In the News:

'Surfer Dude' wins pet costume contest
Scout the Chow Chow won the grand prize, the "Most Creative Costume" as a surfer dude in the Pooch Parlor's animal costume contest helt Saturday, Oct. 25, as a fundraiser for Priest River Animal Rescue. Barbie and Bates Johnson's Speckles the Dalmation dressed as an old hippy to win the "Most Original." Renee Miller and Mick the Terrier won "Cutest Owner with Matching Small Dog." The "Best Super Hero Pair" went to Mr. and Mrs. Pontius' Bandit and Sonic, dressing as Batman and Superman. Izzy the Shih Tzu went as a witch, winning "Cutest Dog" for Bev and John Kuprienko. Julie Wylie and Molly the Reriever won "Best Matching Kid and Dog." Jake the Sheltie too "Cutest Sweater" for Rosemary Lewis. Barbi Bair won "Most Appropriate Costume" with Pepper the Schnauzer dressed s a prisoner and Boo the Silky Terrier as a "Harley Chick." The fundraiser brought in $372 and will be held again next year.

Disaster Outreach program helps train for pet grooming business

I was fortunate enough to be able to meet with Leesa Cobb and Geraldine Rickel to discuss the Groundfish Disaster Outreach Program last week during the winter storm Port Orford experienced. Cobb helps to get local fishers into the program, and Rickel is the success story for the program.

The Groundfish Disaster Outreach Program helps to assist people dislocated from the fishing industry, as a result of the Groundfish Disaster. The program can help to access support, training, and the correct resources available.

The program isn't, however, limited to just fishermen, boat owners or captains. It is available to anyone who has participated in any level of groundfish. The program can help you research your intereste in retraining and to also to help understand how you and your family may benefit from all support services.

Geraldine Rickel entered into the program and was able to attend the Pooch Parlor Dog & Cat Grooming School in Sandpoint, Idaho. She was awarded a diploma for completion of the course. Rickel plans to open her own Pet Grooming business towards the end of the year or the beginning of January; her business is located in Port Orford at 545 West 10th Street.

Geraldine is one of the many successes that have come out of the program with a promising future thanks to the support she has received from Leesa Cobb and through the program. If you have any qestions about the program you can reach Leesa at 332-5250.

Can I wash my dog?

Nail Trimming

Can I wash my dog?

“Can I wash my own dog? It can’t be that hard can it?” These are the words that I hear everyday as I go about my business working at the Pooch Parlor in Northern Idaho. Each time I walk a customer through this process, I find myself wondering why in the world something so simple is so doggone hard to explain. Washing your own dog may seem simple, but - only if you think and speak ‘dog’ – the language of your own dog.

I run a shop for full and self-service dog grooming and bathing, and I LOVE it! There are dogs, and owners, of every size, every breed, and every temperament that come in to use the self-service doggie wash. Most owners are excited, some are scared, and some are cocky, but no matter who they are, or what they do for a living, there is nothing quite as intimidating for them as washing their own dog in public. The thought of doing this can give even the most confident person, performance anxiety, and for good reason! It is a true test of trust and tolerance and friendship for the person and dog companion. And, on a deeper level, it is an honest mirror for the owner, and how he or she deals with life, and with conflict. The likelihood of a successful experience for both is completely dependent upon the psychological relationship that exists between them, and, to a large extent, the ability of both to comprehend the body language of the other. You may be surprised to know that I have found that dogs are supremely better at reading their humans than their humans are of reading them. It is this relationship between human and canine, that shows itself without modesty during bathtime, and, keeps me coming to work day after day with a smile on my face.

My clients have been giving their dogs baths in my shops for 10+ years now, and, each year is more entertaining than the last when it comes to watching regular people washing their own regular dogs. The average person that comes through our doors is highly successful, which usually means – intelligent – and, because like attracts like, so is their dog. And, so why oh why, they ask me, should this simple task of cleaning their dog be so difficult? I ask them time and again, “Well, how well do you speak dog?” Invariably, their reply is a blank stare.

