# Where do you bathe and groom your dog?



## Mish17 (Jun 30, 2016)

I know that a lot of people groom their own dogs, especially since it can be quite costly to have Poodles groomed. For those of you who do your own grooming, where (in the house) do you bathe and groom?

I don't have a basement or a laundry tub, so I'd have to use one of the main bathrooms to bathe. I'd also have to put a grooming table up in a main room of the house, as my bathrooms are small and won't accommodate. It concerns me more for a Standard than for a Mini, although, either way, I don't really have room for a grooming table.


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## PixieSis (Aug 18, 2015)

I have a MPOO and a SPOO. I bathe both in the bathtub and groom on a hydraulic grooming table that is in the basement. The table is probably close to 25 years old and was purchased when we had another MPOO and SPOO combination. The table could be used as a bench when set at the lowest level.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We took the shower doors off the upstairs tub (we never use that bathroom). Javelin gets in the tub on his own. My dryer, table and all else in the way of tools are in one of the upstairs bedrooms.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I had a tpoo that I groomed for 18 years. We moved often during that time but I always found room on the bathroom counter for drying and clipping her. I used to wash her in the shower - I took all my clothes off so we both got washed together. 

I currently have a minipoo. I also wash her in the shower. I have one of those shower heads with the hand held attachment and an extra long hose so it's easy to rinse her. My shower is a good size - I could easily wash a spoo in it. 

Minipoos and spoos fit well in bathtubs. Look for a hand held shower head that you can attach to your bathtub to make rinsing easy.

For grooming - I found a nice grooming table on eBay that folds. It's not too heavy or too large. I could easily hide it under a bed or in a closet. I have room for this table in my masterbath to dry and groom her. When I was looking for a grooming table, I considered lots of alternatives such as the kitchen table, a study coffee table etc.


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## pudellvr (Dec 1, 2016)

Bathtub for SPoo and grooming on folding table on the back deck. 


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## tbarr (Feb 26, 2017)

I bathe my spoos in the shower with the hand-held nozzle, let them dry naturally for a few hours, and then line brush them while they're still slightly damp. I've tried drying them with a hairdryer on low heat before, but I just don't have enough arms to hold the dryer, the dog, and the brush at the same time. Also, I don't have the money right now for the professional equipment that would probably make the whole process much easier.

I haven't tried grooming them myself yet. In fact, I'm between groomers right now. The lady who has groomed them up until this point just left the salon where she worked. The salon is expensive, but I felt like that particular groomer was worth it. Now I don't know where to go. 

How does a person learn to groom a poodle on their own? Do you watch videos online and hope for the best? Are there classes that you can take somewhere? It looks difficult, and if even professional groomers sometimes have problems with poodles, I feel like I'm sure to make a mess of things.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

In the sink, lol ! When they're only a few pounds, it's a lot easier...


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

*This is my grooming table and hair dryer. I sit there and brush out any tangles first with the slicker and then the comb...all over. This is where I brush them out pretty much daily or every other day. I keep all my grooming stuff in there and leashes/harnesses/coats etc.* 



*Then we move into the kitchen just around the corner from the laundry room for a bath in the kitchen sink. Yep, no question about it...tiny dogs are easier on the back to wash if done in a sink.*



*Then back into the laundry room to brush and blow dry with that stand dryer.*

*Then back into the kitchen (lol) to the kitchen table that has been "set" with a vinyl table cloth, the comb attachments, the two clippers... (the bigger Chromado clipper and the mini Arco for small places/shaving) There is the comb and scissors and I bring back the slicker brush I used while drying. And usually we Dremel the nails the next day or so. I love my laundry room but unfortunately it doesn't have a window. And I must have natural daylight for this task. So I like my kitchen table better, as it's right in front of a sliding glass door. Plus it's nice and big where everything is in easy reach...better for me than the grooming table for doing the hair cut and so forth.
*


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

tbarr said:


