Grooming Smarter

Whats good for the dog....

I have seborrhea, and while most of the time it doesn't bother me very much, today it was driving me crazy looking at all of the scaly, itchy skin, and the constant digging at it trying to get some relief from the itching.

I had lotion but as I was looking for it, I had a thought. If it works on dogs.....and I pulled out my sugar and scrubbed my arms for a minute, rinsed and man I am HAPPY! No more itching and the scaling is gone.

I am embarrassed at the way the before photos of my arm look to be honest with you. It has been very dry here and cold, and we are running heaters day in and out. I had to bathe a few dogs this afternoon and it played heck with my skin. I also had been scratching at it big time, and I ran out of my normal body scrub I used and had to use regular soap last night when I showered. All of those things made my arms look like I had some type of skin disease this evening!

I despise lotion, especially when I am working due to the way it attracts hair and causes irritation, so I don't use it often enough. I think the pictures make it look worse than it appeared in person. I hope so anyway! Lotion would not have helped do anything but mask the symptoms, and tomorrow the flakes would be back, looking for more lotion.

Before:

After:

So even though I looked awful beforehand, just a spoonful of sugar helped the skin flakes go away! No loofa, no shower pouf, just a bit of sugar on wet skin, scrub, rinse and viola! Smooth skin that even feels as smooth as it looks!

So while some say what's good for the goose....well I say what's good for the dogs is good for me too! At least in this case!

"I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookiee win"

That saying from the Star Wars movie is embedded in our memories (if you are a Star Wars fan anyway) and it is so true in so many ways! In the movie it was a warning that the Wookie was going to get his way or you would be sorry. In real life it is a warning to "Choose your battles wisely". 

I am not one to let a dog get away with a lot of shenanigans on the grooming table. I like a well mannered dog as much as the next person, and I prefer that to fighting with a dog, but I have watched way too many groomers get absolutely frustrated until they are frazzled with dogs trying to make them do something they want the dog to do but the dog is DETERMINED not to do. 

The dog wants to sit instead of stand and the groomer is constantly trying to make the sitter stand up. The dog wants to look towards the opposite side of the table than you want him to. The dog is trying to lay upside down when you brush or trim toenails. We all have these dogs that are aggravating and yet dealing with them is really not all that hard, yet I see experienced groomers fight to deal with them every day. Since time is money, it makes sense to not fight the dogs too much if you can avoid it. The time you spent trying to make the dog do what you wanted, when it is easy enough to work around the behavior, is time wasted. You could just work around what the dog is trying to do and get finished faster, which enables you to get more dogs groomed. It also reduces YOUR stress level as well as that of the dog.

Some of these things are actually easy to work around if you just "let the wookie win". 

What do I mean by that? Do I mean, let the dog do what it wants to regardless of what I need it to do? Of course not! I simply mean that sometimes it is better to work with the dog, not against them. 

If a dog wants to look a different way than you want him to look, move to the other side of the table. Usually in here that works. If your table is towards a wall, pull it out slightly and that will enable you to move around it easier. If you are mobile, then you will have fewer options,but minimizing the view of the dog will generally keep them from looking all over the place as well, so curtains and blinds are a definite plus. If they cannot see the house they don't know which way to look! It is really a lot easier to reposition yourself than to pull and tug and fight a dog that is determined to do things his way.

If a dog wants to constantly sit down, standing him up over and over will wear you out- not to mention frustrate the heck out of you- and make the groom take three or four times as long as it should. Usually a simple loop around the dog's middle is all it takes to keep that dog standing up. I know, it sounds simple, but many of the groomers I have worked with over the years fail to do this simple thing.

A couple of tricks to making the two loops work (especially if the dog is a spinner as well) is to loop one though the latch part of the loop at the swivel point, not to the arm. That way the two loops don't get twisted and tangled up. I use two different lengths of loop as well. A shorter one for the neck and a longer one for the middle.The Groomer's Helper also has a professional set that provides a "no sit" bar as an option. If the dog has a Trachea or Larynx issue, or is really pushing hard on the neck loop, you can move it slightly, placing the loop behind one leg. That takes pressure off the throat and keeps them standing as well. These simple tricks can eliminate a great deal of frustration.

Sometimes however, a dog wants to do what it wants to do. I always try to make it work.

Using two arms, one on either end of the table, makes it even easier for me to keep a dog still and pointing the way I want them to. When the rear and neck loops are in place with two arms the dog cannot move, twist, turn or lay down. this is a perfect solution for me.

If the second loop doesn't work, and the dog is struggling against it or upsetting themselves fighting it, then by all means, let the dog lay down when it is possible! It isn't going to hurt anything to have the dog laying down to have its back worked on, or sit down while working on back, front legs or head. Letting them sit will make the dog more comfortable and the happier they are the easier it is to groom them. Many dogs will even roll over for you to work on the other side. Choosing to allow the dog to be comfortable is key in many cases to a stress free groom for groomer and pet.

     

_{This dog was not going to stand up for love nor money, so we groomed her by rolling her around on the table. She is still this way three years later. Mom said we are the only shop to ever get her groomed.} 

I have dogs that were trained to lay down when being brushed or when having their toenails trimmed. This is a great idea for dogs that are coated or that have leg, back, hip or foot problems. However, if you do not expect the dog to lay down you can be in for a surprise when they will not stand up! I have a pair of Pomeranians that come in here that had an invalid owner who brushed them in her bed on their sides. You will not get them to stand up and the bathers all have to learn to deal with it. It aggravated one of my previous bathers so much that he refused to dry them. This solution is easy! Let them lay down and turn them on their other side when you are finished with the one you are working on. Its usually easy enough to do and actually it is faster to dry and brush out a dog with it on its side, because you can get to its underside easier.

