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Westminster Dog Show Groomers Primp and Preen for Big Day, No Expense Spared

By DNAinfo Staff on February 16, 2010 6:58am  | Updated on February 16, 2010 7:58am

By Jennifer Glickel

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MIDTOWN WEST — What's thigh high and has had its hair washed and styled more than a model at Fashion Week?

Brittania, a Portuguese water dog, who's been primped, washed and groomed several times since Saturday for her showing Tuesday in the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.

"Including the bath, the process probably took about five hours from start to finish," Thibault said.

Then, backstage at the Garden on Monday, she spent four hours having a stylist trim Brittania's fur in preparation for the dog's judging, which wasn't until late Tuesday morning.

"Josh's hair takes two-and-a-half hours to do for the show, and mine only takes maybe 30 minutes," shih tzu owner and breeder Michelle Jones said of her dog.

From curling irons and straightening irons to top quality styling products, the show dogs get better and more thorough treatment than most humans at a salon.

"We only like to use salon products for grooming," said Mandy Carlson, owner of shih tzu Luca. "Biolage is great. That's his conditioner."

A bottle of Biolage conditioner can run more than $25. Each owner or groomer has an arsenal of tools with them back stage at the Garden.

"Well, I use conditioner, corn starch, a little hairspray that's light, an anti-static spray, a pin brush, a slicker brush, and a steel comb," explained Jill Farrington, who owns a bearded collie named Cassie.

Farrington went the extra mile to ensure that Cassie would be totally spic and span.

"She had a bath last night and coming into the building she had boots on so that she wouldn't get city on her feet," said Farrington.

"They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it takes a village to groom a dog sometimes, too," Carlson said as she brushed Luca's coat.

"We devote our lives to them."