Style is a part of grooming

Doris Perryman has opened a new business in Hanna; Doris' Favorite Lil Sudsy Dawgs and Pups.

Perryman is a certified professional pet stylist and groomer.

Pet stylist?

Perryman explains that styling a dog coat can make a difference in a very positive manner. She has worked with shelters in Wisconsin and Wyoming that have dogs that are in need of grooming and has seen the effect changing up a dog's look can make when people are adopting.

She remembers back to a pup that was a long hair that had an eye which had to be removed. It was at a shelter and Perryman suspected, once its eye was gone, it was less likely to be adopted. After the operation was successful and the eye removed, the little dog languished in its cage for some time as Perryman volunteered her services. One day she decided to style the dog's hair around its face to give it bangs and the removed eye was hardly noticeable.

"It worked, because later that day, some people wanted to adopt the dog," Perryman said. "When they were told the eye was missing as they were getting the medical records together, the couple was surprised and said they never noticed the one eye removed. They adopted the pup."

There are breed specific dogs she cannot work on because of insurance problems. The list includes Pit Bulls, Bull Dogs, Staffordshire Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Great Danes, Perro de Presa Canario (also known as a Canary Mastiff), Akita and Alaskan Malamute.

The average doctor bill from a dog encounter that entails injury is $18,200. Perryman said over $700 million dollars was paid out by homeowners insurance for dogs inflicting damage to people and property, which includes other dogs.

It is understandable dogs that are considered somewhat aggressive and large are on the list.

It is not only humans that insurance companies are concerned about but, in a business like hers where there is a chance different dogs will be in contact, insurance companies don't want to take the chance a dog like a Doberman won't attack a feisty, but expensive Yorkie.

Perryman loves all dogs, but she doesn't work with breed specific dogs that are insurance problems because it is not financially feasible to take the risk.

When she does take on a new client, Perryman starts her styling and grooming with a bath and shampoo for her canine guest.

The shampoos that Perryman uses are as varied as the breeds she takes care of.

"A dog that has coarse hair needs a cleaner that is different for a more silky fur," Perryman said. "This soap for the Yorkshire and breeds like it runs about $60 a bottle. Then you have to be aware of the skin and its sensitivity. People that use baby shampoo and human soaps are not using the right type of cleansers for a dog's fur."

While bathing the dog, Perryman checks the body for lumps or any abnormalities she might encounter while running her hands over the dogs. She does use a special cleaning brush to get near the dog's skin, but she also uses her hands to massage her canine friend. If allowed by the dog, she will gently stroke around the mouth to make sure the dog doesn't have dental problems.

Perryman told of several occasions of which by gently touching the mouth area, she was able to alert the owner that there was a reason to see a vet. In all cases the owners later found out that there were problems with teeth or gums.

"I only do it if the dog lets me," Perryman said. "I am extremely sensitive to having the dog trust me, so I don't push if something makes them uncomfortable."

Once she is finished with the bath and has rinsed the soap out of the dog's coat, which Perryman spends considerable time doing, she gets a warm towel from the dryer to rub down the dog. This is just the beginning of the drying process. Once Perryman is satisfied with the towel rubdown, she covers the dog's ears with a hood to protect its hearing from the loud professional vacuum/blowdryer.

"Covering the ears is important," Perryman said. "Dogs can be damaged by the loud noise and it makes them less scared."

Perryman said she was always an animal lover growing up in southwest Texas and was always bringing home strays. She said her mother finally forbid her to bring home another dog or she would get spanked.

"The last time I got spanked for bringing a dog home is sort of funny," Perryman said. "I found this black dog with a hardening coat. When I came home with it, I saw my mother on the phone and asked if I could use the hot water she was using for tea. She motioned okay in a distracted way, and I started cleaning the dog."

Perryman said that she had to use scissors to cut open the fur around the eyes so the dog could see because the eyes were staying shut. In the meantime her mother found out that she had brought home a black dog.

Perryman was spanked across her legs with a wooden spoon that left marks.

"That was how we were punished back then," Perryman said. "Anyway, when I got back to the dog, its coat had turned white. Somehow it had been dumped in tar or oil. My mother came in to see a white dog and I was punished again for having brought home two dogs. I insisted it was still the same dog but my mother didn't believe me."

Perryman's father came home and saw the welts and asked what happened. Perryman told her side. Her father asked if she could prove her story. Perryman found some fur she had cut from the dog's eyes and her father was convinced.

Perryman said she was never spanked again for bringing home dogs.

She had thought that eventually she would be a vet, but her life took a different turn and she worked in civil service. She always maintained her love for dogs so, when she retired from her job, she went to school to become a professional stylist and groomer for pets.

While she got her education and certification, she worked in Wisconsin where she worked for pet stores, along with volunteering at shelters. It was at the pet stores where she was exposed to puppy mills.

"Dogs are treated like a commodity," Perryman said. "A three year old will look ten years old because they are constantly bred. The puppies are seldom healthy. It is very sad. If you are purchasing from a store, make sure there are no numbers next to its name and identification, because that is one indicator."

Perryman said she believes it is better to get a dog from a shelter, especially a mixed breed. She said many pure bred dogs have inherent health problems. She said if a pure bred is desired, it is best to go with a reputable breeder.

Shelters have used her services since she got certified. Often she donates her skills because she feels dogs in shelters have it rough enough.

Perryman has standard rates that go by the size of the dog, but she also talks to the owner about price and negotiates because all dogs have different needs.

"I believe that dogs need to be secure in their environment and that is why I take so much time with them," Perryman said.

She agrees with the statement that the difference between a child and a dog is two extra legs.