Pet Grooming Orange County

Holiday Safety

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Holiday Safety

Many of us have already begun thinking about the holidays. There are parties to plan, decorations to hang and menus to prepare. With everything going on, you might not have considered how the holidays can affect your pets.

This time of year can be extremely stressful to pets. There are a number of unique challenges that come with the holidays. It’s up to you to keep your pets happy and healthy.

Halloween

People dressed in costumes ringing your doorbell all night can upset even the most docile pet. It’s a good idea to keep your pets locked in a dark, quiet room until the evening fun has ended.

Keep in mind that chocolate is toxic to pets and too much sugar can lead to upset stomach or worse. Keep candy bowls out of reach of pets at all times, and make sure you instruct guests and children to never feed candy to your pets.

Holiday Meals

Many foods traditionally prepared during the holiday season are deadly to pets. Fatty foods can cause life-threatening pancreatitis and onions and garlic are toxic. In addition to these dangers, bones can splinter and cause damage to your pet’s digestive tract. Always let your guests know that your pets are not allowed to eat table scraps.

In order to avoid temptation or your pet consuming dropped food, it might be best to keep pets away from the table during holiday meals.

Holiday Guests

It’s important to understand how your pet feels about strangers in your home. While some pets relish in the attention, others can become fearful and aggressive with guests.

It’s up to you to let your guests know the proper way to treat your pets. This is especially true if children will be staying with you over the holidays.

Consider Boarding Your Pet

The best way to avoid stress and danger for your pet over the holiday season is to make sure they are in a safe, controlled environment. Consider boarding your pet on the days you feel might pose the biggest problem.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers high quality holiday grooming and cats only boarding. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information or to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

 

Keeping Your Pet Cool This Summer

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Keeping Your Pet Cool This Summer

The scorching heat of summer in Southern California can be tough on our pets. You probably already know about the dangers of hot vehicles and pavements, but you might not know how to keep your pet cool this summer.

Bring Them Inside

One of the quickest and easiest ways to help your pet cool off is by bringing them inside. If bringing them into your home isn’t an option, you should never keep them in a shed, garage or similar structure. These can become incredibly hot, increasing the chance of heat stroke. If you must leave your pet outside, make sure that they have access to plenty of cool, clean water and at least a couple of shady spots to rest.

Walk in the Morning or Evening

Hot pavements can cause burns and discomfort. If it’s too hot for you to walk barefoot outside, it’s too hot for your pet. Consider walking your pet in the evening or in the early morning when temperatures are lower. It’s a good idea to walk on the grass whenever possible.

When spending time outside, it’s important to remember that flat-faced breeds such as pugs and English bulldogs overheat much faster than other breeds.

Keeping Them Cool At Home

There are a few things you can do to make your pets more comfortable at home. Put ice cubes in their water and turn on the A/C. Cooling wraps, vests and mats can be purchased online. These innovative products help keep your pet cool.

Grooming

Pets with thick hair can benefit with regular grooming during the summer. Although shaving isn’t recommended for double-coated breeds, a good bath and brush out can help remove their thick undercoat.

It might be a good idea to shave your pet’s belly. This gives them the opportunity to keep cool by laying on cold surfaces. Ask your groomer if this is a good option for your pet.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality grooming services for both dogs and cats. Our experienced groomers can help keep your pet cool this summer. Please call us at 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.

Should I Shave My Dog For Summer?

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Should I Shave My Dog For Summer?

As temperatures continue to rise in Orange County there is one question that we constantly hear at our grooming salon. Everyone wants to know if they should shave their dog for summer. While some people shave their dog every year, the answer isn’t as clear cut as you might believe. Many breeds actually need their coat in the summer to stay cool.

Double-Coated Breeds

It’s not a good idea to shave double-coated breeds including Samoyeds, Huskies, Malamutes, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Shelties, Golden Retrievers, Newfoundlands, Bernese Mountain Dogs and many more.

Double-coated breeds have two layers of fur to protect them. The long guard hairs protect them against snow, ice and water. The soft undercoat keeps them warm and dry.

During the winter, the undercoat might be so thick that you cannot find your dog’s skin. In the summer, double-coated breeds shed their undercoat, leaving only the guard hairs. These guard hairs protect your dog from sunburn and insulate them against the heat.

When NOT to Shave

Unlike single-coated breeds whose coats continue to grow, double-coats only grow to a certain length. After it reaches this length, it just stops growing. When you shave a single-coated breed the hair grows back unaffected. Shaving a double-coat can ruin it forever.

Shaving short-haired breeds during the summer can cause problems as well. A dog’s coat protects it from the sun. Once removed, your dog will be more prone to sunburn and skin cancer.

Keeping Dogs Cool

It’s important to remember that dogs cool down differently than humans. Dogs cool down by panting. Their coat also plays an important role in keeping them cool. It’s hard for us to understand because we think of their coat as extra clothing. When we are hot, stripping off clothing can help. It’s not the same for our pets.

If you decide to shave your pet this summer, you will need to protect them from the sun. Keep them indoors and always provide fresh water. If you’re undecided, a belly shave can be an excellent choice. Shaving the hair on the belly allows dogs to cool off by laying on cool surfaces.

Please contact us with your summer grooming questions. Our full service salon is located in Fountain Valley, CA and our phone number is 714-962-1005.