> I bathe my spoos in the shower with the hand-held nozzle, let them dry naturally for a few hours, and then line brush them while they're still slightly damp. I've tried drying them with a hairdryer on low heat before, but I just don't have enough arms to hold the dryer, the dog, and the brush at the same time. Also, I don't have the money right now for the professional equipment that would probably make the whole process much easier.
> 
> I haven't tried grooming them myself yet. In fact, I'm between groomers right now. The lady who has groomed them up until this point just left the salon where she worked. The salon is expensive, but I felt like that particular groomer was worth it. Now I don't know where to go.
> 
> *How does a person learn to groom a poodle on their own? * Do you watch videos online and hope for the best? Are there classes that you can take somewhere? It looks difficult, and if even professional groomers sometimes have problems with poodles, I feel like I'm sure to make a mess of things.



I love watching Sue Zekko videos. She's the main person I learned some things from, although I'm still nowhere close to being super good at this. But we get by. Anyhow, she's wonderful. Search out as many videos by her and by Jay Scruggs. They're both awesome.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sue...TF-8#q=sue+zecco+and+jay+scruggs+poodle+clips


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## Lori G (Sep 19, 2014)

Grooming was my biggest concern in getting a poodle. I knew I didn't want the expense of regular grooming and was very intimidated by doing it myself. Five months later, I'm actually really happy with my home grooming results. It's worth the investment in good tools, then just start slow. Kailani is a mini. I brush and comb her out then bathe on day 1. I don't have a dryer so I just let her air dry. Then Day 2 I do face, feet, tail. The first time I did it, it took about 1.5 hours. She and I were both nervous! LOL Then the next day I would do her body trim as needed. I like the FFT done every 2 weeks at most, body trim about 4-6 weeks. I'm keeping her pretty short for now--3/4" combs--but when she's older and more tolerant of grooming I'd like to keep her coat a little longer. I still bath and clip on different days but when I groomed two weeks ago I did FFT and body in about 2.5 hours and it was actually very calm and relaxing time for both of us. I give lots of treats and kisses throughout. Now, I actually look forward to the grooming time.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

I wash Noelle in the bathtub and then carry her to the laundry room for blow drying and grooming. I second those Sue Zekko videos. I learned to groom Noelle by watching every poodle grooming video on Youtube, and I mean it. I watched videos in languages I didn't understand. I watched videos on how to groom other breeds. When people complement me how Noelle looks and ask me where I learned to groom, I tell them, YouTube.


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## Lori G (Sep 19, 2014)

I forgot to say where I bathe and groom...we are currently living in our motor home so I bathe her in the kitchen sink then set up a folding table for grooming. I have a cheap yoga mat for her non-slip standing surface and I do have a grooming arm for securing her.


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

I do the bath in the tub with a long hose, hand held sprayer. Then I have the folding grooming table set up in the sink area of the bathroom (my master bath has the sink area separated by a door from the toilet/bathtub area. Or I set the table up in my living room by the front windows. The light has to be just right out the windows to allow me to see properly. Its better in the bathroom under the lights. I keep the grooming supplies in a tote over the washer in the laundry room. I used to groom Stella on top of the washer when she was small and before I got the grooming table. 
I'm on the look out for a hydraulic table now. Someday (when I'm rich and famous LOL!) I will have a room set up with a hydraulic bathtub (the human tub KILLS my back now) and tables with all my supplies right near by. Oh well, a person can dream!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

When it's late spring or summer...if it's warm enough outside and sunny, I'll pop a dog right up on the outside table and do my clipping there. That sun really lights things up well. :sun: And even sit on the stoop, plug in my Dremel in the outdoor outlet and do their nails right on my lap. I see so much better with lots of natural light. Maurice's black nails, black hair and almost microscopic sized nails need the utmost care when Dremeling.


