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Hey everyone! I've got three Australian Shepherds, an English Springer Spaniel and a Golden Retriever Poodle mix. All are show dogs except for the oodle, so I'm borderline obsessive with keeping them clean. So while watching them run at full speed around my yard chasing, rolling and slobbering all over each other not only makes my heart happy, but I can't help but cringe at the same time! I groom my dogs on a regular basis and occasionally other people's dogs so even with short coat breeds, there are still some grooming products and tools that I absolutely would die without.
Good shampoo and conditioner:
You can imagine that I have more bins full of different types of shampoo and conditioners for the dogs than myself but my strongest recommendation would be to not skimp on the good ones and definitely don't skimp on using conditioner on your dog. It not only makes them soft and shiny but it also moisturizes the coat. I'll leave links to my faves at the end of my post as well.
A canine dryer:
There's nothing more I can't stand, besides long toenails, than the lingering smell of a wet dog. Even after bathing, shampooing and towel drying, most dogs will still have that mildewy wet dog smell that I know you know. It's not horrendous of course but drying the dog with a dryer will prevent it. Also, if you have a double coated breed such as an Alaskan Malamute with fur that you eat with your breakfast every morning, a force dryer is going to blow a lot of the clumps of undercoat out and make it easier for you to comb through.
A grooming table:
I know we aren't all groomers but do you like back aches? I sure don't! Putting a dog on the table not only helps you see what you're doing but it also helps you ensure you're getting to all the hard to reach spots while drying and brushing out any mats. Oh and brushing them out on a table will take far less time than wrestling with them on the floor. Grooming tables are inexpensive and getting your dog comfortable on a table just takes a bit of patience if they've never been on one before. As with any training, the more calm and confident you are, the more calm and confident they'll be.
A boar brush and a wire comb:
I have coated breeds so these are a must for me but I always ensure I comb out any dog I groom including short haired breeds. I use my boar brush first to just go over the dog and after the dog is completely dry, I ensure my comb will go through the entire coat of the dog without stopping. That tells me the dog is dry and nowhere on the coat is tangled.
A dremel or nail clippers:
I always dremel the nails because it files and smooths them. It takes a bit to get used to and some dogs may freak at the sound of death if they've never experienced it but like with the grooming table, it takes patience. Otherwise, a good pair of nail clippers is just fine to get rid of the clacking sound on wood floors.
So that sums up my must haves as far as the basics. I definitely go more in depth getting my dogs groomed and trimmed for the show ring but as far as day to day cleanliness, I couldn't live without these few things! Thanks for reading and I hope this helps in some way! Drop me a line if you have any questions.
- Julie Jane
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