The ever so excited Sheepdogs suddenly do not want to get out of the car. They know something is up. So instead of pulling the leash(which is something else they are not familiar with) I just pick one up and carry it in, and then go back for the next. My groomer is exceptional. She is not only prepared for large breed dogs, but is not afraid of them or the challenge that lies ahead.
She tells me to come back in 4 hours....then takes a good look at Patriot and says, I will just call you. Patriot has the coat of a Show Dog as far as Old English Sheepdogs go. Fine, straight and grows like wild fire! Only trouble is Patriot has no desire to be a show dog. He would prefer to be a scrapper. He loves the lake and runs into the lake and back to the garden as long as I let him stay out. So you can imagine the coat he has. Even with frequent baths, and brushing, he will still have mattes. We decided to shear him this year. My veterinarian is against the idea, but I have decided to do it anyway. My Vet believes that shearing a dog takes away protection and reduces their ability to regulate temperature. I agree with my veterinarian. I do not shear any of my other dogs. I have decided to shear only Patriot for TWO reasons. One, so I can see all the goings on when he is breeding ( which we are expecting in the next couple weeks) and Two, because since he is an inside dog he requires lov'in! If he is dirty and unmanageable people will not want to love him up. Love'in him up is what he lives for. So lov'in is just what he will get!