The ‘S’ Word

First Session of the Shed-Free Program

The battle is probably raging in your home right now.  Wherever you look – it is there!  You can’t get away from in even in your car!  Your socks are fighting in the front line and you are ready to wave the white flag.  Who is the enemy?  Dog hair.

If your pooch is like mine, they are SHEDDING their coat and it is a neverending battle with the vacuum.  The more you clean it up, the more hair you find.  What is causing this seasonal madness, you ask?  Your pet is blowing its winter coat in preparation for cooler temperatures.  This can happen multiple times a year for some breeds.  You are not alone and there is help!

My best advice is to contact your local groomer.  They will have multiple pointers as well as products and tools to help you win the war.  MDD offers a Shed-Free Program to our hairy clientele!  Your pet will have 4 sessions with the bather over an 8 week period.  Each appointment involves three brushouts and a bath in the de-shed shampoo.  A high-velocity air dryer helps knock off the pesky undercoat that is falling out in clumps all over your carpet.

This is a battle you will fight multiple times in the life of your pet…..but they will make it up to your dirty floors with plenty of love and companionship!

So Many Choices – How do I Select a Groomer

I have often asked my clients why they have chosen MDD for their pet care needs and I have gotten a variety of answers.  Mostly, it is the high-level of professionalism and customer service we provide but the overall haircut is the driving factor.  But how do you FIND that in a groomer?  How can you know if the place you are taking sweet Fluffy exhibits all of these features?  Sure, they may seem nice and caring and the place looks okay but how can you tell?  I have a variety of answers that will help put your mind at ease and I will provide simple questions for you when calling around.

Shadow

What kind of owner are you? 

A realistic look into your wants, needs and expectations will determine the type of groomer that fits your lifestyle.  Do you mind your pet being in a crate or do you prefer kennel-free?  Do you like him to be there all day or would you rather get him as soon as he is finished?  How important is his haircut to you?  How knowledgeable do you want your groomer to be?  Do you want to be able to call on them for most pet care concerns or is she just a groomer that you see once a year? 

Research and Interview

Do your homework – check out potential groomers websites and message boards with other clients feedback.  You have every right to know who will be caring for your four-legged family member!  When calling, ask the important questions:

1) Is this business owned and operated by a groomer or is it run by business people with no grooming background?  Though facilities run by entrepreneuers are good businesses, there is limited understanding of how to run a grooming spa when you do not fully understand every aspect of the job.  Scheduling conflicts, staff burnout and a lack of knowledge in canine behavior and the handling of pets are typical in shops run by non-groomers.  Sometimes these internal issues can rub up on the clientele as well.

2) How did the groomers learn the art of grooming?  Self-study? Grooming school? Apprenticeship or through a corporate chain?  The level of grooming skills vary greatly based on how they learned and if they invest in continuing education.  Self-study and corporate chain schools produce the least skilled groomers initially.  Though they can become better with practice and continuing ed, they will not be capable of the high-end grooming that some pet owners are looking for.  Grooming schools are focused on providing high quality groomers yet the students are not there for long periods of time.  Apprenticeships under Master Groomers produce the most qualified groomers.  However, like anything, it is the time and effort the individual puts into exceling at their trade!

3) How is the facility set up?  As stated above, are they crated?  Roaming free?  Do they use cage dryers or do they hand-blow dry everyone?  **Hand-dried dogs look much better!**

Kennel-free and loving it!

 

4) Are they members of any trade associations like the National Dog Groomers Association of America and do they attend conferences throughout the year?

 

 

 

Pricing

The saying “You Get What You Pay For” is true especially in grooming!  My staff and I have a running joke about the commerical with the fancy $6 Haircut salon that is built across the street from a Barber.  The Barber advertised: We Fix $6 Haircuts and the large cheap salon went out of business!  Multiple times a month, new clients come to us with horror stories of bad hairdo’s and mistreatment.  The common denominator is that they wanted to save a few bucks.  Grooming is a challenging job that only the creative, strong-willed and non-squimish individuals can handle!  There are many more dogs and cats that need to be groomed than actual groomers to do them.  The quality groomers will charge fair prices that reflect their level of service and expertise. 

Overall, go with your gut.  You know what makes you feel comfortable and secure and your pet will know this too.  Finding a groomer is like finding your own hairdresser and daycare provider all rolled up into one!  This person should be considerate of your needs and those of your pet as well.  They should listen to your requests and accurately describe back to you the haircut you desire.  There should be a calmness about them and the facility – despite all the barking dogs! 

The Dreaded Nail Trim

Time for my Pawdicure

There – I said it.  Nail trims can be very challenging, even for the professionals!  Pet owners hate doing it because they are afraid to make their pet bleed.  Groomers don’t like doing it because 95% of the dogs hate it.  How can that be?  Why do dogs hate their nails being cut?  I asked my pooches but they’re not talking.  It think it is some sort of secret among our canine counterparts.