There is a lot to say about the theories of why dogs and humans behave the way they do, but I’m going to get back to the practical things to look for while bathing your own dog. The bottom line to remember is that your dog’s energy and personality traits are a mirror to your own. Take this into consideration when attempting to get him into the tub and have him be happy about it.

Deciding when to bathe your dog. Timing and Personality traits: Timing is important. Look at your own needs regarding timing to know how your dog will react. Are you the kind of person that is up for anything anytime? Or do you need to accomplish your day in a scheduled, systematic way? How do you do with new experiences? Do you find them refreshing and fun, or do you feel fearful until comfortable with a new activity? Your dog is going to deal with the bathtime experience in the same way you deal with life experiences. Remember that your dog is going to reflect your own personality traits – not necessarily the traits you show the world, but the traits that are truly inside you.

Fun-loving, extroverted, and social humans. If you enjoy regular physical activity, then so will your dog. For this type of person and dog, I suggest you take your dog out for a bout of exercise before the bath. In the city where I work, we are fortunate to have a designated beach on the lake just for dogs and their humans - dogbeach. There is a long path to run or walk on, and there is a large beach area to swim and play in. This is the perfect scenario for pre-bath timing. The dog can choose to get muddy, run, socialize, or just enjoy being outside. In any case, the dog is able to spend some big reserves of energy outside in a fun way, just like letting human children play before naptime. If you love exercise, do something like this with your dog before taking him into your own tub or a professional facility for a dog bath. A common fault of the social dog and owner: Just because you are friendly does not mean everyone wants this in their space. It’s hard to fathom, I know, but it is true. If you have a very social dog (if you are a social person), it is easy to forget that many dogs (like their owners) are not social and do not appreciate the social requirements (like butt-sniffing) of others. Please remember to respect their space when in public or otherwise. Keep your dog restrained and under control, even if your dog has the friendliest intentions.

Non-social, active, or inactive humans. If your personality is not conducive to social interaction, then I still suggest that you walk your dog or do something that is comfortable within your life that involves light exercise before bathing your dog. Taking a walk with your dog does wonders to alleviate excess tension or stress for both human and dog. By getting rid of stressful energies during a walk, it does not present itself during bathtime. Getting exercise is especially important for those humans, I mean dogs, that are highly nervous. I recommend giving your dog Valerian root (liquid form) or Rescue Remedy (liquid or spray) orally 30 minutes before the bath. Both of these products are natural remedies to calming down jittery nerves- and it works great for humans too. If timing is important in your life, take your dog to a self-service bathing facility when the lease amount of people are there, usually early or late in the day. A common fault of the non-social dog and owner: Non-social humans do not receive and send signals well in their own race. Their dogs simply translate the human emotion and reaction into dog language. Dogs that are not social, typically exhibit aggressive behavior toward other dogs that is many times intensified by the non-social dog owner. The owner sends the signal, “I’m scared, I don’t know how to act” by acting nervous, unsettled and dismayed when other dogs are near their dog in anticipation of their own dog’s behavior (which is their own – only translated now). This human cueing is clear to the dog, and in doggie language translates into what humans see as aggressive – 4 legs splayed, head low, excessive barking or growling, ears may be pinned back, but most often they are up or slightly back. This owner’s responsibility is to keep their dog under control with a leash and firmly and authoritatively say ‘NO!” This human cueing sends a clear message to their dog that his owner is ‘not scared, and does know what to do’. This owner’s dog will mimic the actions and emotions of the owner and bring himself under control.

Deciding where to bathe your dog: There are not a lot of choices when it comes to bathing your dog. A. You can use your own bathtub at home – hard on your back, very messy, potentially traumatizing to human and dog. B. Bring your dog to a self-service doggie wash shop – easier on your back, requires some social skills by owner and dog, can be noisy and hairy, and it does cost more than just the shampoo. C. Tie the dog to a fence and wash him with a hose in the yard – not easy on the back, hard on the dog with cold water, potentially traumatizing for nervous dogs. D. Wash the dog in your nearest lake –which is very popular in my neck of the woods – hard on the back, potentially harmful to the environment, and how clean can you really get a dog in lakewater?

