In a perfect world, I'd have all my clients booked in every 2 weeks. In a perfect world I’d groom my own dogs, Peppy and Charming, every week or 2. But lets face it, life happens and it’s just not a perfect world. I make an effort though, because I want my dogs to be clean and tidy, as well as happy and healthy. Its can bit like the mechanics car, or the plumbers leaky sink around here... the groomers dogs are often the last to get their tub time! LOL

Because life happens and funds can be tight (and it’s not a perfect world), I’d like to say that as a groomer, it would be awesome to see my grooming clients every 6 weeks (or less). 

We are offering premium grooming rates for our clients when they have their dogs groomed more frequently.

Clients that book every 1-2 weeks get a 40% discount, and clients that book every 3-4 weeks get a 25% discount.

We find that dogs have healthier skin and coat when they are groomed more often. What I love most about it, is that the dogs can generally be kept a little bit longer, and always look clean and tidy. Peppy and Charming are at work with me every day. I love being able to bring them out so clients can see what length of hair I am talking about or how cute short ears look, etc. Health-wise, more frequent grooming means I check over my dogs, nose to tail, every couple of weeks. I notice anything unusual, like a lump or rash, and can treat it or get the dog to the vet before it grows or becomes a big scary issue. More frequent grooming also makes the grooming process quicker and easier for both the dog and the groomer, thus the discounted price! We love each and every one of our furry clients, and the goal for us is to help their humans keep them healthy, comfortable and happy.

If bringing your dog in for a full groom more frequently is not an option, you can most definitely bath your dog at home in between grooms. We recommend a bath every couple of weeks for some breeds, and monthly for others. Please chat with one of our staff about what we would recommend for your breed.

Here are a few tub time tips:

• Brush through his or her hair before the bath. This is the best time to catch mats. Each time you wash a matted dog, the mats become more “felted” and closer to the skin. It makes it harder to get them out, and more painful for the dog.
  
• It is best to invest in a dog shampoo! Dogs have a different ph level on their skin than humans, and some shampoo ingredients found in human shampoos are toxic to dogs. Every dog shampoo can be watered down. Professional shampoos are usually watered down 30:1 at least.
  
• Water down your shampoo. This ensures that you get the shampoo right to the skin. It also makes it easier to rinse the suds out. Leaving soap residue behind will cause itchy skin and often leads to hot spots and other rashes.
  
• Towel drying is simple when you have a short haired dog like a lab... there is no danger of causing tangles... Shih-tzu, Maltese, Poodles, Doodles, and other higher maintenance coats mat easily. It is best to wrap the dog in a towel and pat dry, not rub them dry.
  

Can we bath our dogs too much... I’d have to say that I rarely ever come across a dog that gets bathed too often. But it is important to remember that each time we bathe our pups, we strip the natural oils out of their coats. If you bathe more frequently than once a month, you should consider using a good conditioner to replace the oils. A monthly bath is generally a good goal. Some dogs like labs or German Shepherds can go longer. Regular bathing and blow drying with a high velocity dryer will cut down on shedding though.

Nail trims generally need to be done every 2 weeks. You can do them at home, or have your groomer or vet do them. We will talk about nail care in between grooms more in another post.

Have question? Please pop by or call us so we can help you out. Overall, we want your pooches to be healthy and happy.