Large dogs that will lay on their side will have less stress on their joints as well. During nail clipping it can be incredibly uncomfortable or even painful for a dog to stand on three legs. If they are overweight or older this pain can make them miserable and cause them to struggle more than they should. Allowing them to sit, and doing the front nails in this position, many times not even lifting the foot off the table , can be a helpful trick. If they will lay down, it's even better! My Wheaten likes to lay down for his nails. Always has. He will literally hang like a trapeze artist if you try to trim them with him standing.

There are other areas as well that letting them win can be beneficial. Drying faces with a force dryer, even on low can be stressful for many dogs. For those dogs I towel dry as much as possible, comb the head and ears the direction I wish it to lay and use a fan to dry their heads the rest of the way. Some of these dogs respond well to a human hair dryer or stand dryer. It is just not worth stressing out a dog to dry them.

Older dogs will sometimes react to the dryers in seizure type activity. they start screaming and seem to lose touch with reality. That is a type of seizure. Those dogs we do not even attempt to dry with a force dryer, we cage dry using a fan. We advise the owners that the dog hates being dried correctly and that the groom quality may suffer, but the dogs health is first and foremost in our minds. I have yet to have an owner fail to understand that.

Ear plucking is another thing that stresses dogs out. That is one reason I do not offer this except in rare occasions. It is simply not worth a dog hating me or hating the grooming process over a little hair. I clipper it out or scissor it out and call it done.

I don't want anyone to think I am a pushover, or that I do not believe in basic grooming manners, because that is not it at all! I expect and teach my dogs to behave in a reasonable manner, but sometimes, a dog wants to do something unexpected or bothersome and you have to decide, am I going to fight this epic battle or "Let the Wookie win"? In many cases the battle is not as important as the war and giving the dog the illusion that they "won" makes the groomer and the dog know they BOTH won. 

 So, go on! Let the Wookie win (sometimes)! And may the force stay strong in all of you! (My son made me put that in!)

 

 

Removing sandspurs from hair

 

These little buggers are horrible when it comes to dog hair! It is important to get them out as quickly as possible because the little burr pieces can and WILL burrow into skin and that can lead to an infection. Both green and brown (dried ones) are dangerous, but the dried ones are more prickly as they tend to be more flexible when green.

  

Many people think you must shave off a coat if it gets burrs in it, but there are several ways to remove them easily and painlessly from the coat.

 

You must protect yourself from injury as well, so in the presence of many sandspurs, I suggest a good pair of leather gardening gloves to keep the burrs out of your skin. One or two is easy, but pets rarely come in with that few. Most of the time, they will be imbedded in the hair first, and the longer they are there, the closer they get to the skin. Also, in long hair, if they stay in place for several days, they can do unrepairable damage to the hair shaft. If that happens, shaving may be the best thing to do, but if caught early on, removal is easy, but time consuming.

There are several ways to remove the burrs easily.

I never work on dirty dogs unless there are sandspurs or cockaburs involved! I would rather work on the dog dirty than wet in this case, and this case ONLY. The water makes the spurs swell, making them tighter in the hair than they were to begin with.

 

Brushes are useless and only manage to push the burrs in further. A wide tooth poodle comb however allows you to work them out easily. This is made even easier by applying a thick, heavy conditioner, like Nature's Specialties Aloe Remo or Kolesteral before combing. This can be done on a dirty dog as long as you are planning on washing afterwards.

I usually use a pair of pliers. YES pliers. Using the pliers to crush the sandspurs will make them easier to remove because it will break the spines of the burrs. When you break the burr up, it will literally fall out of the hair.

 

I use pliers, then add the conditioner, using as much as it takes to work into the coat, comb, and the sandspurs and cockaburs come right out. Always work from the outside of the burrs in towards the skin. If you start at the skin, you will be pulling through more hair and they can actually get more tangled as a result.

NOW if there are hundreds of the little buggers to deal with, then it might be easier on the pet to shave them off. Usually, if there is a place in the yard or walking area the pet frequents that has them growing, they will simply get more if you leave hair, but if the plants have been eradicated, or it was a trip to the lake or beach that caused the problem, removing them is not a waste of time.

I charge as I would for dematting to remove burrs if there are a lot, but if it takes just a few minutes, I don't. I do tell my clients to watch their dog as the little pieces that stick in your skin can cause infection, and they can be itchy as well. I raise roses and I get scratched and pricked all the time and sandspurs are similar to rose thorns in makeup.

 

Beggar's Lice are another type of burr, but thankfully they do not have huge spikes, rather they have many many tiny burs on them that stick to hair, clothes, or virtually anything that rubs against the plant. Almost like a magnet, they are attracted to anything but they love dog hair!

They are actually easy to remove, but many people, including owners, prefer to cut the hair off rather than work them out.

These come out easily with a fine tooth comb. It matters not whether you wash the pet first with these types of burrs, but conditioner helps in the removal. They will stay in place during HV drying and will stay in the coat until you pull them out. I work in the same manner as the bigger burrs, from outside in.

These guys are harder to eliminate in the environment, but at least they are less damaging to skin and coats than sandspurs!

On working dogs, like hunters and planatation guide dogs, I like to leave a little bit of hair, about the length of a 5F blade whenever possible, to allow the skin some protection against burrs while in the field. It is a length that while long enough to prevent injury to the skin, the burrs cannot stick in the coat because it is short. I always try to NOT shave out pads on these guys because that will make the pads more vulnerable to the stickers on the burrs. I know you may think that is counterituitive, but hair will trap the burr and prevent it from getting into the skin that would be present in a shaved pad. Most hunters know to check their dogs feet when they are done in the woods.

