Elwood the Shih Tzu doesn’t like to be groomed, but he likes his groomer, Laurie Greene, at A1 Bed and Biscuit in Chardon.
Elwood the Shih Tzu doesn’t like to be groomed, but he likes his groomer, Laurie Greene, at A1 Bed and Biscuit in Chardon.
Each time he visits, Laurie patiently tries to settle him down and convince him haircuts don’t hurt and he will feel much better after a trim.
“He’s energetic, rambunctious and outgoing,” Laurie said. “He can’t sit still, but he’s very sweet. It’s a pleasure to groom him, even though he is bouncy like a puppy.”
Laurie rewards Elwood’s good behavior by sending him home in his new haircut with a colorful bandana wrapped around his neck, like a fancy ascot.
Elwood’s family, Earl and Charlotte Stoltz, of Chardon, have saved 34 of Elwood’s bandanas over the last nine years and estimated they have spent about $1,400 on the dog’s haircuts during that time.
“The quilt was my husband’s idea,” Charlotte told the Geauga County Maple Leaf during a visit to their home last week. “My sister, Dianna Thaxton, lives in West Virginia and was learning to quilt. Earl asked her if she could make a quilt of Elwood’s scarves.”
The end result, complete with Elwood’s name embroidered on the back, is now a family treasure that Elwood inspects with curiosity.
Elwood, now 11 years old, doesn’t seem to realize he is getting older.
“He loves camping, boating, fishing and riding on the back of the tractor,” Charlotte said. “We take him pretty much everywhere with us, weather permitting, unless the car will get hot. He basically is the boss, but he’s also our baby.”
Elwood shares the house with the Stoltzes’ cat, Kitty.
“He sleeps with her at night,” Charlotte said, as Elwood casually carried a can of cat food from the kitchen into the family room, in his teeth.
“Kitty eats the first half of the can and Elwood eats the rest,” Charlotte explained.
Laurie Green has worked at A1 Bed and Biscuit for 22 years and Elwood is one of her favorite regular clients.
“I love what I do because it’s something different every day,” she explained. “No two days are ever the same.”
She said she has never seen a quilt like Elwood’s before.
“It’s pretty amazing that they made something from all those bandannas,” she said. “It’s a beautiful keepsake to have forever, of the dog you love.”
