A friend asked me the other day how I do it.
How do I manage to juggle 2 kids at home,
a self employed husband who owns and operates two businesses of his own,
a household,
have a fairly active social life,
and STILL find time to do projects and write this blog?
While most times everything runs rather smooth,
All my scheduling was thrown completely out the window.
Kaput!
My mother, who runs her own dog grooming shop, was called to a last minute appointment.
Having helped her many times over the past few years, she asked if I could take over for a short bit.
What was I going to do? Help my mother of course!
Needless to say, I spent the better part of my day washing and drying a poodle and a chocolate lab.
I did not get any decorating done today, so plan on that for Monday!
Fear not though, I do still have some hints and tricks for the dog-lovers out there!
The first time I helped her out in the shop washing a dog, I got a real eye-opener!
I, like most people do, thought that washing a dog consisted of getting them wet, washing with dog shampoo, then scrubbing them down with a towel.
NO, IT'S NOT!
To properly wash a dog, you start by getting them wet with warm water starting with right BEHIND their ears down the rest of the body.
DO NOT GET WATER IN THEIR EARS!
Getting water in a dog's ear can lead to a smelly fungus infection!
Lather the dog's body up with a shampoo made for dogs. Don't worry about washing the dog's face just yet. Rinse them off and use a conditioner on their coat and rinse a final time.
This is especially important for long hair dogs. It helps take out any knots in the hair when you brush them. Also, do yourself a favor, don't buy a 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner. They just don't work as well.
To wash a dog's face, the proper way is with a wet washcloth. This way water is not dripped into the ear canal and the dog does not feel like you are trying to drown it. A no-tear shampoo for dogs should be used if needed. Carefully wipe the ears and around the muzzle.
Now, using a towel,
RESIST THE URGE TO RUB THEM DRY!
The cuticle of a dog's hair is not like ours. Rubbing them with a towel like we do our own hair sets a dog's hair instantly into knots.
Instead, you want to carefully blot them dry. It will probably take more than one towel. Make sure the dog stays in a warm environment with no cool drafts until it is COMPLETELY dry! They can still catch cold if they are even slightly damp to the touch. Again, this is much more imperative for dogs with long hair. I have seen dogs come into the shop so matted up from simple home bathing that it was impossible to comb them out. It simply would have caused the dog too much pain.
If you have a long haired dog, please COMB it every day. Most brushes on the market only brush on the surface. This makes it appear smooth, but in actuality it is hiding the real matts that are forming underneath the coat. These are particularly painful for a dog because they restrict skin movement.
If you have a dog that requires a hair cut, most should be done about every 6-8 weeks.
If at all possible, please stay with a cut that is breed appropriate. Trust me, shit-zu's are not as cute as you may think when cut like a poodle! The only exception I would suggest is this: If you have a long haired dog and you just can't keep up with combing but don't want to get rid of the dog, consider what a lot of people call a puppy cut. It's somewhat short all over, but easier upkeep for you and so much more comfortable for the dog.
Last but not least,
give that best friend a treat
just because they love you as completely as they do!
See you all Monday!
I hope every one of you have a wonderful weekend!
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