Recirculating Systems for Better Pet Bathing

What's a recirculating system?

Essentially, it's a water pump with a hose and a nozzle attached. There are several commercially available models including the Hanvey Bathing Beauty and the Oster Deluxe Pet Power Bathing System, It's also relatively straight-forward to assemble one on your own with parts available online or at your local home improvement store (I'll give instructions on that later).

When you set the pump in your partially filled tub and turn it on, it sucks the soapy water up through its bottom, pushes it through the hose, and spits it out through the sprayer. As the water runs off the pet in your tub, the recirculating system continues to collect and eject that water, giving you a continuous spray with which to clean the coat.

get your hands out of that wash tub!

How do I use it?

You stopper up your tub and fill it with just enough water to prime your pump. In a standard tub, an inch or two will do it. If your tub has a well or a "deep end," you'll maximize your water savings by setting your pump there.

The pump recirculates the water over and over, so all you have to add is your preferred products for cleaning and conditioning the coat. Point the sprayer at the dirty pet and wash away. Add product as needed until you're confident that all of the dirt and oil has been collected and the coat is properly conditioned. Then you let the tub drain and rinse the pet with fresh water as usual.



Why makes it better than bathing by hand?

Efficiency
When done correctly, you get exactly the same results you'd get with hand-washing in significantly less time, using significantly less water and product. Imagine your shampoo as a bunch of little magnets. Each shampoo molecule wants to bond with a dirt molecule. When you wash by hand, you pour a bunch of shampoo over a pet and work some, but not all of it into the coat. Quite a bit of shampoo flows right over the coat without grabbing any dirt. All of that unused shampoo literally goes right down the drain.

But when you use a recirculating system, you allow every shampoo molecule multiple opportunities to pick up dirt. If there's more dirt than shampoo, all you have to do is add more shampoo. If the pet's really filthy, you can pre-rinse them and even drain your tub and re-bathe them with the recirculating system. It's hardly ever necessary, but if you did it that way, it would still take you less time, and require less water and effort than washing that same animal by hand.

Water pressure and volume
Recirculating systems are a huge time-saver for anyone dealing with low water pressure. The power of the pump dictates your washing pressure, not the water pressure in your shop. You'll still have to deal with low water pressure when you rinse, but the recirculating system will cut your rinsing time way down, because the bathing process leaves so much less product on the coat.

Even though you initially have to use an inch or two of water in the tub, you'll use less water overall because you don't have to pre-wet the coat to start with and the rinse at the end is takes significantly less time.

No more mixing bottles
Most professional groomers use concentrated products, which means you need to dilute them before you put them on a pet. After about 24 hours (note: the time frame varies by product), diluted shampoo or conditioner fills with bacteria, so any extra left at the end of the day should be thrown away. That means that mixing bottles need to be sanitized between uses. With a recirculating system, you add shampoo directly to the bath, eliminating the need for mixing bottles altogether.

Built-in massage
The warm spray from a recirculating system can get all the way down to the skin, through even the thickest coats. The water pressure helps dislodge dirt, oil, dandruff, and debris without any need for you to lay your hands on the animal. That can be a tremendous help when working with nervous or aggressive pets. It can also reduce skin irritation for sensitive pets.

That doesn't mean you can't do some hand scrubbing or massaging if you want to. You can spray with one hand and rub with the other. You can put the sprayer aside mid-bath to give the pet a full-body massage. You can use your favorite scrubbing brush as usual if you insist. The sprayer doesn't limit you. It gives you more options.

Built-in deshedding and detangling
A good jet of water works as well as an HV at kicking out loose undercoat and untying knotted spots. It works doubly well when you're spraying conditioner through the coat at the same time. And wouldn't it be fantastic if you can actually see the condition of the coat and skin while you're washing rather than having your view obscured by suds? A recirculating system allows you that view.

Superior conditioner application
It's tricky to get the right amount of conditioner into a longer coat without loading it all up on the ends, where you want it less, and missing it down at the root, where you want it more. A recirculating system takes the conditioner, dilutes it, and applies it exactly where you spray it, from root to tip.

Quicker rinsing
I've mentioned it already, but it's worth repeating. It's much easier to rinse a pet after bathing with a recirculating system. And why is that? It's because after you use a recirculating system, most of the shampoo+dirt molecules are floating around in the water, waiting to flow obediently down your drain. What's left in the pet's coat is so diluted, it's halfway to being rinsed already.

I'm sure you've seen how clean, undiluted shampoo behaves when you pour it on a coat and then wet it -- it foams and sticks and suds and resists. Pre-diluted hand washing solution is slightly better behaved, but a recirculating system gives you the highest possible dilution for the fastest rinsing.

Wait, I still don't get how over-diluted shampoo in dirty water get pets just as clean as hand washing.

A recirculating system works on the same principle that hand washing does. It's only the application that's different. Think about it. When you pour diluted shampoo from a bottle over a dog and start scrubbing, what happens? You end up with a dog covered in dirty soap and water. If you need more shampoo to get the dog clean, you might mix another bottle and repeat the process. Maybe you're a two bath groomer, so you lather, rinse and repeat.

But how is a dog covered in dirty, soapy water getting a finger scrubbing going to end up cleaner than a dog standing in dirty soapy water, getting a sprayer massage? It isn't. In both cases, you're putting shampoo together with dirt so they'll bond together and and then rinsing them both away. The recirculating system continuously re-applies the shampoo in the fastest, most efficient manner possible, so it's like bathing and re-bathing the coat a dozen times in a matter of minutes.

