Are you a new dog owner, or an experienced one whose dog never really gets the cut/style you’d like?
In my latest blog post, I'll be diving into the importance of sticking to a grooming schedule and the impact it can have on your dog's coat and skin. From popular breeds like Poodles and Bichon Frises to crossbreeds and beyond, finding the right grooming schedule for your pup is essential for their overall health and well-being.
But why is sticking to a grooming schedule so crucial? Not only does it help maintain a healthy coat and skin, but it also ensures that your dog looks their best and stays comfortable. Regular grooming appointments, along with proper at-home maintenance, are essential for keeping mats and tangles at bay and preventing skin issues.
Have you ever been told by a breeder that your dog only needs to be groomed a few times a year? Unfortunately, this common misconception can lead to neglected grooming routines and unhappy pups. Trusting the advice of professional groomers and reputable breeders is key to understanding the specific needs of your dog's coat and skin.
And what about concerns that frequent grooming will dry out your dog's skin or remove natural oils from their coat? Rest assured, high-quality grooming products and techniques can actually help maintain a healthy coat and skin, rather than harm it. Proper grooming practices, including regular brushing and trimming, are essential for keeping your dog looking and feeling their best.
If you've ever questioned the necessity of frequent grooming appointments or felt hesitant about trusting groomers, you're not alone. Communication is key when it comes to achieving the desired grooming results for your dog. By working closely with your groomer and discussing your dog's specific needs and preferences, you can ensure that they receive the care and attention they deserve. Its very important that we have a good relationship with all of our clients and that we work as a team to care for your dogs overall health and wellbeing.
Remember, grooming costs can vary depending on the breed and services required. Just like any other aspect of pet care, it's important to budget for grooming expenses and prioritize your dog's well-being. And if your dog isn't a fan of at-home brushing, don't worry – there are plenty of tips and tricks to help make the grooming process a positive experience for both you and your furry friend.
So, whether you have a Poodle in need of a trim or a Shih-Tzu with a luxurious coat, sticking to a grooming schedule is essential for keeping your dog healthy, happy, and looking their best. Click below to read my latest blog post and together we can help your pup navigate the world of pet grooming with confidence and ease.
Now, let's delve into schedules:
We’ve comprised a list of the most popular breeds we see at the salon below and in the photo for this post. We have included some popular cross breeds on there too, but if yours isn’t on the list then pop us a message or drop in to book a free consultation so we can recommend the correct schedule for your dogs coat type & desired style.
Maximum of 4-6 Weeks:
Poodle (Toy, Miniature & Standard)
Bichon Frise
Maltese
Lhasa Apso (Full Coat or Asian/Teddy Trim)
Shih-Tzu (Full Coat or Asian/Teddy Trim)
Havanese
Bolognese
Doodles (Poochon, Cockapoo, Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, Cavapoo, Cavachon etc.)
Newfoundland
Great Pyrenees
Bernese Mountain Dog
Maximum of 6-8 weeks:
Shih-Tzu (short pet trim)
Lhasa Apso (short pet trim)
Miniature Schnauzer
Tibetan Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
Pomeranian
Old English Sheepdog
Cocker Spaniel (strip/clip with furnishings)
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Carded)
West Highland White Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Black Russian Terrier
Maximum of 8-12 weeks: (clip offs only or short double coated breeds)
West Highland Terrier
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Border Collie
Springer Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
German Shepherd (short hair)
Airedale Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Scottish Terrier
All of these dogs need to be going to the groomers on these recommended schedules or sooner to properly maintain a healthy coat & skin, along with lots of brushing/maintenance at home in between professional grooms.
Now I know there will be a lot of dog owners reading this and disagreeing, convinced that fluffy can go a lot longer between grooms! Yes, they probably can, however if you want a specific style with your dog and never get the cut you want when your dog goes to the salon, it's probably because the coat/skin isn't in good enough condition, or your dog could be knotty/matted.