Same with ears. A bit of hair left on the inside and outside of the ear makes it hard for damage to occur. A shaved ear and ear canal will allow the burrs to come into close contact and even work their way down into the ear. The hair acts as a buffer and prevents damage in most cases. A good hunter will go over their dog after hunting and remove any burrs found. I work with a lot of hunters and this technique works great for all of them.

Foxtails are another problem, and most people suggest shaving dogs pads and the like to prevent them from entering the dogs skin where they can cause terrible infections, but I have no personal experience with these. This is a good article with pictures for those of you who do have these in your area: Foxtails

While we cannot prevent the little and big burrs from attacking our clients and our personal pets, you now have the skills to remove them easily!

Happy de-sandspurring dogs!

 

 

Dogs and the beach

I am currently sitting poolside at a hotel resort in Clearwater Florida. I know, WHY am I writing this blog from here? Well, it came to me and I decided to put it down while I was thinking about it.

I have numerous clients that take their dogs with them to the beach. Most own beach houses or condos in Florida (we are 4 hours from Panama City Beach) so they take their dogs with them every weekend. Some rent however and take their dogs with them as well. I guess they have pet friendly rentals. We were driving the "strip" in Clearwater last night and I was shocked at how many dogs there were down here! Not only in front of homes that were obviously privately owned, but in the hotels as well. I left my dog at home, but apparently I was the only one that did!

I would not consider bringing my dog with me but many others do, and those who live near the beach have their dogs with them all the time. The restaurant we went to last night had a chow at the bar, and a boxer in the patio eating area, and the bar we ate lunch at today had a Yorkie, Miss Mollie, on the patio deck, and they even provided her with a bowl of water and a small plate to put her bits of food on while she was there - which is good because her mom was dropping food on the floor until they brought the plate.

 

So even though it seems many people do bring their pets with them to the beach, there are definately things youy should consider before deciding to do so.

First of all, make sure you really want to bring your dog with you and that you will have the time to devote to the care of your pup. It can be difficult as you will have to return to your hotel room to walk him/her and if you are on a boat, a beach or any other excursion, that can be hard.

Then, make sure that the condo, rental home or hotel room will allow you to bring the pet with you. If they do allow it, do they have a deposit, and if so how much is it and is it refundable or non refundable? There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel and finding out you cannot have your dog with you if you planned on having them there. It sounds like a no brainer, but not all hotels accept dogs, so it is best to ask in advance.

Fleas are HORRIBLE at the beach in Florida. Make sure that your dog is on preventative that is recently administered. The closer to the trip you can apply or administer the flea prevention the better off you will be. Many of my clients who are 100% flea free at home return from the beach vacations with fleas, but when we tell them to administer the flea preventative closer to the beach time, they have little to no infestation occur.

Sandspurs are also a big big problem in Florida. The dunes are covered in spurs and burrs and they can and do wreak havoc on your pets hair. I prefer to bathe and brush each pet before and after they go on vacation. That way you know they are taking a clean, mat free dog and you can get any burrs and the like out quickly upon return to prevent damage or at least minimalize it, to the dogs coat.

 

Be aware that not all beaches allow dogs onto the sand, and even if they do allow them, you may want to keep your pup off the beaches. The sand gets hot and the dogs feet will not be able to stand that without burning. The asphalt and sidewalks are also really hot during the day in the summers. If you do bring your dog and you cannot carry them, then I suggest boots to prevent the pads and paws from burning. Also, make sure that if you find a pet friendly beach, you clean up after your pet and control them. Nothing could be worse than stepping in poo on the beach or having a dog run all over you while you are sunning yourself!

 

You won't forget the sunscreen for yourself, but did you remember to get it for FLuffy? A dog's skin is sensitive and they can get burned as easily as you do. Provide shade and there are many sprays out there made for dogs that have UV protection. This article talks in depth about the need for doggie sunscreens Sunscreen. If your dog will wear them, Doggles are also a "must" for dogs at the beach. WE wear sunglasses, so should the dogs that go to the beach.

 

Also remember that the air temperature is hot, even if the wind is blowing in the summer and a dog can suffer heatstroke easily. Always keep a bowl of water handy. They make travel bowls and bottle holders with flip down bowls to travel with. It is a good idea to use bottled water when traveling because sometimes dogs, like humans, respond negatively to strange water sources.

 

There are several local places in the high tourist areas of Florida that do daycare for visitors. Each place has it own set of rules, and I suggest you go into each one to see if it is the "right fit" for you before you hire them to take care of your dog. I have looked at several here in Clearwater and I know that a couple of them will not suit my needs. It would be hard to get down here with the dog and find out that you cannot or do not wish, to use a facility you had planned on using because there is just something you didn't do or that you don't feel right about it. Reservations are usually required for visitors so plan ahead.

You can also arrange for a dog walker to visit your hotel room or condo to take care of your pooch if you are going to be out for extended periods of time, just make sure the hotel knows about it. They may even be able to refer you to a good dog walker. Never hurts to ask! Make sure you introduce the dog and the walker in advance and that the pet is in their carrier in the room where the walker will not have to chase them. It is also safer for the pet as housekeeping may have to enter the room and they might get out the door. It happened to a client of mine once, so I never leave my pets out on the floor at all when I stay in a hotel, even with a Do Not Disturb sign in place.

 

Before taking your pup with you to a restaurant or bar, call ahead and ask if it is ok. Many places here in Clearwater have no problems with your pet coming along but you will most likely be seated outside on the patio, so be prepared for that possibility. Not everyone at the bar or restaurant will be happy about your pet so leash them and keep them close to you at all times. If possible, bring your own bowl in case the facility is not as accomodating as The Brown Boxer Bar in Clearwater Beach.

Sand and salt as we all know, are harsh irritants and if your pet goes swimming or running on the beach with you, make sure you wash all the sand and salt off their hair and skin every day. At the very least they should be rinsed off to remove the sand. It would be a good idea to take a brush with you as well to make sure you get the tangles and burrs out of the pets hair. Otherwise you will have a mess when you get home, and a coated dog will have damaged coat to deal with as well.

