About Me:

I am a professional Pet Groomer. I have been grooming for 28 years. This Blog is a kind of diary of my work. I wish I had started years ago, writing some of the experiences I have had while grooming. Most days are fun, some can be sad, some can be just down right crazy. If you are a pet owner and come across this blog, I hope it helps you understand how your pet is groomed. If you are a Pet Groomer, I hope you can relate to some of the stories. Maybe even learn a grooming tip or can leave a friendly grooming tip for me. There is always something to learn, no matter how long you have been grooming.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Answers to Questions 11-19

Here are the rest of the answers to the True or False Bathing Test.

11) A dog should not be allowed to lay down in the tub while bathing.

FALSE: Why not? Your first priority as a groomer is to keep the dog comfortable. If the dog wants or needs to lay down once in a while, why not?  Some dogs may have hip or knee issues, some are elderly, some may just be scared. If they need to sit or lay of a few minutes, let them and work on another part of the dog for awhile.
If the dog insists on laying down because it is scared, let it for a while and wash it's back. As the dog calms down and relaxes, tickle it's belly gently while saying 'up'. Let the dog stand up at it's own pace.
If the dog only gets half way up, that's okay, praise him/her and work on what you can. The more the dog relaxes the more they will let you do what you need to.



12) Always use a sprayer with a strong pressure when bathing a dog.

FALSE: Use a sprayer with an adjustable pressure button. Some sprayer pressures can be too strong for some dogs. A lower or gentle pressure works better on some small or elderly dogs. A stronger pressure works well on large dogs and thick coats. Once again it comes down to the comfort of each individual dog.



13) It is better to express Anal Glans in the tub while bathing.

TRUE: The tub is one of the best places to express Anal Glans. This way the dogs rear can be soaped up and rinsed off immediately. *Note: Anal Glans can also be expressed outside of the tub for walk-ins. Use a baby wipe to catch the mess as the Glans are expressed, and also to clean up the residue. If you do have someone walk in for this service be sure to explain to the owner that you will clean up the dog the best that you can, but that there may be an odor left behind. 




14) You can only get a dog clean by hand bathing.

FALSE: There are many different shampoo systems on the market, that if used properly, will get a dogs coat good and clean. The one thing that a shampoo system can not do that hand washing can, is find ticks, lumps and/or sores. Personally, I enjoy hand washing dogs. I love being able to feel all over the dog. I can feel when a dog is still dirty even when it is covered in soap. I like being able to find lumps and sores that may need Veterinarian attention. Besides, every time I have used a bathing system, I still end up rubbing my hands all over the dog before I rinse it. I can't help it, too many years of hand washing, I just have to have my hands on that dog.  :)



15) It is okay to leave Creme Rinse on a dogs coat.

TRUE: There are some Creme Rinses, that if diluted correctly, can be left on the coat.





16) A dogs coat must be completely rinsed off of all shampoo.




TRUE: All shampoo must be thoroughly rinsed out of the coat. A baking soda rinse can help remove the shampoo more quickly and also remove all shampoo residue.







17) All undercoat must be brushed out of a dog before bathing.





False: Save your hands and wrists! Let the HV dryer do most of the work for you.


 

Put the dog straight in the tub and bath with a shampoo made for helping remove undercoat such as Best Shot Shampoo. Work the shampoo into the undercoat really well.






Rinse the shampoo well, then use Best Shot Creme Rinse. Work it into the undercoat like shampoo.






Towel dry.  *Note: At this time you can drap a towel over the dogs back while HVing so that the undercoat does not fly around the room as much.





Now use the HV to remove as much undercoat as possible. Place the wide mouth of the dryer hose right up against the skin and work the undercoat out.





  There is much less brushing after the bath.








Bathing first and using the HV to remove most of the undercoat saves time, and your hands and wrists.





18) Using flea shampoo is the only way to kill fleas on a dog.

FALSE: Using any kind of shampoo will kill fleas if you sud up the dog well enough, and let the shampoo soak so that it will suffocate the fleas. The thicker the shampoo the better.



That was fun.

Next weeks test will be about drying the dog.

Happy Grooming, MFF

2 comments:

  1. I have just found your blog and its so interesting as I have two dogs to groom !
    Thankyou.

    ReplyDelete
  2. lady jicky,
    Thank you, I hope some of my posts help.
    Lisa, MFF

    ReplyDelete