I have a few thoughts on it and I would like to share them with you:

1) A dog has strong, muscular legs and when someone is holding a paw, they can actually fight back with some pull…..literally!  They don’t have to sit back and let you do it.

2) The noise of the nail clippers can be loud and scare a few pups.

3) The bending of the nails as the sharp edge is cutting through it might feel weird (that’s why we use dremels!)

4) They had a bad experience OR their master had a bad experience doing them thus, transmitting their fear and anxiety on their companion.

All is not lost though and there are some things you can do at home to help desensitize Rover’s manicure madness.  Play with your dogs feet, toes and nails while you are relaxing on the couch together.  If your puppy pulls her feet, try to distract her with with petting and/or treats.  Try not to let go and reward her when she gives in and lets you touch them.  You may have to do this in stages and for short amounts of time initially.  Work your way up to being able to play with her feet while she enjoys the foot massage!

It is also important to take care of her nails regularly.  Six weeks is a good amount of time to schedule your appointment at the grooming spa.  If your pup does not play on hard surfaces and her nails grow extra long, you may need to get them trimmed every 4 weeks instead.  Don’t wait until you hear the clicking sounds on your hardwoods!

Some dogs will always hate it but will begin to tolerate it when they are paired with a very patient pet care professional.  Others will be reformed as they build trust in their human “pawdicure” experts and eventually hand their foot over.  Either way, nail trims are a necessity that must be done for the well-being of your pet.  Ask your vet or groomer on other helpful tips to help make the process less scary for all parties!

Puppy Love

I was lucky enough to babysit an adorable Lab puppy named Charlie recently.  Charlie belongs to one of my staff members.  I volunteered to watch him for the week she was at the beach and I was so thankful that I did!

I have forgotten all about how precious puppies can be!  Remember, my dogs are all Seniors so to watch a newbie try to climb up a step that is too high while it cries this sweet little howl, really melted my heart!  The puppy breathe, dragging shoes around the house and all those potty breaks!  Puppies are entertaining and a ton of fun.  My daughter loved him too and was constantly carrying him around.  I had to remind her often that he has four legs!!!

Watching Charlie inspired me to write about puppies and grooming.  It is extremely important that you introduce your pooch to the groomer once it receives all sets of puppy shots.  NO RESPECTABLE GROOMER would allow your pet to come to the spa if it was not fully vaccinated.

Depending on if it is a short-hair or long-haired dog, the groomer will always do the following with kindness and patience.  Nails, pads, sanitary cleaning, ears, eyes, bath & blow dry and a slight tidy for the longer coats.  I will hardly use a clipper of the body of the dog this young because it creates anxiety.  You want to create a calm and rewarding experience that will put both the puppy and owner at ease.  Most puppies will be a little nervous and this is understandable – they do not comprehend what is going on, yet it is an experienced groomer that knows how to handle the situation, can make it a positive experience.

The most important thing a pet owner can do when dropping off your new baby at the groomers is to stay calm yourself.  If you are stressed out, your puppy will sense it and it will be a harder experience for the little one.  Make it upbeat and rewarding and when you come to pick up, bring their favorite toy, a treat and lots of love and affection.  Keep in mind, the experienced groomer will give you all the feedback – positive and negative – with helpful hints and techniques to practice at home.  Puppy grooming is extremely hard and the owner has to have understanding with the groomer as well if the haircut is not exactly perfect.  The little wiggle worms can be challenging to groom and their safety is always more important then the haircut.

Utilize your groomer as a resourse for all sorts of puppy questions.  They would be happy to share their knowledge and guidance!  But most of all, enjoy your puppy when they are tiny and goofy.  Although they will soon grow into an adoring companion, the puppy moments are too cute and too short!  Savor them…..or babysit your friends puppies again and again!

 

 

Do It Yourself’ers

There’s a world of “Do-It-Yourself” people that tackle every home improvement, landscaping, automobile repair and arts & crafts projects with gusto and skill.  They watch the DIY channel, surf the internet and have hundreds of magazine clippings in their homes.  I respect these people for their guts!  Often, I think to myself, “I can paint my house myself!  I’ll save thousands of dollars and it will be done right.”  Then, reality sets in and I think of the time, the tools, the ladder……and I end up hiring a professional.

But there is one do-it-yourself that really everyone, including the kids, can do - washing the family dog!  Not only can it be fun but it is a bonding experience between you and your companion.  However, like painting your home, there is some skill, tools and techniques that can make it a whole lot easier for you and more enjoyable for Fido.

