March 29, 2012

White Dog and Quinn sat watching me from the deck. I was hanging White Dog floof in clumps in the bushes. YoYoMa joined them and gestured toward me, "Is momma trying to make an Eskie version of Pussy willows?"

White Dog replied, "Look closely, Big Boy, most of that fur is yours and the birds all over the neighborhood are SO going to thank you!" He raised an eyebrow.

Spring, the Season of Rebirth is at our house also the Season of the Big Shed. With five double-coated, long haired White Ones, "blowing coat" is literal as floof drifts in the breeze, skitters like tumbleweeds on the flooring, and lays a soft white blanket over carpets and furniture. This despite the fact that each of the White Dog Army gets brushed every day with varying results.

YoYoMa leads the pack in shedding, right now he yields at least one and usually two thick brushfuls of hair daily. Quinn (who hates to be brushed) and White Dog (who loves it) are giving up a brush each. Puff, still in heat, is not shedding yet because of her crazy hormones. Nuka has the funky hair of an Eskie and who knows what, and sheds in clumps year round (she also hates being brushed). And this is just the start.

In a few weeks the entire WDA will be shedding so profusely that their furs will be able to be picked like cotton bolls from their coats. They will easily give up enough floof to clothe a few dozen crested hairless pups (Amber, do you think your sister might be interested?)

It is then that I feel like I am living a slightly altered version of the nursery rhyme:
Woo, woo, White Dogs, have you any fur?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
One for the birdies,
One for just play,
and one for the fiber artist who lives in LA!

"So," White Dog concluded to Yet Another White Dog, "momma hangs your fur on the branches so the birdies can use it in making their nests. I think it is very wonderful to imagine baby birdies being born and sleeping in my floof to keep warm until they grow feathers."

In response, YoYoMa reached around to his side and grabbed a tuft with his teeth. He came trotting over to join me.