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

You are right PG Outside is the best with the black dogs! My Sara is impossible to do without the right light. She just looks like a blob to me!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

It's terrible, isn't it. I think my eyes in my older age are getting worse and worse. I've been known to lay a flashlight on the table next to Maurice's feet when shaving them if it's cloudy out...even with a good over head light. (I think I make a shadow bending over him) So yeah, a bright, sunny place is really helpful, isn't it? Black dogs, especially tiny ones are definitely hard...not only to groom, but to photograph. The trouble is here in western Wa, a bright sunny day is only possible for a very few months. :banghead:


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

AngelAviary said:


> I do the bath in the tub with a long hose, hand held sprayer. Then I have the folding grooming table set up in the sink area of the bathroom (my master bath has the sink area separated by a door from the toilet/bathtub area. Or I set the table up in my living room by the front windows. The light has to be just right out the windows to allow me to see properly. Its better in the bathroom under the lights. I keep the grooming supplies in a tote over the washer in the laundry room. I used to groom Stella on top of the washer when she was small and before I got the grooming table.
> I'm on the look out for a hydraulic table now. *Someday (when I'm rich and famous LOL!) I will have a room set up with a hydraulic bathtub (the human tub KILLS my back now) and tables with all my supplies right near by. Oh well, a person can dream!*



Oh that would be nice. Does your shower have a little seat in it? Mine has a nice place at one end that's a seat but it's a walk-in shower. My tub is separate. Or could you fit a little seat of some sort...a stool for yourself in there? (even if it's a tub/shower combo) Oh, maybe not enough room for you both in that case. hmmm. I was thinking...you could maybe get a long hose for the shower faucet and sit in there with one dog at a time, of course...and use the hose instead of a bath tub. You'd both be getting a shower but hey...that's okay, right? And it might be easier on your back.


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## rj16 (Jan 30, 2017)

My less than optimal setup consists of:
- My bathtub: it's got these weird arm rest things in it that Monty likes to put his front paws on so he is basically standing for the whole thing. Not in itself a problem but they are at the opposite end of the shower and my shower hose isn't quite long enough to properly reach all the way. Sometimes it results in kinks in the hose that cannot be good for it. If this were not a rental I'd be buying a longer hose but hopefully we won't be here for too long. It gets tough on the back and knees but it's the best we've got.
- DIY grooming setup: I have a chest of drawers in my entrance way that I got for free. It holds a lot of dog stuff plus hats, mitts, scarves, etc. I've put a drawer liner on top to make it less slippery and DH acts as a restraint and treat dispenser. Everything is right there and it gets good light so it works pretty well. I only wish there was a way to attach an arm on it to make DH less essential to the process. Monty is fearless and will jump right off if he gets tired of grooming.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

For full body grooms I have been going to the local pet store down the street. They have a DIY area for bathing with a raised tub, table and force dryer. I asked if I could bring my tools and an extension cord and use their outlets to plug in and groom my dogs. They are fine with this. I only go on weekdays when its not busy as we are there for hours doing 2 standards. I leave the mess there!

I have done f/f/t shaves and brushing, etc on the kitchen table. In my last house I would bathe in the bathroom tub, and then groom in the basement. Our basement is carpeted now so I don't want to vacuum everything and there isn't as much space down there.


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## PuffDaddy (Aug 24, 2016)

I can only share my story so that you can laugh at me, although it probably isn't helpful because most people don't have a wet room style shower like I do. It's very common in Finland to just have a drainage in the middle of the floor in the bathroom, and no walls around the shower which just goes directly on the tile floor. Our house is pretty new as well, so it isn't like we are living in some old fashioned condition, it's just how we rock it here. 

Anyway, basically when you are washing the dog you are going to get wet too because the whole room is wet. i don't have a grooming table for the shower so I just keep him on the floor. I have to wear my bikini and sit on the floor and we both get soaked. It is a bit messy. I prefer to ask my boyfriend to do this job because getting soaking wet with the dog while sitting on the bathroom floor and wearing only a bikini is just not my favorite idea of a good time. I think he just has to do it naked to be totally honest with you because he lost his bathing suit. I am not even sure because I avoid the bathroom completely when he is in there washing the dog. I just don't even want to get involved. Fortunately, boyfriend is not the type to complain. 

