PRESCOTT - A dog does not act ornery with its owner at bath time because the dog is bad - but because it is a dog.
"I read somewhere that dogs have the intelligence of a 4-year-old child," Crystal Stout, pet stylist at Donna's Grooming Salon in Prescott, said. "So there's your answer. If you let them get away with it once, they'll do it every time."
Vicki Borny, owner of Donna's Grooming, said her stylists' use of psychology and firmness leaves no doubt in a dog's mind that he or she is getting a bath.
"We set down the rules right from the start," Stout added. "We're not their mom or dad and we are not going to give up just because the dog wants us to."
Before bathing a dog, the stylist brushes, or roughs out, the dog's hair.
"That gets rid of loose hair and untangles knots," Stout said while trimming hair between the feet pads of Cody. Cody is a golden-doodle - a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle.
Donna's stylists bathe small dogs in sinks and large dogs like Cody in a hydraulic tub. The stylist tethers the dog in the tub and then activates hydraulic lifts to raise the tub to a working level.
Most dogs receive a minimum of two shampoos and cream rinses. Using people shampoo on dogs is fine, Borny said, but she uses only natural and holistic products at the spa. Dogs can have allergic reactions to certain commercial shampoos in the same way that people do, she added.
During bathing, stylists check dogs for cuts and scabs and look for any sign of infections.
"Sometimes we are the first person to see a sickness or injury," Borny said. A single foxtail could kill a dog if it works its way into the bloodstream, she warned. If a stylist discovers a medical condition, the shop calls the owner and advises the owner to take the dog to a veterinarian.
Water temperature is important, Stout said. Lukewarm is the ideal bathing temperature.
"If an owner uses water that is too hot or too cold on a dog's very first bath, you'll psychologically scar that dog for life and you'll never get them to bathe for you again," she said.
After bathing, groomers hand-dry dogs with large blowdryers or settle them into a temperature- and humidity-controlled dryer. Dryers resemble an oversized clothes drier but dogs are not tumble-dried. Warm air blows in and circulates around the dog.
"Most dogs love it," Borny said. "They usually fall asleep in there."
Borny offers a training program for would-be stylists. She also boards dogs and manages a dog camp - a day care for dogs, complete with wading pools.
Owners should brush a dog's hair and teeth at least weekly, and bathe and trim its toenails monthly, she said.
"Little dogs need the same amount of care and maintenance as big dogs," she said. "Part of our job is educating owners about the care of their dogs."
Bathing dogs at home should be as easy as doing so with a child, according to Kristi Lowe, a 20-year dog-bathing veteran.
"Dogs know an owner's strengths and weakness and know what to do to make them stop trying," she said. "We just don't let the dog get away with it here."
Donna's Grooming Salon is at 926 Black Dr., in Prescott. The telephone number is 776-1720.
Contact the reporter at bcolbert@prescottaz.com
Reader Comments
Posted: Sunday, September 21, 2008
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
Good advice! My 20 lb. poodle, Randy hides when he sees me take out his towels and baby shampoo out of a certain cupboard. However, a soothing tone brings him out for his gentle shower every 7-10 days. good advice from this article for a happy-smell-good dog in your home!
