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2003 Essay Contest Entry Archive |
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Poodle Ears My first attempt at dog grooming was when I was about eleven years old and our Standard Poodle, Clover, was in dire need of a bath. He would get so excited about marking trees that he would pee all over his own legs. There was no mistaking his territory. So, in an effort to help out my parents, I gave Clover a bath. I was feeling quite artistic, so I decided to take the orange-handled kitchen scissors to my precious pooch and make him as beautiful as when he came home from his groomer. I took his long ears up to the leather, "butched" his tail, and hacked his legs into scraggly wedges and holes. Excitedly, I let my extremely patient dog out of the bedroom so my parents could admire my handiwork. The fact that my dad still talks about how long it took Clover's ears to grow back reminds me constantly of what was my first and last home groom chop job. Years later I had the good fortune to adopt two extremely sweet and very hairy Great Pyrenees from the Humane Society. The lady who turned them over looked at me with a little disdain and gave me my first lesson on how to properly brush an undercoated dog. I was fascinated and terribly frightened of failing these two girls' beautiful white coats. I began to wish that I understood more about animals, their clips, and hair care in general. I set out to learn more. It didn't take me long to track down a grooming school not forty-five minutes away where I could learn how to care for my new girls and even learn the right way to groom a Standard Poodle, as an added perk. As it turned out, I also learned how to groom Westies, Schnauzers, Cairns, Scotties, Airedales, and anything that might have terrier in its blood. I learned the beauty and awe of a big blow-out. The hair blowing about the room reminded me of a snowstorm, whipping from the dog and floating gently to the floor, onto my head, and into my lungs. Some near misses with teeth and fingers helped me gain a huge amount of respect for all felines and any dog of Chinese descent. I also learned that "puppy cut," as with many grooming terms, had almost as many meanings as there are breeds of dog. Finally the day came when I was presented with my first Standard Poodle to beautify. I was so very careful with this dog and it became painfully obvious what an error I had made with Clover so many years earlier. But that is one of the other wonderful lessons I took away from grooming school: hair always grows back. I became determined to try never to make the same mistake twice. Today I still have a Great Pyrenees and I finally got my very own Standard Poodle puppy named Basil. I groomed my way right through college, earning a psychology degree that comes in very handy with customers - human and canine. I enjoy nothing more about my job than witnessing the physical excitement in a dog the instant I reach for a bow or bandana. As soon as the finishing touch is in place I can step back from Yorkie, Wheaton, Chow, Maltese, or mutt, and admire my trained handiwork. The satisfaction of having a clean, happy, beautifully coiffed animal dance on the table before me is ultimate. Poodle ears do grow in time, so does the skill of a groomer who prides herself in her dogs. Emily H. Martorano |
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