 

Look in advance for self serve dog washes and dog parks. The self wash will make cleaning up the sand and salt a lot easier than doing it in a hotel room! These are places you will likely want to visit with your pet while on vacation, so knowing where they are in advance will make it easier on you.

 

In most cases it is probably best to leave your pup at home, but the above tips will help you to have a better beach vacation if you just can't leave him at home!

 

Contact Dermatitis

I am not allergic to much. Mold, yes. Some pollens, yes. Perfumes bother me and cigarette smoke sometimes send my into fits. Cats now, that is another thing. I cannot even be in a room with one without my eyes swelling and itching.

In 16 years of grooming I have had an allergic reaction to exactly three dogs. I mean, I broke out in hives, itching, redness, swollen eyes the whole gammit. Two are Sharpeis. I think they are the brushcoat variety, and they make me red, itchy and swollen where the hair touched me. This latest one was a Scottie. Of all dogs to be allergic to it was a scottie! The photo shows how red my throat was 10 minutes after I sprayed a hydrocortisone spray on it. I already had Zyrtec in my system, so I am rather worried it could have gotten much worse if I hadn't taken that in the morning before this happened.

This dog had a greasy spot down the middle of his back that we could not identify and that only got worse the more we tried to remove it. I decided to remove some hair and try another bath. By the time I had made three swipes with a clipper I knew I was in trouble. I scrubbed my arms and neck, then changed jackets and put on my rose gauntlets (gloves that go way up the arm). I was still covered in hives when I went home that night, but with the gloves on and the new smock I was able to get him finished.

I assume it was whatever he had on him that made me
react this way but his mom and dad swore they knew NOTHING of the                greasy patch or what he may have gotten into...um OK then.  

The gloves I had would be ideal for dogs who may have been in something that contaminated their coats or are just ultra dirty. They are Bionic rose gloves and come in many different sizes. they are designed by a hand doctor and work fantastically allowing you to feel everything you are gripping, and as you can see I could hold and use my shears and clippers just fine.

I always keep an extra jacket or smock in the shop for just this type of incident.

Things you can react to on a dogs coat include chemicals they have been in contact with, topical flea medication, poison ivey, oak or sumac, oils or sprays like Skin So Soft and any number of other irritants that the dogs may carry on their coats. Usually working on clean dry coats eliminates the reaction on the groomer's end, but in some cases you cannot eleviate the risk. 

Be prepared should something like this happen to you. Keep antihistamine sprays handy. Keep benedryl onhand. Keep a change of clothes and ALWAYS have some gloves handy.  

Then, if at all possible, find out what the dog had on it that triggered this reaction. In my case I couldn't find out, but if you can, you will know what to avoid in the future.

Sticks and Stones

 

When I was small, and people were mean to me or, as my grandmother would say "Ugly" to me, I would go home crying. My mother and father used to say "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" when I would tell them what happened. I didn't understand then what they meant. 

I have to say I still don't know where that came from because words can definitely hurt, especially when they are intended to. As a military family I was the "new kid" quite often; a redhead with braces and a southern accent in a northern state was the worst new kid there could be. Then I fell and broke my leg severely, so add in crutches (and in 4 casts) for 6 months before I was finally freed and allowed to walk on my own. It was really bad for me then.  My mom, an expert seamstress, made many of my clothes. I didn't own a pair of blue jeans until I was a junior in high school.  My mom was a teacher in the school system I went to, so that made me "teacher's pet" in the eyes of many of my peers. I was a band geek. I did not go to dances or parties as I was too busy studying Mozart, Handel and Chaminade. Growing up was hard.

I was picked on constantly but I persevered. I made a name for myself in the music scene in Massachusetts. I played onstage at Boston Symphony Hall numerous times. I played with the Thayer Youth Symphony one semester and even did fill-in work with the Indian Hill Chamber Orchestra. 

While I was doing well outside of school however, my school days were less than impressive. I hated going to school and would often find myself physically ill in the mornings. I developed migraines in the fifth grade. I missed a good portion of my sophomore and junior years of high school due to the headaches that plagued me weekly, sometimes lasting for days on end.

I can look back now and understand that in general the headaches, which I still suffer with, were due to stress at school. I was being bullied at school by nearly everyone. Not in physical, obvious ways, but other, more subtle ways. The students were laughing at me or ignoring me during events. They would talk about me when I could hear them, by saying things like "she doesn't even like our music, she listens to classical!" but when confronted about it would say things like "YOU are paranoid. What makes you think we were talking about you?" We all knew they were. This included the band students that I played with. They were, in all honesty, some of the worst offenders. I always felt as if I had a big bullseye painted on my back.

I hated going to school because I never knew what torture the day would bring. Would it be about my clothes, my hair, my accent? There was always something "wrong" with me that the other kids found funny, and they would do it in a way that I could not go to a teacher and say "they are picking on me: or "they said xxx about me". My name was never used but the looks and laughter when I would show that I was upset, said it all. I would often go home in tears and sit looking out the window of the bus as people laughed and pointed. The bus driver even got involved at one point, after which I was able to convince my mom to drive me to school from that point on.

When I was in high school there was no understanding of bullying if it did not include physical violence. No one understood that what was happening to me was bullying. This day and age we do understand that emotional bullying is a problem, yet it continues and oftentimes it goes without being dealt with. We are told to ignore them, don't give them more fuel, be quiet and it will all go away. But, they don't stop and their fires get bigger and burn brighter, and the quiet is perceived as weakness, causing the bully to pounce again and again.

