Bath Times
Friday, April 6, 2012 at 4:11PM 
Nathan washed Socks (not one of ours) from start to finish. I was there giving him direction but he did all the work other than cleaning up the bum area and the pads in 45 minutes and that included my end. A short coat is easier but a long coat that is taken care of can be easy too. I can do Fiona or a number of the others in 45 minutes too.
I took a comb and went over him and I did find a few knots but it gave me an opportunity to show him where they usually are and how to find them. This is normal.
I remember when I did Val's TT eons ago having her go over his coat line by line and finding one knot and I was miffed. How the hey did she find THAT! But she added you did a really good job. I also did a bichon for her and she didn't find a single knot and I hated that coat as it was so thick and tight. I was shocked and she had no clue how much anxiety I had over her criticizing my handiwork. So, with that in mind this wasn't meant as a 'find the mistakes' expedition with Nathan. It's simply a learning experience as it was for me hopefully without the anxiety.
I washed Logan and then Panda and Roxie. When I first started doing Logan he would mat very easily. We have since gone to a once a week bathing with him and it seems to be helping a great deal. His hair is getting longer and it appears easier!. It may be the once a week bathing and the products combined.
All I know is now Logan gives me kisses while I groom him and before he used to try to stop me with his mouth. I didn't blame him and worked hard trying to make it a good experience and part of that was coming up with this new plan that thankfully seems to be working better. Getting kisses is the best especially during a time that they do not like.'
I tell you this as patience is important and making it fun is important. A good experience will help you in the long run and worth the effort. If you take them to a groomer make sure they also have that mindset.
SiblingsI would rather have the dog enjoy the experience or at least not hate it than to have it be a quick job. It takes me 45 minutes to do Roxie or Panda but at least twice that long with Logan and I can do Katsura in a little over an hour. Risa, if I line comb her, and I do, each wash takes about the same time as Logan. She has thick full body hair and the longest part is parting and going through the coat line by line to find the knots.
I am a picky nut though and just like someone who takes a rag over to see if you dusted right (that's not important to me) I tend to use a comb to find those missed knots. If you do you can actually go much longer in-between with brushing.
I am also a freak about eyes and ears. I will find an ear ache faster than anyone else as I have a golden and know ear aches and just how those things smell when they begin.
People come visit with their dogs and I clean around the eyes taking those eye boogers away. I have a friend that laughs at me as she knows when I come in I am going to clean around her dog's eyes. I can't help myself.
The last thing I do every night before bed is spray their mouths with Leba II, clean around their eyes and look at their ears.
Why am I talking about this? To each of us we have important things and things that aren't. Some of us may like a long coat and others like a short shaggy puppy cut. Some may prefer to take their dogs to a groomer once a week and get it brushed out and others prefer to brush while they are watching tv daily and take their dog to a groomer only when they need a haircut.
The bath may seem rather scary at first. Lord knows Nathan fought me long enough about doing one and then he did and it was easier than he thought. Of course the coat was short but still it was puppy coat length and much thicker. With the right set of tools and being thorough you actually make your work easier.
So when you are bathing buy a tether and do it in the laundry room sink. Tethers usually come with ridiculous plastic nooses that can't be shortened. You want that rubber part that goes against your sink but you will find more ease with a woven noose that can be tied in knots to shorten it if necessary.
I just bought another from K9grooming supplies here. If you have a grooming table it can be used there as well but just as the replacement for what they give you on a bathing tether is worth every penny. To be able to wash your dog hands free makes the experience much nicer and it was one of the things I was pleasantly surprised with when someone way back when told me that I should get this combo. It works and even buying the replacement as an add on cost still makes it cheap and worth every penny. It is something you can use even when they are an adult.
Really its not hard bathing and grooming with the right tools. But it is you that has to decide what you want to do.
Reader Comments (14)
Its bath day in AB too!. beautfiul day,but muddy. Cali being so low to the ground had to be washed from top to tail. Kizmet being taller got away with just a tummy & leg wash . They both were done last week, and brushed out last night. but its melting (good news/ bad news) so we just deal with it. This way they are looking good for their vacation at my friends acreage while I'm away before picking up Tre. Can't wait!
Gerda: I hate muddy too but bonus if you could do a tummy and legs without the rest. Sometimes when I do that I just go why not just do the rest and I do but that's me being silly. I can't wait to see photos of your 3 together. :-)
Looks like teacher and student did very well! Socks looks beautiful and in the same breath I have to add that Roxie and Panda are very pretty siblings! I have had the coat comparison w/ my 2 dogs - over 12 yrs apart. Our 1st - very thin silky, easy to care for w/ no issues. Our 2nd had such a beautiful thick double coat that it was an issue. Too hairy inner ears which meant constant ear care and watching for infection. She also had issues around her urethra area due to excessive hair. I groomed her daily and washed her in the laundy tub almost daily - bum area, tummy, feet and snout. We have a groomer we've used for over 24 yrs now and she had to totally groom our 2nd no later than every 5 wks, due to the extra thick double coat. We're talking about Bichons that are sizzor cut - same as Havs. Tia's hair grew so quickly that I cut around her eyes, at the very least once weekly. However, she did love grooming and she acted like I was giving her a lovely massage and scratch! :-) I had professional sizzors but ruined them trying to sharpen myself . . . so must buy new. I have your recommended on my list from your "Tips" section which will take to the show tomorrow.
