Pet Grooming Orange County

Why you Might Not Always Get What you Expect From Pet Grooming – Part One

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Why you Might Not Always Get What you Expect From Pet Grooming – Part One

There are many reasons why you might not always get exactly what you expect when you bring your pet to the groomer. It’s extremely important that you understand that your pet’s health and safety are our number one concern. We will never put either of these in jeopardy to create the perfect haircut.

Before dropping off your pet for grooming, please discuss your concerns with your groomer, but be prepared to listen to ours as well. Typically, if your groomer feels there will be a problem with grooming your pet, they will let you know. However, if you fail to provide valuable information that will affect the grooming process, then we can only do our best with what we have to work with.

Unfortunately, some things are out of our control. If you are not satisfied with your pet’s haircut please do not hesitate to let us know. Posting your concerns on social media does not allow us the opportunity to help you understand why your pet doesn’t look as you expected.

AGGRESSIVE PETS

Your pet might be the sweetest, gentlest animal at home. They may cuddle up with your children and other pets, and you might believe they would never hurt a fly. Please keep in mind that we see a very different side of your pet. Grooming can be stressful, especially if they only visit once or twice a year. Normally gentle pets can quickly become aggressive when scared or stressed.

There are two types of aggression. When a pet is scared, it will usually bite at hands or fingers. This is the type of behavior that warrants a muzzle and some patience on the part of the groomer. This is often seen in first time pets or pets that haven’t visited in a while. Sometimes these pets struggle so much that it makes it impossible to groom them. We will not allow a pet to become overly stressed just to finish their haircut. They will be sent home unfinished. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, ALL PETS SHOULD BE PROFESSIONALLY GROOMED EVERY 4-8 WEEKS.

The second type of aggression is when a pet deliberately bites at a face. This is not typical behavior for pets. Pets that pose a significant risk to themselves or our groomers CANNOT be groomed. This is for their safety and ours.

Click here to see part two of this post.

 

Inside the Grooming Salon – When your Pet Doesn’t Look Exactly as you Hoped

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Inside the Grooming Salon – When your Pet Doesn’t Look Exactly as you Hoped

When you bring your pet into the grooming salon you probably have an idea of what they will look like when you pick them up. You might have requested a specific haircut or style that you think will look perfect on your pet. While we try to accommodate every request, please understand that the success of your pet’s grooming is up to your pet, not us.

The nervous pet

From brand new puppies to elderly cats, we deal with a lot of nervous pets. When pets are nervous they shake, wiggle, fidget and sometimes try to bite. Soiling themselves is also a common reaction to stress. All of these reactions affect the outcome of their grooming appointment. A pet that constantly moves or attempts to bite is not going to get the same haircut as one that stands perfectly still. If your pet has an accident after their grooming is completed, they are probably going to get another bath. This might mean that you will have to wait at pick-up or take them home a little damp.

Keep in mind that a nervous pet is a stressed out pet. Stress can negatively affect your pet’s health so we will do whatever is necessary to reduce their stress. That might include cutting the grooming appointment short. Your pet’s safety is always our number one concern.

The matted pet

Sometimes pets come in extremely dirty and matted. Even a few mats on the belly or behind the ears can affect a pet’s haircut. Mats are painful and harmful to your pet, as they often hide bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. The only way to safely and humanely remove mats is to shave them off. If your entire pet is matted then their entire body will be shaved. We understand that this is probably not what you want. The best defense against mats is regular brushing at home and monthly grooming appointments.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers professional dog and cat grooming from our grooming salon in Orange County, California. We also offer mobile grooming for many parts of Orange County. For more information or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Summer Haircuts for Cats

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Summer Haircuts for Cats

Many people like their cats to get haircuts for summer. Sometimes it’s because they want them to stay cool, or they simply like the way that it looks. Whatever the reason there are a few things that you should consider before giving your cat a summer haircut.

Unless your cat has a matted coat, a haircut is probably not necessary. It’s actually more important to keep your cat groomed regularly to remove shedding fur. People decide to give their cat a haircut for a variety of different reasons. Summer haircuts can reduce the amount of flying fur from shedding, reduce hairballs and be given for sanitation reasons. If you decide to give your cat a haircut you will want to leave the job to a professional cat groomer. Cats can easily become frightened of clippers, scissors and other grooming tools, making it easy to injure your cat if you are not well trained and experienced.