The recent rash of student suicides related to cyber bullying has proven that even though we have come a long ways towards identifying bullies and their behavior, we have gotten nowhere in our ability to deal with the bullies and assist those being bullied. The new technology we deal with daily in our lives, like the internet, chat rooms and email lists, make it easier for people to engage in bullying behavior.

Because grooming is a female dominated industry I think we see a lot of this behavior. Woman on woman bullying is called "Relational Aggression" and has root deep into our childhoods. Most of the people who are bullies in adulthood were bullies in childhood. They never learned their behavior was not acceptable. They may have had a mother or sister that was aggressive and they do not realize it is a problem. NO ONE ever told them to stop, or that there were consequences to their actions. They were the "popular girls" who had the "cool" boyfriends (many of whom were bullies in their own right) and the "court" of friends who thought they could do no wrong. Since they never learned how to behave as children their behavior as adults in many cases leaves a lot to be desired and they continue berating and deameaning their colleagues and those they call friends.

I have been the victim of online Bullying two times in three years. Both times it spilled over from online abuse to the real world. I am not talking about disagreements or healthy debates, but statements that were downright mean, attacking me, my dogs, my business, and all from people who do not know me and that what I does not have ANY effect one way or the other on them. The first attack left me a mental mess. I thought I was strong enough to shrug it off, but I wasn't. I still get shaky when recounting how bad that situation got. It would have gotten worse if I had not had a good support system (and you all know who you are). Lies were being spread; threats made….it got so bad the police got involved in an effort to stop it. I learned a lot about how to handle a bully during the month that this went on. Nothing prepared me however for it to happen again late in 2010. In both cases, it took me being a strong person and having a good support system to pull through it without completely shutting down and disappearing. A weaker person would have allowed the aggressor and their accomplices to win. They would have gotten what they wanted: Me to crumble and go away and them to come out victorious. I refused to allow that and I am still here. I fought back.

I refuse to give anyone the satisfaction that would be gained if their bully techniques had worked. I will not be silenced by those who have nothing better to do than bother me.

I decided last year after the last round of bullying that I was going to do something to make a difference. To help others handle it when it happens to them and to educate others who, while not directly involved play some part in the bullies efforts. This series of articles is my attempt to do that. Look for "How to identify a Bully" tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

The Twelth Day of Christmas

Has me wondering how I will relax enough to get the rest I need to continue that last 4 days of the busy holiday season. I am a terrible insomniac to begin with, but this time of year it doesn't help me that we are busy and my body gets into high rev mode! Take these tips from an insomniac. They work!

 

 

There are many sleep aids out there but if you are like me you simply don't like to take them. I always feel drugged the next day and they don't let me sleep really well. Alcohol is not on my agenda either as it has a temporary sedative effect and can lead to all types of other problems, so I try to find natural alternatives to help me sleep.

 

The more rushed we get during the day, trying to give everyone the attention they deserve and have their pets done well and on time, it can lead to extreme amounts of stress. I know that today, after the day I had at work I am still wound tighter than a drum and even two hours after putting down the shears and releasing the last dog, I am still jittery and my heart rate is still elevated, mind going ninety miles and hour.

 

There are numerous things we can do to help calm us down and shut off the adrenaline, and I want to discuss a few of them with you here. We will need the techniques in the future, and if they help you get the rest you need to make it through the next few days, then you have made my writing worth while.

 

 

First of all, sit down and eat a real meal. No fast food. Actually sit down over a table with family or friends and EAT! The act of taking a meal with others will help relax you. It is better if someone else has cooked it for you, and as busy as we tend to get this time of year it might be advisable to take some of those restaurant gift cards you got as gifts or tips and use them! ANYTHING to make life more calm will help you sleep better.

 

 

Second, a nice hot bath or shower will also help you calm down. I like to turn on my Jacuzzi, close the door and turn the lights off, light a candle and enjoy a hot soak. If you don't have a Jacuzzi, or hot tub, you can just fill a tub and add bubble bath or bath salts. I love lavender salts in the Jacuzzi as well because they tend to make you feel relaxed faster. In the shower, you can use a shower gel or scrub to help you indulge your sense of smell. Try to avoid invigorating scents at night or else you may have the opposite effect you are trying to achieve. A long bathrobe, or extra thick towels, right from the dryer is another great tip for helping you relax.

 

Limit caffeine in all types. No coffee, soda or energy drinks after about 5 PM for most people will help you relax even more. I tend to switch to non-sugar drinks as well about 4 PM. I have also found that chocolate will sometimes make you a but agitated, so limit the sweets as well.

 

 

Darkening a room, even if its just dimming the lights, will make you relax and helps induce sleep. We turn off the light in the Living Room at last an hour before we are planning to turn in. It makes you body relax and since it is darker, it will induce sleep.

 

Turn the TV off or down and try not to watch things that you get excited about or that make your mind work too hard. No news, no politics, no adventure movies and no intense psycho thrillers. Nothing that makes your pulse race or your mind have to function too much.

 

TURN OFF THE COMPUTER at least an hour before you want to retire and never turn on the TV in the bedroom! Those tow things will keep you focused and prevent you form fully relaxing.

 

Meditation always helps. I meditate in the tub while I soak which makes the meditation work faster. Deep breathing techniques in the tub will also help you feel sleepy fast.

 

White noise in the bedroom helps many people go to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. The noise masks all types of outside sounds to help you sleep better. They make machines which generate a number of sounds and I have one that mimics an Air Conditioner, fan, running water, rain, waves and many many more sounds. A fan works as well and my favorite thing to sleep to is a window unit air conditioner. You have to make sure that if you are sleeping to a noise generator that it does not cut off during the night or else you will likely wake up. An AC that cuts off will wake me up every time it cycles, so I keep mine on Fan ON all the time. I sleep really well with that on.

