Do-It-Yourself Grooming Keeping Your Pet Clean Can Help Keep Everyone Happy

Dogs, especially, gravitate toward raunchy odors outdoors. If Bowser’s so ripe his presence instantly clears a room, you’d best treat him to an old-fashioned shampoo and rinse.

Trips to pet salons can be expensive, but it’s possible to groom fur, trim nails and give pets spa-style pampering at a fraction of the price.

Teresa Herrington, who operated a cat-grooming business for 10 years, says the most valuable grooming service owners can provide is daily or weekly brushing. Ungroomed cats end up with ratty hairballs, which can lead to intestinal problems when they clean themselves.

Use a rubber brush, or Herrington’s favorite, a Safari-brand shedding comb.

If you can’t get a brush through your cat’s matted fur, take the pet for professional clipping. Any attempt to cut out mats could break the skin, says Dr. Evelyn Wilson, veterinarian at Latah Creek Companion Animal & Bird Hospital.

Wilson, who treats a number of unusual and exotic pets, says animals like guinea pigs and rabbits also shed and can benefit from gentle brushing with a soft brush or shedding glove.

Irene Jordan, owner of A Dog Gone Doo, suggests brushing dogs from the feet up. For longhaired dogs, comb the ends first, then move toward the scalp. Hold the top fur up while combing underneath.

Brushing fur that’s caked with motor oil or the remains of a rotting fish is near impossible. Your pet may need some preliminary cleaning.

If Socks is leaving a trail of greasy, black prints around your house, try washing kitty’s paws with Dawn dishwashing detergent. Lather, rinse and wipe with a white towel until no oil is visible on the cloth. Use Dawn only for emergencies because continual use will dry a cat’s skin.

Jordan’s poodle Sunny has a nose for trouble. “I could smell him one-half block before he came home,” she says.

When Sunny performs the backstroke over some choice road-kill, or plays a losing game of hide-and-seek with a skunk, Jordan reaches into her medicine cabinet for a bottle of Listerine.

The same mouthwash that successfully masks the smell of cigarettes, coffee and garlic on people’s breath can also effectively de-skunk a dog.

Apply undiluted Listerine onto the affected area with a sponge. Whatever you do, don’t wet the animal before applying the mouthwash, warns Jordan.

“You get that hair wet, and the oil from that skunk or whatever they’re rolling in goes right into the fur.”

For a rinse that removes shampoo residue (which can dry skin and give Bowser an ugly case of doggie dandruff) mix one-quarter cup vinegar with one gallon warm water. Pour over pet, then rinse again.

Small pets also do well with occasional bathing. “I have clients that bathe their ferrets as often as once a week,” says Wilson, who recommends gentle shampoos that are formulated for cats.

Wilson cautions: If you’re bathing birds, rodents or reptiles, be careful they don’t get chilled, because that can lead to illness.

Jordan advises people to bypass garden hoses and car-wash sprayers when bathing dogs. “Your pet doesn’t like it (cold water) any more than you would.”

Still, not everyone is excited about hoisting an 80-pound dog into the master bath. For those who want to safeguard the sanctity of their walls and carpeting, there’s an alternative.

Laundrapet offers full and self-service pet grooming. Piped music provides the background for a chorus of barking. A reluctant Bowser steps into a forest green tub, where his loaner leash is tied into place.

Customers visit the shampoo bar to choose from a selection of fragrances. Handheld shower nozzles make lathering a snap, and you can even opt for conditioner before a final rinse.

Chamois are available for a quick buff, and blow dryers give a dog that slick salon finish.

Connie Torgerson, who works at Laundrapet, suggests moving at a slow, easy pace, so as not to frighten the animal.

“It’s not difficult, but you have to work with the dogs. They know their owners and know what they can get away with, just like kids,” says Torgerson.

Loaner brushes and nail clippers are included in Laundrapet’s $10 fee. A rare customer will pay an extra $5 to use fur trimmers. However, if you lack experience, you may transform a furry dog into Spike the Leatherhead.

Still, simple trims are doable. Jordan suggests owners trim the fur between their dogs’ toes, because hairy paws can pick up rocks and other painful little objects.

Various-size clippers are available for cats, dogs and small rodents. Trimming is essential for pets like rabbits that live in cages because they can tear their nails on the wire.

Grooming experts recommend clipping off the clear, shiny, sharp tips that touch the floor. Avoid cutting the pink area, because that’s where blood circulates, and you could hurt the pet.

You can trim a cat’s nails, but the money you save may not be worth the injuries you incur, says Herrington. Most cats get testy when their paws are touched.

If, as a final touch, you’d like to tackle your dog’s teeth but can’t maneuver the toothbrush through his locked lips, Wilson suggests filling a spray bottle with water and mixing in specially formulated dog toothpaste.

Two quick blasts of chicken-flavored toothpaste spritzer, and Bowser’s smile will sparkle.

Check pet stores for these innovative grooming products: Lambert Kay Oatmeal N’ Baking Soda shampoo; 8 in 1 Perfect Coat’s formulas, for restoring shine to black, red or white fur; Pet Scents Canine Cologne: Stud Muffin or Puppy Love; Quick Bath’s wipes; Rinse Ace Pet Shower, a handheld nozzle that attaches to a showerhead; and Nature’s Miracle deodorizing products.