Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-18
CANINE UPPERTENDOM.
HOW THE DOG OF THE PERIOD GETS
HIS SHAMPOO AND BATH.

Mans Eour-F Footed Friends Fare Better
in New York Than In Any other City
on the GIobe-Bathing, Grooming and
Clipping.
The fact has often been recognized by
tourists that New York is fast becoming
a modern Capua. All the luXuries of the
south and east are found within its lin
its. one can bathe more agreeably than
in Turkey, eat as daintily as in Paris,
dress as well As i'll Vienna, and within
hundred miles of the metropolis, have in
the season rs good Slcighing rs one can
get in the outskirts of St Petersburg.
But it is less generally known that even
mans fOur-fuOtcd friends fare better here
than anywhere else on the face of the
globe. The general treatment of his
horse is far more kindly than in the Old
World: except the stables of royalty,
there are none that can be compared with
those of several American milliOnaires,
and now the dog is coming to the front
anu advancing claims to comfort and
superfuities that would make all but dog
owners smile. The high toned CANNES
of the metropolis do not vet possess n
Hammam of their own, but this will
come in time. They have, however,
bathing place specially devoted to them,
and for the ariStuCratic pOodles and col
lies that shun the contact of the dogs
that have no ancestors there are skilled
employees who call upon uppertendom and
look after residents weekly or fort
nightly. a. master or mistress may elect.
Beyond a sign that dogs are washed and
groOmed at small expense. there is moth
ing in the external character of the place
where the operations referred 10 are car
ried on To indicate its purposes. 1t is
situated, however, in the direct vicinity
of the uptown theatres, and the crowds
that pass it daily have long ago become
enlightened as to what is done within.
The visitor passes through deep shop,
descends u flight of stairs and enters a
large and well lighted basement. At one
extremity is "a small raised platform, and
upon this stands medium-siZed zinc
bath tub which glitters rs if it were lined
with silver. The critical observer might
suggest that what is known in Paris as
fond de balm, consisting of a linen lining
fitting the tub, would be a valuable ad-
dition to the apparatus, and when Paris
ian dogs are in the majority they will
doubtless get it. Meanwhile there is an
abundance of spOtless linen scattered over
the platform in shape OF towels, plain and
Turkish, besides combs. English hair
brushes, and pots of oils and perfumes.
BATHING. GROOMING, CLIPPING.
The operation of washing a dog, drying,
and grooming him occupies from fifteen
minutes to an hour or more, and it costs
from 80 to - cents. The dog is placed in the
tub. which has been half filled with cold
or lukewarm water tinged with fra
grant compound which is used, they say,
for washing sheep in Australia. Then he
Is SOaped until he presents the lathery and
scared appearance of a pug nOsed man in
the hands of a shampOOer rinsed. rubbed
dry, and finally cOmbed. brushed, and an
Ointed with choice scent. Occasionally
uneven coats require clipping. Some
dogs, indeed, are clipped twice and thrice
during the summer season. But bathing
and grooming are the specialties of the
establishment.
The habitues of the place are. as is the
rase with mankind, of different DISPOSE
tiOns. An aged and hideOus French poo
die, of large dimensions and appalling ug-
illness, who requires three baths a week to
be presentable walks up to the tub and
jumps into it with evident satisfaction.
A genuine bulldog has to be carried into
the receptacle and muZzled and held fast
while the operation is in progress. The
affectiOnate and delicate little Yorkshire
and SkyeS put on an air of resignation,
and the pugs submit stupidity to the
bather's manipulation. Some owners
bring their dogs once week to be washed;
occasionally lady shopping leaves her
pet and returns from her tour to find it
sleeker and glossier than ever. From
three to a dozen dogs are thus washed
daily But the bulk of the business is
transacted by visiting employees These
wear a uniform cap and carry small
valise with the utensils and perfumes re-
luired for the operation, the opulent
| dogs having generally bathrooms of their
own In Brooklyn every Saturday one
Of the operators has fifteen residents to
visit II may be worth mentioning that
this particular official is an admirable
French scholar whose engagement was
made imperative presumably by the in
creased foreign element in the quadru-
pedal population of the city.-New York
I Times