If you've tried bathing systems and didn't get good results, there was either a technical problem with the system or an issue with your technique. Think back to when you were first learning how to bathe -- you had to figure out how much product to use, develop a system for applying it over 100% of the coat, learn where the trouble spots are, and then make sure you got the product completely out of the coat before starting the drying process.

The recirculating system is a new way of bathing and requires you to learn how it works. But once you've got the technique down, you'll never want to go back to hand washing again.

 OK, tell me the benefits again.

1. No more throwing unused product down the drain. Shampoo gets pulled back through the pump and pointed at the dog again and again until it gets to bond with some dirt. If you need more shampoo, just add more to the water. Ditto with conditioner, silicone conditioners, vinegar rinses, medicated products, you name it. It can all be used with a recirculating system.

2. You can apply shampoo and conditioner evenly through the thickest, most water resistant coats with minimal elbow grease. You can press the sprayer right up against the skin and apply product from root to tip and there's no pre-wetting or mixing bottles required.

3. Rinsing is faster and easier. When you're washing by hand, you've got all that sudsy dirt to rinse away. When you're washing with a recirculating system, most of that sudsy dirt suspends itself in the water in your tub instead of sticking to the pet's coat.

The number one indicator of a poor bath isn't dirt left in the coat. It's product left in the coat. A pet sent home slightly dirty is still better off than he was before his bath. But un-rinsed shampoo can cause skin reactions, itching, and odor. Excess conditioner left in a coat attracts dirt, leaving pets dirtier on day three than they were before they came to get groomed. Super-diluting shampoo and conditioner and applying allows a bather to get the right amount of product in and then get it all back out easily, in a fraction of the time it takes to rinse away bottle-mixed solutions.

Why would you spend an hour bathing a filthy, hairy, giant dog by hand when you can get it done in less than half the time with a recirculating system?

4. You have the option of hands-off bathing. With a recirculating system, you can give an aggressive pet an excellent bath through a wire cage. You'll have good control of where your shampoo goes and a jet of soapy water to scrub where your fingers can't safely go. And because your bathing products are well-diluted by the system, it's less problematic when pets accidentally ingest it or get it in their eyes. Hands-off bathing is great for groomers with product sensitivities, too. No more tub rash on your forearms.

Cool. So why doesn't every groomer already have one?

 Recirculating systems have been around for over a decade, long enough for most groomers to at least have heard of them. I think the number one reason we don't all use them is because a lot of groomers aren't yet sold on the benefits. If you don't understand the science behind shampooing, it's easy to stick with the old techniques you know rather than trying a new-fangled trick so often referred to as "washing with dirty water."

The start-up costs for a professional system is also a bit steep for a lot of shops. The Bathing Beauty retails for $599 on Hanvey's website. You could buy two wonderful pairs of shears for that price. And recirculating systems are as different from hand-washing as cell phones are from rotary phones, which means there's a learning curve. Even with Hanvey's money-back guarantee, unfamiliarity is a significant enough barrier for a hordes of groomers to stick with bathing by hand.

I've also spoken with a number of groomers who've tried various bathing systems and didn't like their results. As I've said before, if you're not getting pets as clean (if not cleaner) with a recirculating system as a mixing bottle bath, the flaw is in the technique, not the system. In spite of how much bathing we do, shampoo chemistry is not intuitive to most people -- it requires an adjustment in the way we think about cleaning.

Consider the washing machine. When they were first introduced, they were met with equal parts awe and skepticism. "They're expensive contraptions that do what I can already do with a bucket of hot water and a washboard. How do I even use this thing? How much soap and where does it go?" You've probably seen a movie, TV show, or comic strip about a washing machine overflowing with suds. That's user error. Like recirculating systems, when used properly, washing machines are fabulous time-savers.

I want a recirculating system! How do I make the transition easy on myself?

First of all, congratulations. Your life is about to get so much easier. The best way to learn how to use a recirculating system is to try it out. But don't start out on a Newfoundland and expect to get a great result right out of the gate. It will take some time to get used to the system. You'll have to figure out how much product to use, and develop a new bathing routine that works.

To start out with, feel free to combine elements of hand-washing with your recirculating system as needed. Practice on the little dogs who are easy to re-bathe until you get the hang of it. When your shih tzu baths are fast and perfect, move up to golden retriever baths.

1. You may need to switch your shampoo if it's too sudsy. Bubbles are your enemy. They don't actually help clean and when you're using a recirculating system, they will slow down the bathing process. You want a low-sudsing shampoo that will clear the drain quickly.

2. Never ever run your pump when it's dry. It has to be sucking up water or you can burn out the motor. The professional models have safeguards against overheating, but play it safe and read the manual for a list of do's and don'ts.

3. Here's my personal bathing routine:

• start filling the tub (your recirculating pump should be in the tub at the deep end)
• wet face and wash with facial shampoo (I skip this step for cats and biters)
• turn on the pump and stop filling the tub
• add shampoo to the water
• spray the animal with the recirculator to clean it
• add more shampoo as needed
• when the coat's clean, add conditioner to the water (skip as desired)
• spray to condition the coat
• turn off the pump and let the tub start to drain
• rinse the coat with fresh water from the tub sprayer

Personally, I don't like to do multiple baths, so on really dirty dogs, I sometimes dump an overabundance of shampoo into the mix. The great thing about shampoo is that it will stick to conditioner as readily as it will stick to dirt. That means that if I don't want to get stuck rinsing for too long, I can add a little extra conditioner to neutralize that extra shampoo. It does waste product, but it saves me a lot of time.

