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Why Americans Hated Facial Hair - Until Now!

TresSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:45:20 -0800

Beards have gone in and out fashion since ancient Greece. Peter I of Russia ordered all officials to shave their beards, and England's Henry the VIII imposed a tax on beards while growing one himself.

For the last 30 years, we've seen goatees and mutton chops and other styles I can't begin to name, but the full-on beard has been all but absent. It belongs to the mythical life of leisurely lit professors and, well, hipsters. Same thing. Now, with Jon Hamm and Robert Pattinson, the beard has gone mainstream. Why now? And where has it been?

Anthropologist Desmond Morris says shaving brings three advantages. First, it makes men look younger; second, it makes them appear friendlier; and third, it makes them appear cleaner.

I'm stuck on the cleanliness. The only thing Americans hate more than dirt is an unclean restroom. Just in case I'm wrong, here are four reasons beards have historically made Americans bristle.

Communists: If there's one thing communists have in common - besides everything - it's facial hair. From Karl Marx to Fidel Castro, the beard says "I don't buy razors."
Beatniks: Beards fell out of fashion after World War I. Soldiers shaved out of necessity - they needed to wear gas masks - but when the war was glorified by Hollywood, so were clean-shaven soldiers. Men remained smooth-faced for most of the 20th century; at least until the beatniks got subversive and stubbly in the early '60s.

Get the other two after the jump

3 Things to Do Before Cleaning Dogs' Ears

PetSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:52 -0700

Keeping clean is key, especially for doggies with droopy ears - dirt and bacteria can get trapped inside, multiply, and cause an infected disaster. Yuck. Now, I always recommend checking with a vet to make sure the problem isn't serious, plus get tips on the best way to squirt and swap ears down, but don't forget to do these three things before you get started:

Clean under your nails. Time to dig out any dirt and grime from under your nails with a file and make sure there are no jagged edges that could hurt your pooch.

Continue with the tips and read more.

Wash your hands. Of course you'd think to wash your hands after, but scrub your hands under running water before you get started with an antibacterial, fragrance-free soap.
Do not apply anything else. Refrain from adding perfume or lotion when you're done, and, if you had it on before, make sure it's totally gone.

(Remember if you have questions to be answered, either send me a private message or simply post to the Pet Peeves group - we're all here to help!)

Grooming Pets From Start to Finish

PetSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:50:12 -0700

We've tackled many pet peeves on PetSugar, but grooming is one of the dirtiest topics - P. U.! To keep your furry friends nice and fresh, refresh your memory with these six posts.

Four Things to Do Before Bathtime	How to Clean Dogs' Eyes	Bring Home Bathtime Essentials
Six Tips For Grooming Older Pups	How to Deal With Dandruff	Bathing Alternatives For Cats

Swarovski Crystal Brush: Spoiled Sweet or Spoiled Rotten?

PetSugar — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:00:41 -0700

Yes, it's important to keep pets well groomed and combed to prevent too many tangles and knots, but are crystals necessary for dog coats? If they are, you'll surely crave Crystal Affair Swarovski Crystal Mini Brush Collection. With four shades, these mini stylers look rather stylish on their own - if you're into the sparkly, shiny look - but $45? Could you stomach spending more on a dog's brush than you did on your own?!

I Need Your Help . . . Share Tips For At-Home Coat Clipping!

PetSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:15:04 -0700

Temps are heating up and for long-haired pups, Summer means time for a new 'do. For long-haired breeds, shedding is year-round battle, and frequent baths and trims can help the problem . . . but costs add up. TeamSugar user Lynne writes in about her Golden Retriever:

Since I'm not an expert, can you provide any insight and tips on the best products, methods, and stylings to accomplish reducing his fur coat during the Summer? I already have a Furminator, but that takes a lot of time and I don't want to irritate his (pale) skin with too many strokes. I'm hoping I can use the clippers with a 1-2 inch guard but would like some further advice.

