How long will my dog’s groom take?
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| The duration of the groom varies widely, depending on the size, temperament, and coat condition of your pet. The first groom will be scheduled for three hours, and adjustments in appointment duration will be made for subsequent visits. If it is more convenient I am happy to call the client upon completion of the groom to reduce the wait time.
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How often should my dog be groomed?
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| The frequency of grooming appointments depends on the breed, desired coat length, and commitment to regular home brushing in between appointments. For breeds whose hair grows and grows, such as shih tzus and cockapoos, a full groom every 4 to 6 weeks is recommended. Groom frequency for your pet will be discussed as part of the pre/post groom consultation.
It is important to keep a watchful eye on your dog’s nails, ears, and face in between grooms, as these areas require frequent attention. These services are offered a-la-carte, and can be found in the ‘Spa and Creative’ list.
When your dog walks across a hard floor in a relaxed gait the nails shouldn’t touch the ground. If you hear the tell-tale tap tap tap of doggie nails on the floor it’s time for a nail trim! Sometimes it takes several visits to correct the length of overgrown nails. Snipping an overgrown nail to the correct length in one day would entail cutting through the quick, or vein, that runs through all dog nails. This is painful for the animal and causes him/her to bleed. However, snipping and/or filing the nail up close to the vein without touching it will cause the blood vessel to recede, allowing a shorter trim the next visit. Trims are recommended once every four weeks to correct overgrown nails. Nail trimming lessons are available; please contact me for details.
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Does my dog really need to wear winter clothing?
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| If you have a Husky, Alaskan Malamute, or German Shepherd-type dog, the answer is no, although even dogs with heavy coats can benefit from wearing protective footwear in the winter.
If you have a Greyhound, Chinese Hairless, or Chihuahua-type dog the answer is yes.
For those dogs in the middle, the answer is not so straight forward. Often clients decide to ‘grow’ their dog’s coat long for winter with the expectation that this will keep them warm and negate the need for additional winter clothing. More hair is only warmer if it is perfectly tangle free, with no snags, mats, clumps, burrs, or sticky bits. When hair tangles or bunches up in any way it creates a gap in the body coverage that allows wind and chill directly onto the skin of the dog. A dog with a longer summer clip will be much warmer than a dog with 2.5 inches of matted or tangled hair. Tangles and mats can hurt the dog with every step (depending on their location), and keeping a long coated dog completely brushed out is a LOT of work. All of that extra hair also makes for a pretty toasty dog indoors.
If you have the type of dog who would normally receive a ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ clip, my recommendation is typically to go for a long summer-type clip and invest in a winter coat or sweater. It will extend the time between grooms, be less work than constantly brushing out a soggy tangled dog, keep your house cleaner, and keep your dog cooler indoors and warmer outdoors.
Winter paw protection is recommended for all dogs.
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I have trouble brushing my dog’s teeth. Help!
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| Tooth brushing takes patience, dedication, and perseverance when first introduced.
Don’t try and brush all of your dog’s teeth on the first day. Aim to have daily tooth brushing sessions; in the evening is best, when your dog is full, tired, and won’t be undoing your good work by eating any more.
Start by brushing one tooth, and praising your dog when you’ve finished. Repeat each day, adding an additional tooth every two days or so, depending on how well your pet adjusts. Dogs love routine, and soon brushing your dog’s full mouth of teeth will become part of the daily schedule.
If you’ve tried brushing and it simply isn’t for you, there are tooth cleaning gels available that are much easier to apply. If you have specific questions, or would like some help, just ask!’
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