Recirculating Bather

This is something every dog owner and definitely every Tibetan Terrier owner should have.  It is the MOST amazing thing I have ever used.  And bonus!  I made it myself!

So what is it?!?!

It's a recirculating bather.  Basically a pump that circulates the bath water and sprays it over your dog.  Why is it so amazing?  Well, I used much less water bathing Tibby with the recirc. bather.  She came out super, super soft and extremely clean.  Like she has NEVER been this clean EVER.

Here it is in the tub all ready to use.  So wanna make your own?

You will need:

One 1/4 hp utility pump

A short (6 foot or so) leader hose or connector hose

One spray nozzle

You can see I duct taped the spray nozzle, so it will stay open all the time.  I also put a rubber mat on the tub bottom, so the pump wouldn't make SO much noise.

Then simply fill your tub with warm water.  Add some shampoo to the water.  Add dog. :)  Turn on pump.  Spray dog.  It's very relaxing.  Tibby leaned into the spray. 

Then drain tub.  Rinse dog with clean water.  I have a spray head on my shower, so I used that.

Then re-fill tub.  Put conditioner on dog.  Turn recirc. pump on and DEEP condition.  Then turn pump off.  Drain tub and rinse dog with clean water.

  Tibby liked it and I thought it was amazing! 

 These are the before pictures.  Tibby doesn't LOOK that dirty, but she was SO dirty.  And getting matty too :(  I think the detangler I was using was too greasy.  Her fur just felt nasty.

Post recirc. bather bath.  She is SOOOO silky and soft.  I can't stop touching her fur.  It's like the softest thing I have ever felt.  The pictures aren't the greatest.  We started her bath at 8pm and it was almost midnight before I was done with the whole blow dry, brush, dematt thing.

Pictures today.  She is sparkling white and golden.  My Mom has been recently saying that Tibby was losing her color, but I think it was just the nasty detangler I was using - too greasy and yucky.  And I was using gobs of detangler, because I couldn't get her clean in the bath.  Vicious cycle.

These are the products I used.  I was waiting for them last night and snatched them out of the UPS man's hands - that's how excited I was to get them!  LOL!  Last night I used the Clean Start and the Spectrum 10 conditioner and Ice on Ice for the detangler, but I hardly needed any detangler - amazing how clean fur brushes SO much easier.  Also a wonderful pin brush.  I can't wait to try the White on White and Gold on Gold shampoo!  Tibby will look so amazing!



Garden Clean-up

I have been working on cleaning my garden up this week.

It was a long, hard winter and there was a lot to clean up.

First, I picked up all the junk, trash, ect.

Then, I fixed the pond.

Last Fall I took most of the rocks off of the liner and took out the stream. I ran out of time and it got too cold, so I finished it this week.

Finally, I have the pond exactly the way I want it!

After only moving it 10 times!

Then I placed 2 more raised beds in area I want to make into a small patio. I just have to wait until the tulips bloom, and I can move them, to get started on the patio.

Then I started moving all my raised beds. Again.

Yes, I am crazy.

The Garden Died Today

The 2009 gardening season is officially over for me.

Sad.

We had a hard, solid frost last night.

Everything is D-E-A-D.

But, it's Ok.

Don't cry for me gardening people!

I'm ready for a rest.

And there is always the gardener's mantra: "Next year, it WILL be BETTER!"

I still have to clean everything up, dig my sweet potatoes, plant garlic, ect., ect.

You get the idea.

It never ends!

Bathing Chickens?

Yes! - You Can Bathe Your Chicken!

After a long cold winter, I gave the ladies a bath.

Use gentle baby shampoo and warm (not hot, chicken soup?) water.

Gently blow-dry the chickens' feathers dry or let them dry naturally.

Don't put your ladies back outside wet!

They can't keep warm with wet feathers!

Baths make chickens sleeply.....

Air dried tail feathers!

Ahhh - what a nice chicken spa day!