Haircuts, health club dues and pet grooming would remain in the essential category.

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Similarly slim as against chunky figurines, building a pet grooming shop as opposed to a steam engine and so on.

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Groomer Philip Hendricks of Preferred Pet Grooming recommends creating a routine that begins with brushing and ends with a bath.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

FURminator sued Mr. Laube's company in 2006 over the pet-grooming patents.

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Many of those tools are now part of his pet-grooming arsenal.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

An invention need not rely on advanced engineering to be innovative, says Michael Page, a San Francisco patent lawyer who isn't involved in the pet-grooming litigation.

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Regardless of what tools you choose, be sure to incorporate grooming into your regular pet care routine this summer.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

Furminator or fine-toothed comb: If your pet sheds heavily, consider regular grooming with a fine-toothed comb, particularly before bath time.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

An unseasonably warm winter in most parts of the country also means that the fleas and ticks will be in full force this summer, and grooming is one more way you can regularly check your pet for issues.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer

"Grooming is so much more important once it does get hot, " says mobile pet groomer Michael Bryant of Snazzy-Pet USA in Atlanta.

CNN: Pet grooming tools for a less hairy summer