Pink's Annual Pet Makeover

To adopt Shiloh or another animal that needs a loving permanent home, please visit Brooke's Haven Animal Rescue at 25 Buck Island Road, Bluffton, call 843-757-7387 or visit brookeshaven.org.


I walked into Vanity Fur for this month's pet makeover and was greeted by the welcoming atmosphere, complete with friendly barks and a gigantic purring cat with a watchful eye. Shannon Flathers, owner of Vanity Fur, flashed a warm smile and hello from the grooming area. In walks Brooke Boeke, owner of Brooke's Bed and Biscuit, a luxury boarding kennel, and Brooke's Haven Animal Rescue, which was established only a few years ago as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and has placed more than 350 dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, pigs, and birds into permanent homes. By Brooke's side is our diva for the day, Shiloh, a beautiful German Shepard mix with a timid, yet curious, disposition.

Shiloh was found wandering Bluffton Park and is currently at Brooke's Haven Animal Rescue. "She is two-years-old, spayed, up to date on all her vaccinations and is great with other dogs and cats, but probably not the best with small children." Brooke explained, as she was introducing me to Shiloh, who was stuck to her side. Shiloh was led into the grooming area and turned over to Shannon for her new look!

Shannon started out by brushing Shiloh's untamed coat with a brush called the "furminator." This step helped get out a lot of Shiloh's undercoat, which is almost like a double coat of extra hair. "A lot of people with shorter haired dogs, like labs, face a lot of shedding. On her, it's mostly toward the back end, tail and her sides." Shannon explained. "We're going to get most of it out now, then bathe and blow dry her and then do it again to get the remaining undercoat out." Shannon then carefully clipped her nails. "It's important to keep up with trimming your pets nails. If you don't do it enough, the quick (the soft area underneath the hard part of the nail) will grow long and it's uncomfortable, sometimes even painful for them to walk." She quickly added, "Walking your pet on pavement a lot helps grind the nail down too!"

We moved Shiloh to the shampooing station, where Shannon used a shampoo that was specially formulized for dogs that shed and have a thick undercoating which helps to loosen the hair. She lathered up the shampoo and washed it off, allowing the water to wash away loose fur. Shannon took a cotton ball and cleaned Shiloh's ears out with a medicated cleaner that has a little deodorizer to it. "You want to clean out any dirt in their ears and any yucky wax. You'll know if their ears are infected because the insides will turn black and smell bad-that's when you need to take them to see a vet," she explained.

After Shiloh was fully dry, Shannon went to work again brushing her with the "furminator," getting as much loose hair out as she could. Smiling, Shannon said, "I think they know you're taking care of them when you brush and bathe them!" I think she's right. Shiloh's whole personality had changed. She wasn't as timid as she was an hour before, and she had a bounce in her step and was even wagging her tail!

To schedule your pet's own day of pampering and experienced grooming, stop by Vanity Fur in the Village at Wexford, William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, or call 843-842-8100.