Pet Grooming Orange County

Basics of Dog Grooming

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Basics of Dog Groomingbasics of dog grooming

Grooming is one of your dog’s basic needs. Just like people, dogs must be physically maintained in order to look and feel their best. Luckily, dogs don’t need to bathe as often as humans do. It is up to you to learn just how much grooming your dog actually needs. Typically a dog’s grooming needs depend on its breed and hair type. The following are the basics of dog grooming:

Hair brushing

A dog’s brushing needs depend largely on their hair type. Long-haired dogs typically require daily brushing in order to prevent tangling of the fur. Medium-haired dogs should be brushed weekly or more depending on how prone they are to matting. Short-haired dogs should be brushed every two to three weeks. Regardless of their hair type, dogs can be brushed daily if they enjoy it. Regular brushing not only keeps their coat shiny and healthy, but it will strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

Nail Trimming

Nail trims are usually the least favorite part of grooming for both dogs and their owners. Most dogs don’t like having their paws handled because they know how much it hurts to have their nails cut too short and pet parents are often uncomfortable with the process because they are afraid of hurting their dog. Dogs will develop an aversion to nail trimming once they have experienced pain from it. Ideally, nails should be trimmed by a professional groomer or veterinarian to avoid any injury or undue stress. Most dogs require monthly nail trims although some need less or more depending on their nail’s rate of growth.

Bathing

Most dogs should be bathed monthly, but bathing as often as once a week is not considered harmful. Dogs should be bathed with soap-free shampoo that is specifically made for use on dogs. Depending on the condition of your dog’s skin and coat, special shampoos might be necessary.

Ear care

Your dog’s ears can quickly become home to yeast and bacteria if they are not cleaned properly. Some dogs can go their whole lives without any ear problems, only requiring ear cleaning during their monthly bath. However, many other dogs suffer from chronic ear problems and require multiple ear cleanings each day.

Haircuts

Long haired dogs such as Poodles and Shih-Tzu’s need their hair cut every two to four weeks. This task is best left to a professional groomer who has the right tools and understands how to cut your dog’s hair without causing them injury.

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

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The Dangers of Free In-Home Grooming Ads

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The Dangers of Free In-Home Grooming Ads

We all enjoy browsing through the classifieds on websites like Craigslist. Even though most of the products and services offered on these websites are legitimate, there are many possible dangers in answering these types of ads.

Recently there has been an increase of people offering in-home pet grooming for a reduced price or for free. Many of these individuals claim that they are professional groomers that are trying to earn money to open a shop or to purchase a mobile pet grooming van. Sometimes they advertise that they are offering services for free or for very little in order to collect before and after pictures for their website. While this might seem like an incredible deal, there are several reasons why you should never allow one of these so-called groomers into your home.

Law enforcement agencies agree that you should never give out your home address when answering classified ads. Once you provide your physical address, you become a potential victim. The individual offering grooming services can use your address to commit crimes against you, or pass your address along to their acquaintances. Remember that scammers on Craigslist are professionals at what they do. Even if they are extremely friendly and professional on the phone or through email, you should never give out your address to strangers. Bogus groomers, once over the doorstep, can become menacing and even violent.

In addition to the dangers of allowing strangers into your home, there are potential dangers for your pets as well. If you don’t take the time to check your pet groomer’s credentials, the consequences could be severe. Inexperienced, unlicensed groomers are more likely to cause serious injuries to your pet including:

  • Cuts
  • Burns
  • Falls
  • Eye Injury
  • Ear Injury
  • Brush Burn

Even though these injuries can happen when you use a licensed groomer, if your groomer is not licensed and is un-insured, then you will be the only one who is responsible for these injuries.