After the shampoo is all bound up with dirt, the coat is free to bond conditioner, which is why I don't bother to rinse in between shampooing and conditioning. I won't get any deeper into the science of bathing here, but check out Barbara Bird's Beyond Suds and Scents book for a comprehensive look at how shampoos and conditioners do what they do.

Remember bathing is an art as much as a science. For most baths, I can tell by the color of the water if I need to add more shampoo for a squeaky clean. But every product is different, so it's impossible to give you a simple recipe for success. Ask for suggestions from co-workers and groomers online, but in the end, you'll have to find your own way. Experiment when you have the time to do so -- there's always more you can do to speed up the process and improve the end result.

4. Lastly, you will have to keep your system clean and sanitized. Luckily, running shampoo through it all day long will do a lot of the work. Just keep in mind that any time water sits around, it invites bacteria to grow. You don't want your pump to introduce a flux of unnecessary microorganisms to your bathing clients, so run vinegar through it at the end of the day to sterilize the excess. Make sure you turn the pump and hose upside down to let the water drain out.

Sanitize after using your recirculating system on any pet with a suspicious, potentially contagious skin condition. Vinegar is a fine sterilizer for most applications. Some groomers use bleach, but rinse well to prevent getting bleach on animals or corroding the equipment. I used the same disinfectant for my daily pump cleaning that I used to clean my cages and floors. I add two pumps of KennelSol from Alpha Pet Tech to a gallon bucket and run it through the system.

I can't wait to try a recirculating system. But I don't have $600 to spend.

home-made dog-washing machine

I had a pair of home-made recirculating systems in my shop for almost ten years and now that I work from home, I have another (pictured).

They're not at all complicated to assemble, and although there are a lot of benefits to buying a professionally manufactured unit (like that money-back guarantee if not completely satisfied), you can build your own for less than $200.







My current set-up ingredients:
- 1/6 HP Flotec pump
- 6' Leader hose
- Bon Aire nozzle
- Foot pedal switch

• 1/6 HP submersible utility pump

I recommend the Flotec pump -- this is the brand I've used for 10+ years.
There are other options, but stick with 1/6 horsepower, make sure it's a submersible type pump, and don't get one with a float on it. You want it to work at a minimum water level.

• hose

I use a 6' leader hose on my set-up. It's a little stiff, but the length is perfect for me. I've seen others recommend the Legacy Flexzilla garden hose, but I don't like the stiff sleeve on the ends. You can use any hose you like, it just has to be able to connect to the the (3/4") output spout on your pump.

• sprayer nozzle

I swear by my Bon Aire nozzles. They have the fireman-style spray so you can twist them on and off. There's no trigger to hold and they stay at the setting you put them at, from gentle to full blast. They turn any water pressure into good water pressure. They're too heavy for some groomers' preference but I don't mind the weight. Again, use what you like. As long as it can connect to your hose, you're good to go.

• on/off switch

Pumps don't have on/off switches, so they turn on as soon as you plug them into the wall. That's not convenient, so you need to add a switch of some kind. You also need to make sure you're plugged into a GFCI outlet, to ensure that if your connections get wet, the circuit breaker will trip rather than let you get shocked. Hopefully you have a GFCI outlet near your tubs. If not, install one or use an adapter. At the shop, my pumps were hard-wired to GFCI light switches, so that's an option if you're a bit handier.

At home, I plug my pump into a power strip with an on/off button, but it's not the most practical solution for a grooming salon. A better solution is to use a foot switch (it doesn't have to be on the floor). Plug your pump into the switch and the switch into the wall. Press the switch to turn on and then press again to turn it off. (I use this: Foot Pedal Switch)

• hair screen

This is optional but recommended. An extra layer of screening will protect your pump from getting clogged with hair and burning out. I keep my pump in a one gallon paint strainer bag. Just pull the hair off as needed and replace bags when they start to tear. Any kind of mesh will work as long as it's fine enough to keep out the fuzz while still letting water pass through.

Once you have your parts, put them together: attach the nozzle to your hose and your hose to the outlet of the pump. Plug the pump into the switch and the switch into the wall. Put your hair screen on the pump (if you're using paint strainer bags, put the pump in the bag).

When assembly's complete, either try it out or watch one of the many how-to videos on YouTube until you feel comfortable getting started. If you have problems or questions, feel free to contact me through groomerisms.com. I'm happy to help.

I'm not quite ready to start bathing with recirculating water

If you want most of the benefits of a recirculating system without the "dirty water," there are a number of bathing systems available to accommodate you. These systems don't require you to stopper your tub. Shampoo and fresh water are combined within the system, come out through the sprayer, penetrate the pet's coat, and then run down the drain. You don't have to worry about cross-contamination from the pump or re-using water, but you'll still get the cleaning power and the time-saving features of a recirculating system. It's less efficient than recirculator, but still better than bathing by hand.

Popular non-recirculating systems (I haven't used any of these, but check out the testimonials and reviews others have made available online):
Oster Hydrosurge
Prima Bathing System
Blue Mule Ultimate Wash System
Quadrabathe

This post is for informational purposes only. If you need more convincing or want to learn more about the ins and outs of recirculating systems, there are lots of additional resources online.