 

Control the bedroom temperature. I read a study recently that said 68-72 degrees F was ideal for sleeping. Not for me however. I like WARMTH! I sleep with a heated mattress pad on lower settings to keep my sleeping environment at a constant level. It is easier to sleep if you are not too hot or too cold and while I know that is a common sense thing, many people forget.

 

Try to stay on the same sleep schedule year round, and all week long. It is hard to do sometimes, but if you can get up and go t bed at the same time 7 days a week you will have your biological clock working best and it will help you rest more and it also is rumored to regulate weight and mood. I am guilty of napping on Sunday, but I do try to not sleep all day. I am up at the same time every day and try to go to bed within a half hour of the same time every day.

 

If you cannot fall asleep, do not lay there, get up. Don't turn on the TV or the Computer, but read or simply meditate. After 20 minutes, go back to bed,. Repeat as needed. If you wake up at 2 am, of course TRY to go to sleep again, but if you cannot do it, then get up. The longer you lay trying to go back to sleep the longer you will try to go to sleep. I get up, write a bit on my blog or website, then when I am done with the brain swirling and twirling I will go right back to sleep. I often wake up with ideas running through my head. I have learned that if I do not do something about the thoughts I will NEVER get to bed, so I just get up and take care of it, then go back to bed. If I wake up close to my alarm time, I just stay up. Less stressful that way.

 

Maybe this will help you sleep a bit better so you have the ability to keep up with the demands of your life this time of year. I am hoping I can take some of my own advice.

 

 

 

 

 

Cleaning ears in the tub

Hi, my name is Debi and I am an Ear Flusher. There. I said it. I feel so much better!

This is a controversial technique that raises eyebrows and hackles across the country. I do not want to stir up problems, but for over 10 years I have cleaned ears this way using a bathing system and it works very well and is perfectly safe. I have a small video clip of this technique being used on one of my dogs, Kraemer, my Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. He is the only dog I have that has chronic ear issues and this is the best and easiest way I know of to clean his ears. Using cotton balls or Q-tips pushes debris and gunk down into the ear canal and since cotton is fibrous it can be abrasive and as a result you can have "trauma" inflicted on an ear by excessive use of those items. I have seen ears that were already sore bleed after a vigorous cleaning (not by me) so I refuse to allow them in my shop. This is fast, safe, effective and the dogs usually love it.

First off, let me start out by saying that water in the ears does NOT cause infection. Bacteria or Viruses or Fungus causes infections. Water being present in the ear and not being dried out could possibly cause a yeast infection to breed, but NOT if it is not already there.

The canine ear is made in a manner which allows the outer portion of the ear to be cleaned really well using running water and yet no water is going to get down into the ear canal. When you lift the ear back to clean the ear the canal closes in most cases and water cannot get down in there. On some dogs, you cannot lift the ear back because it is already erect. However water in the ear is still not a problem. Because there is air trapped inside the ear canal, water will not be able to get into the ear canal and then to the ear drum, unless it is dribbled into the ear. Think about it. When you lay down in water fast, the water causes a vacuum to be formed, and the water releases when you stand up. When a dog shakes the water that does get into the ear canal will come out. If you are truly concerned about water in the ears you can use a drying agent after the rinse, but I find that a towel wipe and then getting the dog dry is perfect for drying ears. They do not hold water well and are dry as they can be before they go home.

I have had cockers for 25 years. The only one out of my cockers that have ever had ear problems was the one that we had groomed regularly when I was a child and my dad as well as the groomer always stuffed his ears with cotton balls and tried to keep water out of his ears. A famous vet one time on TV said "even a single drop of water can cause an infection". That was the thinking when I was younger. I started working at a vet clinic and the really gunky, nasty ears were flushed with a steady stream of water to remove debris, wax and dirt. I was pretty surprised at that until he explained to me that it doesn't cause problems and why it doesn't. The vet that owned the practice showed me how he wanted me to clean ears and it is the way I do them to this day.

When I was using ear cleaner and cotton balls and swabs I saw a huge rate of ear infections in my salon. Today, with this technique, I rarely see one. Maybe one dog in a hundred will present with an infection. This is a tremendous improvement over the rate before, which about 40%. My clients do not understand what the difference is but they are grateful. The pets are happy, and it is easier for us to clean ears this way.

When using a recirculator you have to know how it works. Dirt and oils get trapped by the surfactants in the shampoo and stored there. They act like a magnet holding onto a nail for dear life. They keep the dirt trapped, and even though the water appears dirty it is not allowing the dirt to redeposit on the dogs hair or skin. It is trapped. So when using the recirculator to clean ears there is no worry about dirty water. If you are not convinced, then simply wash the ears first before the rest of the dog is washed and you will be fine. I have a video clip and blog entry on using a recirculator coming up later in the week, so look for it if you want more information.

Back to ears.

Simply turn on your pump and wash the ears as you would any other part of the body using low pressure and a constant circular motion. The video clip shows the technique pretty well. The dogs tend to lean into the nozzle because it feels so good to them. If the ear has an excessive amount of debris present in the ear canal, I sometimes add some shampoo to the ear canal opening and massage it with my finger to loosen it up more. This is only needed when there is a "rock" of black stuff present or excessive amounts or ear medicine that must be cleaned away. Otherwise, treat the ear as if it was any other part of the body and watch the debris run out with the water as it flows out of the base of the ear and when you rinse whatever is left will come out as well.

As with any bathing, if the ear is dirtier than it should be wash longer. It is simple, fast and pain free. It is also helpful on red or irritated ears since there is no rubbing or pushing involved. You can clean sore ears, like Kraemer's right ear with no pain to the pet. Digging around in a sore ear with cotton is not a good idea and it hurts.

Of course there are times when using this technique is not recommended. If the ear drum is compromised, this is not a technique that is safe or warranted. The owner is likely to know there is an issue and will tell you. When in doubt, don't do it.

