Bobtail Bathing and Drying Video Essay
These videos have been produced, in large part, as a result of many people having asked me about various aspects of bathing Bobtails over the years, both on this forum, other mailing lists or in person. I think that these will be most valuable to new Bobtail parents who are still learning how to groom their furkids, but I hope that somewhere amongst them are tips, techniques and explanations which will be of help to even the more seasoned amongst us. As ever don’t hesitate to ask if things are not clear or if you need more information. Just please remember to identify both the video in question and include a time index (eg Part 5, time 3:22). Cumulatively there is over an hour of video here and while I know how to do this in my sleep I’m not quite so familiar with every second of the edited video being presented. Remember that I have an ideal set-up with my raised tub and two Oster dryers. While this makes it easier and faster allowing me to bath and dry two Bobtails and two Afghan Hounds (all in full coat) at a relatively high frequency this superlative level of equipment is not required, especially for a single Bobtail family. For many many years I used a thick kneeling pad besides a standard floor level tub. I have even used a shower stall when I had no tub available for a few years but you really don’t want to go there, trust me! I have also used a regular grooming table for most of my life, the hydraulically raised and rotating top one you will see here is a recent luxury, in large part courtesy of my mom – thanks again mom, so don’t think that that is necessary either. For many years I only had a single dryer and before that, as most people do, I began with high power regular people hair dryers. A good dog dryer is the one “professional” tool I do strongly recommend as being virtually essential for anyone who intends to bathe and dry their dogs over the long term. (I have offered my opinions as to why regular people hair dryers are not a good idea in other threads many times over. Yes a dog stand dryer does have a big buy-in cost but one will last most people a lifetime if it is given even a modicum of care. The savings in time and not having to replace human hair dryers every half dozen baths or so pays for a stand dryer very quickly.) What is necessary is a positive attitude, good energy, determination and patience. Bathing Bobtails is not a race, don’t start this if you don’t have a cushion of a couple of hours beyond the average in case you run into a problem along the way that slows you down. So for now sit back, watch and enjoy. Then ……… Thanks and Cheers Carl P.S. For this week I will leave these videos as "unlisted" on YouTube which means you will have to use the URLs provided to view them, they won't come up on the site's regular searches. Consider them a forum exclusive for now. And note that these are filmed and presented in full 1080p HD so if you have enough bandwidth and speed you can select the higher quality video rather than the YouTube standard 480P resolution. |
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| Wow! That's incredible! I haven't watched yet. I just wanted to say a quick thank you for everything that went into making these. What a resource! |
| Great videos Carl! Cindy |
| WOW! Thanks Carl, David and of course Kim! IMO, this is what this site and most message boards should be about -helping others with what seem like mundane tasks that can be done a better way. You guy have probably answered some questions that I never even though to ask... Again, thanks. Vance |
| oh thank you God! and Carl and David and Kim !! I was going to try to bathe Cambridge for the first time today. Now I will watch these first and then go for it! thank you SO much for the time and effort are there plans to create and sell an actual DVD? ok, going to get some sleep and then I will watch and learn!! |
| THANK YOU Carl, David & Virgil, I am excited to have a quiet evening to sit a watch, learn then practice. peg and howie |
| Wow! What a great resource! But when you listed your thanks, maybe I missed this, but did you thank your victim, eh, model?  And, yeah, I can't echo this enough: a powerful dryer, absolutely worth the $$$. Hydraulic table, well, one can dream...  Nice job, guys!! Will there be a follow-up series? Bathing the unruly bobtail puppy, perhaps? I'm looking at my three who, despite being the cleanest puppies I've ever known, are getting perilously close to the first bath and so not looking forward to it.   Kristine |
| questions- part one- what are the 3 items you use? shampoo- brand? whitening??? shampoo? - again brand? what is a good pet conditioner for softness? - brand? great. on to watch part 2 now!  |
ruforgvn wrote: questions- part one- what are the 3 items you use? shampoo- brand? whitening??? shampoo? - again brand? what is a good pet conditioner for softness? - brand? great. on to watch part 2 now! Lori, As shown in Part 1 the shampoo and conditioner I am using right now and have been for the last 5 or 6 years is the "European" brand sold at Walmart. If it is available I select the "extra body" variety instead of the normal, they usually have it but not always. Honestly the brand is not terribly important, US Walmarts may not carry the exact same things that Canadian Walmarts do. If yours does have it then I recommend it but what is important is that you use a good quality shampoo that does not have any perfumes in it (they are what is most likely to aggravate a dog's skin/respiratory system). Also avoid dandruff shampoos or any which have scalp treatments, again they will not be properly balanced for a dog's skin and will very probably cause skin irritation. Finally on shampoos avoid shampoo/conditioner combinations. They just don't work on dogs and honestly I don't think that they work very well, if at all, on people. The whitening shampoo I am using right now is "Pearl White" by Perfect Coat. It works reasoanbly well but I'm not overly happy with it because it is quite harsh on the coat. I really prefer "Blue Diamond" by Cardinal shampoos but I haven't been able to find it locally for a couple of years. A lot of people on this forum swear by Chirs Christiansen product and while they are no doubt good I don't think that they are worth the premium price. There are a number of other whitening shampoos which should do the job, but if it is available the Cardinal Blue Diamond would be my choice. Hope this helps. Thanks and Cheers Carl |
