DIY Dog Grooming
The coronavirus is forcing many of us to learn new survival skills. This is the first in what may be a series of Do It Yourself tutorials to help folks fend for themselves until the Stay-At-Home order is lifted.
This week, we tackle dog grooming. Next week? Car repair, perhaps. Or cosmetic surgery.
One look at this dog and you can almost hear Sarah McLachlan singing “Angel,” that super sad song that plays over those ASPCA ads, featuring horribly neglected dogs with sad eyes and matted fur.
Meet Ronde. My 5-pound toy poodle.
Ronde’s twin, Tiki, died on December 10th, while being professionally groomed at home.
Heart attack, according to the coroner.
The groomer cried. I cried. I even tried to administer CPR while crying. To no avail.
Suddenly 14-year-old Ronde was an only dog.
The groomer, who's come to our house every month since we got our first poodle in 1995, didn’t come in January due to surgery. He had another medical problem in February. And another in early March.
By the time he was ready to give my boy a haircut the pandemic had struck.
“I think I’ll groom him myself, “ I told the groomer over the phone.
He laughed. And laughed.
Hey, what’s so hard about dog grooming?
Here are step-by-step directions to have your mutt show-dog ready using nothing more than shampoo, a blow dryer and the 25-year-old electric trimmer you found on the top shelf in the linen closet.
You start by bathing. The dog, that is. I didn’t have dog shampoo so I used my granddaughter’s gentle stuff for the first wash.
Then I gave him a sudsing in my purple blonde-highlights shampoo, so he’d be white again. Smart, huh? That’s a little trick even the pros don’t use.
Next, I fluffed him in a beach towel. Thanks to the governor, I won’t have any use for those for a while. I also used my hair dryer on him but couldn’t work my camera while blowing. Note: He hates the dryer.
I made a makeshift grooming table by putting another beach towel on a patio table.
I bought these clippers when my son turned 5 to give him a buzz cut at home. Used only once. My son turns 30 this month. If you have newer equipment you might get better results.
Ta-da! The finished product. Anyone have an application for the Westminster Dog Show?