#Pets and #Hurricanes - Be #Prepared !!! #2016

This is an urge to become informed.

Yes it is officially Hurricane Season 2016 here along the Gulf Coast of Florida. 

And YES we already have a candidate coming up for an audition this coming week!

Now while the Tampa Bay area is - in my opinion - the safest place on the entire Gulf Coast, for various reasons, 

And usually these things pass us by and all we get is lots of rain....

DON'T BE STUPID!!!

Especially if you are not from the area and have never experienced a real hurricane! 

Do NOT panic.... But do not be stupid.

What I'm referring to is

YOUR PETS!  ALL OF THEM.

From lizards to gold fish, birds, cows, chickens, and OF COURSE your cats and dogs.

Have a plan.

Have a plan.

Have a plan.

Do NOT assume!

Do not assume.

               Do not assume.........

Educate yourself. 

Learn about services available in your area.

Figure out what to do if you:  "have no money"  "have no car"  "have children"  "have an illness, condition, disability"  "have a pet with special needs"

Figure that shit out NOW!!!!!!!!

Do not wait!!!

Have a plan.

Write it down.

Be prepared. 

NO ONE is responsible for you and your pets BUT YOU!!!

All day, every day. YOU.

No excuses. No whining.

Do it.

Take responsibility. 

Make a plan.

Here's a "Get Started" List:

• Pet Friendly Shelters (NOT ALL ARE!!!)
• Organizations that offer Pet Assistance
• Addresses and Directions
• Phone Numbers (all of them!!! printed out or written down)
• Phone Numbers (actual written/printed numbers - not contacts list, text, or speed dial)
• Phone Numbers (family, friends, neighbors, businesses, shelters, organizations, doctors, banks..........)
• Food
• Bottled Water
• Collar & Leash (REGARDLESS!!!! YOU NEED THESE!!!)
• Medicines
• Refrigeration Options
• Crates
• Wee Wee Pads
• Bedding
• Toys

• Evacuation Routes (more than one)
• Full Tank of Gas
• Bug Out Bag for Pet Supplies
• Batteries
• Old Fashion Radio!!! Do not rely too heavily on your modern electronics! Have a backup.

• Remember, in most cases you won't need to head for the hills.... But what if you do?? Just be prepared. Look at a map - You are in Florida. You are SURROUNDED by water with only one way out. And you are not alone!!! 
• Remember, whether its a big one or a small one, we may lose power. Sometimes power can be out for days! That means no refrigeration, no cooking, no charging electronics, no air conditioning.
• Remember, it is also possible to lose water and sewer!!! That's right! If lines get broken they shut the whole system down. No running water, no washing dishes or clothes, no bathing, and no flushing!
• Remember, whether you have power or not - as in a generator or solar panel - the area may still lose cell phone service if towers go down. 

http://petgroomer911.blogspot.com/2012/08/dont-leave-pets-behind.html

http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/petpreparedness.htm

PFS means Pet Friendly Shelter
http://www.petfriendlytravel.com/pet_shelters
http://www.floridapetfriendly.com/pet-friendly-hurricane-shelters.htm
http://www.spcaflorida.org/community-resources/disaster//

Matted Dogs - You Are Not Excused

As groomers, we get all manner of excuses as to why Fluffy is so matted this time! (Because god knows, she's usually in perfect condition, because she gets brushed every day, and brought to the groomer every single month.... like ALL long haired dogs..... right?)
WRONG!
By far the most common and popular line of bullshit pet parents try to feed their groomer is that "I've been out of town and I left her with..... my Mom, my neighbor, my boyfriend, the pet sitter, the kennel...!" Leaving the implication that dogs are supposed to become a grooming disaster when left in the care of anyone other than their own perfectly responsible pet parent.
Really???
Pet parents are THE WORST at finding care for their own pets. How do I know this? Because the worst grooming nightmares of dogs with homes (not strays) is that Mom and Dad 'went outta town...' and whomever was taking care of their dog was horrible.
90% of all matted dogs brought into the salon come from pet parents who were recently "outta town" and had to leave them with someone.
Now many if not most young and inexperienced groomers will go "Awwww!" and swallow it hook, line, and sinker.
But after 15 years.... human please!!
Not only do you NOT have your dog regularly groomed, I've never seen you before!
And if I have seen you before, it was 6.... 7.... TWELVE months ago!!!
No. No groomer worth their salt believes your excuses. You are not taking proper care of your dog! If you cannot afford to go to a groomer, I completely understand that. But can you afford a brush???
I understand if YOU can't cut your dog's hair! If you don't know what you're doing, YOU SHOULDN'T TRY to cut your dog's hair! But do you know how to use a brush???
"Oh he won't let me brush him!"
Oh.
My.
God.

