Typically a short single coated dog ( think Miniature Pinscher, Whippet) is fine going 6 weeks without bathing.  Short thick coated dogs ( Labs for example) shed alot.  Bathing once a month helps to remove more of the shedding coat in my shop and not in your living room. 

Dogs kept in long or full coat ( Yorkies, Maltese for example) need to be combed daily with a bath/brushout every two weeks.

 

If you walk your dog daily on sidewalks or concrete you may find they don't need to be trimmed very often.  Most pets though are turned out in the backyard or walked in parks where they don't wear down the nails naturally.  In this case nails should be trimmed at least every four  weeks.  When I do your dogs nails they are trimmed and then dremeled allowing me to get them a bit shorter and much smoother then possible with just trimming alone.

 

Most likely if you are brushing every day you aren't getting down to the skin to remove tangles where they start.  Keeping a long coated dog or a full coated dog tangle and matt free means you have to comb every inch of the hair starting at the skin level and working your way out to the ends.  If you've never been taught how to do this, let me know and we can have a quick lesson on how to properly comb your pet.  I can also show you the proper tools to use at home to make the job easier for you.

 

Well lets think about this logically.  When you go to have your hair cut how long does it take?  Generally half an hour even with a shampoo and blow dry.  Does your hairdress also cut your toenails and fingernails?  Does she clean your ears and check your anal glands ( if humans had them)? Does your hairdresser bath you from the tip of your head to the bottum of your feet?  Does she have to worry about you moving suddenly while she is trimming the long hairs hanging down by your eyes?  Does your hairdresser have to think about you biting her or going potty in her chair?  Lets hope not.

Dog grooming is hard work.  It involves mental and physical strenght.  It involves skill and training and comes with many more hazards then cutting human hair.

Quite frankly I won't brush out a matted dog because it hurts.  It hurts the dog to have it's hair pulled repeatedly even if done gently.  Brushing out a matted dogs does not leave healthy hair behind either.  When hair matts up it become damaged and much easier to matt up again.  For the dogs comfort it is better to shave the hair off and practice better grooming habits in the future.  For the hair it is better to shave it off and let it grow back in healthy.

 

Unfortunately you will not be able to arrange this with me.  I offer private grooming sessions for each pet to reduce stress and shorten the amount of time they have to stay with me.  I do not have the facilities to day board a dog after it's grooming session is completed and need pets picked up within 1/2 hour of being notified they are done.  If you need a location that can keep your dog for the day, let me know and I can refer you to another grooming location.

 

Yes by all means bring pictures of what you are thinking about.  If your dog's coat is going to support a style you have picked out, I will do everything I can to help you get the look you want.  But I'm not a magician and I don't have a magic wand.  I can't make a beagle look like a poodle and I can't grow hair where there is none.  Be honest with yourself when looking at pictures.  Are you looking at pictures in the AKC book or calenders?  Does your dog have the same body shape ( not just breed name),same hair texture?  Does she have a good coat of hair to work with?  I'll look at your pictures and your dog.  I'll let you know if the style you want is possible or if perhaps, the ideal needs to be changed a little bit.

Please also know the "show" dogs who have full long flowing hair or are pristine white and fluffy don't just grow that way naturally.  These dogs are bathed and brushed almost daily.  Hair is kept oiled and wrapped and the are not allowed to run and dig in yard or rain.  They are kept up to keep the hair perfect for the ring. 

 

I like to see new puppies in my shop as early as 10-12 weeks of age.  It's never too early to begin table training and manners.  Your puppies first visit will be short, at the most an hour, as puppies have very short attention spans and need to go home to take their naps.  As long as she has had her second vaccination I'm happy to work with her for a short while.

 

 

 

Yes you can stay if you feel the need to be present.  But you get to stay on my conditions. 

 

1. I will give  you a chair to sit in where you have full view of the grooming table.  You must stay sitting at all times to prevent your dog from becoming excited at the idea of you coming over to pet him.

 

2.  You must not speak to your pet at any time ( no you can't tell him to be quiet, stand still or what a good boy he is being).  I will speak to your dog and tell him if he is being good.  Bad behavior is ignored unless he is attempting to bite me.  Bad behavior is nothing more then an attempt to get what he wants.  Either for me to stop what I'm doing or to pay attention to him in a way he desires.  It doesn't work.

3.  You may not touch your dog during the grooming process ( refer back to staying in your seat at all times). 

4. Please turn off your cell phones while in the shop.  Most dogs get excited when they hear their owners talking on the phone and most owners tend to want to wander while talking.  It's a distraction to me and the dog which can lead to accidents.  And quite honestly I don't want to have to pretend to not hear one side of a conversation taking place 8 feet away from me.

5. If any of these guidelines are too difficult to follow then I will stop the grooming process and give you two options.  Either leave for a while and let me finish the groom or call the groom done and leave with your pet.  Either option will result in expected payment of the full groom price.

 

I do have several owners who stay while I groom their pets.  I love showing off what I do and I think they really enjoy watching the process and seeing how good their dogs can be.