Pet Grooming Orange County

Should You Shave Your Pet This Spring?

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Should You Shave Your Pet This Spring?

Spring in Southern California is often hot and uncomfortable. Many of us will be shedding down to shorts and tank tops. You might be wondering whether stripping down your pet’s coat for the warmer weather is a good idea. While you might think it will keep them cooler, many experts recommend against shaving to keep them cool.

Your pet’s hair isn’t like your own. A pet’s coat is designed to keep it cool during the hotter months and warm during the winter. When you shave your pet, you can interfere with its built-in temperature regulation. Cats in particular are extremely good at regulating their own body temperature without human interference.

Many dogs are specially bred to have thicker coats than others. These breeds can often use a little help cooling off during the hotter months. If your dog has a very thick coat, it might be a good idea to shave them once the weather begins to warm up. Just be sure to leave about an inch and a half of hair to protect them from sunburn. Resist shaving shorter hair breeds whenever possible.

If your dog spends a lot of time outside, has a matted coat and gets wet often then shaving might be necessary to avoid a condition called myiasis. Also, if your dog is prone to hot spots, then a shave might be helpful.

If you do plan to shave your pet this spring make sure that you take them to a professional groomer with lots of experience. This will help to prevent nasty cuts, clipper burns and other problems with the skin and coat.

Claws N Paws Day Spa opened in 2001. Unlike many other Orange County grooming shops, we are not a chain store that is required to follow corporate rules. Instead, we are able to bend certain policies in order to better accommodate you and your pet.

Pet safety and comfort is always our number one concern. We are not a small or un-established grooming shop that must purchase only bargain shampoos and discount grooming supplies. When it comes to the health and safety of your pets, we will always choose quality over cost. In addition, our four groomers each have between five and twenty years of grooming experience totaling a whopping fifty years of combined experience!

Grooming appointments are scheduled throughout the day so that each pet can receive individualized attention and go home as soon as it is finished. We will never keep your pet all day. Our grooming shop is sprayed for fleas every single month. In fact, we will not accept pets that are infested with fleas, without de-fleaing them first. This ensures that other pets will not bring fleas home from our establishment.

Claws N Paws is one of the few grooming shops in Orange County that is recommended by several local veterinarians. While we might not be your cheapest option, when shopping around for a grooming shop please keep in mind that you will always get what you pay for!

For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Spring Safety for Cats

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Spring Safety for Cats

Spring is just around the corner and many of us are already enjoying the warmer weather in Southern California. Unfortunately, hundreds of cats are injured during the spring. The cause of these springtime injuries might surprise you.

Cats love windows. They use them to watch birds and people passing by. They enjoy the warm sun and spring breezes, and they often sleep beside them. However, cats frequently lean on screens and sometimes pounce against them when excited. If the screen isn’t properly latched, or the window has no screen at all, the cat can easily fall. This happens so often that it is known as “high-rise syndrome”.

It only takes about five or six inches for a determined cat to slip through an opening, and regardless of what you’ve heard, cats do not always land on their feet. Even a short fall can cause serious injuries.

The best way to prevent injuries to your cat this spring is to make sure that your window screens are securely in place. Never open your windows more than three or four inches. This will allow the fresh air inside without allowing your cat to force its way out.

When opening doors that lead outside, make sure that your cat isn’t lurking nearby, planning its great escape. Make sure that your doors always close securely behind you whenever you leave the house. Also, it’s important that children and guests know this rule as well. If you are planning a trip away from home, you will need to let your pet sitter know that your cat is an “indoor only cat” and that they need to be very careful not to let them out of the house.

Unfortunately, high-rise syndrome is a sad reality for many pet lovers and their furry companions. While you enjoy the warmer weather of the spring and summer you will want to make sure that is a safe one for everyone, including your four legged friends!

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Be My Furry Valentine

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Be My Furry Valentine

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and everyone is getting ready. Flower shops, restaurants and card companies are all preparing and advertising around the clock. While people everywhere plan the perfect night for that special someone, many of us will be celebrating with our pets instead. This only makes sense considering that our pets provide us with an everlasting supply of unconditional love.

Let’s take a look at the top reasons why your furry friend is the perfect Valentine’s date this year:

  1. Cheap date
    Your pet doesn’t care about visiting the fanciest restaurant in town and they don’t need an expensive gift either.
  2. No need to dress up
    It doesn’t matter what you are wearing, your pet will only care if you are by their side.
  3. You get to choose what you do
    Your pet probably won’t argue with you about what movie to watch or what you will eat.
  4. You can keep the chocolate all to yourself
    Chocolate is toxic to pets so there’s no need to share.
  5. Pets won’t argue (or talk your ear off)
  6. No pressure
    Valentine’s Day can be full of pressure. You must plan the perfect date, pick the perfect gift and look your best. When you spend Valentine’s Day with your pet these added pressures simply don’t exist.
  7. Unconditional love
    Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a celebration of love. Our pets spend every day loving us unconditionally.
  8. Pets are easy to shop for
    Shopping for the perfect Valentine’s gift can be a nightmare. Compared to people, your pet is a lot easier to shop for. If you decide to give your pet a gift, all it will take is a quick visit to your local pet supply store.
  9. Spending time with your pet is good for your health
    Research has proven that spending time with your pet has many health benefits.

Considering getting your pet groomed before Valentine’s Day? Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Top Ten Situations That Groomers Face Every Day

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Top Ten Situations That Groomers Face Every Day

Despite what most people believe, pet grooming isn’t just playing with pets and giving them a haircut while they stand perfectly still. There are actually a lot of problems that can occur with grooming, caused by both the pets and their people. Believe it or not, most pets don’t enjoy having to stand still, having their nails trimmed, their ear hair plucked and having noisy clippers dragged all over their body.

