Moose shows us what a coat blow really is.
When we first got Moose he was so precious and little and well, just like a fluffy stuffed toy.
I remember asking the Human Society what type of dog they thought he might be and was told, “We think he is a Great Pyrenees mix.”
So, I Googled it and saw lovely photos of elegant looking white dogs standing alone on tops of green hills.
I read about size. Ok, so he will get a little big.
I read about temperament. Kind and gentle, but stubborn.
And like the fool I am, I thought I knew what I was doing.
In October, Moose will be a year old.
Over the course of this year, Moose has destroyed one chair, two rugs, endless pairs of socks and at least 50 pounds of mail.
But I have learned!
I have learned not to leave him unattended in any room until it has been Moose-proofed and even then it’s risky.
I have learned he doesn’t like to walk during the hottest part of the day, but he adores walking in the rain and that does not mean a gentle mist. If I don’t get him outside during a real downpour, Moose is likely to tear down the door. Thankfully, Joe actually enjoys these walks, so he is the one who usually suits up and braves it.
I have learned he will only eat certain Blue Buffalo dog foods and can apparently go for days without food until I finally get him what he wants.
I have learned his favorite toys(anything soft that makes a “rrrippp” noise when he tears it), his favorite flavors of chews(bacon and cheddar) and his new favorite game…it’s called jump on my mother while she is doing her needlework.
Yep, that’s a fun one.
But this last week, we all noticed his fur was changing color. It was going from the deepest ebony to a muddy brown. Then Joe was able to pull a hunk off.
“He just needs a good brushing and a bath. It’s probably our Okie Dokie red dust,” I said confidently and motored out to buy a brush.
On a sunny Saturday, Joe and I took Moose out on our back patio to do a little grooming.
It only took a few minutes for us to grow alarmed.
“It just keeps coming off!” Joe cried out , as the fur began to cover our feet and legs.
“He’s a big dog,” I said. “He just has a lot of fur.” I was trying to sound calm as the fur continued to fall off in shanks.
“It’s going up my nose! Arggh! It’s in my mouth!”, groused Joe.
By this point, we were both spitting and digging at our eyes. It was like horror movie.
Right at that moment, H. Jack appeared on the patio, home from college for the weekend.
“What are you doing to Moose?” He asked in a panic.
Coughing and spitting out dog hair I explained it was just a little grooming.
“Oh my God, look! It’s going over the fence!”
Sure enough, our beloved Okie Dokie wind had picked up those massive piles of hair and was taking them over our six-foot privacy fence.
“Oh, no! My car! My car!” Jack screamed as he bolted out of the backyard to put the top up on his beloved convertible.
I kept brushing. It was a frantic, arm numbing, brushing.
It has to stop soon, I kept thinking.
It never did. I gave up long before the fur did.
When the black brown fog finally cleared, all three of us let out a collective gasp.
It seemed as if Moose had been replaced by another dog. He did not resemble his former self at all. It was as if his very bone structure has changed.
What was happening to my dog? Was he ill? Allergic to something? Had he been so stressed out by my not letting him chew the house down, he was losing his hair from anxiety?
As it turns out, this is a very normal Great Pyrenees event.
After more Internet research, I found out this is what is called a “coat blow.” And it is neither uncommon nor pretty.
Other owners report removing trash bags full of hair…over a couple of weeks…always at least once a year…sometimes twice!
Well, now I have learned again.
That’s was I really love.
No, not copious amounts of dog hair or the massive amount of information we now have at our fingertips.
It’s when I have those moments when I am struck dumb by the complexity of life. When I realize how much there still is to learn and how gosh darned amazing it feels to keep learning.
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Originally published at walkingmoose.com on September 2, 2018.
