How often should I get my dog groomed?
It really depends on your dog and what you are looking for.
For hair-bearing breeds (poodles, shih tzus, doodles, ect) 6-8 weeks is normal for average pet length cuts. In general, the longer you want to keep the cut, the more regularly the dog should come in to prevent matting. If you want to stretch your grooming appointments, you can usually get away with every 12 weeks (4 times a year) if you get the dog really short and trim the nails between groomings.
For fur-bearing breeds (goldens, huskeys, shepherds, ect) every 12 weeks, or 4 times a year with the change of the seasons, is best for health reasons. However, if you brush regularly at home, many dogs are fine being left even longer between appointments. If what you want to cut down on shedding in your house, I do recommended getting your dog groomed monthly.
Will my dog be crated?
Probably not, but that is not guaranteed. I like to let them roam in the shop while I work. This way they can socialize, take a nap, and if they really need to, take a potty on my floors. I am switching over to express grooming so your dog will not come into contact with many other dogs while here.
Now, for nervous dogs who prefer their own space, I put them behind my counter with a baby gate blocking the other dogs from bothering them. This way they can still feel a part of everything, but also be comfortable.
However, if I deem your dog a problem (or if you tell me when I first meet your dog), your dog will be crated in the large crates outside the actual grooming space. These are outfitted with yoga mats, and a bowl of water, so your dog is comfortable, but I leave them outside the grooming space for the protection of the other dogs and so your dog can relax while not seeing the other dogs.
Why does it cost so much?
Pet grooming, on a whole, is a luxury service. Anyone can buy a pair of clippers or a brush and do it themselves to varying degrees of success (though usually they go back to a professional commenting on how challenging it is). Thus, it is important for each groomer to decide how much their time is worth, and charge accordingly.
Remember we groom the pets whole body. If a person were to get a hair cut, their nails done, whole body wax and they hadn’t brushed their hair in over a month, it would cost much much more than an average pet grooming service. Additionally, I bet you don’t poo in your hair salon or try to scratch or bite your hairdresser, and yet groomers still tend to charge a lower hourly rate that a human hairdresser. If you really think about it, it’s a pretty good deal.
Do you do hand stripping?
Yes, I was given professional experience hand stripping both terrier and spaniel coats while working for Nancy Bryson, a top Canadian groomer known for her work with terriers.
Can you groom my corded/flocked dog?
I will groom Pulik. I do know how to bath, dry, separate, and trim cords however it is a long and back breaking process (expect it to take an entire day). For that reason, I will not groom flocked or corded Bergamasco or Komondor. It’s just too much work to do on my own.
Do you work evenings?
No. You don’t want to see me after 6pm. My brain quits working.
Do you offer multi-dog discounts?
No. I charge everyone the same hourly rate. Plus, I am a low volume/quality focused groomer (grooming only about 4 small dogs a day on my own as opposed to the 8-12 many other groomers do). Thus, I care more about having awesome regular clients, than about having many clients with many dogs.
Do you groom cats?
Short Answer: No.
I love cats. I have 2 (Monster and Merrit) and I foster cats for Pride Rescue, but my knowledge on grooming cats does not go far past the theoretical thus I do not feel comfortable charging money for grooming cats
Are you certified?
This question bugs me because many groomers claim to be certified because they graduated from a grooming course somewhere (or even worse they claim to be licensed. By who? There is no license for groomers). In the industry graduating from a course is not what should be considered certified.
True certification is done by a few independent judging associations; the IPG, the NDGA, or the CPPS, not by any school. However certification through the IPG and NDGA is now offered mostly though the states, and I have seen grooms pass CPPS grading with incorrect breed standard which has made me lose faith in the value of it (though I have heard they are getting tougher with their marking recently).
Thus, I do strive to learn and improve myself and my knowledge but I have chosen, for now, to opt out of the certification process.
Will you groom my show dog?
If it’s a Buhund or breed which is similarly shown very natural, then sure. Otherwise, I strongly recommend you get you grooming done by your breeder or handler. Your breeder should be able to tell you who has specialized skills in your breed. There are so many small details to grooming a dog to a ring competitive standard it really is important to get your show dog groomed by someone who really understands the tiny details.
You seemed odd/distant, did you not like me or my dog?
… Here is a not-too-secret secret. I have an anxiety disorder which is primarily social. I am okay when repeating things I say over and over but when I deviate from my script I get nervous. Please forgive me, and please be understanding. I am attending classes to try and improve and hopefully, one day, I will be more comfortable.