Regardless of where you wash your dog, take into account your physical limitations, and your dog’s physical limitations. Is it worth wrecking your bathroom and hurting your back to wash your dog at home? For the clients I see, the answer is a definite, no! Emotional requirements are often a factor for dogs. For instance, Labrador retrievers have no issue being bathed in a lake (even though they don’t get clean), but they often resent being restrained in a tub with a sprayer hose pointed in their direction. For a farm dog that has never been away from home, tying them to the fence is a better solution than trucking them to the city and asking them to have manners in a grooming shop, or in a populated lake. At least next to the fence, even with cold water, they are comfortable with where they are and what is expected of them.

My vote is, of course to find a self-service doggie wash facility. The equipment is professional and easy to use, the water is warm (most of the time) and typically the dogs get treats when they walk out the door, which makes them happy campers. So, for those that want to know about washing your dog at a laundradog facility, here you go:

Getting your dog in the tub and getting him to stay there! At this grooming shop, the average dog that comes in for self-service is around 100lbs. All the dogs are washed at waist level where they stand on a grate in the tub. Getting them in the tub can be a trick. It’s kind of like asking a human to put ice skates on, and stand on the ice and not worry about how to do it. The easiest way for dog and human is to not give the dog time to decide whether or not he wants to. (Not the easiest task for shy or overprotective owners). The owner is given a large choker chain or cloth noose which goes around the dogs neck.

Leading: We have the owner quickly lead/pull the dog up the stairs with another person on the other end of the dog to give a quick boost on the butt end. The dog is on the grate and in the tub before he has decided to be worried about it. Once the dog is in the tub, the owner hooks them in (not something you can do in your tub at home) to a variety of metal hooks inside the tub.

Choking: The dogs that are new to having a bath will sometimes turn in the tub and pull on the choker chain. We prefer the choker chain to a regular noose because the dog quickly learns with a choker that he is in control of whether or not he feels the choking sensation. The second the dog realizes he controls his own choking, AND realizes his owner is going to allow him to learn this (this is very difficult for the overprotective and/or mother types of owners-most all of us!), the pulling behavior stops. With a regular cloth noose, or one that does not self-regulate, the dogs will pull and pull and often never learn that they have the control over their own pulling and/or choking. This choking behavior exhibited by the dog in the tub upsets owners more than any other behavior during the bath. Owners feel like they are directly causing their dog injury and should rescue them immediately when they hear them coughing and sometimes gagging. It is natural to feel concern over your dog choking, but it helps to think of the dog’s pulling and coughing similar to putting a toddler into his crib for a midday nap. Many human toddlers HATE taking a nap and will cry hard enough to cough and gag. If parents rescue them from their cribs when this happens, they are reinforcing this coughing behavior for their child. Parents that monitor the crying, and coughing from a place where the child cannot see them find that the toddler soon learns to accept naptime without expecting to be rescued each time he utters a sound. Naps and baths may not be pleasant to begin with, but they are both essential habits of life. Dogs have the same learning behaviors regarding rescue. Owners that react with excessive concern to their pulling (as the dog is expecting), find they are only encouraging more pulling from dog. This point is so crucial that it is worth repeating. The more upset and worried the owner gets over the dogs behavior, the more they get of that behavior. If the owner is calm and without fear, it is not long before the dog understands that pulling on the chain is only hurting himself, and he stops and accepts that today is bath day! So many nurturing owners find this part difficult, but try to remember, when you expect your dog to learn how to control his own anxiety, he will learn, but it requires that you LET him learn. The only way I know of to learn how to control ones own anxiety is to actually go through the experience of having anxiety and dealing with it. If you are the type of owner that cannot allow your dog to experience this emotion without taking over and stopping the experience, your dog will learn to go into an anxious state more and more easily because of the reaction that he can expect from his owner. This becomes upsetting for both dog and owner and as you can see becomes an escalating cycle. If you allow your dog to go through this experience of the bath, anxiety and all, you will see that they will calm down (if you allow this) and before you know it, you have a dog that allows you to bathe him! And having a clean dog is essential to most dog owners. When your dog does calm down, i.e. quits pulling on the noose and allows the bath experience, that is the right time to express heightened emotion through praise and treats. As with any rule, there are a few exceptions: old, very young, asthmatic, and dogs with neck problems should be closely watched if they exhibit excessive pulling on the choker chain.

