Tinkers & Stinkers dog grooming

08/04/2025

Sweet Bertie had his first Tinkers & Stinkers groom and what a handsome chap he is! With shorter fur he will trap fewer grass seeds and burrs but we had to keep his big character in his face!!

21/03/2025

Handsome old Johnny’s grey fur had gone long and rather scruffy! Below it, a young terrier mix still exists!! ❤️💙

16/02/2025

Handsome George has a big coat that grows rapidly! It is too cold still to rake out his undercoat so just a tidy and trim this time

11/02/2025

This looks drastic, but happens when matting starts by the skin.
When you brush your dog, make sure you do so regularly and down to the skin. This applies for ALL breeds!!

DOODLES! (And others)

The perfect photo to show how matting happens at the base (or at the skin). So many doodle owners are saddened to hear the only thing I can do with their pups coat is a shave because they thought brushing the top coat was enough. By looking at this dog, you may not see the knots and you may not feel them as you would a knot on the ends of the fur but once it starts its very difficult/ impossible to brush/COMB out... Not to mention it would be cruel to put the dog through. A quick once over will not work for these guys if you want them in a fuzzy coat. You really need to sit down with a metal comb and make sure you can get it through the entire body a couple times a week.

Often times I feel like owners don't believe groomers when they say the dogs has to be clipped. I always hear "I know he/she is matted, but leave as much as you can"... this photo shows, the only way to get UNDER the matting is nothing left.
I promise you, I'd rather not clip your baby naked either! I also don't want to hurt my reputation when the clients go around complaining about how the last groomer "scalped" their dog....But doodles are easily one of the highest maintenance dogs in reference to their coats. The combination of the soft coat of a golden, or aussie, or newf, or wheaten, or whatever they are mixing poodles with these days is a coat that is SO prone to matting. And even more so are the new "double doodles" that i like to call "double maintenance".

I even find some doodles on a regular schedule still need to be clipped once or twice a year (maybe not shaved, but maybe teddy bear length for a fresh start) because after all of the brushing and de-matting, the damaged coat seems to become even MORE likely to matt.
If you like a fluffy pup, you probably need to consider no more than 3-5 week intervals between grooming AND set aside time for regular COMBING at home. A doodle grooming STARTS at $125 (with my service) so make sure you’ve set aside that budget.

Please know, if you bathe your doodle you really need to blow dry and brush out right after. MOISTURE of any kind; be it a bath, rain, swimming, snow etc are all going to amplify matting. And if you know your dog is already matted-- bathing is only going to make it worse! Brush out BEFORE the bath.

AND!!!!! "breeders" who say they can't/shouldnt be clipped and OR not to give them a hair cut until they are 1 year are out of their minds and setting you up for a SAD SAD SAD day when you finally take your pup to the groomer.

*this photo was originally shared by Paola Perez.

20/12/2024

Handsome Finley came for his first T&S groom ready for Christmas. Under all the fur was a very lovely show-type Cocker spaniel with gorgeous roan markings!! ❤️🖤🤍❤️

16/12/2024

Gorgeous Oscar getting his regular groom in time to be his best at Christmas. He enjoyed his head-and-body scratch and massage with his wash and looks rather good in our festive boppers too, even if he wasn’t impressed!!

06/12/2024

Lovely Nelly having her trim so that she’s neat for Santa Paws

06/12/2024

My own dog, Thea, got too long and scruffy. Her long coat was trapping undergrowth and mud and desperately needed attention!
She looks slimmer and younger too ❤️🖤🧡

19/11/2024

Snow can be so much fun for dogs doing zoomies! Be careful next to gritted roads though - the salt is so strong it is caustic to dogs paws and toxic if licked. Wash them off with warm water after walks to prevent this.

Have fun dogs!!!

27/10/2024

For any of our furry friends who needs it…..

23/10/2024

Sharing this now in case any dogs put festive chews on their list for Santa Paws.
Buy natural treats only - rawhide has even been bleached!!

15/10/2024

Gorgeous Kiwi, an (all-black) working Cocker had got very scruffy and matted around various bits of undergrowth!
I recovered his legs, ears and face and shortened his coat to find him underneath the huge coat! What a difference!!