Common cat haircuts include the lion cut, comb cut, belly shave, sanitary trim and various breed haircuts. Out of all of these the lion cut is probably the most popular summer haircut. It involves trimming all of a cat’s fur except for its head, neck, feet and tail, giving the cat a lion-like appearance. This cut can keep a cat cool even in very hot climates.

The comb cut involves removing all but ½ to 1 inch of your cat’s fur. This cut is perfect for cutting down on hairballs and makes it easy to monitor any skin-related issues that might appear during the summer.

A belly shave removes most of the fur underneath the cat. This cut is typically given to long-haired cats to prevent matting. A sanitary trim involves trimming the hair around the rear to help with sanitation issues.

Whether you decide to get your cat a haircut this summer, regular grooming should still be an essential part of your cat’s life. Ask your groomer which kind of brush to use on your cat and how often to use it. It’s best to begin a grooming routine when your cat is young so that it won’t resist it as it gets older.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming in Fountain Valley, California. If you need help deciding what kind of haircut to give your cat this summer, please contact us at 714-962-1005.

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Costs Involved with Running a Rescue

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Costs Involved with Running a Rescueconsignment rescue efforts

Most people do not realize how much money it takes to run a pet rescue. Rescue is expensive and no one pays the volunteers that must work both day and night to care for the rescued animals. Let’s take a closer look at some of the costs involved with running a rescue.

Vet Bills

Rescued pets need to visit a veterinarian upon arrival. They receive regular check-ups, vaccinations, flea treatments, they get spayed or neutered and sometimes require emergency care. These costs can add up quickly!

Daily Pet Care

Pet rescues must pay for the everyday care of the pets that they are responsible for. This includes food, litter, blankets and housing.

Administrative Costs

Just like any other business, pet recues must pay for brochures, business cards, advertising and bank fees. Although most rescues try to keep these costs to a minimum it is impossible to avoid them completely.

Unexpected Expenses

Unexpected expenses happen to everyone, including pet rescues. Sometimes pests invade and must be dealt with, or natural disasters occur. Whatever the case, pet rescues are responsible for all expenses involved.

Pet rescues do not receive state funding for their rescue efforts. There are many ways that you can help a pet rescue. You can donate items such as food, towels or blankets. You can donate money directly to the rescue or you can support businesses that support pet rescue. There are many wonderful businesses that donate a part of their profits to help local rescue groups. Whatever you are able to do can help make a difference for a pet in need.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has been taking care of Orange County’s dogs and cats since 2001. We offer full service pet grooming at our state of the art pet salon in Fountain Valley, California. We also offer mobile pet grooming to all areas of Orange County. Claws N Paws also has many wonderful cats and kittens available for adoption. We have a consignment shop two doors down that offers many unique and interesting items. 100% of all profits from pet supply sales at This n That Consignment go directly into our rescue efforts! For more information, or to schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

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

Grooming Double-Coated Dogs

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Grooming Double-Coated Dogs maggie

Double-coated dogs have two layers of hair. Closest to the skin they have a heavy undercoat, and then longer, coarser guard hair on the outside. This double-coat acts as a comfortable insulation for your dog during hot as well as cold weather. Popular double-coated dog breeds include:

  • Pomeranians
  • Shetland Sheepdogs
  • Chows
  • Huskies
  • Malamutes
  • Samoyeds

Although most people believe that shaving a double-coated dog will keep it cooler and prevent shedding in the summer, this simply isn’t the case. The thick undercoat hairs shed every spring and early summer, replacing the thick undercoat with fine hairs. Air travels through the long hairs and finer undercoat, keeping your dog cool during hot summer months. When shaved, the undercoat will still shed but your dog will no longer be able to control its natural cooling ability.

The upper guard hairs do not shed. They provide protection against the sun’s rays. When shaved, the dog becomes more susceptible to sunburn, skin irritation and skin cancer. During summer months, your groomer can shave a strip off your dog’s belly. This allows your dog to lay on a cool surface during hot days.

Long hair that is not matted as well as a thick undercoat keep your pet warm during the winter. During the fall, the fine undercoat sheds and is replaced by thick, crimped undercoat hairs. This creates an effective insulation for your dog.

A double coat should never be shaved unless is it matted to the point of no return. Keeping your double-coated dog’s coat brushed and mat free is an extremely important part of allowing good air circulation through the hair. Coats that are not well maintained stifle air circulation and do very little to help cool or warm the body. A severely matted coat is uncomfortable for your dog and can be very painful.

Claws N Paws Day Spa can help you keep your dog’s fur maintained. For more information or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 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.

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