I should add that the Bichons tight curly double coat is what caused concern w/ our 2nd and so why the constant cutting and grooming. Havs seem to have a lovely silky and straighter or wavy coat which would allow for the lovely long do, which I'm so looking forward to. :-)
The correct coat for a bichon as you know is that thick, tight coat and the pros use a slicker to get through it and use a comb to find any tangles. You want that head look that they have in the show ring. I like a bichon in a natural look vs. a show ring look but each of us like something different.
If you want good scissors you need to go to a dog show if there is a vendor that carries them. It's more feel than anything. I got my thinning shears and curved scissors from Doug at K9groomingsupplies. The curved scissors are great for the feet (makes them simple to make round) and for cutting the hair around the rectum to reduce any stickage. My straight scissors was a gift from my daughter in North Carolina who is a groomer and didn't like the ones she had. I use them the least. I don't cut hair. I only trim, do feet, tummies, bums etc. I do not cut around the eyes as you will end up having hair that pokes into the eyes and that hurts and causes leakage. I do cut around the urethra area and I do clean each time I groom I clean the area. I have never had a urinary tract infection in any of my gals. Is it due to keeping the area clean? I don't know.
All my dogs will have tummies clipped to some degree summer or winter and it makes it much easier and you can't tell unless they are laying on their back. It reduces knots and some will even cut in their arm pits to reduce any knots. I don't as I don't seem to have an issue in that area.
Katsura and Risa have profuse ear hair. I do not remove all but I do remove some hair only when it is profuse. Neither have ever had an ear infection. Now watch me say never and watch it happen. Life is like that. Kat's hair as a puppy was so thick that it knotted daily in his ears and that is why I reduced his hair. Risa's was so thick it was like bichon hair inside her ear. Abigail and Wasabi's pups do not have profuse ear hair.
I find Panda and Roxie's hair very easy to care for. Wasabi's hair when in good condition and pups are not eating it is silky as ever. Yes the havanese hair is easier, less thick than the bichons and if they don't have a cottony coat like a Coton (our Shoshi has one) than their coat is much easier. But these days I could take care of a cotton coat, just coat the hey out of it evenly so it stays slippery and doesn't mat.
Yes, Nathan did wonderful. It wasn't a show coat but we will get there. :-)
Mia got a bath today too! I spent a little over an hour with her but I'm still learning each time.
Speaking of which, I try to allow about 3 weeks between baths but she is still scratching at those ears :S. They seem clean to me and they don't smell abnormal as far as I can tell. Last time we took her to the et try said they thought it was just dry skin but we started her on the vitamin E after our last visit (February 14th) and it hasn't seemed to help with te scratching.
I know what you mean about the shorter hair sticking into the eyes. Tia would have curls getting into her eyes, but the longer hair didn't seem to do well w/ her either - just longer curls. W/ her health issues she was always too hot (and I would say like Mother like Daugher.) LOL I didn't mention that she did end up having some female genitalia abnormalities for which she had surgery and she was better after that, but of course I was by then "trained" to keep that area cleaned daily. I'm so glad to know that we have you to call upon for advice. Better the breeder and one who knows her dogs and their puppies. I'm confident we won't have issues, but so glad when we have "questions" that you are there. :-)
Did you try her on the combination vitamin e and salmon oil? Alyssa, bring her by so I can look. We may have to change the shampoo/conditioner. Please send me mail.
Did you use a bathing tether and perhaps the drying is the time factor. Learning is a good thing... and that's not too much time. You have to remember I do a lot of dogs.
She has been on salmon oil since day one, along with the missing link. We added vitamin e in February but still not much difference. Everyone says she's fine but she scratches only at her ears and has actually started to rip the hair around the ears because of it. I am currently alternating between pure paws oatmeal and aloe shampoo/conditioner and pure paws white magic shampoo/conditioner. I also bought some mink oil a while back after reading about it on one of your posts which really makes the hair super smooth and soft.
I don't use a tether but I find I don't really need it. Mia is good about being bathed and getting much better with the nail trimming. I use my own hairdryer to blow her dry and that does take a bit of time - especially since I brush thoroughly before and after the bath.
I'm off on Monday if you want me to bring her by? Let me know what works best for you guys, but I'm sure she'd love it.
Hi Darlah which curved scissors do you use? I've ordered from k9 before and would like scissors that make it easier to do their feet. Also what do you use to keep the hair out of their eyes. Do you use little bands? Thanks!
Alyssa: I would like to take a close look. It may be a habit at this point and that's an entirely other issue. We are here Monday but please send email so we can set up a time. We are away this morning at the show so we will get back on timing but Monday sounds fine. Love to see her again!
Gerda: I am running late so let me get back to you this afternoon with exact ones. I LOVE them and they are great for cheating when it comes to making sure the foot is round. It is much easier and comes out nicer. I also use them for sanitaries and they are perfect for that too. If I look them up I will be late for the show and seeing Madeleine got everything there may be nothing left. hahahaha
Gerda: Real fast - http://www.k9groomingsupplies.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=66 I am not sure if I have the 8" or 10" entree curve Entree Blue Titan 10" Curve I suspect the 10" Will measure when back home. They are worth every penny. Besides that I have a Bathing Beauty and 2 Oster stand dryers that cut down on my bathing time and that has to be a factor Alyssa so don't compare timing. You are doing fine!