We recently attended a grooming seminar at the Hampton Inn
in Hurst. The seminar was hosted by King
Scott, our local grooming supplier based in Euless.
There were speakers from Best Shot, and Espree talking about
their shampoo. Also veterinarian Joe
Allen from Boulevard Animal Hospital in Colleyville spoke about various skin problems
and solutions for them.
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| Deb Stover |
Finally there
was a coat stripping expert, Deb Stover, who showed
us how to perform a show quality coat stripping job (not fun looking!).
Here are some of the keys we
learned:
1. You can’t tell just from looking at a dog what
skin issue is bothering them. In the
words of the vet, you can’t make a microscopic diagnosis without a microscope.
2. Many skin problems are from internal
causes. Food allergies, malnutrition, and
seasonal allergies are examples.
3. You can’t fix a skin problem in one bath
every 4 to 6 weeks. If your dog has an
issue, try to bring it in once a week until the problem becomes resolved. Think dry skin, flea allergies, and hot spots as
an example. (We would be willing to discount this if it is something a client needed)
4. Many skin irritations are from people not
rinsing their dog properly after a bath.
You do not want ANY residual shampoo on a dog after a bath. The shampoo will have a drying effect,
especially on the belly and armpits.
Rinse your dog well if you bathe at home!
5. Human shampoo should never be used on
dogs. It is a different PH balance. It is not designed for their skin or hair. No exceptions; never use it!
6. Always follow the dilution ratio for
shampoos. Many dilute at 10:1
ratios. That is 10 parts water, and 1
part shampoo. Not following the dilution
ratio leads to incorrect cleaning. Think
of this as wetting a dog down, then putting a glob of shampoo on the dog. That glob will not efficiently or effectively
clean the dog all over its body. Mix it
first for best results.
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| Joe
Allen |
7. There are many
different brands of shampoos. It is an
unregulated industry. You need to be
careful when buying shampoos and be wary of any claims they make. We trust Espree and that is the primary
product we use. It is made locally in
Grapevine. (www.espree.com)
8. We can never stop learning. There is always a new product, different technique, or new research that becomes available. We dedicate ourselves to learning so that we can do the best job we can.
