Grooming Class Gives Friends Time Together

If there’s an extra spring in Micah’s step on his next walk, it’s to be expected.

If there’s a special sparkle in his eyes, well, that’s normal, too.

On Wednesday night, the 8-year-old Cardigan corgi and his owner, Nancy Painter, were students in a dog grooming class. It was a freshman experience for both of them.

Perched about 4 feet above the floor on a rubber-padded grooming table, Micah seemed patient yet cautious.

Caressing and cooing to him as she learned to use a “mat breaker” grooming tool, Painter seemed awkward and confident at the same time.

She said she took the class for two reasons: Recently retired, she had the time - but not the skills - to groom the dog herself; plus Micah was coming back from his regular groomer smelling faintly of cigarette smoke.

“If I’m responsible for his grooming, I think his total maintenance is just better” she said.

But even before the grooming class, Micah’s maintenance was pretty awesome.

Every day, Painter and Micah go for a two-mile walk. He also gets to round up sheep and ducks.

Being from a herding breed, that’s important to a dog like Micah.

Painter’s new grooming skills? Yes, they are necessary, but they also are a great excuse for the two friends to spend time together.

Wednesday night’s class was sponsored by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department and South Hill Grooming.

For three years the two have offered three to six classes every three months. Each class is two hours long, costs $30, and usually is composed of three students and their dogs.

Students learn brushing, clipping and bathing basics. They also learn how to trim nails, clean ears and express anal sacs.

“Everybody has the part they like, and hate, the most,” said Carla Rosenberry, owner of South Hill Grooming, 2507 S. Freya. “But to have a healthy dog, it all has to be done.”

When it comes to bathing, Rosenberry said the frequency depends on the breed.

“My rule of thumb is no more than once a month, or the skin gets too dry, and at least once a year at the very minimum,” she said.

Brushing and clipping vary by breed and owner preference, she said. Breeds such as cocker spaniels, whose hair length continues to grow, need to be brushed and clipped. Breeds like the corgi, whose hair length is stable, need only to be brushed.

Likewise, ear cleaning varies by breed.

Some dogs grow thick hair under their ear flaps that must be removed or it interferes with air circulation and leads to ear infections. Other dogs simply need an occasional gentle swish of a veterinarian-approved ear solution.

At Wednesday’s class, toenails and anal sacs were clearly the least favorite anatomical parts.

Painter and Micah - plus classmates Becky Leiner and Justin, a 3-year-old cocker spaniel mix, and Lory Miller and Scooter, a 5-year-old Lhasa Apso - struggled with the dreaded areas.

With patient assistance from Lynn Edwards, Rosenberry’s apprentice, they learned to avoid nicking the quick (or vein) in each toenail, and how to find the anal sacs, squeeze them and release the scent-gland fluid trapped there.

“I took the class to get some tips so I can do it myself,” Miller said. “He (Scooter) had a bad experience at the last grooming place I took him to.”

Although Scooter clearly hated having his tummy sheared, he seemed to enjoy getting his face trimmed.

His reward? Five women fawning all over him.

Now that’s something for which most any male could endure a little shave.

For a list of upcoming grooming classes, see the Dog Calendar accompanying this article.

Award update

In January I wrote that for the second consecutive year this column was one of three finalists nominated for a national Best Dog Column Award by the Dog Writers’ Association of America. The winner was announced in mid-February in New York City.

Although About Dogs didn’t win, it was amazing to again be nominated when the column has been running for fewer than three years. Thank you, readers, for all the good story ideas you pass along.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: About Dogs appears the first Sunday of each month. Mary Sagal is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America.