| [quote="ruforgvn"] are there plans to create and sell an actual DVD? quote] There are no existing plans for putting together a DVD. I suppose if people would like these videos on DVD I could amalgamate the files onto DVDs but they would just be the exact same videos - the only benefit would be easier access to specific files and time indices compared to YouTube which may be of some value. So if people really want this I would be willing to do them on a case by case request basis but not until the new year. I'd have to sit down and see how much to charge based on expenses involved if/when requested. Thanks and Cheers Carl |
| Thanks so much for the wonderful video essay! It is perfect timing for me as well. Good job! |
| THANK YOU! GOOD JOB GUYS! Also, Carl, would you mind telling us again why we shouldn't use human hair dryers? Is the human dryer not strong enough to dry the coat thoroughly? |
This is really excellent, anyone thinking of getting a sheepie should watch these videos. Excellent for owners too  What a fantastic resource, from the RIGHT person too. I'm so happy you have done this, thank you so much   |
| getting excited! ordered all my bathing/combing supplies from bed edge yesterday getting table on Sun, blower Sat, and I will start bathing and drying and brushing/combing myself. I will also so ears and nails. then when I think it's time I'll start on the grooming end of things- I hope. I just wasn't ready to commit to shears or clippers yesterday. I think I have some leeway before those are needed. so glad this way done just in time for Cambridge! at least I'll have SOME idea what I'm doing the first go-round! |
OESrocks wrote: THANK YOU! GOOD JOB GUYS! Also, Carl, would you mind telling us again why we shouldn't use human hair dryers? Is the human dryer not strong enough to dry the coat thoroughly? Joanna, Here is the link to one of the more recent threads about grooming equipment which includes dryers. Within my post in that thread there are a number of additional thread links which cover off most of what I have said. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12170&p=156466&hilit=dog+dryers#p156466 The "readers digest" version is: People hair dryers are too hot and hence damage the dog's hair, their air flow is too fast which can cause windburn on the skin, they are far too noisy introducing excessive stress to both the dog and the groomer and they simply don't have sufficient service life to last more than a dozen full drying with any level of confidence,if even that long. And you need to hold them in one hand severely limiting your ability to brush and manupulate the dog at the same time. If you count up and value the extra drying hours you will spend and the cost of constantly replacing these it doesn't take a long time to equal the cost of a proper dryer. A good stand dryer (not blower) will aleviate all of these problems. Thanks and Cheers Carl |
Carl Lindon wrote: OESrocks wrote: THANK YOU! GOOD JOB GUYS! Also, Carl, would you mind telling us again why we shouldn't use human hair dryers? Is the human dryer not strong enough to dry the coat thoroughly? Joanna, Here is the link to one of the more recent threads about grooming equipment which includes dryers. Within my post in that thread there are a number of additional thread links which cover off most of what I have said. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12170&p=156466&hilit=dog+dryers#p156466 The "readers digest" version is: People hair dryers are too hot and hence damage the dog's hair, their air flow is too fast which can cause windburn on the skin, they are far too noisy introducing excessive stress to both the dog and the groomer and they simply don't have sufficient service life to last more than a dozen full drying with any level of confidence,if even that long. And you need to hold them in one hand severely limiting your ability to brush and manupulate the dog at the same time. If you count up and value the extra drying hours you will spend and the cost of constantly replacing these it doesn't take a long time to equal the cost of a proper dryer. A good stand dryer (not blower) will aleviate all of these problems. Thanks and Cheers Carl I don't know about human hairdryers causing exessive stress to all sheepies.......I can't dry my own hair w/out Lily demanding to be "dryed" too.  (I can say when I'm trying to get ready it causes extra stress to me) |
| ^^^^ LOL same here. Schubert runs into the bathroom and at the sound of me drying my hair. It seems like he demands some blow drying for himself! Thank you for the info Carl. I never in my wildest dreams thought that the human hair-dryer could cause wind burn!! I like the hands free aspect more than anything. |
AnInnocentEvil wrote: I don't know about human hairdryers causing exessive stress to all sheepies.......I can't dry my own hair w/out Lily demanding to be "dryed" too. (I can say when I'm trying to get ready it causes extra stress to me) Yes, I'm not sure about the stress to the dogs, more so to the human. My stand dryer is pretty darn loud, much louder than any human hand-held dryer, and even my puppies don't mind. But all of the other draw-backs Carl mentioned are excellent explanations for why, once you get a real dryer, you all but drop down on your knees and kiss the darn thing once a week and never look back. They last a long, long time, too, even in a very (ahem) multiple dog household where they get a lot of use . Soooo worth the investment if you're doing your own grooming/bathing. Kristine |
