Pet Grooming To Perfection

We love our furry little friends, our babies, our cats and dogs of course. When we first set eyes on the adorable little bundles, there are a few things that never cross our minds. Are they going to get huge? Will they still be cute? Are they going to be easy to train? One thing that a lot of people do not think of is the grooming requirements. Sure, some dogs and cats, in particular, kind of take care of themselves. That is not true of many breeds. I am blessed with two chihuahuas, not much hair to brush, a poodle mix, nonshedder, and a German Shepherd who is a shedding machine. Pet grooming is a huge business for people who are too busy or not skilled enough to do it themselves. We want our pets to look nice and more importantly, to smell nice.

There are many pet shampoos, brushes, combs, moist wipes, deshedding tools, and things to trim nails on the market. Some of our pets resist our best efforts to keep them looking spiffy. In that case, a professional groomer is in order.

Grooming takes patience. "Sit still!" works somewhat on dogs and not at all on cats. Poodles, schnauzers, cocker spaniels, and the like need regualar trims to keep their coats in check. A matted coat is smelly and unattractive and can be detrimental to skin health. How will you find fleas under all those mats? In addition a matted coat will drive your cat crazy. They will work day and night to get that mat out, eat it, and throw it up in a basket of clean laundry. Hairballs, another lovely perk for the cat owner. Don't even get started about nail clipping. The tiniest dog can be the biggest challenge to achieve this seemingly simple task. Yes, we all know that we should start early in the pets life to get them used to brushing and nail trimming, but we are way too busy playing with them. Some of us do not have the patience for it. At the first sign the "baby" is not happy, we stop. They whine, growl, or heaven forbid, show their teeth and we are convinced that we are somehow injuring them.

Check the phone book. There are groomers galore. There are even places that allow you to use their tubs, hand held showers and towels, for a price. It's kind of like a pet carwash. Doesn't sound like much fun. The upside is that your house will not get messy, but you will get soaked. A professional groomer can coif your pet to perfection. Just drop them off and go shopping. When you return, your little darling will be picture perfect. No more razor sharp nails, clean ears, a lovely haircut, anal glands expressed and sometime dental scaling is done. Wow, all you have to do is pay for it and tip the groomer. The groomer's work is done and all you have to do is keep Fluffy from jumping into a mud puddle on the way home.

Now there are those pets who do not take to grooming. Some of them are downright terrified at the thought of some stranger working on them. A patient, experienced groomer will take his or her time to comfort your pet and put him at ease with the clippers and other equipment. Occasionally a pet will require a tranquilizer if they are very nervous or aggressive. While pills (doggie downers) or herbal drops sometimes help, a real hard case should be groomed at a veterinary hospital so that injectable tranquilizers may be used and monitered. I have a friend whose bloodhound has to be completely knocked out for a nail trim. You laugh, but this dogs is 120 pounds of muscle and he will beat any two normal people into submission before one nail is clipped. Somewhere down the line this boy had one bad experience!

We have yet to touch on cats. Cats are another ball game entirely. Many places do not groom cats. Some places groom only cats. Those places are a good choice because cats cannot be handled like dogs. Cats are generally clean, fastidious creatures, but long haired breeds will need some grooming. Outdoor cats often come in with burrs and all manner of gross stuff on their coats and need a little help cleaning it up. Another thing that can happen to an outdoor cat is getting "skunked." Having a professional groomer take care of that stench is a definite yes! Cats that are severely matted may need to be shaved down completely. Yes, they will look ridiculous, but it will grow back.

So remember before you take that sweet little poodle home, he or she will need to groomed on a regular basis. Keep that in mind when considering the cost of raising a pet.

 


 

Pet Grooming News:

 

News 5 Investigates: Dead Dog Photos on Facebook - WKRG-TV

News 5 Investigates: Dead Dog Photos on Facebook
WKRG-TV
They need a voice and we have to be their voice," said Debbie Wall, who is co-owner of 'Kuddles-N-Kisses" pet grooming. "A neighbor's son actually witnessed a black Chevy pickup holding her out the window of the car, and then threw her over and took .

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Dromore woman seeks home for dog thrown from car - Dromore Today

Dromore woman seeks home for dog thrown from car
Dromore Today
A DROMORE woman urgently seeking a suitable home for a dog reportedly thrown from a moving car has condemned whoever was responsible for callously dumping the ageing animal. Kerry Taggart, who operates a mobile dog-grooming service locally, .

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Pet calendar: Discount pet vaccine event in Joliet
TodayLow-cost pet vaccine clinic: 5-8 p.m Jan. 24, hosted by Spay Illinois at Karens Pet Grooming, at 109 Republic Ave. in Joliet. No appointment is necessary. Cash or credit is accepted. Spay Illinois is a nonprofit organization that offers affordable vaccine clinics and spaying/neutering. Call 877-475-7729 for more information.SaturdayWinter family day/open house: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 28 at ...


RI lawmakers: Chafee budget plan has tax hikes
Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee (CHAY'-fee) is proposing additional funding for public schools and tax hikes on restaurant meals, cigarettes, taxi fares and pet grooming...


Animal visit puts smile on faces of Antioch seniors - San Jose Mercury News

Animal visit puts smile on faces of Antioch seniors
San Jose Mercury News
By Paul Burgarino Deloris Serra recently drove her scooter into the community room of her Antioch assisted-living home, her faithful dog Molly trotting right behind. Serra hoped her favorite Antioch Veterinary Hospital dog groomer would be at an event, .

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