In case of severe infection, refer to a vet and do not clean the ear. They need to see the ear intact, as is, and I have also found that if you clean it too well the owner will think there is really nothing wrong and will not go to the vet like they will if you leave it goopy and smelly.

If you have a Prima type system, you can still use this technique. Open up the wand opening so it is on a fine mist setting and apply shampoo until the debris stops coming out. DO NOT force the tip into the ear and DO NOT use at high pressure. You can control the pressure of the water coming out of the nozzle b y not squeezing down as hard on the handle as you would for a body. It is all common sense. The dog will let you know if it is uncomfortable but I find that the washing action of the water and shampoo going in the ear and running 9out is soothing for most dogs and get the job done fast and easily.

This technique saves me a lot of time and energy as well as making ear cleaning more pleasant for the pets. If you are smart about it and use it wisely it can be a tremendous time saving technique for you shop. Remember, I have cockers and they have great ears. I have had one infection in Kermit and one in Elmo. Josie has never had one and Austin who lived to be 14 had two in his entire life. I keep their ears flushed and cleaned this way every time they get a bath. This technique works.

I hope this helped explain further the way I clean ears in my tub. Kraemer is grateful to be clean ad he was a great video subject! Even if I DID get soaking wet in the next series of clips, it was worth it.

I put this video clip at the bottom on purpose. It is an HD video and is wider than the window allows for inclusion in the blog post. I can click on it while it is playing and it will go to You Tube. If this does not work for you, I am also including a link directly to the video on You tube.

Happy Grooming!

Video Link

 

Stop the Heated Dryer Madness!

I get emails from people around the country quite often about their pets who have been injured, and I always try to assist them in whatever way I can. Sometimes it is a simple accident, like a quicked nail, or a small irritation and I can calm them down and help them feel like it was really not a big deal and they are happy when they fully understand the problem. 

Then there are the rare exceptions, thank goodness, that contact me because of a major, horrific accident, like I detailed in Chloe’s story .

One such person is Bailey’s mom.

I have reprinted her first email to me with her permission and her name withheld. She did give me approval to list her area of Canada. I was shocked to say the least and wanted to share this with all of you and maybe help educate someone in the dangers of heated dryers and in what to do if you suspect a burn. Bailey, below, was burned at the grooming shop by a heated cage dryer 2 weeks ago. She is still dealing with major medical complications. Here is her Mom's email. 

 Oh My Debi,

 I just was fwd'ed your story about poor Chloe's story at the groomer.  We have just experienced almost the same incident here in Prince George, BC , Canada.

 Our dog Bailey, a coc-a-poo, went to the groomers on Aug 24, 2010 when I picked her up at 2:15, the groomer told me that there was a little incident and that she got a small burn....when I looked at her stomach, the whole belly area and the inside of her legs were black and purple. The groomer stated that the dog had a poop in the kennel and as such was sitting at the front of the kennel, obviously too close to the dryer and got burned. The groomer stated that she was in the kennel for about 15 minutes and was alerted to her situation when Bailey was panting really hard. 

 When I picked her up, I noticed that her burn was already oozing in a couple of places, and luckily I proceeded directly to our vet, where she was put on antibiotics and a few days later on pain medication as well. She has not had to be hospitalized up to this point, but we as a family are providing a lot of care for her and really having to work at making sure she is fed and hydrated, as her drive to eat and drink is not there.

 I am attaching a few pictures. Do you know if there are Canadian journals, magazines etc that I can get in touch with to share my story so the word gets out there? Here in BC there does not seem to be any regulations around grooming facilities. I just do not want this to happen to another dog. The groomer that we dealt with refuses to look at the pictures, we have offered a few times and she has declined. She is not wanting to take responsibility and learn from this unfortunate incident. We are very, very upset with the situation and how the groomer is handling it.

 Sincerely,

(name removed)

Prince George, BC Canada

 I find it absolutely repugnant that a groomer who KNEW the dog was injured failed to seek medical attention for that dog. I really find it horrible that the dryer industry continuously ignores the problem and continues to make dryer that get hot enough to cause this damage. Follow up emails have stated the groomer will not look at the photos and admits no fault in the case. 

Remember the quote from above that reads: "The groomer stated that the dog had a poop in the kennel and as such was sitting at the front of the kennel, obviously too close to the dryer and got burned. The groomer stated that she was in the kennel for about 15 minutes and was alerted to her situation when Bailey was panting really hard". If the dog was indeed left with feces in the kennel it was not acceptable. If you have a dog have an accident clean it up! If the dog was indeed in the kennel for only 15 minutes then that dryer must have been extremely close and extremely HOT to do that kind of damage. 

If this happens in your shop, you are obligated to seek medical attention and to pay medical bills regarding the situation. PERIOD. If you are using heated dryers hanging on kennels, you need to be extremely careful in how hot they are, how long you leave them in place and what type of cage bottoms you have. I have said it before and it bears repeating. NEVER use them on metal pans!  Never use them in covered or solid sided cages, and never use them on high. Those things help make them safer. They are not, however, safe 100% in any case. there are several articles in this blog that discuss how to use them safely.

 Here are the pictures I have so far.

 WARNING! GRAPHIC!

the picture above was taken immediately after she got home, and immediately after seeing the vet.

 

In my opinion, this groomer is negligent and should be dealt with accordingly, if for no other reason that she failed to seek immediate medical attention for a condition that was noticeable at pick up. 

I feel the dryer companies are negligent in that they continue to make dryers capable of this type of injury despite numerous burns occuring every year.

We have to do something to stop this madness! Banning cage dryers is not an option nor do I think it is a good idea, but I do think that dryers with safety switches, mandatory ten minute timers, and heat regulators that prevent them from putting out that much heat in the first place are all valid ideas that the industry has so far ignored. 

