BATHING A DOG

By Thursday, May 26, 2016 22 No tags Permalink

What made me think bathing a dog was a good idea?

What made me think it would be an easy task?

On Wednesday I asked you to select the doodle I chose to bathe…

111Looking at the photo it’s no surprise EVERYONE guessed correctly…

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SO WHY THE EXPERIMENT? –

Finances. #letskeepitreal

Now that Harley’s a therapy dog. I cannot (in good conscience) place him on a patient’s bed reeking like #dog 

Baths are needed more often. #Iacceptthat

I started looking at ways to “reallocate” Doodle funds. #showmethemoney

I chose to bathe Jaxson because he sports a shorter look which made me think he would be easier, even though –

  • I am not a professional groomer.
  • bathing dogs is not something I do regularly.
  • he’s now a big boy.

So after I dropped Harley off at the groomer, Jaxson accompanied me to one of those do it yourself dog bath thingies…

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They’re a fraction of the cost, they supply everything and you do all the labor. #briefswell

At The Pet Mahal, Christine –

  • cleans Harley’s paw pads
  • trims around his eyes and face
  • gives him a sanitary trim
  • cleans his ears
  • trims his nails
  • gives him two shampoos
  • AND conditioner
  • plus a good “cool air” blow dry

Viola…

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At All is Well Pets, I barely managed to  –

  • give Jaxson two shampoos
  • survive a rinse war between him, me and the sprayer
  • use conditioner – which may have turned into a “leave-in” product
  • AND a quick towel dry

That was it!…

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MY THOUGHTS? –

Honestly?

It was a daytime nightmare filled with horror, agony, and torture. 

Jax is very strong, and equally uncooperative. #paininthesani

My protective gear was no match for the #demondoodle. I was dripping wet under the plastic apron.

He was like a long wet tailed Orca Doodle Whale in that water. Think I’m lying?

GUESS WHAT THIS IS? –

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Like an enormous mythical sea monster – the Kraken snapped two leads in the middle of the shampoo session, releasing him from the tub. #Imgonnaneedabiggertub

Water and soap bubbles were all over the floor. I was slipping and sliding like James Brown during a concert. #aintitfunkynow 

I had absodoodletutely no energy left to blow dry him or me!

Riding with the windows down at 55 miles per hour, he air dried in the car en-route to pick-up his brother.

It’s easy to conclude by the furry facial expressions who enjoyed their spa day and who loathed his…

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FOR THE RECORD –

Professional groomers deserve every dollar they charge. What little bit of money I saved – cost me in energy and sanity.

This is one memory I’d just assume not store in my mental rolodex!

WILL I EVER BATHE HIM AGAIN? –

Of course.

OFTEN? –

Doubt it.

Later that night, as I slid my battle fatigued twisted torso carefully and slowly into my bed – I assessed my attempt to be thrifty:

I gave it a shot and it is what it is. I shall re-adjust my Doodle budget and make it work. I do feel somewhat victorious because I tried, and that’s good enough for me!

If you’ve never tried to imitate your groomer before, give it a go #atleastonce And then the next time you see her, make sure you bring her flowers.

Let us remember the true meaning of Memorial Day this year.

Be blessed, be safe and be kind 🙂

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22 Comments
  • Emma
    May 27, 2016

    Mom is right now contemplating grooming Bailie herself or taking her to a groomer, mainly financial reasons. To strip coats, it is expensive and Bailie doesn’t need as much work as I do, but still the whole bath thing is just always a disaster. We totally understand and bless you for trying. Groomers just do it so much better, but it does cost a lot of those green papers.

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 27, 2016

      Your mom and I are like kindred spirits! Jax has a totally different grade of hair – which is why I chose to bathe him. For the same reasons $$$$ But it is so much work #wow So I will probably do it in-between groom appointments. That’s a fair compromise. Stripping sounds lengthy, does it take a long time?

  • Rosa @ Cat Lady Confidential
    May 27, 2016

    That seems like a daunting task! Good luck for next time!

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 27, 2016

      Daunting is an understatement 🙁 Thanks – I need all the encouragement I can get!

  • Amanda
    May 27, 2016

    Maybe one good thing about the Texas heat is my ability to bathe our doods outside by the pool, pretty much year round. I use a small, oval dog raft as their “tub,” and I sit on the deck in my swimsuit with my supplies (hose with sprayer head, shampoo, conditioner, a bathing mit, and then the post-dry brushes). Amazingly (and with a few treats), Wrigley and Piper have learned to sit there while we have our bathtime, and it is actually kinda fun, and they get (and give) lots of lovies! By no means do they come out as pretty as the groomer makes them, but at least they are clean! Have you tried an outside option?

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 27, 2016

      I did – but with Jaxson the grass and dirt turns into mud and I’m right back where I started. I think we will just alternate between groomer and Doodle Mom for the time being. Happy holiday weekend 🙂

      • Robin Smith
        June 4, 2016

        Bath them on your driveway! I agree…the professional groomer can make them look awesome. With my Elmo, he looks fabulous for about 3 days after and then he is back to his messy adorable self.

