The Five Stages of A Dog Bath (Yorkie Splash and Shine Review)

Denial:

Yes, I am hideously dirty and have rolled in horse poop and have mud all over my legs but surely I won't need a bath right? 

Anger:

This isn't fair. How could this happen to me? I bet Sage isn't getting a bath. You will pay for this.

Bargaining:

Look how cute I am! I'm not that dirty! See? I don't need a bath. I'll be extra good all day if I don't get a bath! I'll even eat all my vegetables! 

Depression: 

I'm doomed, so why bother fighting? What's the point when I'm going to be so clean and scented instead of my precious horse poop? I'm so sad. 

Acceptance: 

I guess it's going to be OK. I do feel super soft and moisturized and people always fawn over me after a bath. There's always another day to find horse poop and roll in it! 

Mr. N is a Yorkie/Maltese mix and has hair instead of fur so he gets frequent baths and he goes through this grief process every bath time. To meet his high maintenance grooming needs, we turned to a company that specifically makes grooming products for Yorkies. Yorkie Splash and Shine sent us their shampoo, conditioner and detangling spray to try out.

Mr. N's verdict: 

If I have to be clean, this isn't that bad. All the peoples want to pet me. 

My verdict:

Mr. N is silky and smooth after using the Yorkie Splash and Shine products. The spray helped with untangling all the mats he gets after going out in the rain. It is easy to rinse out but the shampoo and conditioner does not lather as much as other brands we have tried so it can be a little hard at first to gauge how much product to use. 

The scent lingers for several days which is good if you like the sweet, kind of fruity smell. I personally like it but the boyfriend prefers Mr. N's other shampoo which is more of a neutral scent. The organic and natural ingredients are a plus.

My five-year-old cousin who helped me bathe Mr. N's verdict: 

He's so cute and soft!

They also did a Q & A for us about their products.

Q: How would you describe the specific needs of Yorkies (grooming-wise)?
A: Yorkies need special attention paid to their skin and coats for a number of reasons, the most important of which, in my opinion, is that their hair is much like a human's. They have one hair per follicle and their hair continues to grow throughout life. Most dog breeds only grow their fur to a terminating length, at which point the fur will not get any longer. Yorkies, on the other hand, will continue to gain length in the hairs forever. This means regular brushing and washing, even conditioning, is extremely important. 

Q:  What makes your shampoo so suitable for Yorkies?
A: Our shampoo is a natural soap, and it has a high pH, making it perfect for the higher pH skin of dogs. 

Q: Does it work for other breeds as well?
A: Absolutely! Our products work well on all breeds of dogs, even cats. We have many customers who use our products on other breeds of dogs. 

Q:  Do you have other new products you're planning on adding?
A: We are always adding limited edition detangler fragrances. We are also always on the lookout for products our customers would love. Generally, we add products after our customers ask for them. 

This post was sponsored by Yorkie Splash and Shine. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Monday Mischief #59 - Honey, I Shrunk the Dog

Mr. N shrinks a lot after he gets his hair cut. I've weighed him before and afterwards, and he is typically 1/4 pound to a half-pound lighter. I was so tired of him being scruffy, I asked for his "summer cut" and there is very little left to him.

You can actually make out his waist and see how scrawny he is. I'm waiting for people to tell me to feed him more. He's basically all legs and so gangly. There is a reason these dogs were bred for a full coat of hair. 

Another blogger asked me to post before and after pictures (Susan, was that you?). 

Before with Girl Scout Cookies. 

After with Girl Scout Cookies

Before with his Giant Schnauzer friend. He almost looks fat in this picture.

After. With a headband on his head, just because.

Do you prefer the before or after? 

Monday Mischief #57 - Too Scruffy Dog

I have a very scientific fashion of determining whether or not Mr. N has to go to the groomer. When I look at him, and decide he is simply too scruffy to tolerate for much longer, I pick up the phone and make an appointment.

Right now, his hair is probably the longest it's ever been. I decided to let him grow it out when we went to Michigan for Christmas. I figured he needed all the hair he could get. It's scant protection against Midwest temperatures but it's something. He has had his nails trimmed and his face touched up since then but he hasn't had a haircut since October. He normally goes about every nine, ten weeks.

I brush Mr. N daily and his hair has been getting tangled a little more than usual (this rain isn't helping either). I've been thinking about taking him in later this month but I decided I need to call the groomer tomorrow.

 The kicker was when we had a guest over and she remarked that it looked like Mr. N was bigger. This is not because he has gotten fat. And it's definitely not a late growth spurt.

It's all his fluff and hair. The boyfriend said that once he gets groomed, Mr. N is going to look like he has shrunk drastically. Maybe she'll ask us if we got a new dog.

How do you decide when your dog should go to the groomer? Or get a bath? And am I the only one who thinks their dog looks like a totally different dog once they're back from the groomer?