Maine, as part of its efforts to broaden its revenue base, extended its sales tax to car repairs, dog grooming and dry cleaning.

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Dogs have been sheared and coloured so that they resemble a bison, a court jester and a scorpion at a series of US "extreme dog grooming contests".

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Last year, San Francisco entrepreneur Jason OHara surveyed dog owners in preparation for opening a do-it-yourself dog-grooming salon.

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After working with dogs as a boy on his grandfather's farm, Mr. Millan illegally crossed the border into the U.S. at age 21 and landed a job at a dog-grooming store.

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Once the mats set in, you risk hurting a dog or cat during grooming, so a good offense is the best defense.

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The secret behind the FURminator's efficacy, dog groomers say, was attaching a grooming tool to a handle.

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The tool has become standard hardware for grooming professionals, says Ben Rickard, owner of the Dog Spot, a canine boarding house in Boulder, Colo.

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