Mobile Dog Groomer
07445 779773
GENERAL GROOMING QUESTIONS
What does a grooming appointment involve?
First, I will greet your dog and make friends before discussing with you what your requirements are in terms of style, including what your lifestyle is like as this has a large impact on the practicality of any haircut, what your dog’s previous grooming experiences (if any) have been and whether he or she has any concerns with being handled. We will complete the grooming card and I’ll do a health check of your dog looking for any lumps or bumps, checking for hot spots and also looking at the condition of their coat and assessing whether their are any mats.
In the event that you aren’t sure what length you’d like, as it is very difficult sometimes to know what you want,I usually take a clip down the dog’s back with a long blade and go shorter until you’re happy.
I’ll then get on with the groom!
What does the groom include?
Each full groom includes:
- Health check of your dog’s skin and coat
- Two shampoos with natural shampoos with essential oils
- Blast and blow dry
- Styling using clippers and scissors
- Nail trim if needed
- Finishing cologne if required.
I have a puppy - when can he start being groomed?
As soon as your puppy has had his second vaccinations, he should be taken to the groomer to start getting familiar with all the sights, sounds and sensations involved in the process. If you have a dog who is going to require grooming for the rest of his life such as a Schnauzer or Shih Tzu, or a Doodle, time spent when he is young will pay dividends forever.
Most groomers, myself included, offer puppy packages to educate young puppies and gradually get them used to being groomed. There is also a lot you can do to help your puppy - have a look at my article here.
What products will you use for bathing and styling my dog?
I prefer to use natural products such as those by Wildwash and Hownd because these have minimal damaging chemicals such as Sodium Laurel Sulphate, parabens, phosphates, Petrochemicals or PEGs. They are based on essential oils, not synthetic fragrances and they are tailored to the pH of a dog’s skin. Cheap dog shampoos can strip the skin and coat and result in irritation so I prefer to pay a little more for quality.
My dog has really sensitive skin, what shampoos will you use?
We use natural products without Sodium Laurel Sulphates which can irritate skin, and have shampoos especially for sensitive skin. We are also of course happy to use veterinary prescribed shampoos if you have them for your dog.
Can you just cut my dog’s hair without bathing? would it be cheaper?
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, I do not cut dirty coats. There are several reasons for this, the first being that dirty coats can wreck scissors and clipper blades which is extremely expensive and the second is that without bathing and drying the coat, it is difficult to get a good finish, especially with the curly coated dogs.
Can you just bath and dry my dog?
Absolutely! Many dogs with shorter hair such as labradors book in for a bath and dry to freshen them up and work on de-shedding them for you. Short haired dogs most definitely benefit from coming for a bath, dry, de-shed and nail trim.
Can I stay with my dog?
Often owners wish to stay with their dog - this may be because they are worried or concerned about what goes on in a groom, or because they are aware their dog has issues. Although I have no problem with owners being present, I tend to find that dogs tend to misbehave more! Dogs can ‘act up’ with the owner in a way that they do not with the groomer.
There are occasions when having the owner present is a good idea - perhaps to help reassure or when working through a re-education process. In these situations, I will discuss your attendance with you.
Help! My dog has fleas
Fleas are a real pain, and I am afraid that your dog cannot attend for grooming if he or she is infested. I suggest that you speak to your vet and ensure that you are using a reputable brand of flea prevention regularly enough - often those products you can buy off the shelves just don’t do the job I’m afraid!
Bath your dog and treat them straight away but don’t forget to treat carpets and other areas of your home. You can buy ‘flea bombs’ to treat whole rooms which can be very useful.
My dog is nervous, or doesn’t like grooming - can you help?
Absolutely - as a qualified groomer and trainer, I can work with you and your dog to help them overcome fears around the grooming process. Usually this will involve shorter sessions so that the dog does not becomes stressed - see my article on helping the nervous dog here.
Why does my dog act differently after he’s been groomed?
This is perfectly normal - especially if the dog has been very matted. Imagine having a hot heavy coat on - and in the case of severe matting one that is very tight - and then its removed. A lot of dogs rush about initially and then they are shattered, sleeping heavily. Being groomed is actually very tiring for the dog since they have to stand on the table for drying then for clipping and scissoring plus it is a little stressful for them. So, don’t worry if your dog is either a little overexcitable afterward or really sleepy, its normal.
My bitch is in season/pregnant/nursing, can I still bring her for grooming?
If your bitch is in season, we can still groom her but ask that you let us know beforehand so we can alter the time of the appointment if necessary. This is because if an entire male is also booked in, it is better to have the male dog first since the smell of the bitch in season can make the groom of him very tricky! Some bitches’ behaviour can alter when in season and they can be sensitive so occasionally this can affect the groom.
If your bitch is pregnant it is best not to groom her - the stress, even if she is used to being groomed, can cause her to resorb the puppies. Instead, get a good short clip before she is due to be mated so that she will not need clipping for a good while.
Similarly, its best not to clip a nursing dog - taking her away from the pups early on is not advised but later (assuming she is used to leaving the pups) is fine.
Will my dog be muzzled?
I do not like muzzling dogs if I can avoid it - often aggressive dogs are nervous and the important thing is to re-train the dog to learn that grooming is not that bad. This can take a little time and occur over several appointments and it may be that a muzzle will be required until the dog is more comfortable so that everyone is safe in the meantime.
However, as a solo groomer I prefer not to groom very difficult dogs on my own. If you wish to work with me as a trainer, we can work together to help your dog overcome his or her fears.
Can I bring treats for my dog?
Yes absolutely! I am a strong believer in using positive reinforcement for training and grooming so please do give me some of their treats. However, please do tell me if your dog cannot take certain types of treats as I do use them as a matter of course during the groom.