I thought it would be helpful to do a Q&A with some examples of questions we get often at the salon, to hopefully answer some that you may have:
“But the breeder said I only have to get them groomed 3 x per year!” - Sadly this is very common, and often a tactic backyard greeders use to sell high maintenance breeds & cross breeds as low maintenance pets. Do your research and always listen to a professional groomer, or a very reputable breeder who fully understands the breed and the line’s history. If you mix a Border Collie with a Poodle, 9 times out of 10 the crossbreed is a hell of a lot more work coat wise than both those breeds individually.
“They’re not long enough for a groom yet though” - How long is long enough? We don’t wait until our hair is knotty, matted and completely un-brush-able to go to the hairdressers do we? Dogs have hair that needs to be trimmed, brushed and combed all over their body, not just their head like us! If you want to maintain a healthy, shiny and vibrant coat then they need to be coming to us on the recommended schedule, especially if you want your dog to have a longer style anyway.
“Getting them groomed often will dry out their skin and remove natural oils from the coat right?” - Nope! If your groomer is using high quality, dog specific shampoo and conditioners then they won’t damage your dogs coat or skin at all, in-fact they’ll help keep them healthy by cleaning the coat and replenishing natural oils.
“I don’t get my dog groomed often because every time it gets groomed it gets taken really short, so I don’t trust groomers” - a very common one too! Your dog is being taken short for 1 of 3 reasons:
Your dog is going over the recommended schedule and you aren’t properly brushing your dog at home, therefore it’s matted and we have no choice but to shave the coat off.
Your dog doesn’t like being groomed or is aggressive. We will never ever ever expect a dog who dislikes being groomed or a dog who tries to bite us/the tools to stand on a table and tolerate us brushing it out and spending extra time scissoring to make it look all fancy. If your dog dislikes being groomed, we will always tell you, and some regular, consistent grooming/handling training needs to be done at home to overcome this. We can only do so much training in a short 1-2 hour session every month or 2, but it’s down to owners to train their dog at home in between salon visits to improve their relationship with grooming/being handled.
A miscommunication: Sometimes we have people come in and say ‘yeah I’d like them quite short’. We do what we think is best going off when they were last groomed, how they behave and what’s going to work well for their coat type. Everyone’s idea of ‘quite short’ is different, for some clients our medium length comb attachments are ‘scalped’, and for others a 7f all over isn’t short enough! Always speak to your groomer and discuss with them the desired length once they’ve got their hands on your dog so can have a good feel of its coat.
“I can’t afford to get it done that often, it costs more than my hair cut!” - Yes, it very well may do, and so it should in most cases! Groomers don’t just have to trim a head of hair, dog grooming takes a lot longer than your average human hair cut, we also do nails, trim the whole body, bum & bits, and have to shape & style the whole dog. It’s a very physical and demanding job, but it needs to be done, please do your research before getting a dog about the average grooming costs for that breed, the same as you would (hopefully) work out finances for food, walking, pet sitting etc. before you bought/adopted it. Grooming is a very regular and important part of most breeds lives.
“My dog won’t let me brush them at home” - if your dog won’t let you brush them at home, then your dog needs to be coming very regularly, even if it’s just for a bath & blow dry, so we can properly brush and comb out your dog. We always give tips and training advice on how to introduce home brushing in a positive and rewarding way (blog post to follow for this), so if you’re struggling and need help always feel free to reach out. If you want your dog to have a breed standard trim, an Asian Fusion/Creative, fluffy or a Teddy Bear trim then a proper and consistent brushing routine is a must at home in between grooms.
To conclude, it's so important to do breed specific research about your dog, and to build an open and trusting relationship with your groomer so you can navigate the big world of grooming with ease. If you're in our local area and are interested in coming to us, why not book in for your free consultation so we can discuss your preferred style, your dogs coat type and go through what our recommended grooming schedule would be to suit your dogs needs.
-Hannah Massey
The Dog Retreat Spa
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