Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Dog product- Booster bath

Okay, so having seven dogs can get a bit expensive when it comes to grooming, so for Christmas I asked Santa (Peter) for a booster bath. Now, realistically I knew I may not be able to get the Newfies up a ramp and into a tub , but what I liked about the Booster Bath is that there is a drain at the bottom of the tub so it could be put directly on the floor in the basement over the drains that lead into the sump pump, thus releasing any water from the tub without having to put the legs onto the bath, thus ensuring that the dogs would just walk into the opening at the back of the tub without any problem. (yeah, right)
Okay , I admit I was a bit optimistic as they did not enthusiastically just walk into the opening in the back of the tub, but with a little pushing and prodding, six months later, they do go in a bit easier!

The pros of this tub is that it does keep the dog contained in one spot and the built in tethers keep them from hopping out even when the tub is on ground level. There is thick rubber padding that attaches to the floor to keep the dog from sliding. The tub can be left on the floor if you have a floor drain thus saving you the price of buying a ramp or steps. It is lightweight and easy to move as well as clean when needed. There is a nice little attachment that holds the shampoo which keeps you from cursing like you used to when you'd have to put the shampoo bottle on the floor or a table and it would tip over spilling out all its contents.

The Cons While the dog does stay contained, I found the tub a little too thin for a Newfoundland sized (and even a Golden Retriever sized) dog as the water would run off the dog's back and right over the sides of the tub onto the floor. The hose was a bit difficult to use and hook up, and you'll need to order the extra piece if you use your washing machine's hook up valves. The small inserts that hold the rubber padding down inside the tub did not stay very well thereby allowing for some water to go through the screw holes.

So the booster bath gets a one paw up and one paw down rating from me. If I keep a Shop Vac handy and bathe them really quickly there's not too much of a mess. If on the other hand they are really dirty and need a good thorough cleaning, well it's better to wait for warmer weather and give them a bath outside!

Here is a site for the booster bath if you want to check it out.

http://www.petco.com/product/12208/Paws-for-Thought-Booster-Bath.aspx