What equipment is needed and what have I personally used and recommend? Well sit down and relax because this is gonna be a long post. Scroll through and see what I like the best. If it is a product for a dog chances are I’ve tried it.

If you’re not watching my Home Grooming Tutorials then you can find them on You Tube. This particular supply list pertains mainly to these installments in my series:

Video #1: Intro and Disclaimer

Video #2 Questions & Answers and Lots of Tips for the bathing part itself. A must-watch

Video #3 Bathing the Dog

Video #4 Drying the Dog Properly

I’ve posted links to Amazon on here. Mainly because I’m a Prime junkie but also because this is actually where I’ve purchased this stuff from. Told ya… junkie. I get an “affiliate” amount from purchases made through here. So if you buy through here I say thank you. And if you find better prices elsewhere let me know. That is the other big reason I use Amazon. They typically have prices far better than elsewhere. When I buy a product I typically buy way more than your average consumer. So minor price differences add up quickly for me.

To go to the Amazon page click the picture of the product or the highlighted product name.

Alright without further ado: my skeleton list for home grooming supplies and also includes all the stuff you’ll see me using in my Home Grooming video tutorials.

Prepare for the Groom

You know the drill. Shampoo, ears, condition, towel dry. That sort of stuff. And remember not to use conditioner or to use very little on the baths prior to hair-snipping for your doodle-breed with electric clippers or any kind of scissor work.

I like natural-based, safe and reasonably priced hair and skin care products. I’m allergic to lots of perfumes and I have sensitive skin. So far my dogs do not have sensitive skin but I meter on mine. I won’t use anything on them that irritates my sensitive allergy-prone skin!!

Above all the stuff needs to actually work!!!

Serious Equipment

I use this dog grooming bathtub in my video tutorials… and yes… I actually ordered it through Amazon. They had the best price and best delivery. And if you’re looking for a serious bathtub this one is for you. haha!

I use this dog grooming table in my video tutorials. This is pretty heavy duty and not something you can fold up or move around though. I love this table to pieces. But I still love and frequently use this quality grooming table that folds up for storage. You see this one in my puppy grooming video actually. I have and use some other tables as well and will post a whole write-up on tables to discuss which are the best and why.

Not-As-Serious Equipment

I use this silicone treat holding pouch in the video. I like this one because it can be really washed well and doesn’t get messed up like fabric does if a moist food is used. I like this treat pouch quite a lot. This is a slightly cheaper treat pouch that isn’t as nice as the other one but does the job.

Tie up the dog in the tub with this suction doggy anchor thingie. It works with my pain in the neck golden retriever who hangs out in the shower with her pint sized owner. Not the most secure, no. Its a suction cup. But does it work? It sure does.

Make sure you have a sprayer to wash the dog. Seriously annoying to try and use the whole rinse bucket thing. If you’re a little handy you can install a handheld shower-head that you can grab at your local home improvement store. If you can’t do any of that because you don’t wanna, then this bad boy sprayer-replacer  gets the job done better than a bucket.

SHAMPOO

Ok you’re going to buy professional grooming shampoo because it is cheaper than consumer shampoo, works better, smells better and is a bunch cheaper. Right? I thought so. Since professional shampoo dilutes down with water you will want some empty plastic bottles around to fill with ready-to-use dilutions of your favorite shampoo and conditioners. I like these bottles. They work well, don’t leak, they’re cheap and they’re not too flimsy or so strong that you can’t squeeze them. These are 16 oz bottles but since shampoo foams so much when you add water to dilute you will fill your empty bottle with 12 oz of water first then add in your shampoo concentrate, then shake. And you’ve got 12 oz of ready-to-use doggy goodness. These 16 oz bottles are perfect and inexpensive. Click the word bottles or the picture below to go to Amazon.

 

SHAMPOO

For a groom or for a non-groom bath:

South Bark Blueberry Facial shampoo is one of my favorites. If not my favorite. I use this on all my puppies. Because it makes it harder for me to resist kissing them? No, because everyone loves this shampoo. Made from coconut-oil-based cleansers and lots of good stuff it is actually safe if they lick a little off their face. It brightens the coat without dying it blue or purple (like many brighteners do). This is a professional product and yields professional results.

Dilute it and love it. It dilutes to somewhere around $2 a bottle. Seriously delicious. Does not have the chemicals needed to keep the fragrance too long-lasting but “clean dog” is really a good smell too. The non long-lasting fragrance can be a really good thing for people with allergies. If you have a therapy dog you don’t want perfumes making your patients sick, do you? But you can still enjoy bath-time and a very light note of this stuff post bath. It won’t make you crazy if you’re perfume sensitive like me.

