Laundromutt

Today I took N to LaundroMutt -- the best business idea I'm kicking myself for not having had first in awhile.  Their slogan is "BYOD" and, having brought your own dog, you can choose one of several options:

- the Muddy Paws Express:  a quick rinse-off and towel dry ($5) 

- the Regular Lave Canem ("Wash the Dog): a "house shampoo" plus a towel dry ($15) 

- the LaundroMutt Special: a house shampoo plus a blow dry ($19) or  

- the Uber Spa: a "speciality shampoo," conditioner and blow dry ($23).

We went for an upgraded LaundroMutt Special, meaning one with a specialty shampoo -- "the Bright and White" good for N's dingy legs and underbelly -- so all the joy of an Uber Spa with none of the rinse-out conditioner (and only $21).  

N was very good about getting into the tub, which was kind of like a metal trough.  One portion of the trough's front (considerably lower than the back) slid open and one of the LaundroMutt girls hooked a little metal staircase into the newly-opened slot.  N walked right up (for the most part) and then the girl closed the trough and removed the steps while I slipped the lead over N's head.

Our neighbor Nevada wasn't nearly as sanguine about the whole experience and looked pretty glum throughout.  

Nikita on the other hand was, as usual, a complete champ and didn't complain at all when I was washing her.  (Note the huge dry head atop the scrawny wet puppy-body.) 

After I wet her, shampooed her, rinsed her, squeegeed her, and towel-dried her, we moved over to one of the grooming tables -- requisite lead off, sliding panel open, stairs brought over, N down the stairs, stairs moved over to the grooming table, N back up the stairs, new lead on -- and let the blow-drying begin.  I started with the most diffuse nozzle and kept it on the lower of the two settings throughout.  The table came with two different styles of brushes, some ear-wipes, and multiple drier attachments.  

After the girls were relatively dry -- N started howling about 10 minutes into our blow-dry session so I cut it short -- we went to settle up at the counter, where we met Gunner, a trained police dog who was "too mellow" to join the Force and was therefore manning the counter at LaundroMutt instead.  Coppers loss = our gain.  Overly-tatted tattoo lady was nice too.

N's now nice and clean and fluffy.  We'll see how long it lasts...