Hair of the dog.

That's a drink, right? Well, this isn't about alcohol.... sorry.

Our 3 dogs smell funny and are starting to shed excessively... and being winter or anytime, I REALLY hate to give them baths. For one thing, they try to jump out of the tub and just get everyone wet and stinky with dog hair. I usually have to take a shower immediately after cleaning up the bathroom. Also the hair clogs up the bathtub and it already drains slow due to the long hair in our family... No I'm not naming names, but his name is...

BTW: His hair is about 7 inches longer now... and we don't usually display framed photos on the carpet but Meri was posing things with her new puppy last spring.

So last night, Meri and I decided to try out the pet wash in a nearby town. It's awesome! It's a small building right next to the car wash with all the same amenities! Like, shampoo, rinse, hot wax. No wait, not wax, what's the word... CONDITIONER! that's it!

You walk the dog up a little ramp into a big basin where you hook them in. Run your debit/credit card thru and get 10 minutes to clean up your dog and then disinfect the basin and floor if they happen to relieve themselves...

Our Basset wasn't too keen, but with the special leash you can hook them to, had really nothing to say about it and much better than home, she didn't try to jump out! We're planning on bringing the retrievers by the end of the week. One at a time.

This thing even has a super dry and vacuum function! There was so much dog hair, oh my... But at least it's there and not in my tub or on my couch!
The high light of the night was stopping at a grocery store later. I left Meri toweling the dog in the car and I ran in for a couple quick things. While paying, I realized my debit card wasn't in my wallet or my coat pocket... GASP! Inhaling ALL the air from the store, I realized I must have left it in the pet wash machine!!! Luckily I had some cash to pay for my things, then we dashed back to the pet wash. My card was not in the machine....

I stopped and thought. No one could have been in here with their pets because it takes 10 minutes for one thing! and I hadn't been gone that long. The chick in the blue jacket was still vacuuming her car for crying out loud. So I slowly stepped through what we did when we got there.

1) took off my coat and laid it over my purse in the corner.
2) watched in disgust as Sorsha relieved herself on the floor.
3) got her up into the basin via the ramp.
4) ran the debit card thru
5) waited 30 seconds before realizing the time was ticking away and time was awastin'.
6) shampooed/rinsed the dog
7) dried and vacuumed her.
8) sprayed the disinfectant hose all over the basin, cleaned out the hair and then sprayed the floor.
9) left.

Then I felt my pants pocket. Oh YEAH! I didn't have my coat on when I ran the debit card thru! It was in my jeans pocket! But I'm STILL glad we went back.

These pet wash places are fantastic, but here is just one little bit of money saving advice I should give you which I didn't see right off the bat. You folks who have the money saving blogs, pay close attention!!

If using your debit or credit card, there is a little button that says "Press this button to stop billing your card." ...