The Raleigh Dog Spaw

12/19/2025

🐾 HOLD THE DATE 🐾

The best night of the year is back!! Join Dogs Deserve Better Piedmont for a fabulous and fun filled evening at the annual “Puppy Love” Quarter Auction on February 28, 2026. We are returning to The Barn at Vino for a FUNdraiser to benefit the dogs in needed that are helped by Dogs Deserve Better Piedmont.

Ticket sales will begin at the end of December. Awesome raffle baskets, food trucks, vendors and more. Stay tuned……

11/28/2025

11/22/2025

Today I met Woody for the first time 🫶🏻 and my heart is full.
His mom and dad are a inspiration for not giving up and for continuing to advocate for their dog.
During our adult dog intro I recorded his nail trim. Not all dogs can get to this point during a intro but he did. 🫶🏻😭

🌿 Why We Do Adult Dog Introductions at The Raleigh Dog Spaw 🌿
For many dogs—especially those who are anxious, stressed, or have experienced negative grooming in the past—new environments can be overwhelming. Some dogs express fear by shutting down… others by growling, snapping, or showing signs we often label as “aggression.”

💜 At The Raleigh Dog Spaw, we know that aggression is usually communication—not bad behavior.
It’s often a dog saying, “I’m scared,” “I don’t understand,” or “I don’t feel safe yet.”

That’s why we offer calm, positive Adult Dog Intro Sessions before a full grooming appointment. These sessions allow us to build trust, learn their triggers, and work at a pace they can handle.

✨ Why Intros Matter for Stressed or Reactive Dogs
• Reduces fear, anxiety, stress & overstimulation
• Helps prevent defensive behaviors such as growling, snapping, or biting
• Gives the dog time to learn us and the space safely
• Allows us to assess their comfort level, body language & thresholds
• Builds positive associations instead of forcing tolerance
• Creates a safer experience for both the dog and the grooming professional
• Encourages emotional healing and confidence over time

🐾 Ideal For Dogs Who:
• Have been labeled “aggressive” or “difficult” elsewhere
• Are fearful of dryers, clippers, nail trimming, or handling
• Have experienced trauma or overstimulation in grooming shops
• Need one-on-one, quiet, cage-free environments
• Are rescues, reactive, or slow to trust new people

👉 A successful grooming appointment begins with trust—not restraint.
Our intros give dogs the time, patience, and respect they need to feel safe, understood, and supported.

If your dog needs a slow, relationship-building approach, we would love to help. Send us a message to schedule an intro session or learn more 💜

🐶 The Raleigh Dog Spaw
Fear Free Certified | One-on-One | Cage-Free Luxury Grooming
Where emotional wellbeing and safety come first 🌸

11/19/2025

Lets Talk about threshold and why its important not to push a dog over their individual threshold.

This is why I will opt to not dry a face all the way through, or I will leave a extra hair out of place, toe nails a little a longer or not trimmed thats ok to because we will get there! If we break trust we wont ever get there. We will however make things more traumatic, more difficult, and enforce negative behaviors.

A dog’s threshold is the point at which they become overwhelmed, stressed, or unable to cope calmly with what’s happening around them. It’s the line between the dog feeling safe and being pushed into fear, anxiety, frustration, or aggression.

What does “over threshold” mean?

A dog is over threshold when their stress level is so high that they can no longer think or learn — they are simply reacting.
This is when you see behaviors like:
• Barking, growling, lunging
• Freezing or shutting down
• Trying to escape or hide
• Panting, shaking, drooling
• Whale eye, lip licking, ears pinned back

When a dog is over threshold, they are not being stubborn or bad — they are emotionally flooded.

⸻

Why it’s important to respect a dog’s threshold

Respecting thresholds is crucial because it:

🧠 Keeps the dog in a learning mindset

Dogs can only learn new behaviors when they feel safe.
Once over threshold, training becomes impossible — their brain shifts to survival mode.

❤️ Builds trust and confidence

If you push a dog too far, they may learn that people or situations are unsafe.
Respecting boundaries teaches them they can trust you to keep them safe.

😌 Prevents fear-based aggression

Many bites happen because a dog feels they have no other option.
Avoiding threshold prevents escalation.

🐾 Supports Fear Free handling

In grooming, vet care, and everyday life, staying under threshold means:
• Less restraint
• Happier, safer experiences
• Positive associations instead of trauma

11/16/2025

Colter came in for his regular deshed treatment he is a 110 lbs Newfoundland puppy! I absolutley LOVE him and his mom!

