Making Dog Grooming Fast and Easy - Laund-UR-Mutt in 30 Minutes

I have two dogs, a Cocker Spaniel and a Cocker and Poodle mix. I enjoy every aspect of my dogs' lives - from the pee puddles they made on the kitchen floor after fireworks on the Fourth of July to the baby-like way they cuddle with me when I lay down on the couch. There is, however, one dog management activity that I loathe. Grooming. More specifically, bathing. Hate it. It's messy, and uncomfortable for all involved.

I used to take my dogs to a pet salon. I loved the people there, loved the way that they interacted with my dogs. But, frankly, hated the expense of it. To really keep my dogs clean, and my house from stinking like I have two dogs, I had to groom my pups every two weeks. Every two weeks! Do you know how pricey that gets? No? Well, too freaking pricey.

I needed to find a way to get my dogs clean without spending a fortune and without flooding my bathroom. Not too long ago, I noticed a place in my neighborhood called Lund-UR-Mutt. Don't ask me how to pronounce this - it's a very clever play on the word "Laundromat" and rightfully so. In addition to their full service grooming center and some unique pet treats and toys, this is the place for do-it-yourself dog bathing.

The location I went to is in Aurora, Ill. However, this is a franchise and has locations across the country. To check if there is a Lund-UR-Mutt in your area, visit their site at http://laundurmutt.com. The prices are very reasonable. As described on their web site, the price of washing and drying your mutt is $15 for the first half an hour. Any subsequent 30-minute time period is additional $9. If you are me\ and you are totting two dogs, the price for the second dog is $5 extra per half-hour (my dogs are small; while I don't think the price is impacted by the size of your dog, I suggest calling them ahead of time to ask about the prices)

So here is how it works. They have several stations lined up against a wall, all separated by a cubicle-style wall. Each station includes a washing sink, which is relatively large and could potentially hold an average size human. Next to the sink is a table with a blow dryer (which sort of looks like a vacuum cleaner, actually). The air is lukewarm, so it will take a bit to get your dog dry, but the pressure is strong enough to make your pup's hair nice and fluffy. Laund-UR-Mutt provides towels to dry off your dog, plastic leashes to hold your dog in the sink and on the table, and plastic aprons for you (it's always nice to try and stay as dry as possible during dog grooming). You can bring your own doggie shampoo, although they do offer their own at extra charge. So all you have to do is bring your dogs, maybe a dog brushes, and your preferred method of payment.

If you have a Laund-UR-Mutt location close by, I strongly recommend that you check them out. Their self-serve dog grooming definitely rates high in my book, which reassures me that their full service grooming is just as awesome (and I'm all about making my life with my dogs just a bit more awesome and a bit less stinky).