For meme Gauthier, the word oldest boy does not meet the current definition: continuously growing fiber from the fleece of the sheep, indicates the Larousse, which also adds as an origin other mammals such as the rabbit, the goat, the yak or the alpaca. Carole Gauthier, for her part, draws her wool from man’s best friend, the dog.
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Carole Gauthier spins and knits dog undercoat wool, like this one from a Samoyed. In the background, a wall piece made from Saint Bernard hair.
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Carole Gauthier wants to offer unique souvenirs from the wool made with the hair of the dogs of her customers from all over Quebec.
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Carole Gauthier’s grooming salon allows her first of all to ensure an income and thus devote herself entirely to her passion, to spin dog wool. It was the groomer Marie-Josée Cusson who lent him a hand during our visit.
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“When I got seriously interested in wool spinning, I realized that in France, we sometimes spun the undercoat of dogs to make a yarn that could be woven or knitted. Make a hat, mittens or a bag as a souvenir with your dog’s or cat’s hair. I found the idea appealing. ”
Animal souvenir
She then learns the complex spinning of dog hair on an old spinning wheel and, one thing leading to another, refines her technique. The idea then resonated with some dog (and even cat) owners as well as with his friends, members of the Association des fileurs et fileuses du Québec, who sent him clients. So much so that all his free time, Saturdays and Sundays included, are now devoted to spinning and knitting. “I have become a specialist in animal memories,” she laughs.
Last January, she even bought a grooming salon in Saint-Hyacinthe to earn an income, stay in contact with animals and devote herself full time to dog wool.
This is my semi-retirement plan. A crush, not a really logical decision. But I don’t regret it for a second.
Carole Gauthier
The undercoat is this down with a thermal role that we collect when we brush our dog. Its fine and silky texture makes it a very pleasant fabric to the touch, as observed Press, warmer than sheep’s wool and even a little water repellent, argues Mme Gauthier. You need at least 100 to 150 g of hair to make a toque, for example, which can require a lot of brushing and spread over a few months. The fleece of dogs with long coats is used, but Mme Gauthier also spins the guard hair, the one that covers the animal. The fabric, however, is too harsh to be worn on the skin.
Today, the raw material comes from dozens of clients across Quebec, and she even has to entrust certain projects to friends for lack of time. Like any artisanal creation, the price varies according to the extent of the work. An electric carder will soon allow him to lighten his work. But no question, however, of embarking on the manufacture of clothes as in Germany, she insists. “My goal is to offer a unique memory to those who have an emotional bond with their pet. ”
Elsewhere in the world
The German Chiengora
Founded last year, the German firm Modus Intarsia collects, weaves, manufactures and markets dog wool. The company has also registered its finished product under the name Chiengora, a nod to the Angora wool of the rabbit or goat of the same name and whose softness is comparable. The term Intarsia also refers to a particular weaving technique. The house offers a wide range of products, from scarves to jackets, including cushions and socks. It relies on a vast collection network involving dog owners and grooming salons, in addition to using imports. Part of the company’s profits are donated to animal welfare, according to the website.
The woolly dog of the Salish
The Salish Woolly Dog probably remains a historical exception in the long relationship between humans and canines. Renowned weavers, the Salish are made up of some 40 indigenous nations, the majority on the coast of British Columbia, particularly in southern Vancouver Island. They did not practice agriculture, but raised dogs in large numbers specifically for their fleece, which they wove into sought-after clothing. Dog hair blankets, in particular, were the symbol of an enviable social situation. Moreover, any crossing of the woolly dog with other breeds was avoided in order to preserve the curly texture and the white color of its fur.
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ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM ILLUSTRATION FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
The painting by Irish-Canadian painter-explorer Paul Kane (1810-1871) remains the best-known illustration of the Salish woolly dog. Entitled Woman weaving a blanket, the painting shows in the foreground the small white dog with the curly coat. Kane is the author of over 100 paintings depicting the lives of Aboriginal people in the West and West Coast.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CHILLIWACK MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
This photo taken between 1893 and 1895 by American photographer James O. Boon while in British Columbia shows two young Salish girls and their woolly dog. The photo is on display at the Chilliwack Museum and Archives in British Columbia.
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Published in December 2020 in the Journal of Anthropological Archeology, research carried out in several coastal archaeological sites on Vancouver Island has shown that despite its small size, the coat of the woolly dog was much more abundant than that of its larger counterparts, the dogs hunting or guarding, a situation highlighted by several explorers, including George Vancouver. The thousand-year-old tradition continued until the arrival of wool and looms from overseas. The woolly dog breed is now considered extinct.