30 January 2015: Immense Shar Pei improvement
I groomed two Shah Peis this morning. I have been grooming these two dogs for over a year on a regular basis and the improvement in their coat condition is immense.
Shah Peis sometimes suffer with sensitive skin conditions but not these two dogs anymore. I use a medicated shampoo and a honey and wheat germ shampoo alternately.
They are both a little water and dryer shy but I find if I don’t struggle with them, gentle persuasion to stand, sit, turn-around is successful.
29 January 2015: Riding Shotgun
No grooming for me today. I had a different treat. I took my black Labrador boy Denzel, dog walking and visiting.
I run a pet care business too. Denzel is otherwise known as the Colonel or Van Dog! He enjoys being my passenger in the mobile grooming van.
We walked a Shiba Inu, a Chihuahua , a Cockerpoo puppy and a West Highland Terrier. All individually.
Big Denz walked his little socks off! Everybody really enjoyed themselves, despite the biting wind and rain.
Back to the grooming table for me tomorrow…
27 January 2015: Chow down on this
My goodness, you have got to give yourself more than three hours to groom a Chow – and, when the owner books a groom, make sure you ask when was the dog’s last groom!
This will not only determine the price charged but also the time that needs to be allocated.
I find most Chows amiable and pleasant to groom but if the groom’s going to be a long haul it’s really got to be an early start in the day and even then only after the dog’s been walked, has had its breakfast, a rest and is calm and contented.
The Chow coat is probably the thickest and most dense I have ever come across
26 January 2015:
“My dog gets so knotted”!!??
I hear this so often and I am afraid my friends, it’s because your dog is not being brushed enough!
Almost all dogs need and deserve a good brushing – daily! With the correct brush you can stimulate the blood stream and oils to flow freely and healthily in the dog’s skin,which helps give your dog a beautiful coat.
With regular brushing your pet’s coat won’t have a chance to get tangled and knotted. It’s not too late to make a resolution to run a brush or comb through your dog’s coat every day.
Special attention should be paid to to tummies, groin, underarms and behind the ears. Oh yes – don’t forget to brush the moggy too!
25 January 2015: Driving slow on Sunday morning
The only good thing about getting up early on a Sunday to start work is the very light traffic.
I’m seeing Lily, Mongoose, Boris, Megan & Ernest, Alfie, Achilles + Zeus today and looking forward to it.
24 January 2015: Foot Fright comes to town
Today I groomed Hamish. Now here is a dog with Foot Fright if ever there was one.
However, I find if I hold his leg as I work he’s more relaxed around the foot area when I scissor and clip around his toes. I use Hibiscrub to wash him. He has very sensitive itchy skin although I do think being clipped irritates him.
PS I’m pleased with the new Paw Print ribbon (above) I use to tie to his collar, as a finishing touch. He looked real cute.
Salon “paw care” a con?”
When it comes to paw care you will read a lot from so-called professionals involved with dog grooming that dog owners should put protective wax on the pads of their dogs and concentrate on paw buffing and other pedicure-type stuff like ‘fizzy soaks’ and the rest of it.
It’s all nonsense and simply won’t work for most dogs.
The fact is the vast majority of dogs HATE their paws being touched and are VERY nervous – even dogs who have NOT encountered bad experiences from careless nail cutting and nicking skin in between their toes when clipping away excess fur.
Dog owners may buy these paw treatments but the truth is paws need no more than basic maintenance.
What a dog’s paws need is:
- excess fur and knots cut away from in between toes
- nails kept at the correct length
- always being dried when they are wet or cleaned from mud, after a walk,
- quick daily check for foreign bodies under the foot.
Only then – and only maybe! – should some protective paw wax be applied to the pads.
Special washes can be bought from vets for sensitive problem feet, but save your money and spend it on something your dog will really appreciate.