Frequently Asked Questions
No, in my experience with grooming, pets are better behaved when the owner is not present. You are your pets reward, treat and seeing you in the salon will excite the pet and make grooming difficult. I will take good care of your pet and will answer any questions about grooming prior to the appointment.
Depending on the cut and size of the pet, 1 ½ - 2 hours. The more involved the cut, the more time it will take. Grooming is more than a bath and cut. Nails are trimmed, ears cleaned, bathing, hand blow drying. Typically 2 cuts and brushing are involved in each groom. I will call or text you when there is about 15 minutes left in your pet’s appointment.
For most dogs 6-8 weeks. Regular grooming keeps the coat smooth and matt free. The longer the amount of time between grooms increases the ability for the dog's coat to matt and become tangled. Regular brushing will help keep the matting at a minimum, once they begin they need patience to remove. If left go too long, and become dense they will require clipping down to the skin, making a pattern cut more difficult to retain. With some dogs, the fur matts and becomes difficult to remove, sometimes this will require cutting the fur under the matt. This may leave the cut looking choppy and for the best looking cut will need to be a short hair cut. If this is the case, I will notifiy you before proceeding to have you make the decision.
Some dogs are wired different, it’s just the way they are. I recommend walking your dog prior to his appointment or arranging some play time to help eliminate excess energy. Communicate this when dropping your pet off, I’ve had dogs shake during the entire groom - I will talk in a calming tone and stop and give breaks as needed. Your pet is important to me and I will schedule the time needed based on the cut requested and the dog’s personality.
Nail trim, ear cleaning, groomed to owner’s request, bathing, drying and final cut.
Cuddling, (can’t resist a good cuddle) bathing, drying, clipping and nail trim. The first puppy groom will be done so the experience is a positive experience for you and your pet. I begin with ear cleaning and nail trim and slow introduction of the clippers, dryer and other tools used in grooming. Each instrument will be shown to the puppy to allow them to scent the device before use. The tools are fairly quiet but still scary to the puppy, introducing them slowly and with patience allows them to feel safe. If at any time I feel it is too much for the puppy, I will stop the process and work with him until he is relaxed and confident before moving to the next step.
Depending on the dog, I use a high quality shampoo and conditioner that is formulated for your dog's coat. I will use the shampoo that is appropriate to your dog’s hair. Curly, white, male scented or female scents. If your dog has a skin condition, I have medicated shampoos that will have a soothing affect and will not aggravate the skin condition. If you have a shampoo that is prescribed by a vet, bring it along and I will use that in the grooming.
The best time to start is after they have had all their puppy shots, around 16 weeks of age. Grooming can be held off until the puppy is 6 months, but familiarity is key to having a happy, stress free groom.