BBird's Using a Pet Recirculating System FAQ
Debi Hilley's The Dirt on Using Recirculating Systems

How Clients Can Help Reduce Their Groomer's Stress

A groomer does her best work when she is calm and comfortable. A rushed, distracted groomer is more likely to make mistakes, resulting in accidents that injure us or the pet we're working with. An unhappy, stressed-out groomer projects her emotions, creating an uneasy environment for the pets in her care.

Groomers know this, but no matter how thoughtful and strong-willed she is, no groomer can simply will her stress away. She can't force herself to find inner peace. She has to eliminate stressors as much as possible and take time to self-soothe.

"Just a minute, please!"

That can be difficult to do in a service-based industry. Groomers tend to be people-pleasers by nature. We care deeply for animals and want only the best for them. We also want our human clients to be happy, even if it's at our expense. So we need your support and cooperation to take the very best care of your pets.

Everyone benefits when grooming shops and the groomers who work in them are calm and happy. So read on to learn what you can do (and stop doing) to help lower your groomer's overall stress.

The problem: Compassion Fatigue
Empathy is both a gift and a burden. Feeling the emotions of others without the need for words is one of the things that helps groomers work well with animals. A cat can't say, "You're combing too hard," but an empathetic groomer can read his body language and understand his message. The problem is that, when you're so open to feeling everyone else's emotions, it can be exhausting and overwhelming. When animals are uncomfortable, for any reason, we feel their pain. When people are angry or upset, we feel their anger and upset. When pets die, we grieve with their parents. When clients are unhappy with a haircut, it bothers us. When we accidentally injure a pet, it traumatizes us, far more than any injury to our own body might. Some groomers build emotional walls and come across as cold or gruff. It's difficult to be open and warm all the time when it means letting in an onslaught of emotions.

How you can help
Take excellent care of your pet. Neglected animals break our hearts. Untreated veterinary issues both infuriate and devastate us. We do our best to treat your pets like they're our own, so treat them well.

Matted pets often suffer from poor circulation, chronic pain from pulling, and skin infection from trapped moisture. If your pet develops matting, understand that the humane thing to do is take it short and start over. Then, get on a regular schedule. Shorter-haired dogs with undercoat can mat as well and trapped fuzz interferes with their coat's natural ability to regulate their body temperature.

Overgrown nails can interrupt your pets natural stride, putting strain on their back and shoulders. Nails left long over time can warp the shape of the feet, leading to arthritis and other painful conditions. Many pets are prone to ear infections that can be prevented with diligent ear cleaning. Teeth require almost daily brushing to keep tartar at bay. Oral infections are just as painful for pets as they are for people, so follow your vet's recommendations for teeth cleaning.

In addition to proper grooming, lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, and mental enrichment are important for your pet's well-being. Anxious pets in pain are challenging to groom. Seek knowledge and apply it toward having as healthy, well-adjusted a pet as possible.

The problem: Working Too Hard
Groomers hate to say no, so when the phone is ringing off the hook, many of us will keep on taking appointments until we're grooming at a dead run 12 hours a day for days (or weeks) on end. That's fine in the short-term (like during the holiday rush), but grooming is hard work and all those extra hours can take a heavy toll on how your groomer feels, both physically and mentally.

How you can help
If your groomer is overbooked, don't guilt trip her or beg her to "fit you in." Tell her you're happy the business is doing well and take her next available appointment. To ensure your pet gets groomed when he needs it, start scheduling your appointments well in advance, especially around peak times like holidays. Remember, the harder your pet is to work with and the more hours he requires to spruce up, the more considerate you should be of your groomer's time.

The problem: Vacation Deficit Disorder
Not only do groomers work too much, they tend not to play enough. Taking time off and away from the shop can be impossible for groomers who feel obligated to be available to their clients year-round. But a week or two of quality time spent on a beach is often exactly what a groomer needs to refresh and recharge herself.

How you can help
The most thoughtful clients ask groomers about their vacation plans and adjust their own schedules accordingly. You may have to shift your regular five week appointment because it falls in the middle of your groomer's meditation retreat. And since it's easier on us to groom your pet earlier than usual rather than later, we appreciate it when you decide to schedule the week before our vacation and wish us a relaxing time.

The problem: Difficult Pets
Every pet can benefit from regular grooming. For continually growing coats and undercoated dogs, it's an absolute requirement. Unfortunately, pets don't always like to cooperate with what's best for them. This can be frustrating for your groomer and greatly increases your pet's likelihood of stress and injury. If your pet is large, strong, and/or aggressive, they can cause very serious problems for themselves and your groomer. Our backs can only take so much abuse and a bad bite in the wrong place could end our careers for good.

How you can help
Be open and honest with your groomer about your pet's behavior. Do not keep your dog's bite history a secret. If your groomer tells you that your pet is argumentative, don't take it personally. It doesn't mean they dislike you or your pet. It just means they need your help making grooming run more smoothly in the future. Listen to their training recommendations and follow them.

