Gonna Wash Those Woods Right Outta My Dog …

By Meredeth Barzen

We here at Sidewalk Dog had a problem. Sadie the Wonderdoodle had the most wonderful time swimming and rolling around in the dead leaves, pine sap, mud and general unpleasantness Up North over July 4th weekend. That wasn’t the problem.

The groomer was booked a month in advance. That means that Sadie, whose doodle hair forms mats like an aspiring Rastafarian, wasn’t likely to see a professional bath until August-ish. It was time to take matters into our own hands.

The Product:

Enter Topline Canine. The natural, organic ingredients in their doggie bathtime products are meant to calm nervous pups (an absolute must for Sadie, who considers baths the worst punishment possible for a crime she never committed.) The line has a lovely, light, clean scent, and they offer not only shampoo but a separate conditioner (remember the dreadlocks? Shampoo alone won’t do the trick.) There’s even a UV protectant built right in–perfect for white-haired pooches who are prone to doggie sunburn–and for the rest of the spectrum of dog hues; hey, it can’t hurt.

The Test:

What can we say? The dog really, really hates baths. Loves swimming, but hates being wet. Go figure. We tried to make it a happy experience with a nice doggie back massage post-shampoo, pre-conditioner, but still–probably not her idea of a fun way to spend an evening. We, however, loved Topline’s high suds-factor and nice scent.

The Result:

Fluffy, pettable, matt-free and non-stinky once again. You can tell she’s happy about it, too. Or maybe she’s just happy to be dry. Groomers? We don’t need groomers–at least not until August.