Hope is doing far better than I thought she would with her chemotherapy.

I am afraid to brag about how my sweet schnauzer girl is doing because I don’t want to jinx it, but she has not vomited or had diarrhea and her appetite has been consistent.

This past Saturday she got a much-needed haircut. The weather was fine to do it outside, and an old friend who is a professional groomer came to the house. She has groomed Hope many times. When my friend first worked on her, Hope was afraid of being bathed and of the hair dryer. After more than a year of working with her, my friend has Hope comfortable with all stages of the grooming process.

Right after a dog is rescued the dog gets a “rescue cut,” which typically means the dog is shaved or clipped extremely close because she is so matted that it would stress the dog too much to untangle all the mats. And the dogs are filthy, probably getting the first bath of their lives. My friend and I have speculated about Hope and think all that happened to her. Now Hope’s only problem is each leg has a shaved band around it from IVs and needles from the chemo. We jokingly call her Miss Poodle Legs.

Hope was the perfect lady during her haircut. Afterwards she got to potty in the front yard then into the house for a drink then nap. My friend and I enjoyed tea and talked about dogs. It was a good day for everyone.

All finished with her haircut, Hope is ready for a drink and nap.