Pet Grooming Orange County

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!

 

Protecting Your Dog’s Skin This Winter

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Protecting Your Dog’s Skin This Winter

Winter often brings dry skin for people and their pets. Let’s look at the top ways to protect your dog’s skin this winter:

Brush your dog’s coat every day. Start at the front of their body and work your way to the back. Brush the driest areas for several minutes after the skin flakes have been removed. The more you brush these areas the more it will stimulate the oil glands to produce oil. Give your dog some treats for being patient during these long brushing sessions.

Use a shampoo containing colloidal oatmeal and an antihistamine to improve the moisturizing effects of the oatmeal. As an alternative you can use coal tar shampoos to soothe the itchiness that leads to scratching and flaky skin.

Follow up with a conditioner or moisturizer.

Towel dry your dog, as the heat from blow drying can cause additional drying of the skin.

Consider adding fish oil to your dog’s diet to relieve dry and flaking skin from the inside out. Check for supplements with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoicz. Follow the dosing instructions for your pet carefully and check with your veterinarian before using these or any other supplements.

Zinc supplements can be used to regulate the immune system to relieve allergies that can cause itching and dry skin.

Try adding olive oil to your dog’s food. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and phytonutrients that can moisturize the skin. If your dog weighs 30 to 40 pounds you can add a teaspoon of olive oil to their food every day. If your dog weighs 90 pounds, you can add up to 1 tablespoon.

Instead of olive oil, coconut oil can be added to the food. Coconut oil provides medium chain fatty acids including lauric acid that can kill yeast, bacteria and viruses and enhance the metabolism and support thyroid function. Add 1/2 teaspoon daily to a small dog’s food, 1 teaspoon to a medium dog’s food and 2 teaspoons to a large dog’s food.

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!

 

Keeping Pets Active During the Winter

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Keeping Pets Active During the Winter

Like people, pets can get cabin fever and go stir crazy when kept inside. When the weather is uninviting it’s easy to slack on your pet’s regular exercise routine. However, if you want to keep your pet healthy and happy you will need to keep them entertained especially when outside exercise just isn’t possible. A good rule of thumb is to provide your pet with at least two interactive activities per day along with a variety of socialization opportunities throughout the week. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that you can’t keep your pet active. There are many winter activities that you can do with your pet!

  • Try playing hide and seek with your dog. Hide some of their favorite treats around the house. Have them stay in another room while you hide the treats then tell them to go and find them. Your dog will have lots of fun searching the house and it might even keep them occupied for several hours.
  • Consider inviting your pet’s friends over to play. Just make sure that equal amounts of toys and treats are provided to avoid any fighting.
  • If you have some extra time on the weekends consider spending it playing with your pet. For example, if your dog enjoys playing fetch, you can have a gentle game inside the house or you could engage your cat in a toy mouse hunt. Your pet will enjoy the intellectual stimulation in addition to the bonding experience.
  • If they enjoy spending time in the car, consider bringing your pet along on a road trip or errand.

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!

 

Puppy’s First Grooming

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Puppy’s First Grooming

Dogs require grooming their entire life. It’s important that their first grooming experience is a pleasant one so that they will not resist future grooming sessions. However, if you wait too long to take them for professional grooming it could lead to resistance and fear that can be difficult to overcome. Let’s discuss puppy’s first grooming.

Although young dogs are often nervous of the noise and activity of a grooming salon, they are more likely to become accepting of the experience in the future if they are exposed to it early. Check with your groomer to see at what age they will begin to see your puppy. Most grooming salons will allow them once they’ve received their second set of vaccinations.

Early exposure to the grooming experience should be carefully balanced with protecting your puppy from infectious diseases. Many groomers recommend waiting until your puppy is fully vaccinated before making their first grooming appointment. Typically, this is right around four months of age. They don’t usually need a full grooming treatment at this point, but it is the perfect time to get them used to the sights and sounds of the salon.

You can begin preparing your puppy for regular grooming when you first bring them home. Brush your puppy gently, pick up its feet and feel between its toes. Wipe the insides of its ears with a soft cloth and brush its teeth on a regular basis. Offer praise and treats during these sessions to keep the experience both positive and fun.

Your puppy’s first grooming session probably won’t include a full haircut. Instead it will be a shortened session that introduces your puppy to the groomer and the tools that are used in the grooming process. Your puppy will probably receive a gentle bath, with a nail trim, ear cleaning and a light trim of the face, feet and sanitary area. At each appointment the groomer will do a little bit more as your puppy gradually gets used to each procedure.

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!