You may be asked to simulate grooming at home to get your pet more comfortable with things like electric clippers, brushing, and standing still on a table. Often, groomers will ask you to bring your pet in more frequently so that each session can focus less on hair trimming and more on training and building a rapport. Tiring your pet out with a long walk or playtime before grooming can help greatly with aggression, nerves, or excessive exuberance. You may be asked to withhold food or water in the morning before grooming for pets who have accidents. And no, it will not make things easier if you stay and try to help. Most pets are better-behaved when their owner isn't around to distract them.

The problem: Style Miscommunication
There's nothing better than hearing, "This is the best my pet's ever looked!" On the flip side, groomers get frustrated when they can't make a client happy. Sometimes it's not possible to give you what you want (sorry, but matted pets DO need to be shaved short) but if Fluffy is tangle-free and well-behaved, don't let miscommunication create a style disaster.

How you can help
Be specific whenever possible, but be a little flexible, too. Groomers are artists and pet styling can be highly subjective. The best relationship you can have with a groomer is a collaborative one, where you work as a team.

Not specific enough: "Short but not too short"

What "puppy cut" means

Too specific: "Make sure you clean her ears and trim her nails. Shave her with a #5 blade with the direction of the hair. Oh, and bathe her, too!"

Just right: "Half off her body, with a light trim on the tail and ears."

If you're not sure what you like, ask for recommendations. If you have a specific issue (a messy beard, for example), let us help you solve it.

Keep in mind that groomers have varying levels of knowledge and skill. They may excel in some aspects of grooming and struggle with others. Sometimes groomer and client style just doesn't mesh. Give your groomer a few chances to get things the way you like them, but if it's not working, wish her well and find someone who better fits your needs.

The problem: Lack of Consideration
Managing the flow of pets and people into and out of a grooming salon can be tricky. Each individual human and animal has its own individual needs. Sometimes pets are more work than expected (sometimes a lot more) and throw everyone off-schedule. Medical issues, behavioral issues, early drop-offs, late drop-offs, space constraints, excessive phone calls, power outages -- there are lots of ways an otherwise normal grooming day can be disrupted. So when your groomer says, "I'll call you when your pet is done," please don't show up an hour later expecting your pet to be done. Wait for her to call.

How you can help
A little awareness and common courtesy goes a long way towards making a grooming day less stressful for everyone involved. So obey all posted signs, read through policies and procedures that your groomer shares with you, and remember that there are other clients and other pets who need your groomer's attention, too.

• If you absolutely need to pick up before a certain time, tell your groomer about it when you make the appointment and again when you drop your pet off. 
• If you can, pick up your pet immediately after you're called. If you can't, let your groomer know when you expect to pick up. If you're given a pre-set pick-up time, come then.
• Pick up before closing time. Don't make your groomer sit around waiting for you. If you have an absolute emergency, call and expect to pay a late pick-up/boarding fee. 
• Always bring your pets in on-leash or in a carrier. Don't use a flexi-leash (or if you must, keep it short and locked). 
• Don't let your dog jump on random cars in the parking lot.
• Don't let your dogs play with other dogs in the waiting area.
• Don't let your dog's leash get tangled around other dogs/people/objects in the waiting room.
• Don't let your dogs jump on people/pee on the walls/etc. 
• Always walk your dog before grooming and clean up after them. 
• Be on time for your appointments (neither late nor early). Call if you expect to run late. Be prepared to reschedule at your groomer's discretion.
• Give your groomer at least 24-48 hours notice when you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If you have an emergency, call as soon as you can and expect to pay a late cancellation fee. Don't make an appointment and neglect to cancel it. No-shows cost groomers time and money.
• Keep your phone charged, turned on, and on your person in case your groomer needs to contact you. 

The problem: Financial worries
While there are plenty of groomers whose prices adequately reflect their work, there are still many who struggle to earn a comfortable paycheck. Grooming prices vary from region to region, based on supply and demand, but owner/groomers have overhead and business expenses to consider. Too often, people-pleasing groomers cave in under pressure from clients looking for a deal. Many groomers are afraid of the criticism that may come from raising prices, so they avoid it year after year, even as the cost of living and prices for supplies goes up.

Everyone has budgets. Everyone is concerned about money. But if your groomer isn't charging enough for your pet's haircut, she isn't going to be as relaxed and happy about doing the work as if she were appropriately compensated. A professional isn't going to take her frustrations out on your pet, of course, but animals are great mood detectors, and they will certainly feel her stress at being undervalued.

How you can help
Never, ever say that your groomer is "too expensive." If her services are out of your price range, feel free to try out a lower-cost groomer. If you're happy with those services, stay there. If you're not, return to your regular groomer with a renewed appreciation. As they say, you get what you pay for.

We understand that grooming can be a significant financial investment. If you need to spread out your grooming appointments to save money, that's OK. Adjust your styling expectations accordingly. If you can only afford to groom your poodle every three months, ask for a haircut that will last that for three months (spoiler alert: it'll be short). Some groomers do in-between brush-out services that are less expensive than a full groom. Some may barter for services. Other groomers may offer basic grooming classes that can help you maintain your pet at home. We're happy to help find a solution that'll help you afford your pet's maintenance, but don't expect us to take a pay cut.

Remember that well-maintained, well-behaved pets are the key to maximizing profit for your groomer and minimizing cost per appointment for clients. Don't be that client who brings in a matted mess once or twice a year with rotten teeth and a biting problem, shows up late, and then complains about the haircut and the price.

