# Home Grooming Room



## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

I have decided now that I have two dogs I will be fully grooming every 2 weeks it is time for me to set up my own grooming room at home. I have a little building on my property (right outside my back door) that would be perfect for this. Its outside so the hair can go everywhere and I can easily clean it up. It is also bright and has a window and electricity going to it. 

I have been taking Jasper to a do it yourself pet wash every 2 weeks since he was 15 weeks old. If I was to continue doing this with both Mason and Jasper I would be spending close to $1000 a year (maybe more if I was to include gas cost to and from and my grooming brushes). That $1000 includes the pet wash room, force dryer usage, grooming tables, as well as the shampoo and conditioner I buy myself. I do not use the shampoos provided since I do not like what they do to his coat. I go through a lot of shampoo and conditioner with a double coated long furred dog like Jasper (And now I have another one!). That price isn't horrible but it is something I want to avoid. lol So an upfront cost of buying all the stuff I need to do this at home will save me in the long run. 


*I have a few questions:*
1. What grooming table do you own? Which tables would you recommend for big dogs around 50-70 pounds?

2. Are there any particular grooming tool brand/s that is better than the others?

3. What tools should I have? Links to brands and types would be great!
- I do own some tools because I brush Jasper every night before bed. Rakes, slickers, dremel, nail file, nail clippers, etc.

4. What Shampoos and Conditioners do you recommend for a long furred Aussie with lots of undercoat?

5. What brand of force air dryer should I buy?

6. What else should I put into this dog grooming room? 


All tips and advise is welcome!


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## littlesoprano (Sep 21, 2013)

Damon'sMom said:


> I have decided now that I have two dogs I will be fully grooming every 2 weeks it is time for me to set up my own grooming room at home. I have a little building on my property (right outside my back door) that would be perfect for this. Its outside so the hair can go everywhere and I can easily clean it up. It is also bright and has a window and electricity going to it.
> 
> I have been taking Jasper to a do it yourself pet wash every 2 weeks since he was 15 weeks old. If I was to continue doing this with both Mason and Jasper I would be spending close to $1000 a year (maybe more if I was to include gas cost to and from and my grooming brushes). That $1000 includes the pet wash room, force dryer usage, grooming tables, as well as the shampoo and conditioner I buy myself. I do not use the shampoos provided since I do not like what they do to his coat. I go through a lot of shampoo and conditioner with a double coated long furred dog like Jasper (And now I have another one!). That price isn't horrible but it is something I want to avoid. lol So an upfront cost of buying all the stuff I need to do this at home will save me in the long run.
> 
> ...


Cosmo isn't an aussie, but he has a butt load of coat so I'll give it my best shot (and also what I would want in a grooming room LOL):

Grooming table, I was looking at a good number on Amazon, but all though I haven't gone through with it yet-I use the floor, very classy, one lady whose videos I watch for Sheltie grooming, uses one of those standard fold away tables. I personally think that is totally the way to go. I don't know if you line brush your aussies, but she made the point that it's way nicer when the dog it's on it's side, to make it so it's nose isn't hanging off the edge. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04B8QRT64WS8FD8FJNTA
Thats the one I've been looking at, it's sturdy (can hold up to 1,000 pounds if distributed evenly enough), it's height is adjustable up to 36", and I like that it's relatively wide (depth wise), giving lots of room for dog! And then just adding on a grooming arm like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Grooming-Adju...1409290400&sr=1-3&keywords=grooming+table+arm and you are all set with a sturdy grooming table. 


Tool wise, I finally ordered some thinning shears and regular shears, I got Dubl Duck (elrohwen recommended), and I am loving them so far. I've only done his butt and his paws, but they are wonderful. Especially those thinning shears! I also have a pin brush (I have one with pins, have one without pins on order), slicker brush, and my favorite hands down is my metal comb. One side has wider teeth, and the other has very close together teeth. It is awesome for line brushing, and for getting tangles out from behind the ears and such. The slicker misses a good portion of his undercoat, but the comb picks up everything. The pin brush is nice for just daily light brushing, grooming sessions in general, and for both before and after baths. I do use my slicker during line brushing, but the comb, hands down, does a better job. 