This stuff will de-grease and leave a squeaky-clean coat. Fabulous prior to a groom. If giving a bath with no groom follow with conditioner. Isn’t conditioning on its own which makes it a great dual-duty doodle product (good for both dirty dog baths and pre-grooming prep baths)

Ok I don’t work for South Bark. Seriously. I just friggin’ love this shampoo and a bathtub full of clean puppies right after rinsing this stuff off of them. This dilutes down 8:1 and costs somewhere around $2 per 12 oz bottle when you buy the smaller sized bottles of shampoo like this one. This figures to about a whole whopping 18 cents per ounce.

 

For a bath not followed by a groom:

I really like Plum Silky too. This is a really good shampoo/conditioner combo for dirty dog baths. This stuff smells amazing and the scent does last. But it doesn’t annoy my allergies one bit. It also brightens light coats really beautifully. It makes your dog the softest, fluffiest… did I mention softest? little bundle of fluff like ever. When you blow out a dog post Plum Silky you can’t stop hugging him because he is like a little cloud from heaven. Sold? I am. I love this stuff.

Not the greatest for prior groom though simply because it is very softening. But a lovely shampoo nonetheless. Perfect for those moisturizing between hair-cut baths.

Dilutes 24:1   meaning your 8 oz bottle is going to yield 24 bottles (8 oz each) of shampoo. This costs around .72 cents per 12 oz bottle. Or approximately 6 cents per ounce of ready-to-use shampoo. And this is the “good stuff” for professional use too. The fancy stuff. The “expensive” stuff.

For a bath specifically prepping hair for a groom:

Almond Crisp is way more than about making your dog smell like something amazing in a bakery. It is really a great “crisping” shampoo. It will help the hair stand up beautifully for clipping. It is also just delicious. It dilutes 32:1 so you’re paying around 36 cents for a 12 oz bottle or about 3 pennies per oz. This is definitely a favorite of mine and another one of the “expensive, fancy” professional shampoos out there. This is the cheapest of the top-notch professional shampoos listed thus far. And it is really wonderful. Especially for our little manly boy dogs. Ha. Not as girlie smelling. Not that really manly-dogs mind smelling floral. Haha.

 

CONDITIONER

For those baths that aren’t followed by a hair cut you will need conditioner. Here are the matches to the shampoos I list above. I like them all too. They work nicely. Conditioners have a lower dilution rate and are a little more expensive per ounce. But you’ll also be using a whole lot less conditioner per bath. So don’t think the prices are crazy. Believe me you’re still paying a load less than consumer-pet conditioner and you’ll be getting a professional result too.

The Blueberry Clove Conditioner is pretty yummy. Dilute a little bit or not at all if you please. Works nicely.

The Plum-Tastic Maximum Moisture Conditioner is great to leave in for a little while and really moisturize the coat and skin. Smells lovely and works really well as the mate to the Plum Silky conditioning shampoo.

 

There is no conditioner for the Almond Shampoo because it is intended to be used without a conditioner for hair-standing effect. If you’d like to make it double duty then pair it with a conditioner that has no scent. I haven’t found one of those yet!. The alternative is to use a “leave in conditioning” spray. This one from Earth Bath is an almond, vanilla and oatmeal leave-in anti-itch conditioning spray that smells amazing.

EAR CLEANER

This ear cleaner called ZAP is pretty amazing. If you have a super nasty, grimy ear then this is the stuff you want. Great to use in the bathtub. Irrigate the ear really well with this cleaner and then rinse with water. In all honesty I have not used very many products by Kelco that I like. I find them to be mostly cheap quality yielding poor results. But this stuff works like magic. And I’ve used ’em all. Really I have.

FRAGRANCE

I used to think that the pet colognes were really … well… stupid. But then I learned more about the chemicals that are often used in the deodorizing shampoos. Some of the really expensive, really good professional “deodorizing” or “dirty dog” products are fine because they don’t rely on chemical fragrance but on actual smell neutralization and cleaning to deodorize the dog. But many deodorizing shampoos use harsh chemicals to make a very strong fragrance last well after rinsing. This is not so good for your dog (or you). Some of these chemicals are irritating and others are actually dangerous!

I’m sensitive to perfume and typically can’t use anything human like smelly lotions and so forth. I’m an expensive perfume sometimes kind of gal. I break out in itchy hives! This is why I’m the “anti-allergy flower garden and dog and baby product extraordinaire”!!

Anyway these colognes and smells are delightful, safe and gentle, and they don’t irritate me one bit and so far haven’t bothered anyone we have been around.

The Blueberry Line doesn’t leave super lingering fragrance so if you like the yummy smell (and trust me, you do) then get the cologne. I swear sometimes my husband uses it just to lure me in for a hug. It is sweet-puppy-love all the way. And if you got your puppy from me then nothing can beat that scent you had in your arms the day you brought your new baby home. And that scent is Blueberry Clove Cologne… bliss

 

**note* they changed the look of the Blueberry Clove Cologne. The new bottle has more in it and a cartoon-ish label that I don’t like. But its the same stuff. I posted the photo of the old version and the word-link goes to the larger volume new version of the stuff.**

 

The Plum “Foo-Foo” cologne matches the Silky wash and many times I can’t decide between the Blueberry or the Plum for regular dirty-dog non groom baths… because they all smell so yummy! This one is less fruity, more floral than the Blueberry. Maybe more mature in that regard. It is lovely and one bottle lasts like forever.

