Hello, this is Briar, writing a post about grooming.

Us dogs need regular grooming to keep our coats clean and tidy. And we sometimes need some human assistance, because we can’t reach some bits and because we don’t have opposable thumbs.

There are lots of different dogs in the world and we have lots of different sorts of coat. It is very important that you find out how to look after your dog’s coat and that, if your dog needs professional groomer, you choose one with proper qualifications who knows what your dog needs and how to do it.

Us border terriers have double coats. I have a rough topcoat to protect me from the weather and a soft undercoat to keep me warm. It is a very good system!

Jane brushes me most days to get rid of dirt and loose hairs, but my coat grows a lot and twice a year I have to go to the groomer to be handstripped. That gets rid of old dead hairs that don’t come out on their own and makes room for the new hair to grow.

And she found me a very good groomer with proper qualifications who knows how border terrier coats work.

Clipping doesn’t work on us. The old hairs don’t go and the new hairs have no space and so we end up looking like powder puffs. I know that the powder puff look is good for some dogs, but not for us borders. We are outdoor action dogs and we need good practical coats, so we can run and swim and roll in things.

Yesterday we went to the groomers. You can see what I looked like before in the picture. Jane had her car keys and my lead, and so I was waiting to see if we were going somewhere good.

When we set out I thought we might be going to the beach. When we went past the beach I thought we might be going to the river. Or the hill. But we went past the turning. Then I thought we were going to the towans, but we drove past again. And I realised we were going to the groomers.

Jane left me there for two hours, and when she came back she said that I looked like a different dog. I still have my topcoat and my undercoat, but they’re shorter and tidier and ready for summer.

When we came home I had to sulk in my chair for a while. I don’t like Jane leaving me, and having your coat stripped is rather uncomfortable.

But I’m a happy dog now. We went to the boating pool this morning and the beach this afternoon and I’ve shown off my smart new look to some of my friends.

Jane says I look lovely, and I agree!