Products in Review: Himalayan Dog Chews!

You're probably thinking the same thing I did when I first saw these for sale: "What the HECK is a Himalayan Dog Chew?" I could tell you about how wonderful it is, that it's quite possibly the ultimate treat and boredom buster, but it's easier to take it from a true critic:

...oops, looks like he's a little preoccupied at the moment :)

Last Sunday was the annual Steel Valley Cluster dog show - one of the biggest in the nation! While checking out the vendors in between the wonderful Westies, Schnauzers, Cresteds, and more, I happened upon one booth selling a wide variety of chew toys. I've been looking for the perfect chew for my picky little connoisseur, Xavier. He's the kind of dog who will only play with a rubber toy if it has something delicious inside, gets stomach upset from the wrong ingredients, and doesn't see any point in chewing on a Nylabone. I, myself, have a few hangups about giving him processed bull pizzle, which by the way, comes from Old English. And we thought rappers were being original with "izzle" speak. Hehehe. Anyway, was there a magical treat out there for my dog?

Yes, indeed there is. Off to the side was a display of bags containing different sizes of Himalayan Dog Chews. Intrigued, I picked one up and began reading the label. Basically, it's a slab of cheese made from cows and yaks, smoked in old Himalayan style. Don't let the description fool you - these things are solid! I decided that since Xavier loves cheese, it was something we just had to try. Not sure of what size would suit him best, I picked a bag of mixed chews and proceeded to checkout. The slightly higher price for these tasty sticks paid off. Xavier grabbed the smallest of the bunch, made a beeline for "the den" (that is, under the table!), and began gnawing away. Four hours later, one worn out dog put a decent-sized dent in the stick and could chew no more. Once his jaw was no longer tired, you knew exactly where to find him: chewing it again!

The smallest of the bunch kept Xavier happy for about three days before it got too small. Imagine how happy he'll be when he digs into the large and extra-large ones! There hasn't been any digestive upset, but this would be a concern for lactose-intolerant dogs. Oh well, guess they'll just have to shizzle the pizzle all over the hizzle, fa-zizzle!

...OK, new use for the Himalayan Dog Chew: bop myself in the head with one next time I try "izzle" speak! Never again, haha! ;)

Stay tuned, only four more weeks until Groom Expo!!

YUCK!

I usually like to do a complete overhaul on all of my tools every month and give 'em the works: spray, shine, polish, and pick out all of those pesky hairs we groomers must deal with. From slickers to shears, clippers to blades, everything in my grooming arsenal got some TLC, even things I hadn't used in a while. Nothing could prepare me for what I was going to find on the inside of my clippers though!

I remembered a tip I received at Groom Expo: take the bottom base off of the Oster clippers and blow out any hair that may have become trapped inside. Not only were they supposed to run better, but doing this would prevent a short circuit. Well, today I discovered a screwdriver long enough to reach down into those holes and gently removed the base...

EEEYUUUUU!

I'm sure there's little bits of hair dating back to some of my first Shih Tzu shavedowns in there! Why haven't I burned these poor things out yet??

Taking the nozzle of my HV dryer, I hit the switch to low power and blasted it all away...

Ah, yes, much better!

God only knows how much longer my clippers would've gone with all that fuzz lodged deep within. And when I turned them back on, they sang like they did the day I eagerly took them out of the box for the first time.

I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to take extra special care of your tools! Learn the proper ways to clean them and increase their productivity and longevity! Nothing would suck any worse than that busy rush coupled with a pair of shorted-out clippers or nasty shears!!

Products in Review: the Andis #6F Blade

Now I'll admit, in the time that I've been grooming, I've always been an Oster gal. I have an Andis 3 3/4F blade that I needed for school; I like it best for Bichon backs as it leaves a little more coat to be noticeable. However, I picked up a new toy at Intergroom that I've fallen head over heels for: Andis's new #6F blade!

I was skeptical at first. Sure, it was between a #5F and a #7F, but did it really make that much of a difference? Jodi Murphy used it on a Schnauzer, and the look was surprisingly natural, as if the dog was handstripped. I decided to get one, as I could try it on some of the shop dogs. After working with several different coat types, I know I have to get some more of these little gems at Hershey!

So what makes this blade so great? We decided to try a 5F, the 6F, and a 7F on a Shih Tzu who was going short anyway, juxtaposing the lengths. The 5 left the coat a little scruffy looking, and the 7 made him look shaved. The 6, however, was the best of both worlds. Think of a short cut on a Shih without the shag and also without seeing skin. This is the finish you get with #6.

One thing that was also clear, since the 6 wasn't quite so short, it left a little extra color to the coat. The length left the look naturally smooth like a Lab's, instead of naturally short like a Dalmatian. I admit, it was a little disheartening to go over it with the 7F; the difference in look and feel was immediate.

I got to try it with several other coat types. My favorite--of course--is to use it when giving a lion cut to a rough Nordic dog, like a Pomeranian. We all know lions don't have totally naked butts anyway! Haha!
Other coat types included the tight curly Poodle. It left the color, but also showed the slightest curl! Not a bad way to check your work. When I was at the shelter over the weekend, I got to work on a lovely Brittany for the second time. The first time, I used a 4S blade; the look was very natural, but he grew in too fast! This time, I took all the scragglies away--for a while, at least--with the 6, just to see how it would look. When blended with a #5F, this was easily a trim suited for any dog with a sporting coat! Even the sporting saddle coat of the Cocker Spaniel looks better when the 6 is applied!

Now, I realize that grooming standards probably won't accept the #6 blade for a while, as it does leave some extra hair. So why have it? It's a great option for clients who want the hair gone, but to not have the dog look like a sheared little sheep. Also, we all have owners who want custom trims, like the lion. It's true what they say about subtle differences: they don't know exactly why, but they do know it's different!

I still have more coats to try this baby out on. Different textures will likely yield different results, and I can't wait to see what they are. One thing's for sure, I'm dying to do a lion cut, once again! Haha!