Let me just say this OUT LOUD, to all y'all's faces.... Because we DO say it behind your back....
Why do you have a dog then?!?!

(Because you LOVE animals and you RESCUED this poor little baby from a HORRIBLE place so that you could LOVE him and give him a better life....)
LISTEN TO YOURSELVES!!!

Why are you not asking everyone you know to help you find a way to learn how to brush your dog! It's so much better to let them get SO MATTED  that they have to be shaved, and often get sores and infections and hematomas from tight mats, and from the poor thing digging and chewing trying to relieve the pain! Do you know how painful it is to try to move around when your hair is stuck or caught on something?
Do you know that I've seen the long hair around a sweet little dog's penis matted tightly to the long hair of his thigh so that he couldn't walk? And the dumbass humans laughed because he looked funny trying to do it?
(My blood boils as I write this.......)
Can you believe how completely UNAWARE some human beings are....?

So find another excuse humans!
We do NOT buy the "I've been outta town and left her with...." excuse anymore! Because even if it's true, you're a bad parent! For leaving them with someone who would let them get like that!

And if you must....
I'm gonna give you a FREE chunk of gold here - When you know you're going out of town, GET YOUR DOG GROOMED before you leave!!! Get their hair cut a little shorter so as to avoid catastrophe! Hell, get them shaved down just to be safe! At least it will have grown a bit by the time you get back and their hair will be short because of responsibility, NOT because they were in pain and neglected.
Oh wait....! You in the back there! I hear your pathetic ass! "But I didn't know ahead of time, it was sudden...! waa waaa waaaaaaa!"
I have not one fuck to give you.
The moment you become "a pet parent", you become responsible for every every every single aspect of their lives in this human world you've made them a part of. YOU. You should ALWAYS have a plan of care for your pets!!!
Always.
All the time.
For ALL of your pets, no matter what species, breed, size, condition.
Along the Gulf Coast we remind people every hurricane season to have a plan of action for their pets.
Don't wait for hurricane season.....
Don't be an idiot.
Be responsible.
If you're dog is matted while under your care, YOU are responsible.
If you just legitimately rescued a dog from a bad situation, and that dog is matted as a consequence of that bad situation and you are fixing the dogs condition, then you are excused.

We have lived in so much ignorance until now.
Learn.
There is a way.
You CAN do it.
Find a way, make it happen.
Stop making excuses for not taking care of your pets.

Running to the vet all the time is NOT being responsible.
Running to the groomer in desperation is NOT being responsible.

Is your dog matted right now as you read this? Are you scared now? Embarrassed? Afraid to reach out for fear of being condemned?
Good!
Now take the first step and reach out, beyond your fear and shame, get your dog back to ground zero and don't let it happen again.
If you didn't know before, you do now. Start now.

I will not apologize for calling an idiot an idiot.
If I can help you learn I will.
They bark, the growl, they bite... and you don't understand.
I speak English, and I speak for them.


Dog-Groomer-Black T-shirt at this PG911 approved link! 