Using a professional, licensed groomer just makes sense. If you are unable to leave your home to bring your pet to the groomer, consider mobile grooming. Never allow strangers into your home, or allow inexperienced groomers to touch your pet.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers mobile grooming for both dogs and cats in Orange County, California. Our pet grooming salon has been in Fountain Valley, California since 2001. For more information, or to set up your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

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Why You Should Adopt Your Next Cat

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Why You Should Adopt Your Next Catadopt807

If you are considering adding a new cat to your family, there are many reasons why you should adopt, not shop. Let’s look at the top five reasons why you should adopt your next cat:

  1. When you adopt, you save a life
    In the United States, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year simply because too many people give up their pets and not enough people adopt. This number could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them from pet shops. When you adopt, you save the life of two animals; the pet that you adopt and the homeless animal that can be rescued because of the space that you helped free up.
  2. Adopted pets are healthier pets
    Animal rescue groups are full of happy, healthy pets just waiting for someone to take them home. Rescue groups ensure that pets are vaccinated and examined by a veterinarian when they arrive, and most will spay or neuter them before they are adopted. In addition to medical care, rescue groups also screen animals for specific temperaments and behaviors to ensure each family finds the perfect pet for their lifestyle. While many people believe that animals end up at a rescue facility because they are abused or because they have behavior problems. The truth is that most pets are given up due to people reasons, not because of anything they’ve done. The most common reasons people give up their pets include financial reasons, a divorce, a move or simply lack of time.
  3. Adoption saves you money
    Adopting a pet is far less expensive than buying a pet from a pet shop. In addition, most adopted pets are already spayed or neutered and vaccinated, making adoption a much better bargain.
  4. Adopting makes you feel better
    Pets have a special way of putting a smile on our faces. They give us unconditional love, and caring for a companion animal can provide a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessen feelings of loneliness in all age groups. When you adopt a rescue animal you will receive all of these benefits as well as the good feelings that come from the knowledge that you gave them a second chance at life.
  5. When you adopt you won’t be supporting puppy mills or pet shops
    Puppy mills are factory style breeding facilities that put their profits above the health and well-being of the pets that they “produce”. Animals raised in puppy mills are housed in horrible conditions and they do not receive proper medical care. Breeding animals are bred over and over again without human companionship or hope of ever being part of a family. Once they are done being profitable, they are simply discarded. Animals that are produced at puppy mills are sold to unsuspecting customers of pet stores, over the internet and through newspaper classified ads. They are often advertised as coming from great breeders but customers will never get to see where these animals actually come from. Most animals that come from puppy mills have serious health and behavioral problems that will cost their owners thousands of dollars to treat, if they can be treated at all. Puppy mills will continue to exist until people stop purchasing from them. By adopting instead of buying a pet you can be certain that you are not supporting puppy mills with your money.

Claws N Paws has many cats and kittens available for adoption. For more information, please click here or give us a call at 714-962-1005.

Brushing Your Cat

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Brushing Your Catjessica0808_2

Healthy cats will typically spend several hours each day grooming themselves. Regardless, every now and then they will need your help maintaining their sleek or fluffy appearance. Regular brushing and combing helps remove dirt and prevent tangles from forming. It also helps to spread out your cat’s naturally produced oils, keeping their coat shiny. These important oils also keep your cat’s skin free from irritations.

Cats that have long hair will require more grooming assistance than short-haired cats. Long-haired cats can easily become matted and get things tangled in their fur, especially if they are allowed to go outdoors. Long-haired cats should be brushed and combed every single day. Short-haired cats really only require brushing once a week unless they have a habit of collecting things in their coat.

Brushing is especially important during season changes when your cat tends to shed more fur. While outdoor cats will shed in the spring and autumn, indoor cats tend to shed all year long. This is caused mostly because of the amount of time that your cat spends in direct daylight vs. artificial light, and less because of temperature changes. When a cat is shedding and it grooms itself, it will ingest the hair. This can quickly lead to hairballs. Regular brushing removes the loose fur before your cat has a chance to ingest it.

There are a large number of brushes and combs available for use on cats. For short-haired cats, you can use a short metal comb to remove loose hair or a rubber brush which is perfect for removing loose hair and giving a soft massage at the same time. Fine toothed metal combs can be used to lift any fleas from their coat. When selecting a brush or comb, just make sure that the comb is short and delicate enough so that it does not damage your cat’s skin. Start at the head and slowly work your way to the tail, carefully brushing the legs as well.

For long-haired cats you should use a larger comb and a longer pin brush. When brushing a long-haired cat it is extremely important to remove any tangles, but you should never tug on the tangles too hard. Hard to remove tangles should only be removed by a professional groomer. Brush your cat’s fur all the way through, making sure that you brush the cat’s tummy and legs.