I'm not familiar with force air driers, because my dog thinks the vacuum cleaner is going to eat him, so I haven't even bothered trying LOL. 

I like Doctor Fosters and Smith's shampoo, and Vet's Best Hypoallergenic Shampoo with Aloe Vera. I don't use conditioner during bath time, but during grooming sessions I wouldn't be caught dead without my spray conditioner. Currently I use my local pet store's "ChowHound Emu Oil Deep Moisterizing Spray Conditioner". It is GREAT stuff. I use lots of it, it makes his coat very soft, and doesn't leave any residue at all. It smells pretty good too. 

We actually have a dog-washing tub in the basement, but it's not plumbed to anything. So if I could have it my way, I'd have a tub to wash a dog in, at the proper height, with a spray nozzle and pretty high walls (no jumping out!). It would be SO uber convenient. Currently I end up having to get into the shower with him, and thats just a PITA. It has a detachable shower head, but if I leave the doors open, he jumps out of the tub. So, either a high walled dog tub, or one where I could attach his head to it, would make bath time so much easier. Though it still drives me nuts WE OWN ONE, but not only is it not plumbed, there is way too much stuff in front of it to access it. 

Thats my .02 cents.


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## Boleyn (Aug 25, 2008)

Best Shot shampoo and conditioner (and revitalizing mist) is awesome for dogs with undercoat. That is my favorite, with Natures Specialties EZ Out coming second. As general shampoos, Earthbath products are really nice and readily available. 

B-Air makes good dryers, with different power levels depending on your need. Metro is also a pretty reliable brand.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

why do you bathe your dogs so often? 

i taught my dog to stand still while brush him. in the summer he likes being
sprayed with the hose and chasing streams of water. he'll get shampoo when needed (rarely). in the winter if he gets
into something and needs a bath i line the floor of the tub with wet towels. he steps in the tub. i shampoo him and rinse
him with the shower hose. i close the shower curtain and tell him to "shake". the floor of the bathroom is lined with towels.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Thank you so much to everyone for the comments and suggestions! I will write more detailed reply's to each tomorrow!




doggiepop said:


> why do you bathe your dogs so often?
> 
> i taught my dog to stand still while brush him. in the summer he likes being
> sprayed with the hose and chasing streams of water. he'll get shampoo when needed (rarely). in the winter if he gets
> ...


I wash him so much because of our life style. He exercises for 4-8 hours a day since he is a working dog. He begins to smell a little after a while (mainly in the summer when it is hot out), so he gets a bath every 2 weeks. He also gets a bath that often to help with any shedding since he has an abundance of undercoat. He eats a good food, and gets supplements (raw, powder supplements, fish oil, and coco nut oil) so the shedding and smell are normal not because of any food issues. Plus washing him that much seems to help with his seasonal allergies.

I brush Jasper everyday for 15-20 minutes. Then once every 2 weeks he gets a full groom (by me, never been to a real groomer) which consist of:
I will take him and fully brush him out. Then he gets a bath with shampoo, and conditioner. After the bath he gets his ears cleaned and a full blowout with a high force dryer. After he is completely dry again I brush him out again and then I trim his nails, as well as trim his feet and butt fur. I usually take him to the self wash because it is up off the ground and washing him in my tub at home is a pain since it takes so long to wash him.  LOL Over all it ends up taking me 3 hours or so to complete all of this.

I like the idea of the towels in the bottom of the tub, that should work until I can buy a mat! Thanks.


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## Boleyn (Aug 25, 2008)

Are you putting a tub in the grooming room, or bathing in your house? (sorry if you already said that, I missed it) When I first started grooming, I got a wonderful human tub at a farm auction for $15.  My uncle welded a stand for it and it's held up wonderfully over the years.

