When should you start having your dog groomed you ask? First & foremost the answer is young! Puppies can be introduced to grooming at as early as 8 weeks old. Dogs that are high maintenance especially should be started young.
OK... we need categories... because different breeds shed differently, & some don't shed at all.
Low Maintenance This would be Labs, Pit bulls, boxers, beagles... These dogs are what we call tub dogs or wash & wear. They require ear cleaning, having their nails trimmed very little brushing & a bath. Sounds easy, huh? Yup, they require the least work & therefore tend to get neglected the most when it comes to grooming. People don't realize how dirty they can get. When you see your lab rubbing on your couch or you, or just itching like crazy, it's not always fleas or a real problem. Sometimes they just need a bath.
Medium Maintenance This would include Shephards, Huskys, & Akitas to name a few. They shed in clumps... if you have one of these breeds, you know what I mean. With these dogs you can do the Edward Scissor hands thing & make fur fly! These dogs have to have the undercoat brushed out. It tends to clump up when the get really dirty making it difficult to brush. Sometimes the dog likes to go "swamping" making the fur clump together reallly tight, so if neglected for too long some spots may need to be shaved. You can completely avoid this by having him groomed regularly.
High Maintenance This covers a wide variety of breeds. Collies, Samoyeds, Chows, Newfoundlands, All Terrier breeds, Poodles, Maltese, Lhasa Apsos, Cocker spaniels and so on & so on...
The larger dogs that I listed have 2 or 3 layers to their coats. The purpose of some of these breeds was to withstand intense cold. That's why they have many layers to their coats. The important thing to know is that they don't shed all of the layers. They shed the undercoat. We refer to it as packing... 'cuz that's what it does if not brushed out. It gets really packed & mats to the skin making it so the dogs skin can't breathe.
These dogs are the ones you have be careful with... Chows & Samoyeds love to be outdoors. Especially in cold weather. They like to roll in the snow & basically party as much as a dog can.
The problem is that they get wet and can't dry properly if they're coats are packed with undercoat. They are also prone to what are refered to as "HOT SPOTS". This is caused by the dampness of the undercoat. It's like when your feet are wet and they don't properly dry. First the skin is wrinkly then itchy. We can always use powder or something to help before you get to the itchy stage but a dog does not know how to do this.
Instead they get itchy & CHEW! They chew like crazy until they make the spots really bad & then you have to take them to the vet, the dog gets the spot shaved & feels like a dope.
I've seen a case where a Samy that liked to lay in the snow had to be shaved! (Not an easy task! :oP) Under the packed in fur was mold. After 2 hours of shaving & 3 baths he finally felt better. I hate to see these cases. Had the dog come in before the winter the whole problem could have been avoided.
The smaller dogs that I refered to generally have to have actual hair cuts. These are the highest maintenance dogs. Depending on the texture of their coat (Terriers usually have coarser coats that don't mat as easily) some should be trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks. If they go too long, the hair is too matted to brush out without torturing the dog so it is then easier for everyone to just shave the dog down.
Some grooming shops even offer brush out schedules at a reduced price so that the dog can come in just to be brushed so that you can grow his hair for that oh so cute fuzzy look.
You will want to discuss your dogs individual needs with your groomer. Your groomer will be able to tell you how often your dog should be groomed based on your dogs lifestyle, & coat. Other factors may also apply.
PLEASE... If your groomer tells you that the dog should go NO MORE than 2 months between grooming... pay attention. I have customers that I honestly would like to choke. I know that money can be tight & that problems arise, but there is NO excuse for waiting 6 months to have a Bichon groomed. I've seen dogs come in that are matted right to the skin & the hair when shaved comes off like a sheep being sheared. That is just plain neglect. Would you go a week without brushing your hair or showering? That is at least the equivalent for a dog. OK... I'm off the soapbox now...hehehe
Do not be afraid to discuss any problems or concerns with your groomer. If you are unhappy with the your dogs latest grooming... let the groomer know. We are not perfect, we are not magicians. We are people who love your pet & want to make it look it's best, but we do have bad days. Deciding to switch groomers because you are unhappy with one groom without telling the groomer is unfair. We will generally do our best to fix the situation. Some things we have no control over... If your dog goes home after a bath & gets the itchies he may have a problem with a shampoo, letting the groomer know this is the best thing to do. We can adjust shampoos and make sure that the problem is noted for future reference.
On a personal note... If you do like your groomer and are happy with the service he or she provides, you may tip your groomer. If you tip your hairdresser you should also tip your dogs hairdresser. After all, we are doing pretty much the same thing for them as the hairdresser does for you. And your hairdresser doesn't have to worry about whether or not you'll bite or pee on her floor. It is not mandatory & if you are not happy with the groom by all means you shouldn't tip. But if you appreciate your groomer for all she does for your pet, you really should let her know. I don't know about other grooming shops, but I don't charge very high prices & will never be rich by tending to your animals. The reason I groom is that I love what I do. I love the dogs & I love making them look & feel good. If I won the lottery I would probably work for nothing (I wouldn't do the dogs that want to bite me...lol) but I would still like to be appreciated. A kiss by a dog is good, lol but it doesn't pay the bills. :o)
Feel free to email me with questions or comments, or you can sign my guestbook below. I would love to know that someone's looked at my page besides me.
All graphics here were made by ME! :o) I found this nifty little thing called Paint Shop Pro 5... woo-hoo! I love it! I'm not getting paid to sponsor PSP 5 but if someone wants to pay me I'll take it! :o)