After brushing, it’s a good idea to use a damp cloth or a wet hand to carefully remove any remaining loose hair.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has been taking care of Orange County’s cats since 2001. For information on professional cat grooming or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call us at 714-962-1005.

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Puppy’s First Groom

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Puppy’s First Groompuppy

If you have a new puppy then you are probably wondering what you should do about grooming. Even a very small puppy can be introduced to the grooming process. Begin your puppy’s first grooming session about twenty to thirty minutes after a meal. This is when your puppy should be calmer and even a little sleepy. Use a soft brush or comb to gently brush your puppy’s fur. Don’t be surprised if your puppy wiggles around while you brush him. Remember, this is a new experience for your puppy. Slow your hand motions down and when he settles down, praise him and take a small break. While you brush your pet, gently handle its feet, toes, ears and tail areas. This will help your puppy learn to accept this type of handling and will make professional grooming less stressful for him later.

Once your puppy has received its second set of immunizations it is time to schedule his first grooming appointment. Most professional groomers will require that your pet has had their shots before grooming. This is for the safety of both your pet and the other pets that are visiting the groomer. Remember, the younger that your dog is when it receives its first professional grooming, the easier it will be for everyone involved.

Consider scheduling your first few grooming appointments two to three weeks apart and then slowly begin to lengthen the time between appointments. If you get your puppy acquainted with the grooming salon at a young age then grooming will be much easier on him in the long run. The strange sights and sounds of new places can cause a lot of anxiety for dogs, and the younger they experience something, the better. Being professionally groomed entails a lot of contact from an unfamiliar person, but an early start will make it almost second nature to your dog. Just remember to always reward your puppy with a treat immediately after his grooming appointment to establish a pleasant association.

On your puppy’s first visit your groomer will likely only bathe, brush and trim your puppy’s face, feet and rear. Most groomers will not do a full haircut on a puppy’s first visit as it can be too much for the pet to comfortably accept.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has many years of experience grooming puppies. We understand that visiting a grooming salon can be stressful for puppies and we will do everything that we can to make it a pleasant experience for them_. For more information, or to schedule your puppy’s grooming appointment, please call us at 714-962-1005.

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Why Pet Grooming Costs So Much

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Why Pet Grooming Costs So Much

Today, consumers everywhere are trying to make sure that they are getting the most value for their money. When it comes to pet grooming, it’s difficult to see the value when you only see the end product and your pet can’t exactly tell you about their grooming experience. This leads many pet parents to wonder why pet grooming costs so much.

What most people do not realize is that being a pet groomer is a skilled profession. Professional pet groomers must go through several years of training and experience in order to become a professional in the industry. Charging between $40 and $80 per groom is normal for a professional pet grooming salon. We understand that this is typically higher than what it costs to get your own hair cut. Let’s take a closer look at why:

Time and Endurance

If you’ve ever bathed your pet at home then you probably already know that it’s not an easy task. They don’t sit still, they attempt to jump out of the tub and they scratch and paw the entire time. This process can take up to one hour per pet and might even require the assistance of additional employees because of how physically intensive it can be. From shampoo to towel dry, grooming a pet takes much more time and is far more physically demanding than cutting a human’s hair.

Skill and Technique

A pet groomer must clip and cut your pet’s hair in multiple directions. This is because a pet’s hair does not grow in just one direction or two. It grows in hundreds of different directions and each must be tended to individually during their haircut. One example would be your pet’s armpit fur which grows towards their stomach while their leg hair grows towards their rear. Both of these areas are directly next to each other, creating quite a challenge for your pet’s groomer.

Services Provided

When you bring your pet to the groomer they don’t just bathe your pet and cut their hair, they also provide many other services as well. They trim your pet’s nails, clean their ears, pull out their ear hair, express their anal glands and inspect their skin for irritations and parasites. If you were to add up all of these services for a human it would total much higher than what it costs to groom your pet.

In order to keep your grooming costs as low as possible, you must get your pet groomed regularly and keep their fur properly maintained. If you show up for your grooming appointment with a matted pet, your groomer will have no choice but to charge you for the extra time it takes to insure your pet’s safety and overall quality of their groom.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality professional pet grooming in Orange County, California. To schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

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