What Your Pet Groomer Wishes You Knew
Looking for inside information about pet grooming? Below are the 6 most common things your pet groomer wishes you knew!
- The day-to-day maintainence of your pet's coat is down to you!
Yes we have the know-how and the tools to do it, but the day-to-day maintainence of your pet's coat really is down to you.
Arranging regular grooming appointments for your pet is brilliant, but it doesn't change your responsibility as a pet owner to brush your pet regularly at home.
- We put your pet's welfare first
Imagine you've got a big tangle in your hair and someone comes along with a comb and attempts to remove it. That's going to hurt, right? Now imagine that tangled hair is somewhere sensitive, like your inner thigh or your armpit, and you have to sit there as still as you can while it's removed, all without making a complaint. Not possible? That's exactly how your pet feels.
Fortunately, pet groomers have a way of removing matted hair without the pain and stress, and we can guarentee that if your pet had a choice, it would be the method they would choose too. As pet groomers, it's our responsibility to ensure that your pet gets the very best treatment whilst under our care, and we just can't justify causing uneccessary pain for the sake of vanity.
So yes, little Bella or Fido is probably going to need a coat for the few days or weeks it'll take for them to adjust to their new hairdo. But believe me, all they're going to care about is that the clump of hair that was pulling on their skin and making them sore is gone.
If you don't want to put your pet in this situation, remember to brush them regularly.
- Your pet needs to experience grooming from a young age
The pets that get the most out of being groomed are the ones that have gotten used to it from a young age. They aren't scared of being brushed, or the noise of the dryer. Not only do they find the experience relaxing and enjoyable, but fun too!
One of the best things you can do for your pet – especially if it is a breed that will need regular grooming throughout its life – is to get it used to being brushed and having its feet and face touched from a young age.
And as a bonus, this doesn't have to be done by a professional, you can easily do it from home yourself!
- We can't turn your pet into a different breed!
We may be skilled at giving your shih-tzu a round face, or shaping your schnauzer's eyebrows and beard, but no matter how we try we're never going to be able to make your westie look like a Rottweiler or vise versa!
Please be realistic with your expectations. It's great fun to get to be creative but please remember that there's a limit to our talents!
- We won't shave double-coated pets (unless we have to)
Double coated breeds are designed to shed in order to regulate body temperature. Unfortunately there's no miracle product to stop the downside of this... hair all over the place!
Although these type of coats can become compacted and may need clipping in extreme cases, asking your groomer to remove your pets coat simply to make upkeep easier for you isn't going to go down well, and most will refuse.
Clipping can cause permanent damage to a double-coat, and and will prevent your pet from being able to regulate its temperature naturally, which is dangerous both for their health and welfare.
If you can't handle having a pet that sheds, don't get one!
- Sadly, we aren't mind readers!
When you don't quite know how you want your pet to look it leaves us in a really tricky situation.
How short is too short? Should the tail be clipped like the body or left long?
Taking some time to decide how you'd like your pet to look in advance takes away the guessing game and helps us deliver the results you're hoping for!
And with the endless material available on the Internet, you'll never be short of inspiration either!
For more information watch our YouTube video