Why Pay? Pet Grooming

This is Reagan, our Scottish Terrier:

He’s such a good boy!  He’s a cuddly dog, but he sure gets stinky!

 

Before my “Frugal Awakening,” I happily (and blindly) took him to the Pet Groomer every two months for a wash and a trim.  At the fancy groomer, I would pay $75.  Then, I thought that was a bit too much, so I started taking him to the PetSmart Groomery to pay $55.  Better, but then I started thinking about how much this dog’s fur was costing me.  I was spending more on him than on my own hair! 

 

So, after some evaluation, I decided that Reagan could go Twice a Year for a haircut and I would bathe him in between.  Back to the PetSmart I went to pick up special  “Just for Dogs” shampoo with a hefty price tag attached and the bath regimen began.

 

I noticed that many times after I gave him a bath with this “Just for Dogs” shampoo, Reagan was itchy and he still smelled like a dog.  Then, one day when I ran out of his special shampoo, I tried my son’s baby shampoo.  Sure, why not?  If it’s gentle enough for my baby, why shouldn’t it be gentle enough for my fur baby?  Well, it works like a charm! Reagan comes out fluffy, not itchy, and he smells like Lavender Nite Time Baby Shampoo.  Perfect for cuddling!  Observe here, as he expertly dries himself off:

 

After his bath, my husband brushes his teeth with the rubber toothbrush for dogs and he cleans out his ears with ear wipes.  This is something we always had to do after his regular grooming appointments anyway because they always seemed to get water in his ears, resulting in many ear infections and consequently, expensive trips to the vet. 

As for his toenails, taking him for the occasional extra long walk on a sidewalk or paved road usually shaves them right down.  You could also pick up a cheap toenail trimmer at the pet supply store – just be careful to not cut them too close.

Reagan gets a good brushing (especially the beard) to remove excess fur about every two weeks as well.  Here’s the shiny, clean result:

 

I think that home grooming has also made the process a bit less traumatic for Reagan, too.  No strangers and loud cage dryers to deal with.  He actually wants to get in the bathtub (no kidding) because he knows that when it’s over he gets lots of treats!  Good Dog!

 

The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:

One Year’s Worth of Monthly Baths for Dog ($2.00 for Lavender Baby Shampoo from Aldi x 3)

Twice a Year Trim at Pet Groomer ($55 x 2)

 

Total Fake-It Cost $116.00

 

One Year’s Worth of Bi-Monthly Baths/Grooming for Dog,  ($55 x 6)

Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $214.00