Using #Dawn to Kill #Fleas

I get so so so sick of hearing people - professional and non-professional - go on and on about how Dawn Dishwashing Soap kills fleas!!!
It DOES NOT!!!
But for godsake don't believe me... Try this test yourself:
     Fetch a live flea and drown his ass in Dawn the bestest way you know how. Wash your dog in Dawn (It will not hurt them, but*), or just pick a flea off your pet and put the flea in a puddle of pure, straight Dawn (if you feel that's potent enough).
    Watch for death. When you are convinced the flea is dead enough, take the flea OUT of the Dawn and remove any excess soap - (pat it with another paper towel - careful, it will stick). Or, pick a "dead" flea off your freshly Dawn-bathed dog.
     Carefully place this flea on a big piece of fresh, clean, white paper towel. Make sure the paper towel is sturdy and in a safe place that is free from high traffic and drafts like fans or an air duct. You can even place a container such as a glass up-side-down over the body to make sure NOTHING disturbs it. (Because if you come back and its GONE, you need to know for a fact it's because the flea hopped away on its on and was not knocked off or blown away...)
     Once in a safe place, walk away and leave the dead body for at least 15-20 minutes.

Then go back and look at the flea and tell me that bitch is dead. If you did not cover it with a glass, and it is gone, that means it WAS NOT DEAD.

FYI - ANY soap will "kill" a flea in exactly the same manner, not just Dawn.

Soap does NOT drown them.
Soap does NOT suffocate them.
Think about it - If synthetic chemicals like Frontline and Advantage no longer work.....

* Dawn is as harmless as any commercial soap on your pet. The biggest thing to note is that it will dry them out! Unless their skin pH is out of balance, in which case Dawn will make them gooey and basically unrinsable.

We have also "trapped" a live flea in a small jar of baking soda.... And then forgot about it! A month later...... Still alive...! Again, don't believe us - try it yourself...

Additionally, just so you know - corporate grooming salons are NOT ALLOWED to use Dawn in the salon! If they do, they are breaking policy and can be fired immediately.

Technical Flea Info: FLEAS

[All of this information is true for all fleas, on dogs and cats.
Ticks seem to be completely oblivious... They don't even get high or pretend to die for a few minutes.]

NEW!!!

i-am-DOG-GROOMER T-shirt at this PG911 approved link!

Christmas Shelter Dogs & Cats

Ok yall.... I'm just so frikken sick of all the sad-sack shelter stories at this time of year!!!!
The sad photos, the pleas to Santa for a "forever home", the desperate bombardment of SADNESS!
That is an "issue" that runs deeper than Christmas!  So lets just stop steppin' in dog shit for a minute and GET HAPPY!!!!
It's CHRISTMAS f'god sake!
And all the push to adopt shelter dogs as Christmas presents....... Well, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN ISSUE!!!!

Don't Do That ! ! ! ! !

Don't give animals for presents!
It's dumb.  It's stupid.  It creates a very long term problem for the rest of the world.  It makes sure that the shelters will be full, overflowing and desperate for NEXT Christmas....

So hows about we focus on the RESPONSIBLE pet parents right now....!  The Happy kittens and puppies (of all ages!) who bless us, make us laff, keep us company and listen to our hearts when no human can hear them.....
Let's celebrate THIS!!!

The shelter problem will NEVER go away!  As long as there are stupid humans, there will be pain and suffering.  So let's be grateful, joy-filled, and happy with the little "effers" that live with us right now.  Lets hold all the other animals in our hearts while we feel this unspeakable joy and share it with them!  They will feel it!!!!

Cats climbing Christmas Trees, darting in and out of empty gift bags, running thru ripped wrapping paper...
Dogs sniffing the table, drinking from your cocktail glass, stealing the gift box of chocolates.....

Celebrate.
That's all this day is about.  Not beliefs.  Not money.  But a reason to celebrate.
So do it right!
Love your animals!
Beam that love into the world!

Merry Christmas from Petgroomer 911!!!

Diet & Exercise 2.0

To expound a bit deeper into an earlier blog, Diet & Exercise, I'd like to write a bit about food.
The FIRST STEP to good grooming is good food.  I'm not talking about tasty-good, I'm talking about nutritionally good.
The FIRST ISSUE I address with my clients who report any problem with their pets whatsoever is FOOD.

There are debates..... of course there are.
But there are also some basic truths that many today are completely oblivious to, because most of the only ones available to teach them, don't know the full story either.  This includes veterinarians.... yes!  Yes it does!  Ignorance proliferates like bunnies.  Not to worry, not to blame.  Let's learn.

