Day Care

The first visit is of utmost importance. We recommend this to be at about 4 months, after the third round of shots. At this visit puppy will get a bath, introduced to the dryer, brushed out, and nails trimmed. Trimming around the eyes, feet, and rear end will be done as long as puppy is comfortable. Keeping this experience positive is the ultimate goal. A grooming shop is a new, and sometimes overwhelming environment for a young dog. Early exposure is important to the dog’s future comfort with the grooming process.

The grooming procedure can take anywhere from 2 – 6 hours. This depends on many variables such as, size, coat type, the condition of the coat, age, exposure, and spirit . We strive to take as much time as necessary to make a positive, enriched experience for both human and dog alike.

For those who don’t know what a mat is, it is a thick tangled mass of hair, however, matting can be deceiving even to your groomer. We always try to estimate what exactly we are dealing with before we start on your dog but sometimes even the professionals get thrown off by certain coat types. Keeping your dog’s hair at a length that is in your comfort level to maintain at home till their next grooming is ideal.

It is standard procedure to check and externally express every dog’s anal glands. Anal gland expression can sometimes make a dog feel sensitive, or in some cases, irritated in that area. Another reason a dog may do this, on some breeds, trimming the hair around the rear is ideal for hygienic purposes, this can leave a dog feeling a bit exposed if they are not used to it. If this is your dog, don’t hesitate to let your groomer know. We can certainly work around it.

Some dogs need very little, some need a lot; it all depends on what you are willing to maintain. You must be real with yourself and ask, how much time do I want to spend? The basics are brushing, keeping those ears clean and even nail trimming (if that is in your comfort level) but remember to always have a blood clotting agent such as Kwik Stop on hand when trimming nails. Grooming can get a little more tedious and time consuming on those shedless breeds if you’re looking to maintain some length on their coat. You will need to have the proper tools to keep matting from getting out of control, a metal comb is a must and a slicker brush may be used as a mat breaker as well, but be mindful that these can both damage the coat and/or injure your dog if used improperly. Always feel free to ask us for advice, for example “what kind of tools did you use on my dog? How did you use them?” It is a win-win when you can minimize any amount of stress on your dog by doing a little more at home.

This is usually an easy fix. Switching to a shampoo that is more suitable for you dog’s skin type. Sometimes this can be a guessing game though. Consider the season of the year, diet, or fleas as these can also play a key roll in why a dog might be itchy.