Help! I Found Kittens

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Help! I Found Kittens

The warm months of summer are in full swing. Summer brings fond memories of warm beaches and bonfires in Southern California. It also falls right in the middle of kitten season. From April to November kittens seem to be everywhere in Orange County. Outdoor cats are capable of producing litter after litter during the warmer months. They often have these litters in remote locations away from human interference. However, it’s impossible to ignore the crying kittens in your backyard or basement, and eventually unsuspecting homeowners come across a litter of kittens.

It can be difficult to know what to do when you find kittens. We can help you through the process of keeping them safe.

Mother’s Milk is Best

When you find kittens it’s important to try to find the mama cat. A mother’s milk is specially designed for her babies and provides a number of antibodies that protect the kittens against harmful diseases. If at all possible you should try to trap the mother cat. You can rent live animal traps from your local animal shelter. Place a strong smelling food such as canned salmon in the trap and wait. Mama cats are often hungry from nursing and will readily take any food available to them.

Bottle-Feeding Orphaned Kittens

If it’s not possible to catch the mother cat you will need to care for the babies. Bottles and formula can be purchased from your local pet supply. Make sure that the formula you purchase is specially made for kittens. You should be able to buy cans of pre-made formula or powder that can be mixed with filtered water. Feed very young kittens every 1-2 hours both day and night. After feeding, they must be burped and you will need to help them eliminate. Gently rub a warm, wet cotton ball on their genitals until they urinate and defecate.

Never hold a kitten like a baby to feed them. They can asphyxiate which can quickly lead to pneumonia. Hold kittens in a standing position while they nurse.

If you have found kittens and are nervous or unsure what to do, please contact your local veterinarian for advice. Claws N Paws Day Spa has extensive experience bottle-feeding orphaned kittens. Stop by for a brochure on how to care for them.

Dog Grooming Once a Month VS Once a Year

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Dog Grooming Once a Month VS Once a Year

Getting your pet groomed regularly is extremely important to their overall health and well-being. Regular grooming is not only good for their skin and coat, it also has many social and emotional benefits.

Grooming short-haired dogs

Many people believe that short-haired dogs don’t need regular grooming. This is not the case. Short-haired dogs still shed and are prone to many skin conditions and parasites. Regular bathing helps remove loose hair and can help you catch skin issues before they are able to become a much bigger problem.

Dogs that spend a lot of time indoors will also require regular nail trimming. Nails that are allowed to grow unchecked can break or crack, causing your dog severe discomfort. Many breeds of dogs are also prone to ear infections. Ear infections are painful and can lead to future problems with hearing.  A monthly bath includes a nail trim and ear cleaning.

Grooming long-haired dogs

Long-haired dogs that do not get groomed on a regular basis can become matted. The skin underneath matted fur is often irritated and prone to sores and infection. The mats can hide skin problems and parasites such as ticks and fleas. Removing matted fur takes time and patience. The process will cost you a lot more money than regular grooming will.

Getting used to the grooming process

Dogs that are bathed regularly have a chance to get used to the grooming process. The sights, smells and sounds of a grooming salon can be frightening to dogs. Regular visits allow them to experience these things and adjust at their own pace.

When your dog is bathed only once a year they will not get used to the grooming salon and can become fearful and aggressive with their groomer. This can be a big problem if you ever find that you have to have your pet groomed immediately. Most grooming shops will not accept dogs that are aggressive or showing signs of great distress.

Quality pet grooming in Orange County

Dogs benefit most when groomed every four to six weeks. Claws N Paws offers full service pet grooming and mobile pet grooming services in Orange County, California. For more information, please call 714-962-1005.

Controlling Shedding in the Spring

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Controlling Shedding in the Spring

Shedding is a dog’s natural process of losing its old and damaged hair. While this process is totally normal, the amount and frequency of shedding depends on many factors including the dog’s health and breed. Shedding is often caused by seasonal changes. Many breeds of dogs develop thick coats in the winter and then shed them in the spring. Even indoor dogs are prone to fluctuations in coat thickness and may shed all year long.

Reducing Shedding

Even though you cannot completely stop a dog from shedding, there are a few things that you can do to reduce the amount of hair left on your clothing and around your home. Brushing your dog regularly helps remove dead hair before it is able to fall off. Your groomer can recommend the best type of brush for your dog.

It’s a good idea to schedule more frequent grooming appointments throughout the spring. A professional groomer can remove more loose hair than you are able to at home. They can also help spot skin conditions and parasites which tend to be more common this time of year.

Excessive Shedding

Excessive shedding is often the result of stress, poor nutrition or medical issues. If your pet is losing more hair than usual, it’s probably time to see your veterinarian. Your vet will be able to tell if your dog’s hair loss is part of the normal shedding process, or if it’s related to an underlying disorder.

Excessive shedding can sometimes be prevented with proper nutrition. Good quality pet foods contain the proper nutrients for dogs. If your dog has allergies or sensitivities, it can be more difficult to figure out the proper diet. In this incidence, supplementation might be necessary. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality dog and cat grooming from our full service pet salon in Fountain Valley, California. For your convenience, we also offer mobile pet grooming to many areas of Orange County. If your pet is shedding more than usual this spring we can help! Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment today!