Groomers Mall is a great site for buying what you need. Great prices and shipping costs are not exorbitant. Cherrybrook can be a little pricey but they have a wide selection.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

littlesoprano said:


> Cosmo isn't an aussie, but he has a butt load of coat so I'll give it my best shot (and also what I would want in a grooming room LOL):
> 
> Grooming table, I was looking at a good number on Amazon, but all though I haven't gone through with it yet-I use the floor, very classy, one lady whose videos I watch for Sheltie grooming, uses one of those standard fold away tables. I personally think that is totally the way to go. I don't know if you line brush your aussies, but she made the point that it's way nicer when the dog it's on it's side, to make it so it's nose isn't hanging off the edge. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04B8QRT64WS8FD8FJNTA
> Thats the one I've been looking at, it's sturdy (can hold up to 1,000 pounds if distributed evenly enough), it's height is adjustable up to 36", and I like that it's relatively wide (depth wise), giving lots of room for dog! And then just adding on a grooming arm like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Grooming-Adju...1409290400&sr=1-3&keywords=grooming+table+arm and you are all set with a sturdy grooming table.
> ...




I love the idea of getting that table and just buying the arm. I am going to look into it more. My last grooming table finally gave out on me about a month ago, so I have been using the floor as well. lol And yes I do line brush, makes it a lot easier to get all of the undercoat out. 

Thank you for the tips on the grooming tools. Right now I have a wide verity of different tools from different places and companies. I will difficultly look into the Dubl Duck grooming shears! I have a ton of Conair dog grooming stuff since I get coupons from the local pet store (buy one get one free!). They are okay but not great. The tools I have right now are are (some I have multiple of) pin brush, slicker brush, greyhound comb, dremel, nail clippers, and I have 4 different grooming rakes.
Evolution Grooming Undercoat Rake with Rotating Teeth
Oster Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake, 18 Teeth Wide, Coarse
JW Pet Gripsoft Double Row Undercoat Rake
ConairPRO Dog Undercoat Rake

I don't really have any experence with the force dryers either, just the ones I use at the local pet wash so I am at a total loss. lol This is the one I have been looking at. 

I have been wondering about the spray conditioners but I have never used any. Thank you for the review. I will have to find me some and try it out! I doubt that I am going to be putting in a tub, though I would like to! It would really save my back.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Boleyn said:


> Best Shot shampoo and conditioner (and revitalizing mist) is awesome for dogs with undercoat. That is my favorite, with Natures Specialties EZ Out coming second. As general shampoos, Earthbath products are really nice and readily available.
> 
> B-Air makes good dryers, with different power levels depending on your need. Metro is also a pretty reliable brand.


I will take a look at those shampoos and conditioners. Thank you! Ooh and I will definitely be looking at the B-air dryers and the reliable. I love that they have different power levels. The one at the dog wash only has 3, off, low, and high.



Boleyn said:


> Are you putting a tub in the grooming room, or bathing in your house? (sorry if you already said that, I missed it) When I first started grooming, I got a wonderful human tub at a farm auction for $15.  My uncle welded a stand for it and it's held up wonderfully over the years.
> 
> Groomers Mall is a great site for buying what you need. Great prices and shipping costs are not exorbitant. Cherrybrook can be a little pricey but they have a wide selection.


I doubt that I am going to be putting in a tub, I think I will stick with my tub in the house for now. I Love the idea of getting a human tub and welding a stand for it! My dad is a welder so he would be able to do that for me. Thanks for the tip! I will have to take a look around the groomers mall site, never been on it before!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Pretty much everybody I know uses this same grooming table with an arm: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemai...3F75DA4FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US

I have the 36" and it's the perfect size for Watson (and he's a long dog for his height).

I do like the Dubl Duck shears. They aren't top of the line, but really nice for what I was willing to pay. I have heard Geib is the best, but they are pricey. I would recommend going on PetEdge and shorting out by price. Look at what is in your price range, and then pick one that gets good reviews. I spent about $60-75 each for my straight shears and thinners and they have been good quality for me. I think keeping them sharp is important too - I haven't sharpened mine in the 2 years I've had them and I think they're due.

For shampoo and conditioner, I don't have much of an opinion. I really liked the cheap generic stuff from Drs Foster and Smith, and I really like the expensive Chris Christensen stuff too. One thing I can't live without now is Cherrybrook's Waterless Shampoo. There are other brands too, but I like that it doesn't smell (hate strong fragrences) and I like the texture of his coat after I use it. But I only bathe every 6-8 weeks, so cleaning up pee feathers is important. I probably wouldn't use it much if I was bathing every 2 weeks.


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