# All groomed and pretty



## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Kyleigh certainly doesn't lead a 'sheltered' life, and this summer was no exception. She's been covered in mud, leaves, slimes, fish guts, dead gopher pieces, and anything else she can find to roll in. 

It's finally cold here in Ottawa, so I took her in to the groomers (I WANTED to leave and have a nap, but she decided she was going to HOWL like crazy) so I ended up staying and simply holding her still while the groomer worked her magic. 

2.5 hours later, I walked out with a very relieved puppy ... BUT she looks stunning!!! Here she is in all her glory posing on my bed. (Yes, I made that quilt too!)


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I prolly have 3 to 4 favorite GSDs on this forum not including Zeeva and Kyleigh is one of them c: absolutely love her!


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## GSDGunner (Feb 22, 2011)

She looks beautiful and so shiny!


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

She's beautiful-looking at coat pics-makes me want one!


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Very nice


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

She looks gorgeous, not a hair out of place......for now :wild:


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

She will be the belle of thr Ball! (I had to chuckle about her howling though LOL! MOMMIEE Don't leave me with this strange person!! )


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Thanks all! 

I so did NOT want to take her out last night. I was thinking, can I not have her look pretty for more than 4 hours? 

I did bring her out of course, but NO water, and NO forests ... the burrs that coat picks up are crazy!

The howling? OMG I was embarrassed! She was LOUD. BUT, there were some other dogs there that were just as loud, I've NEVER just dropped her off anywhere, and let's face it, grooming is NOT normal dog stuff. I'm sure she would have been content with me just cutting the burrs and mats out and giving her a good brushing. BUT, she was FILTHY so it was a bit beyond doing myself. 

She was really good with the groomer. I was simply "there" and would hold her head every now and then, and just make sure she didn't try and jump out of the tub / off the table. 

It was funny tho, because the groomer said if you did it more often, she'd be fine ... I asked ... how often ... well, at least once or twice a month ... EEEK At $90 a pop? I'll pass and do her myself in the backyard in the spring / summer and fall and professionally once or twice a year!


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

Wow, she looks gorgeous! What a pretty girl :wub:


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Kyleigh said:


> The howling? OMG I was embarrassed! She was LOUD. BUT, there were some other dogs there that were just as loud, I've NEVER just dropped her off anywhere, and let's face it, grooming is NOT normal dog stuff.


It should be normal dog stuff! Honestly, had you simply walked out the door, your dog probably would have been fine. Mostly the howling and carrying on is for YOU, and she'll probably quiet down when she realizes you're gone. It was nice of the groomer to let you stay, but I'm sure you have other stuff to do besides stand there cooing at your nervous poopsie for 2 hours.  

Professional groomers know how to handle dogs, she didn't really *need* you to stand there. In fact, most dogs are actually better behaved when their owner is NOT present. I know, it seems counterintuitive, but I speak from experience. Don't let the canine drama suck you in! 

She looks great! $90 seems high, though. I just did three coated GSDs for $55 each--maybe I need to raise my prices! 
[/QUOTE]


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

both dog and quilt, beautiful!!!!!!!!!! you must have the patience of a saint, not many people quilt anymore


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## Carriesue (Aug 13, 2012)

She's beautiful! I hope Ollie ends up with a coat similar to hers. 

And I feel your pain, my doodles last trip to the groomers was $140 US smackers and he has to go in more often because I don't trust myself with clippers.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Freestep - if it hadn't been so crazy busy in there, I probably would have left. It was an absolute nut house in there and I figured there was enough chaos for her to deal with the noise ... we'll do it one step at a time!

Next time, I will book at a MUCH quieter time, and I WILL walk out ... no turning back! Also, I did want to see what they do b/c now I can do some of it myself!!!! I discovered some "tricks of the trade" that can help keep her coat cleaner so she's not as bad the next time!

Cost ... I called around and this was the absolute cheapest price I was quoted!!!! (I was initially quoted $50-$60 over the phone, but she changed it as SOON as she saw Kyleigh!)


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## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

She is absolutely gorgeous!