The problem: Feeling Under-Appreciated
Often times, it's the most rule-abiding clients with the most well-behaved pets who offer the best compliments and the most generous tips. If that's you (or you've decided to become one of those clients after reading this post), thank you. We love you dearly. You are the backbone of our business and the bedrock upon which we build our low-stress life.

How you can help
No matter what your groomer's price range, tip her well, always. Tell her that you appreciate her. Praise her around town and refer new clients to her. Support her shop in every way you can. If you don't like her or her work, don't bad-mouth her or her business, just find a groomer you do like.

available at Groomerisms.com

Now that you've made it through the list of do's and don'ts, don't worry too much if you're a "less than perfect" client or you have an unusually challenging pet to groom. If every pet and every client was sweet and easy to handle all the time, we'd probably get bored. We often find our more cantankerous clients the most rewarding to work with. And it makes our day when a stressful client acknowledges our patience and thanks us for taking such good care of them and their pets.

Groomers are hard to rattle and easy to please, so there are plenty of ways to make us happy. Here are some of the things that give us a notable thrill:

• When an aggressive pet parent refers lots of non-aggressive pets to our shop
• When a matted pet parent apologizes for waiting too long between appointments and pre-books their next appointment for four weeks
• When a formerly matted pet comes back soon enough to get a cute haircut
• When clients who decide to try another groomer come back to us
• When someone who misses an appointment offers to pay for the grooming anyway
• When clients give extra-large tips because they know we work hard
• When clients give personal gifts (a trinket featuring our favorite breed of dog or a copy of my book, The Pet Groomer's Guide to a Low-Stress Life, for example)
• When clients have lumps and bumps etc checked out at the vet and report back to us
• When a client squeals with delight when they see their pet's new haircut
• When clients ask us to groom pets for photos, weddings, and other special events (admittedly, that's a little nerve-wracking, too)
• When clients bring in unusual breed pets (we don't get to see nearly enough chinese cresteds)
• When we change jobs and a favorite client tracks us down
• When we raise our prices and a client says, "Good for you!"
• When aggressive pets learn to behave for grooming
• When clients ask for and value our advice on things like finding a new pet, spaying and neutering, training, and of course, grooming
• When clients say, "Trim him however you want" (and actually mean it)
• When clients say, "No rush. I'll pick up whenever you're ready."
• When we have to reschedule a client and they're totally cool with it
• When clients understand that nicks and quicks upset us, too
• When clients who can't care for their pets allow us to find them a new home
• When clients have the same taste in bows and nail polish as we do
• When clients acknowledge how challenging it is to be a pet groomer
• When we realize we've been grooming your pet his whole life
• When clients take a bunch of our business cards to hand out to their friends
• When clients write us great reviews, testimonials, and thank you notes

Luke vs the Skunk

Spoiler alert.

It was about 10pm and I was out with my two German Shepherd boys, watching them compete in their daily pre-bedtime marking contest. Pax was into it, but Luke's participation was half-hearted. I know he'd heard or smelled or seen an animal in the yard earlier that night because I'd caught him fussing at the window. 

Instead of peeing, he was sniffing around, hoping the whatever-it-was was still around.

As I watched him scan the darkness, I automatically went through a mental checklist of what sort of animal he could be looking for.

It wasn't a deer. He'd been very interested in them when we'd first moved in, but our yard is like a deer buffet. There are so many passing through on a regular basis that Luke completely ignores them.

He still gets excited about the squirrels, though. And there's a pair of chipmunks living in a den beside the back porch steps.

It was too late though for those guys. So maybe it's a...?

Luke interrupted my thoughts by gathering himself up and charging towards the side of the house. The boys were on flexi-leads (I, like most groomers, hate flexis on principle, but they make pee-time easier, so I do use them in the privacy of my own yard). I hit the lock button and dug in my heels. Luke leaned forward, straining and deadly quiet, which meant that whatever was back there was right there, close enough to spit on.

I dragged back on the flexi and angled myself so I could see around the corner. Backlit by the back porch light was the very clear signature hunch-backed, fuzzy-tailed outline of a skunk.

Luke did a half jump-lunge and managed to drag me forward an inch or two. The skunk ignored him, digging placidly around in my flower bed. That nonchalance was a red cape to Luke, who pawed and snorted, straining to win the tug-of-war and get a face full of eau d' eww.  

"Oh, hell no," I said, turning and digging in, heading in the opposite direction. 

I mentioned earlier that Luke is one of two German Shepherds. This is the part of my story where things could have gone really badly. It didn't, though, because Paxy is the good one.

Not only is Pax not interested in wildlife, he also doesn't like to stay outside for very long. He was rescued years ago from a bad neglect situation. It took him a while to get comfortable with the notion of being in a house with people, but now he's very much committed to his indoor lifestyle.

He'd finished marking and went to stand anxiously by the front door. Bless that dog. If I'd had two dogs like Luke, we all would have gotten sprayed.

But since I only have one bad dog and I outweigh him by at least 50 pounds, Luke's choices were follow or be dragged. Disaster averted. He stopped pulling and we all retreated into the house. 

Of course that little episode got me thinking -- what if things had gone a different way and I had a skunked dog on my hands?