Most people will wash their pet with the garden hose, in the tub or sink.  Then they will either towel dry her and/or use their own hair dyer to knock off the excess water.  What your left with is a prettty clean dog, lots of mess in your home and the smell of wet dog lingering in the air.  It might have been fun or back-breaking.  Your pet might have enjoyed it or tried to run away.  It’s a DIY that could go either way…..and then you have to get all that hair out of your drain!!!

There is help out there that doesn’t comprise the DIY spirit.  Self-service dog washing (SSDW) is a service in the pet care industry that is on the rise and probably closer to you than you think!  For all of you in the Mecklenburg & Gaston county area in NC, Million Dollar Dog offers this very service at a reasonable cost!       

Self-Service Dog Washing Stations at MDD

For only $15, you can wash and dry your own dog with the professional grade tools and products used in the industry.  There is a ramp so you do not have to do any heavy lifting and a high speed velocity air dryer that will cut drying time immensely and put your personal hair dryer to shame!  DriedThe best part – no cleaning up!  The staff at MDD does all of the dirty work for you!  You do not have to make an appointment and you have 1 hour to wash your friend.  There are experts on site to help you, if needed and a kids room just in case your 2 legged children get bored.  What could possibly be better than this?

Sampson Getting Dried

For those of you that would rather do it at home, I want to offer some important advice:

1) If you have a pet with long hair, you MUST brush and comb out all the tangles prior to getting your pup wet.  If you do not, you will tighten the mats and create dreadlocks.

2) Make sure you are using the proper shampoo.  When in doubt, use Oatmeal or a mild shampoo.  Do NOT use people shampoo.

3) The water temperature should be cooler than what is comfortable for your showers.  A dog’s body temperature can be 3-5 degrees hotter than a humans so luke warm or slightly cooler feels best for your dog.

4) Make sure you rinse all the shampoo off so your dog feels squeaky clean.  Any shampoo that is left on can make your pet itch.

5) Try not to get water or shampoo in your dogs nose, ears and eyes.  You can place cotton balls in their ears if necessary.  Use a washcloth around their face if you are nervous.

6) Make it calm, fun and a rewarding experience for your pet.  If you are stressed, your pet will sense it and start to react in a way that is not calm and fun!!  Plenty of affection and praise is necessary to help put her mind at ease.

Do not overwash your dog.  Bathing weekly, with the exception of vet recommendaed bathes, can be too often for most dogs.  If needed, spot wash or use waterless shampoo.  When in doubt, call a local groomer for advice!!

Happy Mothers Day from the Four-Legged Kids

What better way to start my first blog than to make it about my dogs!  I will be writing so much about everyone else’s pets in the spa that I feel it is only fair to let my 3 pups have the first shout out in cyberspace!!!!

I want to start with my first born, Rocky.  AKA “Rock”, “Rock Star” or just simply “The Boy” is our 11 year old greyhound mix.  He’s the man with the attitude and a loud bark to say what is on his mind.  He is our guardian, couch potato and the one that LOVES to snuggle.  He’s our boy and my daughter Mia’s best dog-friend.

Next came Stink, I mean Maybelline.  She’s our ancient Beagle somewhere betweeen the ages of 12 and 80!  We guesstimate she is approaching 14 years old but now have a running joke that she gets younger each year.  Maybelline stinks all the time and coming from a Groomer, that’s bad news!  She looks little and dainty but she’s the one that runs the show.  Her Beagle bark makes me giggle everytime.

Janet is THE SWEETEST Lab you will ever meet (and I meet a lot of them!)  She is 9 years old and loves to come to work with me each day.  She is the typical Lab that has to be next to me wherever I go.  Loyalty is her strongest trait.  Janet is slow like Eeyore but always content.  When a client says their pet is dog-aggressive, I break out my big guns and introduce the dog to Janet.  Never, and I mean never, has another dog ever reacted to her aggressively.  She is just too laid back for them to go through the effort! 

So there you have my 3 loves.  Each has their own personalities but combined make a wonderful pack.  The only sadness I ever feel is that they are all Seniors and I’m starting to see them slow down a little.  Strike that – Janet has always been slow – Rocky & Maybelline are starting to show their age.  But then again, I’m starting to show my age too!!!!!

I think if my dogs knew that today was Mother’s Day they would do the following:

A) Wake me with kisses after they brushed their own teeth

B) Make me a delicious breakfest of tiny bits of cheese (a favorite in our home)

C) Put swifer dusters on each foot while running around the family room – playing and cleaning simultaneously

D) Pull me in a chariot for our afternoon walk

A mom can only dream…….I do know what will happen even if they don’t know it’s Mothers Day.  Boy, Stink and Janet will loyally do whatever I ask of them.  They will keep me company (even on the toilet) and they will curl up next to me when I sit down.  They will wag their tails whenever I come into the room and they will love me unconditionally. 

Happy Mothers Day to all mom’s!!!!