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Grooming
(by a certified groomer)
DUE TO A BACK INJURY IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET THAT I NO LONGER OFFER GROOMING SERVICES.
EVEN THOUGH I NO LONGER OFFER GROOMING, I STILL WANT DOG OWNERS TO HAVE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GROOMING AND HOW IT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN YOUR DOGS OVERALL WELL BEING......
The grooming aspect is often overlooked when people think about what goes into caring for a dog. From puppyhood, you should brush/comb your dog often as well as touch their feet, tail, ears, etc. so that they become used to being touched and handled. The more accustomed your dog is to the grooming procedure, the less stress they will experience while at the groomer. Grooming requirements vary from breed to breed but most short haired dogs require a professional grooming approximately every 6-8 weeks. Breeds with long coats, curly coats or fast growing coats require a professional grooming every 4-6 weeks. The longer you go without grooming your dog, the longer the process takes, the more stress the dog goes through as well as a higher cost may be incurred at some shops due to a more laboring job such as dematting. Also note that if your dog is not accustomed to the grooming process from a young age, they will be very difficult to handle and my nip or bite your groomer…this is taken into consideration when groomers quote you a price. On the flip side, do not over groom your dog! A dogs' coat has essential oils to protect the skin. Too much bathing can strip the skin and will result in an unhealthy coat and dry flaky skin. Dogs do not perspire as we do and therefore do not require bathing more frequently than once a month or so depending on the breed.
Undercoat: A good majority of dogs have an undercoat such as Retrievers, Labradors, Collies & Shelties, Lhasa's, German Shepherds, etc. If your dog has an undercoat, it serves a specific purpose and it's important to use the proper grooming tools on a dog with an undercoat, also referred to as a double coat. Beneath the surface of your dogs coat, closer to the skin, is a shorter thicker coat that provides insulation against extreme temperatures (hot and cold). It is important as part of the grooming process or in-between maintenance to use an undercoat rake to remove dead undercoat so air can properly circulate and the undercoat can do it's job. It is never recommended to shave down a dog with an undercoat as this will elimintate the protection factor.
Matting: The hair & fur on a dog has a specific purpose. It not only acts as an insulator from the cold but also from the heat. A matted coat retains water and moisture and does not allow for proper air circulation to provide protection from heat or cold. A matted coat can also be painful and uncomfortable for your dog; as the matts become tighter they pull on the dogs skin causing pain, irritation, hot spots, flaking and possible infection. A dog that is completely matted should not be bathed…soap and water cannot thoroughly penetrate the matts and this only worsens the condition of the coat since bathing and drying will only tighten the matts causing more pulling and irritation on the dogs skin.
Shaving: A severely matted dog will require shaving. Brushing would be too lengthy, stressful, painful and inhumane on a dog that is completely matted. In this case, the best thing is to do a complete shave down and then begin a more regular brushing and grooming routine to avoid this condition in the future. Unless extremely matted, shaving a dog that has an undercoat is not recommended. This removes their insulation protection against cold, sun, wind, etc. If you think you're doing your big hairy fuzzy dog a favor by shaving him down in the summer, think again. You could be doing more harm than good. The only other dog that may benefit from a shave down would be an elderly dog that may not be able to withstand the entire grooming process that takes several hours. Shaving may shorten the grooming process and be less stressful on the senior dog. Consult your groomer for advice on this.
The Grooming Process: depending on the condition of the coat and how accustomed your dog is to the grooming process, it can take anywhere from two to five hours to groom a dog and consists of the following steps:
Brushing: Before your dog goes into the tub, they receive a thorough brushing to remove any matted tangles, shedding hair and undercoat. This makes the shampooing process more thorough. Some dogs even enjoy being brushed so this aspect of the grooming process can be fun & theraputic for the dog.
Bathing: Your dog will be completely soaked down with warm water. Dogs with thick undercoat take longer to wash as the undercoat is more difficult to penetrate with water and soap and then to rinse. Special shampoos are used depending on your dogs needs. There are oatmeal/protein shampoos for sensitive or dry skin, special shampoos for white coats, every day shampoos for normal skin conditions as well as shampoos with special herbs such as tea tree to treat hot spots and irritations.
Drying: The drying process can vary from groomer to groomer. Once towel dried, a forced air blower will likely be used on your dog to blow off excess water. A forced air dryer does not have a heating element and uses room temperature air. This process shortens the amount of time a heat dryer will be needed. Once forced air dried, your dog will either go into a cage with a cage dryer or dried while on the table with a stand dryer and brush depending on breed coat requirement. * * * When shopping around for a groomer, it would be safer for your dog if your groomer uses cage dryers that use room temperature air instead of a cage dryer that has a heating element. It is not uncommon for a dog to die of heat exhaustion if left unattended in a heated cage dryer for too long* * *
Clean Ears: Ear powder is used on small breeds to pluck dead hair from the ear canal. Ear cleaner on a cotton ball is used to clean excess wax and dirt out from deep into the ear. Most large breeds don't require plucking and cleaning with a cotton ball is all that is needed.
Clip Nails: Using professional dog nail clippers, nails are clipped avoiding the "quick" where the nerve endings are. Cutting the quick is avoided at all times as it causes a lot of bleeding as well as discomfort to the dog. During this process, the long hair between the pads of the dogs feet is trimmed. If your dog has extremely long nails, they should be clipped little by little every two to three weeks until at an appropriate length.
Clipper work / Haircut: Depending on your breeds coat requirements, some combination of clipper and scissor work will be done throughout the body. A sanitary cut will also be completed which is a close shave to the anus and urinary areas to prevent urine and feces from getting stuck in the fur.
Do your part! While the grooming process positively improves the overall well being of your dog, don't forget to do your part in-between groomings. Be sure to brush or comb your dog, using appropriate tools of course, between grooming appointments. This way, there will be less work to do for the groomer which could save you money as well as reduce stress on your dog during the process.
