06/03/2026
What's on my mind? Facebook asks us that, and well there's a lot. We all have a lot on our mind, don't we? It seems everyone I know feels the same, one more thing you can't forget to do today, can't forget the kids sports/meals/homework/dr appt., when is $ due for this/that, oh I have to get gas, GAS IS SO EXPENSIVE, ect ect. Life happens, life gets in the way. We understand that.
But one thing thats been on my mind? Grooming. Obviously right?! I do it and see it all day long. Well unfortunately its something thats been weighing even more heavily on me lately. There has been (unfortunately) an influx of dogs coming in matted. Dogs that haven't been to the groomers in 4, 6, 8, 12 months! Dogs require regular grooming. Whether you do it yourself or at a professional shop IS your choice. But it needs to be done properly, and maintained. The less you want to do at home, the MORE they should be at the salon. We dont always have to do a full huge short cut/groom. Smelly pooch? Regular bathing, a brushing, nails clacking on the floor? Nail trimming is included. Can't see? We can trim just by the eyes! Di*********es? That gets take care of too! These are all signs its time to be groomed. Baths and nails are recommended to be done monthly, while hair cutting can range from 4-8 weeks normally. This also includes non-haircut dogs as well! That super fluffy husky? Your friendly lab? They are dropping hair all over your house/clothes/couch. Have a hoard of lint rollers stashed around? Dogs hair life cycle is every 21 days. After that its trying to leave the body. Where does it go? Either your house or it stays trapped in the dogs coat, which turns into compaction. We also look at every inch of your dog while it's with us and can usually find things of concern before they are found at home.
We understand things get put on the backburner, those who cant speak for themselves get forgotten, so when we say we recommend rebooking your next appointment/coming back in so many weeks it's not just because we want your money. (I mean we do, dont get me wrong this is how I pay my bills). But its for the health and safety of the pet. Matting can be painful amongst other things. And the infrequent groom sessions then become a nuisance for the dog. They dont like going, they are scared/anxious, they dont know how to behave on the table, they feel funny after leaving(you know that feeling when you take your hair out of a tight ponytail at the end of the day and your scalp tingles and you just want to scratch it? Yeah that!). Why would they want to come back and do it all over again?! And its harder on us groomers as well. Physically and mentally. We can start grooming services as early as 8 weeks of age, and frequent visits become a normal part of life. Something they can be prepared for and know what to expect.
Apologies for the rambling but I feel compelled to write this and advocate for those who can't speak for themselves in the case that you or someone you know is simply uneducated. We can't reach everyone outside our doors. But if we can reach some, well thats what makes our job worth it. Yes you should be researching all of this info before settling on a breed and acquiring a dog. But not everyone does that. Unfortunately, also, breeders tend to tell you grooming is only necessary 1-2 times a year. Vets unfortunately tell you to wait until the dog is fully vaccinated (normally around the age of 6 months) to start getting tne dog groomed, and they only need it 2-3 times a year around season changes or something. Well guess what, at that age they need a full haircut and are going to be way to scared or so excited for a new adventure they're too wiggly to groom. Their vaccines have started, they already have some protection from mom, there's no interaction with other dogs, and where on Earth(sorry for my eyerolling) is your dog gonna get rabies or give it to a groomer at 3 months old. We wholeheartedly recommend you listen to your vet when it comes to medical advice. We also go to them with our furbabies. But neither of these professions are trained in skin/coat health. (Vets have minimal training in this area and thats why there is a dermatology specialist in the animal field). We groomers are. We are trained, we take classes to further our education, we get certifications.
Well now that's off my chest lol I hope if you didn't learn something from this post you may be able to pass along to someone who is thinking about getting a dog or you see a dog in need of grooming and the parent doesn't know. We appreciate every pair of feet and 4 paws that come through our door. We just want everyone to be healthy & happy. 🥰
