For Service Dog and pet owners alike, your dog hair deluge is probably not going to stop.”As the executive director of an Autism Service Dog non-profit and mom of a child with an Autism Service Dog, I'm sometimes asked if we deal with shedding or the best ways of dealing with Service Dog shedding. I smile to myself, wishing I could tell them that shedding isn't a big deal and that you easily keep it under control. (But then I would be lying!) Some areas of our house are covered with dog hair. It's like a series of little indoor dog hair laden winter storms continually race through the inside of our house dumping the stuff all over the spots where Orbit, my son Elliot's Autism Service Dog, is allowed. Little white hairs pile up everywhere. When Elliot’s therapists come to play they sometimes leave covered in sidewalk chalk, poster paint splotches — and tufts of fur. For Service Dog and pet owners alike, your dog hair deluge is probably not going to stop. The good news is that you can reduce it with a simple routine.
Here's how we do it: Orbit's grooming process includes a routine of regular brushing and shampooing. Elliot usually helps with the shampooing and the rinsing — his favorite part is when Orbit shakes off all of the loose water. We use two products. A Zoom Groom and a Furminator. The Zoom Groom is a rubber brush-like thingy recommended by our friend, Nancy, who is a CCI puppy raiser. I love my Zoom Groom. The Furminator is special comb with narrow metal teeth that really collect loose hair with nearly effortless strokes. However, as Orbit's trainer cautioned us, being too enthusiastic with the Furminator can actually remove too much of the dog’s important undercoat. When I feel I’ve furminated enough, I switch to the Zoom Groom to keep removing hair with less intensity. The first time I used it, Orbit fell actually asleep — on his back with all four paws in the air, me rubbing his tummy with the Zoom Groom. In that moment he seemed so little, so warm and cuddly — so darn cute.
I wish I could somehow transfer these amazing feelings to the families who are concerned about getting a dog due to all the hair. Let them know that, yes, the fur flurries are an inseparable part of the deal — but the sledding and snow angels make it so worth it!I must give title credit to Gordon MacKenzie, author of my husband and I's favorite book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball, A Corporate Fools Guide to Surviving with Grace.SINCE 1978 Willoughby Design has been a small and mighty group of 12-20 creatives designing award winning identities for clients including Kauffman Foundation, the United Nations, Hallmark Cards, Lee Jeans, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Panera Bread and the new Kansas City Streetcar system. Ann is a national AIGA Medalists and Fellow who credits the Willoughby team for much of her success. Ann was featured as one of the most influential women designers of the 20th century in the design book, Women of Design.SINCE 1978 Willoughby Design has been a small and mighty group of 12-20 creatives designing award winning identities for clients including Kauffman Foundation, the United Nations, Hallmark Cards, Lee Jeans, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Panera Bread and the new Kansas City Streetcar system.
Ann was featured as one of the most influential women designers of the 20th century in the design book, Women of Design. WILLOUGHBY DESIGN IS THE OLDEST WOMAN FOUNDED DESIGN FIRM IN THE UNITED STATES (1978). DID YOU EVER ENCOUNTER ADVERSITY AS A WOMAN RUNNING HER OWN BUSINESS IN THE LATE 1970S? AT THE TIME I WAS BOTH FEARLESS AND NAIVE. For example, I could not get a bank loan in spite of healthy receivables and a good reputation. So I adjusted my growth plan by working at home and hiring freelance help occasionally during heavy work flow. This meant I had to turn down a lot of work. My first large client, Lee Jeans, helped me stabilize the business by providing predictable work throughout the year so that I could grow through revenues without loans. Read more about how Ann Willoughby got her start and her recent award as an AIGA gold medalist here. Packaging and brand identity work for Organicare HOW DID BEING BORN AND RAISED IN MISSISSIPPI INFLUENCE YOU CREATIVELY?
MISSISSIPPI HAS ALWAYS BEEN FERTILE GROUND for artists and writers. Storytelling is in my blood so I tend to think about everything in words and pictures. WHAT'S THE BEST PART ABOUT LIVING AND CREATING HERE IN KANSAS CITY? I LIVED HERE through the creative renaissance of the 1970’s and it feels like we are going through another re-birth. KC’s vibrant creative cultural continues to invigorate me. WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THE FUTURE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN? I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE WOMEN AND DIVERSITY in the profession. Our culture and attitudes have been shaped mostly from a white male point of view. I judged an international design show a few years ago and I was surprised and delighted to see the remarkable work created by women in other cultures. YOU RECENTLY WERE AWARDED AN AIGA GOLD MEDAL, GRAPHIC DESIGN'S HIGHEST HONOR. WHAT DID THIS MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR LEGACY? I WAS THRILLED AND HUMBLED to receive this prestigious national medal.
I also see the AIGA medal as an honor for Willoughby Design and for Kansas City. I hope it will inspire others to recognize that opportunity and recognition is no longer restricted to those who live in cities on the coasts. Brand identity for Visit KC. “KANSAS CITY IS A PLACE OF UNEXPECTED BEAUTY, (AND) CULTURE...” IF YOU COULD MEET 1 PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHAT WOULD YOU ASK THEM? I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. I would ask her to tell me about her passion to fight for the rights of women and workers. IF YOU COULD SELECT ONE PIECE FROM YOUR PORTFOLIO THAT YOU ARE THE MOST PROUD OF, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY? WITHOUT A DOUBT, it was the book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball. The project was born out of a long and deep friendship with Gordon MacKenzie. He had the ability to inspire others to be their best and his speeches were transformative. His book, which took 17 months to design and produce was an act of love with many collaborators along the way.