# Grooming routines?



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

What is your grooming routine for your therapy or service dog? What products do you use specifically? 

With Tessa I use mane and tail shampoo and conditioner. Its really gentle, and I like being able to use the conditioner after shampooing since she gets bathed so often. How often depends, because I work teaching riding lessons and so she often rolls around in the arena playing and such at the barn. So I frequently rinse the dirt off her from that, and fully bathe less often. I use a zoom groom when bathing to really soap her up and loosen dead hair. I used to use a rinse ace pet shower deluxe but it was left accidentally during a move. At my last place the shower head came down so I used that, I moved again at the end of December so I want to get another rinse ace. It has a piece that goes between the pipe and the shower head, that way you just plug in the hand held shower utensil when you need it and don't have to take off the shower head. 

I worry about Tessa's skin with frequent bathing, what shampoos or conditioners do you guys use? I also worry because of the winter dry air. She also gets 4 fish oil capsules daily, I usually give 2 but she gets 4 due to her chronic dry eye. 

I use a furminator before taking her into a grocery store or if we are going to a restaurant. She is not allowed to shake inside either of these places, and shakes on command before and after since she shakes to adjust the harness. I also have a comb, and slicker brush. I don't like to use the furminator too often because it CAN damage the outer coat if held wrong (its a number 10 bottom clipper blade actually, groomers used them for years) and I don't have the best coordination from nerve damage in my arms. 

I use a dremel on her nails weekly, and keep them rather short so she doesn't clack on the floors in stores. The dremel also keeps them from being sharp at all after clipping.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Just a thought, Lin, but the show crowd has to bathe their dogs constantly so perhaps seeing what products they use might work for you. Maybe Andaka or Xeph might have some good suggestions since they show often?


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## Skye'sMom (Jul 11, 2004)

Skye and Buddy get bathed often since they are therapy dogs. 

I tried several shampoos (including Mane and Tail) before I found one that fits my needs and is gentle for the dogs.

I use Buddy Wash from Cloud Star - they also have a rinse. BW is lavender and mint scented, but I smell only 'clean' that lingers for days. It rinses off easily.

My dogs get a bath at least once a week (they are required to be bathed within 24 hours of a visit.) I also brush both daily with a pin brush.

Good dog shampoos are different than they used to be - like dog foods. If you use a good one they do not upset the PH balances or cause problems. Neither Buddy nor Skye have dry hair or skin - as a matter of fact, people always comment on how soft their hair is and how nice the smell.

Here is a link - I get mine locally for about $10.00 a bottle and it lasts a long time.

http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/cloud-star-buddy-wash-lavender-mint-pet-shampoo-19-fl-oz-reviews


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I use Earth Bath shampoos for frequent bathing. They are very gentle and work well.
If I had to bathe more frequently than every few weeks I would probably use something made for show dogs who are bathed frequently such as Chris Christensen's Day to Day shampoo. I usually only bathed my therapy dog about once a month because she was a very clean dog, even if she was overdue for a bath people would always ask me if she just got one. To get out loose fur I used a metal flea comb. I tried the Furminator but it was too harsh for her coat.

I also use a dremel for the nails and I give salmon oil and vitamin E supplements.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I use Dermalyte for bathing my service dog. http://www.drugs.com/vet/dermapet-dermalyte-shampoo.html

Ingredients: Natural coconut oil, safflower oil (linoleic acid), sodium lactate and glycerin as natural moisturizing factors, and purified water in a hypo-allergenic gentle cleansing system. 

I bathe him on average every 7-14 days. That depends on weather, season, where we're going (he always gets bathed right before we go to a doctor's office, hospital or other sensitive location). During the winter here, his coat gets saturated with rain nearly daily, so I keep a clean white towel in the kitchen and dry him off vigorously. That helps keep his coat clean. But his feet get muddy/dirty, so I have to wash them daily. During the summer, he gets dusty and has pollen in his fur, so he doesn't get muddy, but needs an overall bath more often. 

I also wash all of their bedding very frequently, since bedding can trap odor, loose fur, etc. No sense washing a dog frequently then letting him lie on a doggy-smelling blanket!









Obviously, anytime he gets something on him that was unplanned, he goes into the tub. My pet dog gets washed almost as often as he does so that she's not transfering smells, dander, pollen, etc on to him. 

Celo gets raked then brushed (with a boar's hair brush) every morning before we go out in public. (My pet dog as well for reasons above). His toenails get dremeled as needed. 

I carry hypoallergenic non alcohol baby wipes in my car and in his training bag so that I can wipe off his paws if they're not **** and span before we go into a store. I also use these to wipe his vest, but his vest hangs in my car and stays rather clean. I wash this every two weeks unless it has a spill, any signs of dirt...and I check it often to make sure it doesn't smell doggy. But he doesn't smell doggy, so I don't know why I'm so worried that he would.









The fabric mat that he lies on in restaurants (or other places where he have to lie in a stay for a long while) gets washed after every use. Restaurant floors aren't very clean, so I don't want to carry that grime around. Plus I don't want to bring in anything that might "appear" doggy to a restaurant. I have two of these so I always have one ready to go, just in case. He also is trained not to shake upon standing. 

I feed a raw diet, so I feed oily fish frequently and don't use supplements as a general rule. Neither of my dogs shed much nor suffer from dry skin (that could be because we set our thermostat so low though!







)


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