1. Minimize collateral damage: I would have tried to sneak Pax inside before Luke noticed. I wouldn't put it past Luke to try to rub skunk-juice all over his brother and force me to deal with two skunked dogs. No, thank you.
2. Contain the victim: I would have tied Luke's flexi to the porch rail and left him outside while I went in and gathered supplies. Under no circumstances would I let him in the house - he'd be rubbing skunk oil all over everything.
3. Stock up: I would grab a bucket, a roll of paper towels, minty mouthwash (optional but helpful), baking soda, peroxide, and original formula Dawn. If I didn't have peroxide, I would substitute vinegar. If I didn't have the Dawn, I might try Palmolive or Dove, but nothing off-brand or harsh. Better to skip the dish soap if there's a risk it'll cause a skin reaction. 
4. Further precautions: I might change my clothes -- put on something ratty I didn't care about. I'd fill the bathroom with anything I might need for the bathing process later.
5. I'd go outside and blot Luke with the paper towels as best I could. Absorbing the oil into something disposable makes clean-up a lot easier.
6.  Start with mint: I'd soak some paper towel in mouthwash and dab it lightly wherever I thought he'd gotten sprayed. Mint neutralizes the smell, so adding a drop of mouthwash to a skunky spot helps pinpoint where those spots are. I'd keep dabbing until I couldn't find any more smelly spots.
7. Prepare the deskunking recipe: I'd put a handful of baking soda in my bucket, add a squirt of Dawn, and then drizzle in just enough peroxide to make a thick paste. 
8. Apply it: I'd scoop some of the paste up with a paper towel and smear it all over the skunk-sprayed areas. Since Luke would probably have gotten it right in the face, I'd be using a lot of paste there. Keep in mind that peroxide is a bleaching agent (it can turn black dogs a rusty color) and most of these ingredients are relatively caustic, so don't get them in anybody's eyes.
9. Be thorough: I'd let that all sit for a while, sniffing at his fur, trying to locate any more skunky spots. Skunk smell is tricky (when it's really strong, you feel it in your gut more than register it as a smell). I'd want to be thorough. But if I noticed Luke blinking or rubbing at his face at this stage, I'd assume he got skunk oil in his eye. In that case, I'd hurry up and get him to the tub.
10. Make a beeline: I'd lose the flexi and grab onto Luke's collar to take him into the house, straight into the tub in the bathroom. Do not pass go, do not try to play with your brother, no you cannot have a drink right now. Right to the tub. Before I turn the water on, though, I'd do one more quick sniff check. It's important to understand that water spreads skunk oil around, allowing it to travel down the hair shaft to the skin, where it's impossible to remove. 
11. Check again: before you add water, make sure you've blotted and baking-powder-pasted every fine, misty droplet of that oil.
12. Rinse away the paste: I'd try not to get water anywhere I didn't put deskunking paste, that way, if I missed a spot, I can still get it later. I'd start out by flushing Luke's eyes, very gently with lukewarm water. I'd do that for a good minute at least, making sure his eyes look clear and clean. He'll hate it and shake his head a lot and get me and the bathroom soaked, but it's better to annoy him than to leave skunk oil, soap, baking soda, peroxide and/or vinegar in his eyes. Any of those things can cause major irritation and possible permanent damage. Then I'd get the rest of the pasty spots.
13. Repeat as necessary: After he's rinsed, I'd towel Luke off and do another sniff-check. Apply more paste as needed.
14. Wrap it up: Either bathe him or put him to bed.

If you're not a groomer, you might want to skip bathing and live with the leftover skunkiness until you can get your dog in to see a grooming professional. If you've followed my steps, you might be OK to do a full bath, but you'll get better overall results if you let your groomer handle it.

That said, you might not be able to get into your regular groomer right away (the good ones are always booked out). Bigger shops are more likely to have walk-in services available than smaller shops. The big box stores often have the best availability. Wherever you go, be sure to tip well.

In any case, you will likely catch subtle whiffs of skunk on occasion. This can last up to 6 months. The smell will get stronger when the dog is wet. It's the nature of skunk oil and even the best deskunking can fail to remove 100% of the oil. Misting the dog with vinegar and dabbing some minty mouthwash on his collar periodically does help, though.

Since Luke did not get skunked (and never has, knock on wood) I bought him a cute skunk plush dog toy. I got mine at Big Lots and he's terribly cute. I looked online for him and couldn't find any, but if you want a skunk toy for your dog, this one from Amazon is pretty cute and doesn't have stuffing, which is probably better anyway.

You might be wondering, "What about those deskunking products they sell at pet stores?" I've deskunked a lot of dogs and I've tried quite a few commercial deskunking products, but I've never found one that works better than the baking soda and peroxide recipe. Feel free to try one and let me know how it works out for you.

Anyway, the skunks are out there and they have every right to defend themselves from nosy hoodlums like Luke, so if you have a dog, check your cabinets and make sure you've got some peroxide and baking soda hanging around. Don't mix them together until you need them, though. The bubbles don't last and it's that oxygenated bubbling volcano effect that makes combining the two such a good cleaning agent.

Above all, remember that prevention is the best cure. Power up your flashlight and check your yard before you take the dogs out, especially after you catch catch them fussing at the window at night!

The Matted Strip

It's an unfortunate reality of grooming that sometimes pets' coats are not cared for well enough to prevent the dreaded matted strip. Dreaded by groomers not because the "poor thing will be so ugly/cold/itchy afterwards," but because the animal has been suffering with that uncomfortable pelt for so many months, because it's tricky to safely remove, and because it can be very challenging to help clients understand 1. why their pet has to be shaved 2. how to avoid common after-shaving problems 3. how to keep their pet in good condition in the future. Often, the groomer is viewed as "the bad guy" when, in reality, we've performed a great and difficult service on behalf of an animal whose coat has been improperly cared for for far too long.