HA!

#thestruggleisreal


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

PuffDaddy said:


> I can only share my story so that you can laugh at me, although it probably isn't helpful because most people don't have a wet room style shower like I do. It's very common in Finland to just have a drainage in the middle of the floor in the bathroom, and no walls around the shower which just goes directly on the tile floor. Our house is pretty new as well, so it isn't like we are living in some old fashioned condition, it's just how we rock it here.
> 
> Anyway, basically when you are washing the dog you are going to get wet too because the whole room is wet. i don't have a grooming table for the shower so I just keep him on the floor. I have to wear my bikini and sit on the floor and we both get soaked. It is a bit messy. I prefer to ask my boyfriend to do this job because getting soaking wet with the dog while sitting on the bathroom floor and wearing only a bikini is just not my favorite idea of a good time. I think he just has to do it naked to be totally honest with you because he lost his bathing suit. I am not even sure because I avoid the bathroom completely when he is in there washing the dog. I just don't even want to get involved. Fortunately, boyfriend is not the type to complain.
> 
> HA!


Puffdaddy -- You are just too funny!

Actually, I got the idea of having an open style shower when I saw one in Italy. I really liked it. It is a great way to use space and I think we should do it more in the US. Several years ago, I was renovating my kitchen, laundry room and downstairs bathroom, and I picked up on the idea of a drain in the floor for a simple dog bath. So now I have a laundry/bathroom that has a drain in the floor and a hose on the wall. Works perfectly. I seem to be able to give my dogs a bath wearing shorts without getting too wet. The toilet is nicely positioned so that I can sit while I give the dog a bath. The washer and dryer are at the other end of the room. A grooming table can be set up in front of the washer/dryer.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Does the water get all over the place? Do you have to dry off the toilet, the sink, the window and sill, the walls after a shower? Does the whole floor get wet so when you want to go in there a little later, do you walk through water? I mean if you take a human shower. I see that a hose can be used in a more directed way on a dog. I knew about these kinds of showers from my Czech ex who told me about them. But I still wonder about those points. Never quite got it. lol.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> Does the water get all over the place? Do you have to dry off the toilet, the sink, the window and sill, the walls after a shower? Does the whole floor get wet so when you want to go in there a little later, do you walk through water? I mean if you take a human shower. I see that a hose can be used in a more directed way on a dog. I knew about these kinds of showers from my Czech ex who told me about them. But I still wonder about those points. Never quite got it. lol.


The floor is, of course, slightly graded towards the drain. So water does not collect all over the place. My toilet needed an extra dose of caulking, but after that was done, it was fine. The human shower I used in Italy was more than 30 years ago, so not sure if I remember everything. But it was a very small bathroom with the shower right next to the sink. There would not have been room for a US style shower. I remember water getting on the sink -- but so what? Water on the floor drained properly. I don't remember any problems. Actually, I thought it was pretty cool.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

What about the toilet paper roll? LOL. Sorry, but I would just not like that I don't think. If a drop of water gets on my counter or mirror after I brush my teeth or wash my hands, it is dried up immediately. No water left around the faucets evar!!!!!!! And calking? Nobody, but nobody better leave a drop of water sitting on the calking anywhere! OMG!:afraid: The water damage! LOL. If I had one of those bathrooms, the whole floor, walls, faucets, toilet, anything that got wet would have to be dried after use. As it is, I dry my shower out every time it's used and cleaned with something every other time. And no, I am not ocd.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks for the Sue Zekko and Jay Scruggs recs, PB. I'm always looking to up my (admittedly poor) grooming game.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Molly gets bathed in my shower which is wheelchair accessible so my entire bathroom floor is ceramic tiled. I have a shower bench and an extra long hose so I can sit and bathe Molly comfortably ( I wear shorts!) Then I blot as much of the water off of her as I can, then dry her, sitting on my livingroom floor with her on a small tv turntable. I do leash her in the shower to one of the handicap bars, but I no longer need to noose her while drying. Walk-in type showers are great!


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