The "packaged", "processed" dog or cat food I always recommend is Nature's Variety.  The reasons are 1) they are NOT a bandwagon company.  They're one of the first independent companies to do real nutrition for pets.  2) They have consistently produced a very high quality product, including thru the years of recalls because of bad meat.  They raise their own...!  3) And I hope this remains the case forever... At this writing, they are still independent!  Even Dick Van Patton's beloved Natural Balance was bought out by Del Monte - maker of more crap than a heard of buffalo! 4) Their recipe is raw, minimally processed.

My second choice is Halo Purely for Pets.  The reasons are basically the same.... 1) Not a bandwagon company. Another of the very first to do real, natural food for pets.  2) Consistent quality and no recalls.  3) Still independently owned!  A few years back Ellen DeGeneres bought into the company because she was so impressed with the results it produced for one of her pets.  Amen sister!  The stuff is good food!  4) Minimally processed. 5) Beautiful story of origin from a local Tampa area resident (Halo History)!!

And........... That's it.  Those are the only one's I really recommend anymore.
My family has used both on and off for over 10 years.

The only other option for feeding your pets is to make it yourself at home.  This is challenging.  So many different opinions on what you can and can't feed a dog or cat...!  All the things they say are dangerous and NEVER feed your dog.... Well they put the word out much too late!  Sorry but I already fed my dogs all that stuff....!  Oops!  And guess what...?  Didn't hurt them at all.  Not one bit.  Not one hair.  Not one ounce.  Not one iota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grapes, raisins, chocolate, avocado, onion......
But that does NOT mean that "dangerous" foods will not hurt your animals!  Everyone is different.  Everyone pet parent is responsible.  Do your own due diligence.  Do some research.  Hear all sides of the discussion.  Open your heart to the truth regardless of cost, recipes, ingredients..... just desire the truth and you'll find it!

I was a firm believer in the concept that dogs aren't meant to eat grains, they're made to eat meat!  Well of course this has gotten more confusing for me on a spiritual level over the past several years as I am a vegetarian.  Again.... I've done new research just this past week into vegetarian diets for dogs and cats!  It can be done!  And very, very successfully.  NO, you shouldn't go into it blindly and ignorantly.
For that matter, you may find it interesting to know that all vegetarians are not healthy!  Just because vegers don't eat meat doesn't mean they eat healthy.
The point is complete, healthy nutrition!
I was convinced that grains were the cause of much of the epidemic skin allergy problem that most dogs suffer with these days.  But grains are not the whole story.
Grains are good!  For all animals, humans included.  What's horrible is how most commercial food producers - animal and human - process the grains.  The process totally destroys anything that was ever nutritious about the grain.  Its processing that is the cause of allergies.  Whole natural foods such as grains are INSANE in their nutritional profiles.  The key is that they remain whole and complete.

Another issue, portion size.  Many believe that pets, in particular cats, should be allowed to free-feed.  This is not good.  As a reference, think of wild animals.... What do they do?  Of course they free-feed.... after they hunt the food down.  This is true of carnivores, herbivores and omnivores alike.  So they only eat what they work off.  Pets rarely work these days.  Its a shame but its the current reality.  So they don't need much to eat!  What they need is high quality.  The more active they are, the more fuel (food) they require.

Quality over quantity.
You save money in the long run because you just don't need the vet anymore!

Money and cost is the biggest deterrent  to eating healthy, again - for pets and humans.  But I'm here to tell you that it can be done!  Regardless of what anyone may have ever told you, your pets can eat what you eat IF you eat healthy.  No processed foods, frozen foods, canned foods...
Whole, natural, organic foods.... Foods from the Earth.  Foods that God made to be eaten.  Same for beverages.  Filtered water is a must.  Tap water is not good.  Teas are good for people and pets on occasion.  Herbs and spices... all very medicinal.  Again, you should not feed ignorantly.  Do some research. There are local farmers, co-ops, farmers markets popping up all over!!!  Use them!

Don't buy corporate.  Buy small local organic and get healthy along with your pets!