Dog Grooming

WHY IS IT WORTH GETTING YOUR DOG GROOMED PROFESSIONALLY?

Although many dog owners prefer to groom their dogs on their own, having your dog professionally groomed will save you time and energy. It takes a lot of care and patience to groom a dog, especially a fluffy one, a puppy, or one with behavioural issues.

A professional grooming session typically consists of the dog being brushed, bathed and dried, as well as trimmed or clipped. The groomer brushes or combs out mats before the bath, making it easier to lather the dog with shampoo. They clean the dog’s ears to remove build up and to check for signs of infection. When the dog’s coat has dried, it will be trimmed, clipped, or shaved, if needed or requested.

Be sure to clearly communicate your requests or concerns to your groomer, and your precious pooch will look great by the time he’s done. Groomers trim most dogs over the eyes, at the tips of the ears, and on the bottoms of the feet. They cut the dog’s nails to a comfortable length, as long nails can become painful for a dog, especially when he’s walking. Groomers will also brush your dog’s teeth with a dog-specific toothpaste.

Severely Matted Dogs: If it is going to be painful for the pet, we do not do it. De-matting certain coats is just cruel. Occasionally we can set aside time to work on certain hair types but for the most part, prevention is key. If your pet arrives with matted hair that will take more than a few minutes to safely brush out, you will be charged extra depending on the time it takes to remove them safely. But only IF WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO BRUSH IT OUT. You are always welcome to come in between grooms for an interim service. Everything is still included, for a lesser amount except for the actual body hair cut/style. We require a matted release form to be signed prior to grooming a matted dog. Severe matt’s may uncover many skin issues and this release will detail some things we may uncover.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS

You certainly don’t want to use your own scissors and electric razors to groom your dog. Professional groomers have all the right tools to get your dog looking his best, from different kinds of clippers to an adjustable grooming table. They are equipped with shampoos for dogs with skin allergies, irritations, fleas and ticks. Many groomers also know how to groom breed show cuts as well, which definitely requires very precise attention to detail.

THEY KNOW HOW TO HANDLE YOUR DOG & TAKE CARE OF THE YUCKY STUFF

When handling your dog, your groomer may notice a concerning injury or lump that you may not have noticed. If you yourself have a condition such as back pain or arthritis, rest assured professional grooming will prevent you from having to do excessive lifting and handling of your dog.

Cleaning anal glands, shampooing a muddy or stinky dog, and removing fleas and ticks are not the most pleasant things to take care of, but come with the price of owning a dog. A professional groomer knows how to take care of and clean all of these seemingly yucky things, and more.

HOW MUCH DOES DOG GROOMING COST

At Chilled Dawgz Day Care & Pet Services, the cost of dog grooming is dependent on breed, size, and type of coat. If you have a longer coated breed, this is obviously going to take considerably longer to wash, dry and cut than a short haired breed. Also the problems with matting are more likely to happen on a long haired breed than a short.

Please note if your dog is severely matted we may be unable to help and would advise you to attend your veterinary practice who will be able to help. In very rare instances of severe matting it may be necessary for your veterinary practice to anaesthetise your dog to help combat the discomfort shaving very tender matted skin.

Contact us or pop along with your dog for our professional to advise what service you would need and the cost.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE

How long the procedure takes from start to finish depends greatly on the size of the dog, the condition of the coat and the technicality of the procedure. A show poodle will take significantly longer to trim and present than a working dog having their coat clipped, for instance. As a general rule, two hours is a reasonable amount of time to groom most dogs from start to finish, but anything up to four hours for larger dogs and specialist treatments is not unusual. Your groomer will tell you what time to come and pick your dog up and you should try not to be late, as they will have other clients to tend to and your dog will not welcome being tied up or caged for prolonged periods of time. When you come to collect your dog, the groomer should mention anything of note which they found while bathing and grooming, such as any skin problems, lumps and bumps or fleas.

Please note it is Chilled Dawgz Groomer's policy to charge extra for excessive lateness so please try to arrive by the time given to you by your groomer.

HOW DO I PREPARE MY DOG FOR A GROOM & HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GROOM MY DOG?

It will be easier for your dog to work with our stylist if grooming is a part of their regular routine. The more hands-on you are the better. This includes playing with their paws, stroking their chin and ears as well as getting them accustomed to you looking inside their mouths. Brushing them is another good grooming habit to start early on.

If you’ve adopted an older pet this could be a bit more challenging, especially if their previous pet parents mistreated them. Either way, it's important to discuss your pet's personality traits with our stylist to avoid any surprises. Ultimately, trained pets who understand basic commands will have a better grooming experience and likely build a strong rapport with our stylist.

How Often Should I Have My Dog Groomed?
Although it depends mostly on the breed, hair length, and type of coat, regular grooming should be done about once a month. For young puppies and dogs that have never been groomed, more frequent grooming or brushing at home should be done to get the dog used to being handled and to avoid grooming issues into adulthood. This is called desensitization, and can be done for several other reasons.

Chilled Dawgz Dog Day Care Glasgow Dog Grooming

HOUSEHOLD CLEANLINESS

Grooming will help with the general sanitation of your house. The more your dog is brushed and combed, the less hair and dander will shed inside your home (and on your curtains, couches, and rugs!). Plus, if someone in your family is prone to allergies, regularly brushing and bathing your dog can help tame some of the dander that causes flare-ups. It is commonly thought that humans are allergic to dog fur. Its not actually the fur that causes the problem its the dander that gets trapped underneath the fur that's the problem. Regular grooming will help remove this and help alleviate the symptoms of allergy.

What Should I Do in Between Grooming’s?
Brushing your dog once a week or so will help with shedding and prevent any mats from forming in your dog’s coat. A build-up of mats can become painful for your dog. If our groomer can’t get them out, your dog might have to be completely shaved down or worse still given a general anaesthetic at your veterinary practice to remove bad matting.