[PyrNet-L] Sad Story of Poor Fat Pyr

[D3melza@aol.com]

      Well, I have a not-so-happy story to share with the list, but I just 
couldn't keep it to myself because it made me so mad! I am attending grooming 
school in Colorado Springs this summer and this is my second week. It is fun 
work, but every now and then you see a real case of neglect. 
       Imagine my delight when one of the women looks in a cage today and 
says: "What's that, it's huge!" I knew before looking myself that it was a 
Pyr! In fact, this rare day we had two seperate pyrs to be groomed! However, 
the one huge one was in bad shape. His name was Beethoven, and he was 
horribly obese, dirty, and not well socialized. He was being shaved 
completely down, as the shop owners say he is once a year. He never comes in 
at any other time. 
         Beethoven was wet, and filthy. His hair came off like wool, in big 
dirty sheets, bits of dirt and sticks all the way to the skin. Even his tail 
had to be all shaved off! There were some places we could hardly shave 
because you could not get clippers between the rolls of flab. He was easily 
200 pounds! He had scabs under that fur from things working their way in and 
never being brushed, and he had a hot spot forming. The worst of all though, 
were his double dew claws, curled around and sunken almost half an inch into 
his pads, totally infected! 
          This dog tried to bolt every time he was not supervised, but he was 
a true sweetheart once we got all of his hair off and snuggled a bit. I was 
seriously considering offering to take the dog off the owners hands when they 
came to pick him up, but when the guy walked in he seemed genuinely happy to 
see his dog. Just plain old stupid? I also considered that they might just go 
out and get another one even if I did rescue Beethoven away from them. So, I 
sadly watched them leave, his fat bald tail wagging. He won't be in for 
grooming for another year, and I just hope the owners at least provide shade 
for this obvious outside dog, or his skin will fry with no coat to protect 
it. 
         Did I do the right thing? I have never confronted an owner about a 
dog before and I don't really feel it is my place to do so. But this was such 
obvious stupidity and neglect! The only saving grace for this dog, and all 
Pyrs was that he was neutered, thank god. But I don't think I will ever 
forget him. I hope he'll be okay.

-Emily Hainsworth
Castle Rock, CO
D3melza@aol.com