| We broke down and spent the money on a good dryer too. It works so much better and saves so much time and just doesn't get burning hot like a regular dryer. I remember when Mady first started to really have 'coat' we burned through our regular dryer in no time. It feels very strange spending so much money on a dog dryer, but I figure we have them for many years so per year it wasn't so much. |
| so does everyone have the stand dryers? the one I'm looking at on CL is the AF Commander... it's the 1.17 HP. I could set it on the table? but still need to hold the hose any objections speak up now or forever hold your peace (piece)?! it's brand new and $90. the price is great, with a one dog house is it good enough? thx! |
| I have both. I had one similar to the one you are getting 1st, and it worked great. Then I had the opportunity to get a very old, very used stand dryer at a great price, so I got that too. It just needed a new cord (it was frayed and a huge fire hazard!). I actually use both. I bathe Chewie at The Paw where I work PT, and use the tandem dryers (like 2 of the air force dryers hooked with a Y- connector) for our basic drying, and I love that. I control where it's blowing and if it's one dryer or both turned on. There are advantages to both. The hands free is nice - but you pretty much need a table and a dog that will stay in place... Otherwise if you set the nozzle position and the dog moves, you are shooting air into space! I think being hands on and controlling the air is kinder for a puppy learning about the dryer. You can be brushing or stroking with one hand, and holding the dryer nozzle with the other. And noise volume is a concern with some dogs - some dryers with longer hoses allow the dryer unit to be placed further from the dog, so they like that better. But either way - some sort of dryer made for dogs is definitely the way to go! |
ruforgvn wrote: so does everyone have the stand dryers? the one I'm looking at on CL is the AF Commander... it's the 1.17 HP. I could set it on the table? but still need to hold the hose any objections speak up now or forever hold your peace (piece)?! it's brand new and $90. the price is great, with a one dog house is it good enough? thx! Lori, While you have found a good deal as far as cost is concerned do note that the AF Commander is a blower, not a dryer. It produces no heat other than the little bit that comes about due to the fan compressing the air passing through it. They work simply by blowing a lot of air at a very high speed. That means that they are inherently noisy. When they are used to dry touched-up areas at dog shows you can hear them from a very long way away. Finally I won't have anything on my grooming table other than the dog and just maybe the other brush or comb of the combination I am using at the time. There will come a time when whatever is set on the table gets kicked of by the dog. There are only two types of grooming equipment on the table, those that have been kicked off and those that are going to be kicked off (soon). A blower such as this is a big expensive item to take a trip to the floor and hope that both it and the floor survives unscathed. It is always your choice as to what you buy and use but I always recommend the purchase of a "true" stand dryer and to avoid blowers like this. To me dryers are just superior in every respect. Unless you are cost conrained and don't foresee being able to buy a stand dryer for a long time I think that it would be best to pass on the blower. As ever though YMMV. Thanks and Cheers Carl |
Carl Lindon wrote: There are only two types of grooming equipment on the table, those that have been kicked off and those that are going to be kicked off (soon). Carl Ain't that the truth!!! KB |
| ok. I will move forward and I guess I can save up in the future if I feel a stand dryer is the way to go. thx! |
I copied an ingenious idea from someone at a dog show for my dryer - I use a bungee and hang my portable dryer by the handle from the brace under the table! NO falling, no tripping on it.  I even keep a small bungee in my dog show stuff so I make sure I have one with me at all times. |
| Thank you very much for this video... It is really very interisting and big help to the owners. |
| Wow! I am so glad you took the time to make the video. I am preparing to welcome home my first OES and I want to be ready. The information was absolutely excellent. |
Mad Dog wrote: Yes, I'm not sure about the stress to the dogs, more so to the human. My stand dryer is pretty darn loud, much louder than any human hand-held dryer, and even my puppies don't mind. But all of the other draw-backs Carl mentioned are excellent explanations for why, once you get a real dryer, you all but drop down on your knees and kiss the darn thing once a week and never look back. They last a long, long time, too, even in a very (ahem) multiple dog household where they get a lot of use . Soooo worth the investment if you're doing your own grooming/bathing. Kristine I might add that in this day & age, they pay for themselves after a few baths & drying sessions of even a dog in a puppy/fun cut. I was astounded at what one of our puppy people told me they pay out every 2 weeks to have their OES kept in shape in a puppy cut.  My husband told me I was in the wrong business (being a bookkeeper). My show homes now see how valuable the "free grooming while being shown" offer part of our contracts are!And yes they do last a very long time. I've had the same ones going on 15 years years now with only a minor repair to something in the motor on the stand dryer several years ago. My dryers get used at least once a week & some of those weeks on multiple dogs. |
| Just thought I would say thanks for these videos. If I have a few hours to spend on it bath time is my FAVOURITE. Leonard loves baths and gets excited when he knows its bath time and he loves being brushed and dried. Pretty sure it is up there with walks and car rides. Today is bath day... I have been told I need a dog dryer. I am looking into getting one as I am sure I would get a lot of use out of it! |
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