So why did the pet have to be shaved? Simply put, mats are bad news. And pelts are mats gone wild. Pelts are when mats make friends with their neighbors and conspire to take over the world. They're painful because hair from one side of the animal is tied, through that network of pelting, to hair on the other side of the animal and every day, those hairs pull on each other more and more. It happens gradually, so pets tend not to complain a whole lot when their skin starts getting tugged at from every angle and body parts that should be free to move start to get locked into place, and the only relief that comes naturally is when those hairs finally give up and break or tear themselves out at the root.

Mats are also bad news because they're great little hide-aways for dirt, moisture, and the bacteria and fungi and parasites that like to live in that kind of environment. Any break in the skin -- scratches, sores, or other normal skin damage -- will have a tough time healing underneath a pelt and it's uncover old, unhealing injuries, rashes and other skin troubles during a shavedown.

So pelts are definitely bad. Mats are not good either. But why do they have to be shaved, specifically? The simple answer is: shaving is the most humane way to remove mats. You can brush out a tangle with the right tools and conditioners. But a tangle of tangles that covers a square inch or more of an animals' body? No, those need shaving. Even if an animal is willing to tolerate the kind of tug-tug-tugging that dematting requires, it's simply unkind at best. And why so short? That's got a short answer, too. You can't push a clipper blade through a mat. It has to go underneath. If the matting is tight to the skin (and it usually is), the blade has to be short enough to slip underneath. There's a layer of hair, sometimes only millimeters long, right along the skin, that isn't part of the mat. That's where a groomer has to clip.

After we've accepted that the coat has to come off, and it has to be short, what are the common after-strip troubles? As I mentioned before, matted shave downs often reveal pre-existing skin conditions and those need to be dealt with. Luckily, most skin problems caused by matting clear up quickly on their own after the mats are gone. It's always a good idea, however, to consult with your veterinarian. Sometimes pets get itchy after a shave and can scratch themselves too much and do damage. Often, they were itchy all along, but the pelting prevented their scratching from doing any good and now that they can actually get to their skin, they get a little too eager and hurt themselves. Any close shave always carries some risk of clipper irritation (sometimes called "clipper burn" -- which does not mean that your pet was actually burned with a hot blade). Sensitive sanitary areas are particularly vulnerable to after-grooming itch and pets can lick and rub themselves to infection if they are allowed to fuss too much.

There are a number of ways to help a pet get through the itchiness. You should consult your veterinarian if it is severe or lasts longer than a day. They can prescribe antihistamines that will help make your pet more comfortable. In most cases, though, simply watching your pet and distracting him from fussing can help get him over the itchiness quickly. The more they scratch, the more it itches, so keeping your pet busy with fun games and treats that first day can do a world of good. Many vets will also recommend anti-histamine creams or anti-itch sprays that you can apply topically to itchy areas. For a simply home remedy, try 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle. Spritz lightly on itchy spots to help sooth itching and to prevent infection. Do not use on open sores or damaged skin -- it will sting! Also never use it near your pet's eyes. You can also use an Elizabethan collar (lampshade, as some call them) or put a t-shirt on your pet to block them from biting or scratching themselves until the itching calms down.

The weather also becomes a consideration when your pet has been recently shaved. Naked pets are more susceptible to cold and should wear a sweater when they go out in the cold and not kept out longer than necessary. In warm weather, pets are more at risk for heat stroke and extra attention should be given to keeping them cool. They should not spend more time than necessary outside in very hot weather, should always have plenty of water, and should be watched carefully for signs of heat stroke. You can spray them with water, wrap them in wet or cold towels, and give them stone or marble tiles to lay on to help keep their body temperature cool. Also, pets don't tan, so keep exposed skin out of the sun to avoid sunburn!

Another possible side-effect of a matted strip is the emotional factor. Pets are not sensitive to their appearance and won't ever act depressed because they think they look bad, but they will respond to the way their human family reacts to them. Cats in particular are notorious for hiding from their families after being laughed at by the kids. Pets read our emotions better than we do sometimes, so remember that if you hate the way your pet looks shaved, you may be projecting that emotion. Make sure your pet knows that you are happy to see him no matter what you think about his present haircut! Also, sometimes the newly exposed skin feels so odd to a pet that they will act strangely (scooting, hiding, acting fearful) after a shave. They don't really understand that they've gone from having 2 inches of matted coat to having 2 millimeters of peach fuzz -- they just know that they feel strange sensations on their body now with every passing breeze -- and some pets can be strongly affected by this. Try to ignore these reactions as much as possible but do be sure to lavish your pet with treats and praise when he forgets about the oddness and acts normally. That will help him adjust much more quickly. Consult your veterinarian if you have any ongoing concerns.

The best cure is prevention, so the best time to start learning about how to take care of your pet's coat properly is right now. If your pet is matted, have him shaved. Then start right away getting him used to being combed and brushed and groomed properly. Put your pet on a regular professional grooming schedule (talk to your groomer about what the best schedule is for your pet) and get in the habit of combing at home as well. For more info on preventing mats, click here. A professional groomer is your partner in your pet's care, so use that resource wisely and remember, we want what's best for your pet as much as you do. If you gotta shave, let's make it as painless as possible for everyone involved.