Fur Nerds

Henry and I have become fur nerds.

On our pet park visits and our walks we check out all the other pups to see what their fluff is like.  I have a question for you!  Where are all the long hair dogs for heavens sake?  I would expect to bump into an even mix of long and short hairs when Henry and I are out and about.  Today we saw fifteen dogs on our jaunt - that is, by the way, an all time high for a walk.   Two gorgeous goldens were the longest haired of any we saw.  They were running with their human and looked like they hadn't heard the word "dirt".  All the other pups were either short hair dogs or trimmed to crew cuts - glossy and clean. 

Henry comes in from his walks covered with tree nettles.  He collects any and all detritus like a mop ... someone has to keep the world neat.  Without Henry, who would do it?  I think it is time for all naturally long haired dogs to encourage their owners to allow that hair to grow to full length.  If every dog does his or her part, my boy promises to collect everything left over that falls on his path.

As I said, Henry and I have become fur nerds.

We do a lot of brushing - and I am starting to collect that lovely soft undercoating.  It is like angora.  I have visions of creating a Henry scarf.  No, I am not crazy - or at least not crazy alone.  Check out  http://www.bbkirk.com/page14.html  I found a bunch of sites where spinners will process your pup yarn.

I also found youtube videos with instructions on how to make your own yarn! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us0nk_ryMDI&feature=related  This one is really easy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPUORvO-GZE&feature=related Both of these sites use wool, which is a lot like  puppy undercoat.  Either series of videos takes you the whole way through and uses affordable tools.

Will I actually make that Henry scarf?  Hum.  Probably not, but it does sound like a very neat challenge to me.  Maybe I'll just put the fur out in the spring and allow the birds to gather it for nests.  I know they would do a much better job with their creations.  I am, after all, the person who knit her future husband a sweater during her first year of college forty some years ago - with the sleeves about six inches too long.