        • Cathy Bennett
          June 4, 2016

          You know you might have something there Robin. In the driveway I can avoid the grass, dirt, water and mud. I plan to bathe them in between grooming appointments this summer. At least that’s my plan for Jaxson, Harley may still go to the groomer all the time because he needs to be blown dry.

  • Lindsay
    May 27, 2016

    LOL! Do either of them like to be brushed??

    I can relate, the boys never look quite as handsome as they do when they come home from the groomers versus me taking a crack at it. I’m lucky that they’re small enough that I take them in the shower and lift them to rinse. I won’t bend over the tub, it’s too painful.

    Loved reading this, some comical I couldn’t help but chuckle. 🙂

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 27, 2016

      Harley seems to enjoy it, but my demon doodle? He starts hopping all over the table as soon as the brush hits his legs! According to their groomer – Jaxson is an angel on her table. But not for me. I wish I could pick either one of them up and hold them under the shower. I too chuckle at myself – it’s how I make it through the day #thatandwine 🙂 Have a great holiday weekend!

  • Monika & Sam
    May 27, 2016

    Having owned two Old English Sheepdogs AND a Standard Poodle at the same time, I feel your pain. Over the years, I’ve gotten better at the baths, the groomer part…well let’s just say it’s only semi-adequate. Still, I do Sam every other month (mostly just a clean up with the clippers, bath, conditioner, & blow out). Trust me when I say it does get better. Keep at it and before you know it, you’ll be doodlerific!

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 28, 2016

      My hope is – with time as he gets older he will settle down a bit #Ipray and then he will be more manageable in the tub. We’ll have to wait and see!

  • Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom
    May 28, 2016

    Having once thrown my back out lifting a case of soda out of the trunk of my car, I never even considered trying to groom Callie or Shadow myself. I went through three or four different groomers before finding their Auntie Andrea, and that was purely a stroke of luck at the time. It’s been about ten years now, and I wouldn’t take Shadow to anyone else. I tried one other person a few years ago – for financial reasons – who truly disappointed me. Instead of brushing out the little pin knots in Callie’s hind-leg feathering, she cut them out! It took seemingly forever for the feathering to grow back in evenly! Back to Andrea they went next time around! It’s worth every penny I have to spend! Luckily, all Ducky requires is a bath, a drying off, and a comb-out, which she gets at daycare as needed.

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 28, 2016

      Our stories are interchangeable – Fernando in VA was sent from heaven, he is who I cried for the most when we left. He’s a true genius with a pair of clippers. I too went to grooming hell when we first arrived. Jaxson had gaps on one leg – same thing – she buzz cut the mats out. I’m happy with Christine, we’re still learning one another but she’s spoken to Fernando several times and I get more and more comfortable with her each time. As for the money? I will eliminate take out a few times each month and other luxuries if need be. I can only bathe Jaxson on occasion – or I will be in traction for sure! Enjoy your weekend 🙂

  • Rebekah
    May 28, 2016

    That last picture is cracking me up!! I do a DIY wash on my girl 2-3 times a year. #TheStruggleIsReal

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 29, 2016

      That’s gonna be my new mantra #thestruggleisreal LOL Love it.

  • Kimberly Gauthier
    May 31, 2016

    Bath time in our house is a miserable experience for the dogs, because they hate baths. The other day, Zoey found a dead and disemboweled snake. She proceeded to roll around on it as much as possible and her prize was a bath.

    The baths don’t take long, because our dogs don’t have any special coat care needs, but they look so put upon. Scout is big enough that if he doesn’t want a bath, I can’t force him physically, but he doesn’t know that yet.

    Shhhhh.

    I’ve considered taking them to the groomer, but it’s too much work and then there’s that issue I have with regular vaccinations. Instead, I had a friend come by and show me how to trim the nails of uncooperative dogs. It was miserable, but I know how to do it.

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 31, 2016

      Your secret’s safe with me! I don’t do nails either. I keep thinking I’m gonna cut an artery or something and kill my doodle. So I don’t even own any clippers.

  • Jan K
    June 1, 2016

    We have a walk in shower in our house and I just put on my bathing suit and get right in there! Most of the time I have my hubby help me (wrangle the dog), but I have bathed the little beagle by herself. We only give baths every few months or so or when really needed.
    Sheba went to the groomer for a while, and I couldn’t believe how much nicer she looked after visiting the professionals (well, I really could believe it…LOL).

    • Cathy Bennett
      June 1, 2016

      Anyone in the shower with Jax the maniac is a disaster waiting to happen! He loves the water and when he see’s it – he gets so excited, I would be afraid to stay in the shower with him. One of us will get hurt – and that “one” would probably be me!

  • Tiffany's Diamond Dogs
    June 3, 2016

    Yowza, that sounds like quite an experience!! I’ve always bathed my pups (taking them to a groomer wasn’t something my family did), and do their nails, ears, and occasionally teeth. I’m lucky that Bella and Kronos’s coats are pretty low maintenance. Terra’s the one who requires the most brushing and effort for grooming, but it’s still pretty easy. A good brush and she generally looks all clean again! 😉 They are all pretty good about the grooming too, which also makes that easier.

    • Cathy Bennett
      June 4, 2016

      I truly believe that Jaxson needs another 6-7 months to work out his crazy puppy ways, and hopefully by then I will have tamed this savage beast LOL