🛁🐾 Why GIANT BREED Dogs NEED Consistent Grooming Schedules 🐾🛁

Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough:
BIG dogs need BIG commitment when it comes to grooming.

Whether you have a Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dog, Anatolian Shepherd, Mastiff, Leonberger, or Irish Wolfhound, consistent grooming isn’t just about looking pretty — it’s essential for their health and comfort.

✨ Why Tight Grooming Schedules Matter

🔹 Prevents painful matting — Mats pull at the skin like Velcro, causing sores, bruising & infections.
🔹 Reduces excessive shedding and keeps coats healthy.
🔹 Protects joints — Long nails can change how a dog walks, leading to hip & spine problems.
🔹 Cleans skin folds to prevent yeast, bacteria, & odor.
🔹 Helps early detection of lumps, parasites, ear infections, and mobility changes.
🔹 Easier & less stressful for the dog — regular grooming prevents fear and overwhelm.

⏱ Recommended Schedule

For giant breeds with thick or long coats:
💈 Bath & tidy every 4–6 weeks
🧽 Deshed treatment every 6–8 weeks
🐾 Nail trim every 2–3 weeks
✂️ Full groom every 6–10 weeks (depending on coat type)

Waiting too long makes grooming more uncomfortable for the dog and more expensive for owners — prevention is always cheaper than correction.

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💖 At the end of the day…

A well-maintained coat isn’t luxury — it’s part of responsible ownership, especially for giant breeds who rely on us to keep them healthy, mobile, and comfortable.

If you own a huge dog, the best gift you can give them is routine care.
Your groomer will thank you… and so will your pup! 🐶✨

11/14/2025

🌿💗 What “Fear Free Grooming” Really Means 💗🌿
At The Raleigh Dog Spaw, Fear Free isn’t a trend — it’s a promise.

A true Fear Free grooming experience is built on compassion, patience, and science-based handling. That means:

🐾 No scruffing.
Scruffing can create fear, panic, and distrust. Dogs deserve to feel supported and safe, not restrained in a way that mimics predator-style handling.

🐾 No yanking or pulling chin hair.
This is painful, frightening, and instantly destroys a dog’s trust. We never use pain or force to keep a dog still — ever.

🐾 No force, intimidation, or “power holds.”
Fear Free grooming focuses on gentle guidance, positive reinforcement, and reading canine body language so we never push a dog past their comfort level.

✨ Instead, we use:
• One-on-one sessions
• Calm environments
• Slow introductions to tools
• Treat-based cooperation
• Trust-building hands-on handling
• Breaks when dogs feel overwhelmed

When dogs feel respected and understood, their grooming becomes easier, safer, and genuinely enjoyable — for them and for us.

💞 At The Raleigh Dog Spaw, every pet is treated like family, and we proudly stand behind truly Fear Free, force-free grooming practices.

✨🐩

11/13/2025

Sophie is here to remind you there are no more appointments in November.
December is full but if you are a current client that isnt booked and you need to get in please reach out now so I can make any adjustments needed to fit your pup in before Christmas if you have not rebooked yet.

11/12/2025

Meet Banks 🐻
Banks came in for his very first puppy package groom. Oh boy was he the best boy!
Banks was wagging his tail the entire time and made waking up early today worth every moment 🫶🏻🥹

10/24/2025

👻 spooky bears

10/23/2025

I have two openings in October and just a few in November. If your pups are not on the schedule reach out or schedule online.

10/22/2025

🍂 The Raleigh Dog Spaw – November Grooming Availability 🍂

Cage-Free • Fear Free Certified • One-on-One Luxury Grooming

Experience calm, personalized care — one groomer, one dog, no distractions.
Fear Free Certified and dedicated to your dog’s comfort and confidence.

🗓️ Available Appointments:
• Nov 4 – 8:45 AM
• Nov 5 – 1:00 PM
• Nov 6 – 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM
• Nov 12 – 2:45 PM
• Nov 15 – 8:30 AM, 3:45 PM
• Nov 17 – 10:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 2:30 PM
• Nov 19 – 8:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:15 PM, 3:30 PM
• Nov 22 – 10:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 3:15 PM

✨ Limited spaces — book your dog’s fall spa day now!
📍 The Raleigh Dog Spaw
🌐

10/19/2025

Boo Bears 👻