Ignore or not to Ignore: Most of the time, I recommend to owners to simply and quietly ignore their dogs protesting to get the behavior to stop (and it does), with the only exception being a small puppy (like a yorkie) or an old and fragile dog. Both the young and the old dogs that are not used to baths can injure their tracheas or create a medical problem (like asthma) if their nervous behaviors are allowed to escalate. It is in this circumstance that I tell the owners to use a harness to hook the dogs in the tub or in the case of a small and wild puppy, to use a sink or bucket in which they can immerse the dog in warm, soapy water. Puppies are wired to swim and that’s what they do if they find their bodies in water. Swimming is easier to work with than a freaking out jumping bean. If you do choose to ignore your dog’s protesting to the bath, REMEMBER to give lots of praise when the dog show’s signs of acceptance and/or begins to calm down.

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Nail Trimming

The task of keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is by far the highest stress-inducing job the average owner asks me about. Most any dog really dislikes their nails being clipped. There are a lot of levels of anxiety involved in nail trimming, ranging from disinterest, to interest, to irritation, annoyance, fear, freaked out, and full-blown torture screaming agony. I believe that for many of the dogs, the experience of nail clipping is similar to how human children feel when they have a shot given to them at the doctor’s office. Most would never even feel the shot, but the anticipation of the shot is far worse than the actual experience. Further, if the child watches the needle go into his skin, the fear of the experience doubles. It’s the same for dogs. The number one rule in my shop for trimming nails is this: whether you do it wrong or right – do it FAST! The number two rule: don’t let them see what you are doing. The number three rule for dog’s that act fearful or worse: divert their attention elsewhere during nail trimming. The number four rule is muzzle the dog if the first three rules aren’t helping.

Don’t feel too discouraged if your dog acts like you are torturing him when you try to trim his nails. You are in same boat as 90% of all dog owners. How many human kids would let their parents give them shots? And – how many parents would be ok giving their own kids a shot? Seriously! Those are the emotions you are triggering for dog and owner when you ask your dog to ‘let you cut his nails.’ I applaud those owners that want to learn how to trim their own dogs nails. For 51% of owners, you will be able to clip your own dogs nails with a minimum of helpful hints. For the other 49% of owners, remember that there is no shame in giving up the stress that the nail trimming causes you and your dog by letting a professional do it. An experienced groomer (someone grooming for more than 2 years) is the best choice because they do it everyday on dozens of dogs- and, the future of a groomer is completely dependent on how much the dog and owner like them. My second choice is your local vet. They are my second choice because most vets let their vet techs do the nails (many times in the back room-which can be better or worse for the dog depending on the personality traits of the owner) and you can compare for yourself the experience a vet tech has with nail trimming over a professional groomer. Is the future of that vet tech dependent on the dog being ok with the nail trimming? Right. You may be surprised that in my opinion, the vet tech is usually a better choice than the actual vet for nail trimming for the average dog or cat. The average dog or cat is going to do better for his nails by simply not being with the owner and not being at home. I typically do NOT suggest your veterinarian doing the nail trimming unless you have no other option except to sedate your dog for this. In my experience, dog’s that are on the verge of calming down for the nail trimming process or becoming full blown freaks usually fall into the latter category after a veterinarian gets a hold of them. No offense to those veterinarians as they are fabulous at what they do, but let’s face it, vets do their best work when the dog’s are anesthetized, and how many vets do you know that want to spend their time trimming the nails of freaked out dog when the sedation bottle is on the shelf above their head? For the record, about 3% of dogs require actual vet sedation to get their nails clipped. And 46% can be handled by a groomer or vet tech, or vet – anywhere except home, and basically anyone except the owner. Can you imagine a parent giving her own child a shot in his or her own bedroom? I know, me either. So, check out the web site if you want to watch different techniques for happier dogs during nail trimming, but don’t beat yourself up if you still fall into the 49 percentile!

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