Clean Up Your Pup

Tooth brushing.

• Tooth brushing is most effective when done weekly or daily at home but we can also help get you started with training the dog to tolerate a toothbrush.

• We can address specific concerns like small matts behind the ears or hair on the feet, face or rear end where it is difficult to keep the dog clean.

• With the significant influx of out of state visitors, many of our local doggy daycares are now requiring year round flea and tick prevention for their boarding and play groups. For an additional $5 you can add a flea and tick treatment to your regular bathing or grooming services that will keep your pet pest free for a minimum of 30 days.

If you can't run a straight comb through your dog, you have come to the right place. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between matting and compacted shedding. Even the groomer may need to dig a comb in to be sure.

• Dematting -Certain hair types should not be shaved and we will never shave a dog just because we don't want to deal with brushing. Unfortunately when true matting occurs, cutting them out is the only option. We will communicate with you about what we are expecting once we have met the dog and proceed from there. Often we will recommend a Summer Shave to reset the coat, but dematting will be billed hourly if needed.
• Deshedding- Compacted shedding is best dealt with by "blowing out" the coat. We have our ways, but it will take time and elbow grease. A little deshedding is included with any bath and brush but extreme shedding will be billed hourly. For a double coated breed that should not be shaved, (huskies, shepherds, we are looking at you) a good blow out will make a world of difference in keeping them cool and comfortable in the summer heat.

• Hygiene or Maintenance trim- specific areas, like longer hair under the tail, may need a little help to stay clean. Often we can do a little trimming here and there while preserving the natural beauty your dog was born with.
• Full Body Feather trimming- sculpting the longer hair on your dog to a different shape or just to clean up the silhouette in general. This is often what golden retrievers or australian shepherds will get to keep the legs and tummy hair out of the mud and thin out the chest and pants to keep them cleaner for longer. It also leaves your dog looking very tidy and polished. On the fluffier breeds you might even call it a teddy bear finish.
• Summer shaves- A haircut at 3/8 inch or less allowing for your preferred styling on the face and
• tail. This is recommended for people who like a low maintenance cut with less frequent trips to the salon. It is also the only way to remove large matts without pain and discomfort.
• Specialty cut- Haircuts longer than 3/8 inch are considered specialty cuts because they usually involve a little more prep before the cut which may need to be billed hourly if we are starting in poor condition. Any matts must be removed. After that, we can accomplish whatever length and style you like from a strict breed standard to a custom cut Mohawk.

Joint Pain:
One of the most common issues we find ourselves talking about is joint pain. While it is certainly a part of aging, many people do not realize how much over grown nails can cause pain in the feet. When the nail is touching the ground, it is applying pressure back on the toe. Over time this constant pressure will hurt them just like if you wore shoes two sizes too small for days or months or years. In extreme cases the nail will grow far enough out that the toe must twist to support the dog's weight. Often in due-claws and in light weight dogs we see the nail grow in a full circle puncturing the pad. In these situations, multiple frequent trims with a rotary tool will slowly push back the dogs quick (the sensitive flesh that attaches the nail to the toe) to a length that can be maintained by a monthly trim.

Hotspot:
Does your dog smell like feet? Or corn chips? Or Yeast? That is likely a buildup of bacteria on their skin. For many dogs this bacteria isn't just smelly, in can become a painful rash that turns into a big sore requiring veterinary care and even antibiotics. But we can help you stay ahead of it. A good bath and deshed is enough to set most dogs straight but we have special shampoos that can combat the bacteria at varying stages before it becomes an emergency. For dogs with chronic issues, thinning out the hair in the area will increase airflow and help keep the area dry, preventing the proliferation of bacteria and all its stinky symptoms.

Harnesses and collars can cause matting and certain training equipment may be useless or inconsistent with long hair. We can thin out the problem areas on the chest and neck to get you back on the trail to enjoy your adventures without the tangles.

Separation and being handled by strangers is not something most dogs will accept without question. Grooming is a safe space for your pet to practice watching you leave and accepting care from a stranger when it is not a high steaks emergency situation.