Grooming a pet is very different than cutting a human’s hair. While people are able to sit still and actually enjoy the process of having their hair cared for, pets often soil themselves, wiggle constantly and sometimes even bite their groomer.

Let’s take a closer look at the top ten situations pet groomers face every day:

  • Groomers leave work looking like they’ve been in a fight
    One of the many ways that pets show their displeasure is by flailing about. This can happen while they are being groomed, bathed or simply when they are picked up. As they flail about, their claws dig into their groomer’s flesh, leaving them looking like they’ve been fighting with a thorn bush all day long.
  • Groomers must deal with persistent customers
    Many pet parents believe that persistence will pay off when trying to get a grooming appointment. These customers often try to get a same day appointment and refuse to give up, even when the groomer is booked solid for weeks.
  • Groomers are often paranoid about the way they smell
    Groomers spend their entire workday surrounded by a variety of smells including wet dog, urine, feces and bleach. This makes it virtually impossible to leave work smelling like a bed of roses.
  • Groomers must read between the lines
    Pet parents are often vague about how they want their pet groomed. Sometimes they ask for “short” when they only want a light trim, or they tell the groomer to do “whatever they think will look good.” This often leads to problems when their pet doesn’t look exactly how they think it should after their grooming appointment.
  • Appointment times are often ignored
    When a customer is given an appointment time it is generally understood that they should arrive at the correct time. However, many customers feel that appointment times are more like “guidelines” and arriving within a couple of hours of their appointed time is fine.
  • Groomer’s lung is real
    Thousands of tiny hairs blasting everywhere combined with the dander and dirt that comes off of pets and the perfumes in shampoos and sprays can cause significant damage to a groomer’s lungs.
  • A pet groomer’s hands suffer the most
    A pet groomer’s hands are constantly wet from giving baths, they get fried by the dryers, chaffed from the scissors, receive friction burns from the clippers and are constantly getting bit and scratched by pets.
  • Anal glands
    While many grooming shops empty a dog’s anal glands as part of the service, most of the time they will empty their gland’s themselves, often all over their groomer.
  • Pet parents often use misleading words when describing vicious pets
    Just because you call your pet “strong willed” or “a bit snappy” it won’t make it hurt any less when they bite your groomer’s finger off.
  • Matting and knots
    It’s not unusual for a pet parent to bring in an animal that is more knot than pet and claim that they don’t want it shaved. Unfortunately, the groomer must then explain that not shaving a pet in this condition would be inhumane.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

 

Reducing Static Electricity on Cats

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Reducing Static Electricity on Cats

During the winter you have probably noticed that you get a shock each time you pet your feline friend. When the air is dry, your cat can build up an electrical charge in its thick fur. As soon as that static build up finds a home, such as your unsuspecting hand, it can cause a nasty shock. Typically if your cat shocks you once you can almost guarantee that it will happen again. Fortunately there are a few tricks to reduce static electricity on cats. Try the following and see if it helps:

  • Set up a humidifier in the room that your cat uses the most. It might be helpful to set up several around your home. This helps by making the inside air moist during the dry months of winter, causing less static electricity to build up in your cat’s fur.
  • Try rubbing a fabric softener sheet over your cat’s fur. Just like it does on your clothes, fabric softener sheets can significantly reduce the amount of static electricity in your cat’s fur. The chemicals in the fabric softener sheets are not harmful to your cat.
  • You can also try brushing your cat daily with an ionic pet brush. These brushes can be found online or in pet stores for around thirty dollars. Ionic pet brushes help to keep your cat’s fur looking shiny and healthy while reducing static build up. Ionic brushes are a great alternative if you or your cat does not like the smell of fabric softener sheets.

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!

Winter Allergies in Dogs

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Winter Allergies in Dogs

Even though people tend to associate allergies with the spring, dogs can also experience allergy type reactions during the winter. Many dogs are hypersensitive to temperature changes and indoor mold build up. These seasonal changes can cause reactions or trigger dormant issues within their system. Winter allergies in dogs can manifest in a number of ways. The most common symptom is dry skin, which can become uncomfortable, flaky and discolored.

Temperature changes that occur in mid-fall and winter can cause a dog’s skin to become more sensitive. Dogs can also become sensitive to mold buildup in their homes, causing intense itchiness. However, most dog allergies are caused by nutritional deficiencies which are exacerbated by winter conditions.

Winter allergies can cause a variety of symptoms. Skin conditions associated with winter allergies can cause red, itchy, flaky and scaly skin. A dog’s constant licking and scratching can cause bald spots to develop. Allergies can also cause a dog’s paws to swell. In addition to skin conditions, dogs might develop conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is characterized by red, swollen eyes with mucous-like discharge. This condition often escalates quickly as dogs paw and rub at their eyes.

Allergies can be treated with biotin, which is one of the B vitamins. Studies have shown that a daily supplement of biotin can significantly improve dry skin and seborrhea. Dogs with seasonal allergies should be bathed and brushed every 3-4 weeks. Moisturizing shampoo made especially for dogs with allergies should be used. Marigold and Echinacea can also be used to treat skin conditions. Speak to your dog’s groomer about the best course of action.

Although winter allergies in dogs can be difficult to avoid completely, controlling the amount of mold in your home can significantly help your dog’s allergies. Humidity in the home should always be kept low and leaks that could cause moisture buildup should be repaired immediately. Using exhaust fans after showering and cooking can also reduce the chance of mold buildup.

If you have questions about your pet’s allergies, please speak to your veterinarian.

We hope that this information has been helpful as we strive to provide education on all aspects of pet care.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Receive a free teeth brushing for your pet when you mention our blog!