Show Dog

When Ross was 5 and Randi 11, we got a puppy from the pound.  He was born at the pound and the only one of his litter to survive a bout with parvo.  We called him Shakespeare.  He was our family dog.

We moved three times to three different towns, Randi got married, Ross was driving and Shakespeare was still the family dog.

Then, one day he suddenly got sick and despite the best veterinary care and even a night in the emergency dog ICU, he died.  We were devastated.

For completely selfish reasons and to protect myself from that eventual loss, I swore I'd never have another dog.

Now we have Winslow.  Did I say "swore" and "never"?

We've had him (Winslow) for nearly 6 years and he's lived most of that in Belgium.  He travels with us, sleeps with us, eats at the table, folds laundry and makes coffee.  Well, he doesn't always eat at the table.

I'm the resident groomer and Winslow's fur normally looks, as my mother would say, like the goats chewed it.  Jim always affectionately calls him a "show dog", but he also sometimes says I look like a "movie star", so there's that.

Not to embarrass Winslow any longer among the fashionably groomed honden of België, we took him to the salon.

This salon.
The Hondentrimsalon of Sittard, Netherlands

The "bona fide" groomer told us he is all into showing his Schnauzers at dog shows.  When we arrived for our set appointment, he said he wasn't sure Winslow was a "bona fide" Schnauzer. Well, I never!

Well, actually, I said, since he came from the pound, we could make no such assumption either.  I fear this could have been a direct result of my grooming technique.

My apologies, Winslow.

Winslow before.

Winslow after.

When we returned 3 hours later to pick up the hond (that's Dutch for dog), the groomer consented that Winslow may in fact be an authentic Schnauzer notwithstanding "he is an American with poor quality fur".   Yes, he really said that.  But he also said that Winslow now qualifies for a dog show!  I presume he would be in the American Schnauzer with Poor Quality Fur category?

So, although Winslow and I do sometimes practice trotting in a below-the-knee length skirt and rubber-soled loafers (I would be the one in the skirt and loafers), we don't plan to join Westminster Kennel Club or spend our weekends going to obedience classes, but Jim can continue to refer to him as a "show dog".  

I don't know where that leaves me and the "movie star" thing though.