How many more dogs have to suffer like Chloe and Bailey before this stops? Please do your part and make sure that IF you are using a heated cage dryer make sure you understand how it works and be safe about it! In my opinion, a cage dryer should have no heating element. I know not everyone agrees with me, but there is truly no reason for using a heated dryer on a dog in a cage. This is one of the things lacking in our industry. Safety controls on the manufacture of our equipment! Add to that we lack EDUCATION on how to use the equipment safely and correctly.

Until groomers start accepting responsibility for accidents and using equipment safely and in a way that makes sense, these types of accidents will continue to happen. Sadly there is no way to explain to a parent or a pet that is injured or one that has died as a result of groomer negligence, that nothing is being done to stop it from happening again. I am doing everything I can to spread the word. PLEASE spread the word yourself to everyone you know.

 

In Case of Emergency

Emergency plans are important both at home and at work and it is up to every shop owner or manager to make sure that the plans are up to date and fully understood by everyone who works or lives in the building the plan is developed for.

Are you prepared in the case of an emergency at your shop? Do you have an escape plan in case of fire, or a shelter plan in case of bad weather? Do you, and everyone who works in the shop, know where the location of all fire extinguishers is and how to use them? Do you understand how to properly administer Canine/Human CPR and basic first aid to a pet? Would you be able to contact the families of each pet in your care should there be a situation that destroys your records?

If you answered NO to any of these questions you are not prepared for emergencies adequately!

A recent case of a shop in West Windsor, NJ in which several dogs died despite the shop owners efforts to put out the fire and to rescue the dogs, made me redefine my escape and disaster preparation plans and to go over them again with my staff.

Here is a link to the story about that fire. http://trentonian.com/articles/2010/07/02/news/doc4c2d57087582a259999995.txt

 

At my shop, my biggest fear is fire. Even before the incident above, I was paranoid about the possibilty of a fire occuring at my shop. As a result of my paranoia I have three fire extinguishers in place; one in the kitchen, one in the grooming room and one in the drying area. I made sure they are larger than the fire department requires and are rated for all types of fires. I have them inspected twice a year even though the fire department only requires me to do it once a year. I also went so far as to buy several small, inexpensive fire extinguishers and we practiced with them last year. Since I have two more staffers now, it is time to do that again.

I have three wire crates in my truck at any given time, two inside, one in the back. If we have a fire we cannot extinguish quickly and we can get to the back door, we will simply “throw” the dogs out into the fenced area behind the shop and transfer them to the truck from there. If we cannot get to the back door, then we will carry as many as we can carry to the truck, and put them in there, loose if need be. We will sort out getting them into crates after we are all safely out of the shop. If you don't have a fenced in area at your shop, I strongly suggest trying to put one in for more reasons that fire safety. A portable kennel run can be placed around a back door to ensure dogs cannot get out of the shop if the door is opened and it will offer you a place to put dogs at least temporarily, in case of a fire or other major disaster. Check with your landlord and all fire regulations before installing one of course, but if it is possible, I strongly urge you to install one.

One of the first things I did in my shop was to “unstick” all the windows in the shop since they had all been painted shut. If we have to we can now open a window in each room and hand dogs out through the windows. This can be the key to getting out of a burning building as well. Sure you can throw something through the window to break it, but it is easier if you can just open it. There are now at least two means of escape in each room of my shop: a door and a window.

 

 

In case of a tornado or severe windstorm, I am very lucky to have a small hallway in the very center of the shop and a small bathroom with no windows. If we close the doors on the rooms that branch off the hallway we are completely protected from flying glass and debris. The dogs in the main rooms can be, if time allows, placed into the small bathroom until the storm passes. If not, they are all secured in heavy cage banks and airline carriers and should be able to withstand most damage, other than a direct hit by a tornado. I believe that even a tree crashing into the roof would be able to be withstood by my cage banks, but I do hope I never have to find out.

Now, as for contacting my clients in case of an emergency, I suppose that I could try to grab the computer off the desk as I run out the door, but I may not have enough time to do that, so I back up my files every night at home to my household computer, or at least I try to. I may not have any new client’s information on it, but I will have established client’s contact information available at my house and a simple phone call to my husband can have those numbers in a matter of minutes. If I had client information on cards I would try hard to grab the day’s cards when I left.

 

Basic first aid is something that every single groomer and bather should know. This would constitute CPR, rescue breathing and basic first aid. The Red Cross offers these classes and many trade shows have them at their shows as well. It is important to have a fully stocked First Aid kit for humans and pets as well as understanding how to use it. Especially after an emergency it could be critical to be able to assist both people and pets that are in need until professionals arrive to help.

 

 

Another thing I have done is to have an alarm system put in place. My alarm system automatically contacts fire and rescue personnel in the event of a fire or if you hit the panic button on the main controller. You can hit that button on your way out of the door and in a matter of minutes fire and police will be there to assist us. I realize this is not feasible for everyone, but if you can it is a great idea to have this type of alarm system in place. IN the event of a fire in the hours we are closed, our alarm will automatically sound and the fire department has our building layout on their computer, including where we house or boarders. They know where they are going to be so that they can access them easily and quickly.

After an emergency plan is developed it is imperative that all members of the staff understand what you have developed and make sure they understand their part in it. Make sure they all understand how to get out of the building no matter where they are. Make sure they are aware of fire extinguisher locations and how to use them. Post the escape routes and discuss them with each and every crew member. Have drills once a quarter or whenever a new person comes onboard to ensure they understand what to do in case of fire, flood or tornados.

All of this is critical to having a positive outcome in the event of an emergency. If we are prepared we can at least feel better knowing we did everything in our power to keep the pets entrusted to our care as safe as we possibly can.