Even though my furballs are all indoor animals they still get dirty. Luckily the cats keep themselves clean with those nice sandpaper tongues. The dogs on the other hand, need human intervention. Pet grooming is big business and while very convenient, the costs can add up. There are many costs involved with the dogs and cats we do not or cannot cut corners on but most of the grooming issues we can handle on our own.
It is in our favor that both Ares and Chaos are shorthaired dogs and not very large in size. This allows us to be able to bath them in the bathtub. There isn't a set a amount of time between baths, just as the occasion call for it. This winter has brought lots of snow and ice and therefore slush and salt and grime all over the sidewalks along our walking route. The boys have been getting baths more frequently to keep them clean. We bought a detachable shower head to install in the main bathroom for the sole purpose of making doggie baths easier.
There are hundreds of dog shampoos to pick from but we have two different ones we like. One is a GNC Pets brand medicated shampoo to help calm itchy skin. Chaos has allergies and Ares is prone to dry skin so this is helpful to soothe the irritation. Our regular shampoo is Nature's Miracle with oatmeal which is very moisturizing and smells great. Even though the boys get good feeling and nice smelling shampoos, they still aren't thrilled about bath time. We try to make it a positive experience by giving them treats while they are in the bathtub and staying happy and excited throughout the bath to make it seem more fun.
Chaos still won't voluntarily get into the bath tub but he will allow us to carry him and then will not try to jump out once he's in there.
Ares is getting better but he will try to escape given the opportunity. Just yesterday he hopped out and took off all wet and soapy. He does like to lick the water though.
We also brush them, clean their ears, clip their nails and use dry shampoos in between baths. There are several brushes that have been bought over the past year and a half and most have come and gone. The two we currently use are a rubber brush with one side larger bristles for Chaos and the other side smaller bristles for Ares. The other brush has one side soft bristles and the other side wire bristles. We use the rubber brush once a week and the dogs love it. We use the soft bristle side of the other brush daily and the wire bristle side every so often just to loosen up any lingering dead skin. They aren't as fond of this brush but will stand still for long enough to get the job done.
Our ear cleaner we rarely have to use. Both dogs' ears stay pretty clean but we do check periodically for dirt. If dirt can be seen in the outer ear canal we will drip three drops of the ear wash in each ear and massage the ear. A dog's natural reaction is to shake so that action loosens any dirt inside the ear. We then take a cotton ball and rub it in the ear to remove any dirt.
Clipping their nails is easier said than done. We do own a nice pair of clippers but I have to admit I made a mistake when Chaos was little. I was clipping his nails and Chris walked in the door just as I was clipping and it startled Chaos. The clippers slipped up as I clipped down and then the blood just started pouring out. We were able to stop it and he was fine but he has never forgotten that. Ares has black nails on his back feet so the cuticle cannot be seen. We do cleanups, just clipping the very tips of the nails but we have the vet do the regular clippings to avoid accidents.
Finally, we use the dry shampoo if the dogs aren't necessarily dirty but start to have an unpleasant odor. I picked the blueberry muffin scented Pet Head spray dry shampoo along with the Pet Head mitt. One side is a terry cloth material and the other side is like a brush. A few sprays of the shampoo, a quick brushing with one side of the mitt and then drying with the other and the odor is gone.
Do you take your pets to the groomer? How much do you spend per year? Or do you have tips for grooming at home?
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