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## Mandy L. (Jun 12, 2012)

She is beautiful!! And yes it's getting cold in Ottawa! 


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Kyleigh said:


> Also, I did want to see what they do b/c now I can do some of it myself!!!! I discovered some "tricks of the trade" that can help keep her coat cleaner so she's not as bad the next time!
> 
> Cost ... I called around and this was the absolute cheapest price I was quoted!!!! (I was initially quoted $50-$60 over the phone, but she changed it as SOON as she saw Kyleigh!)


Any tricks you are willing to share? Quinn is a coatie and makes me think of the character "Pigpen" in the Peanuts cartoons, a dirt magnet. His coat is so soft it absorbs everything.

I've had him bathed, dried, brushed and furminated, pants and forelegs trimmed at a private groomer for about $75 here near Toronto, so you got a pretty sweet deal for Kyleigh.

ETA: Yikes, I just looked back and you did not pay $60! Not such a sweet deal after all!


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Beautiful.

She looks so prissy


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

She does look prissy doesn't she!!!! It didn't last long, let me tell you. Out last night and she was already covered in dog drool and sand. SIGH ... at least that brushes out easily. 

TIPS I picked up ... 

Shampoo 3 times, yes, 3 times ... FULL lather rinse, etc. and do a FULL body massage each time. The washing ordeal should take about 1/2 an hour. 

Use leaf blower to dry the dog - ha ha ha ... The biggest thing with Kyleigh is getting her dry. I'm not a fan of washing my dog every week / month (unless I absolutely have to), and in the summer, I have no issues with letting nature dry her off. 

The dryer was great though, really got some of that 'dead' fur out. 

OH YEAH - she did NOT shed like crazy during her bath ... nothing like a short coat dog!!!

BIGGEST TIP - make sure the dog is PERFECTLY dry before you do the combing / brushing. 

A furminator can work on some of the fur, but not all. 

A finishing comb is the first "brushing" - helps pull out the excess fur and lets you find the matts for future reference. 

A dematter is the next step - self explanatory LOL

A pair of scissors for the matts that are too close to the skin / or a quick zip with the razor (we only had to do that once).

And then a good solid brushing with a wire pin brush (with the rubber tips of course). 

And then the finishing comb again to make sure you got everything. 

And the best tip ... Kyleigh got a lovely piece of steamed salmon when we got home!


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## Piper'sgrl (Apr 20, 2012)

pretty girl! How old is she now?


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

She's 17.5 months old


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

pretty girl


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for all the good tips! The 3 latherings was a surprise to me. Two I can see but I wonder why 3. Did the groomer use a detangling rinse at the end? I brush out all tangles and remove mats before getting Quinn into the tub as with his particular coat, the water makes them worse. All coaties have different consistencies of hair and different amounts of undercoat, so what works with one might not work for another.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

She might have used a detangler rinse. 

Ky's coat is definitely one of those that mats really fast when she gets wet ... I guess that's why we did everything afterwards? honestly, I'm not a groomer, and this is the first time Ky's been to a professional! 

My other dogs were MUCH easier than Kyleigh - short coat dogs are a breeze! There might be more fur, but burrs come out a lot faster!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Kyleigh said:


> Shampoo 3 times, yes, 3 times ... FULL lather rinse, etc. and do a FULL body massage each time. The washing ordeal should take about 1/2 an hour.


No wonder she charged you so much! 3 shampoos is NOT necessary. The dirtiest dogs at my shop get shampooed twice, but for a normal dog that hasn't been rolling in something dead, sprayed by a skunk, or covered in motor oil, 3 shampoos is overkill.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

She had rolled in dead stuff ... dead fish and a dead gopher (I mentioned that in my original post) ... 

As I mentioned above your recent post, it might have only been two shampoos, and the third was a conditioning rinse. 

It was still one of the cheapest prices I was quoted. I got as high as $125 at one "boutique." I can't bring her to a "common"groomers b/c Kyleigh doesn't have the bordatella vaccine, and a lot of places in Ottawa won't accept a dog in their place of business without that vaccine.


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