Several companies make at-home trimmer kits with DVDs, but I've never used any on my short-haired pup. Can anyone offer up some tips or product suggestions to help Lynne and Sonny out?

Pet Peeves: How Do I Clean My Dog's Eyes?

PetSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:15:50 -0700

Q: I just recently got a little Boston Terrier who seems to have been neglected by his previous owners. I have an appointment with the vet for next week, but I wanted to know some good products to protect/clean his eye?

A: Congratulations! I'm glad that you have a doctor's appointment because it's important to make sure that a tear stain is not a sign of epiphora (blocked tear duct), an eye inflammation, or other disease. There's a difference between cleaning up the stain and treating the eyes themselves, and buggy eyed pooches (Bostons, Pugs, Frenchies, etc.) can be at greater risk of dust, dryness, or scratches. Now North hates swabs, but he'll sit still for eye drops.

To see what product I use, and how to apply it, read more.

Ask your vet to recommend something like the preservative-free Halo Cloud Nine Herbal Eye Wash for Dogs and Cats. When you're ready to apply drops:

Hold the pet's head steady and tilted back so that the eye faces the ceiling.
If you need to, gently hold the eyelid back with free fingers (as you would if putting in your own drops/contacts).
Position the dropper close to eye, but don't touch it as that can spread bacteria and squeeze the drops on the eyeball according to package dosing.

Brilliant or Baffling? Dog-o-Matic Washing Machine

PetSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:00:39 -0700

Um, whoa. That looks like a helpless puppy trapped in a washing machine. But, while that's technically what it is, he's meant to be in there. Check out this interesting creation to come out of France - the Dog-o-Matic, an automatic dog-washing vending machine. Owners choose the required wash cycle and load the (unsuspecting) pooch into the proper machine size costing about $18 for small, $31 for medium, and $44 for the largest pets. Most of you loved the dog/car wash so what's your take on this washing machine?

Source: The Daily Mail

"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North Vs. TubNub (and Microfiber Towel)

PetSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Although I like to think North is pretty neutral to bath time, his pals at Wag Hotel tell me he loved the hydromassage he got on his last stay. In an attempt to recreate that at home, I tested out the FURminator TubNub ($13) on my pooch. A rubbery tool with nubs to massage a pet, work in the shampoo, and stimulate hair follicles during bath time, North seemed to enjoy this easy massage and it left my other hand free to hold him steady.

I finished up his bath time with this Microfiber Towel ($18) - pretty and green, it was barely damp after I dried him off! Check out the products up close, and see how well they cleaned North's fur below!

View 5 Photos ›

Use This Kitchen Item For a Waterless, Sudsless Doggie Bath

PetSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:00:27 -0700

Lemme guess the worst part of pet bath time at your house: that water shook all over you, a telltale wet dog smell, or perhaps holding your pet still enough to rinse out the shampoo? Seems many of my trickiest times come from water anyway. While there's perfume and waterless spray shampoo in a pinch, there's another household product found in your kitchen: cornstarch!

I remembered this useful item when checking out last Saturday's Groomer Has It, where they had to clean dogs with no water, soap, tub, or dryer, and worked with this. If you want to save money with a DIY, get my steps to get started when you read more.

Grab a large towel, or several towels, depending on the size of your dog. Lay them out to form your workspace and an easier area to clean up.
Sprinkle a small amount of cornstarch all over your pooch and rub it in like a massage. A little goes a long way - not even two tablespoons on all of North - and continue until you've covered his whole body.
Using a comb, comb out the cornstarch and follow with a good brushing, if desired.
Wipe off your pooch and he's as good as clean . . . for now anyway.

Source

6 Tips For Grooming Older Dogs

PetSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:45:56 -0700

Every dog has his day as last week's Groomer Has It pampered some older pups aged 8 and up. Special guest Janice Dickinson helped the regular judges decide who did the best (and worst job) on furry models from the Humane Animal Rescue Team. I gathered up some of their tips - and added a few of my own - for bathing and grooming senior dogs at home.

View Slideshow ›