The Almond Essence “Foo Foo” cologne is a bit more manly. Not that my dogs really know any better. But my stud dog Dandy has to suffer with being a “cockapoo” and having the name “Dandy”… I just can’t spray him with something super floral or even remotely feminine. I can’t bear to do it to him! Ha! I like the simplicity and deliciousness of this cologne. Definitely a good one for the boys.

 

ITCHY DOG

Shampoo –   Neem oil relief

Medicated Shampoo for a very uncomfortable itchy dog. This isn’t the rotten-eggs or coal-tar type of medicated. This is not going to kill a fungal infection but if you have a dog covered in mosquito bites or a rash or hot spots or other itchy, miserable condition that doesn’t require a special medicine but needs something to give your baby relief then this is definitely the one you want.

Aloe Conditioner this stuff is pretty much brilliant.

Hot Spot or Itch Spray

REALLY SMELLY DOG

Grime-ridding Shampoo   OR Skunk (or other stench) Removing Shampoo

DE-SHEDDING A DOG

Maybe your dog is “blowing coat”? There are times in a dog’s life when their body just releases a ton of hair at once. This is in addition to regular shedding triggered by temperature and light fluctuations. A dog blows coat from puppy-to-adulthood, during times of stress like after a surgery or illness or a move, during hormonal changes like post delivery etc.

If your dog is “blowing” their coat you might want to just blow it all out for them. The hairs need to come out so get the ones that are ready to come out and get them all out at once and be done with it!

If you don’t have a “doodle” breed but have a shedding dog or you have a short-haired “dood” that loses hair more frequently than you’d prefer then I suggest these products to remove loose hairs and give you a few weeks’ reprieve from finding little hairs on your clothes, couch or floors.

Furminator Shampoo– I have not tried the other de-shed shampoos on the market but this one does work. It has a coconut smell that I absolutely hate. Just yuck. But the smell doesn’t last so I just plug my nose and push onward.

EZ Shed Conditioner– This smells lovely, works amazingly well and gives you such a soft, gorgeous coat its practically unbelievable.

If you’re going to de-shed the dog then make sure that you comb through or brush the coat prior to the bath, use a de-shedding rake like a Furminator or Coat King before rinsing out the conditioner posted above and then dry your dog with a high velocity dog dryer which I will link in below.

Coat King  OR  the Furminator (I use the small for long hair)

BLOW DRYER

If you’ve known me or read my stuff or watched my tutorials you’re gonna know that I’m all about the high-velocity dryer. You want this dryer. I’m telling you… just get the dryer. You won’t be sorry. If you have just a little extra cash to spend on dog equipment this is what you want. It comes in handy when you’ve got a wet dog in from the rain, snow balls stuck to doodle hair and paws, bath time doesn’t turn into mud time the first trip out to potty… because the dog is DRY… bath time doesn’t turn into “soak mom’s couch” time either…

Just get it. The Go-Pet-Club high velocity dryer is the best for home use that I’ve personally purchased and used and owned (and I’ve had many). I’ve had my dryer for about 3 yrs now and I’ve used it more times than you’ll probably use your dryer in 9 yrs. And mine is working perfectly.

This is a great dryer. If you’re drying one or two dogs this is all you need. It is a “home use” type of professional hv (high velocity) dryer. I notice a slight difference in the speed of drying with a stronger dryer but that only really matters when you’re talking about blowing out three or four dogs at a time. If you’re a pet owner wanting a professional dryer with results that will make you say “seriously, why didn’t I buy this before” then this is the one for you.

TOWELS

There are about a billion “magical” dog drying towels on the market. Surprisingly none of them work miracles… Should I be surprised? Maybe not.

This one was pretty good though. I tried about 20 “dog” towels. The “Dirty Dog” towel is supposed to be used on a nasty, muddy dog. And its really effective for exactly that. Works great for clean dogs post baths too.

I also really like the “Dirty Dog” floor mat. Put that bad boy under your knees or feet near a tub and say good-bye to slipping and falling. Ditto for baby and toddler bath time 🙂 This thing absorbs an entire stacking cup collection of water, two squeezed out rubber duckies and one 12 oz shampoo rinse-out kid bucket (that one slipped right past Mama!) And I’m pretty sure the mat would have soaked up lots more. My four year old son would like to test that…

And these microfiber towels were super cute and worked reasonably well.

 

Ok… that’s it!! I can’t believe it! I’ve finally finished this post!!

Of course there is another one up next… You’ll see a post next on what equipment pertains to the 4th video in the series: Clipping a Puppy for the First Time; the Trunk

I’m all linked-out for the day! Phew! Off to video editing! Until next time Eden Family