Thank you Head to Tail customers for a great year. Despite this difficult economy, I am thankful to see that most of my canine friends and customers are well cared for by their parents. For customers who wish to keep their dogs' hair fairly long (3/4 of an inch or more), I am offering FREE brushing-combing lessons and will also demonstrate how to untangle SMALL mats before they become problematic. This service is available to present Head to Tail customers who maintain their dogs on a reasonable grooming schedule. Please call us for an appointment.
Example of maintenance on a shih-tzu, lhasa, maltese, cockapoo, poodle, coton de tulear etc:
Every 6 weeks: complete grooming-haircut
bi-weekly: brush and comb
Every 3 weeks: bath and brush-out
This schedule works well for most breeds requiring haircuts that are kept shorter that 1 inch.
Example of maintenance on a long-haired dog such as a bearded collie, Old English, tibetan terrier or any of the above dogs kept in a longer trim:
Every 2-4 weeks: complete grooming-trimming
Every 2 days: brush and comb
This schedule keeps the coat in good condition and prevents irreversible matting requiring shaving.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Mixed breeds, shaggy look and the grooming dilemma
At Head to Tail, we LOVE mixed breeds and groom many adorable cockapoos, labradoodles, goldendoodles, shi-poos, yorki-poos, schnoodles, cavichons, etc. These mixed breeds are complex in terms of grooming as their hair texture and propensity for matting is difficult to determine.
ALL DOGS SHED. Depending on the hair type, the shedding hair may not end up on your floors but may remain on the dog and mix with the new hair growing in. This creates matting if the dead hair is not removed by brushing and combing.
Many pure and mixed breeds come to our shop with beautiful and fluffy looking long hair and we get requests to leave that hair longish to create a shaggy or fluffy look. Underneath that beautiful hair however, we often find significant matting that cannot be detected unless one runs a metal comb through the dog. This creates a dilemma for the groomer as any haircut or trim longer than 1/4-1/2 of an inch requires the dog to be completely combed through and mat-free. Therefore, at times, we have no choice but to cut certain dogs very short although these dogs may appear to be in good condition when they were brought in.
No groomer enjoys not being able to fulfill their customers' requests and no groomer looks forward to 'shaving' a dog. At Head to Tail, we always try to salvage the coat by brushing, conditioning, force-drying and conditioning some more to remove matting and when we do resort to cut a dog's hair short, it is because we have determined that further de-matting is not possible and would create too much stress for the dog and the groomer.
After a very short haircut, many dog owners tend to wait a long time before grooming the dog again. If the goal is to maintain the dog in a short trim, one can save on the cost of professional grooming by doing a short-shaved haircut every few months. However, if the goal is to grow the hair back and keep a shaggy-fluffy look, a 4-6 week interval is best so as to avoid irreversible matting again.
It is also important to note that it takes a few grooming sessions to really know what haircut is best suited to the dog's hair structure and lifestyle and we will be happy to advise you on how to maintain your dog in good condition between grooming appointments.
Click on the following link for an interesting read about Goldendoodles from BBird, a well-known authority in pet grooming.
http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/grooming-goldendoodle.html
ALL DOGS SHED. Depending on the hair type, the shedding hair may not end up on your floors but may remain on the dog and mix with the new hair growing in. This creates matting if the dead hair is not removed by brushing and combing.
Many pure and mixed breeds come to our shop with beautiful and fluffy looking long hair and we get requests to leave that hair longish to create a shaggy or fluffy look. Underneath that beautiful hair however, we often find significant matting that cannot be detected unless one runs a metal comb through the dog. This creates a dilemma for the groomer as any haircut or trim longer than 1/4-1/2 of an inch requires the dog to be completely combed through and mat-free. Therefore, at times, we have no choice but to cut certain dogs very short although these dogs may appear to be in good condition when they were brought in.
No groomer enjoys not being able to fulfill their customers' requests and no groomer looks forward to 'shaving' a dog. At Head to Tail, we always try to salvage the coat by brushing, conditioning, force-drying and conditioning some more to remove matting and when we do resort to cut a dog's hair short, it is because we have determined that further de-matting is not possible and would create too much stress for the dog and the groomer.
After a very short haircut, many dog owners tend to wait a long time before grooming the dog again. If the goal is to maintain the dog in a short trim, one can save on the cost of professional grooming by doing a short-shaved haircut every few months. However, if the goal is to grow the hair back and keep a shaggy-fluffy look, a 4-6 week interval is best so as to avoid irreversible matting again.
It is also important to note that it takes a few grooming sessions to really know what haircut is best suited to the dog's hair structure and lifestyle and we will be happy to advise you on how to maintain your dog in good condition between grooming appointments.
Click on the following link for an interesting read about Goldendoodles from BBird, a well-known authority in pet grooming.
http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/grooming-goldendoodle.html
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
DIY done right
Dear DIY customers,
this post is to help you do a wonderful job with bathing and drying your dog.
1. Before deciding whether or not you want to bathe your dog yourself, assess the coat condition. If moderate to severe matting is present, I discourage bathing the dog yourself as drying a dog with matting will only make mats tighter and more difficult to remove. It is hard enough even for professional groomers to de-mat a dog, de-matting or clipping moderately to severely matted dogs should be left to professionals.
2. At Head to Tail, our basic DIY shampoo is Aloe Moist from Tropiclean. It is free of harsh chemicals, cleans great, is gentle and rinses easily. It leaves the coat shiny and conditioned. We dilute all our shampoos to make lathering easier.
Rinsing is VERY important dog parents pay special attention to difficult to reach areas such as armpits, underbelly and pads. A rule of thumb is to rinse until the water flowing down from the dog is completely free of suds.
3. Our high-velocity dryers blow the excess water off the dog and fluff the coat, loosening the undercoat. Dogs should be dried using this dryer until no more water is sprayed from the dog when drying. It is important to spend enough time blow-drying your dog to avoid wet hair to remain too long on your dog. In general, a 70 lbs Golden retriever takes about 10 to 15 minutes to dry until it is just damp.
4. I recommend a good brushing at home when your dog is completely dry to remove the undercoat that was loosened by the bathing and drying process. A pin brush or slicker brush can be used for most dogs as well as a de-shedding tool with a blade such as the Furminator tool. Combing your dog once or twice weekly using a metal comb also helps with removing undercoat and allows you to discover tangles that could have formed.
We will be happy to give you tips and pointers on how to make this experience pleasant for the both of you.
this post is to help you do a wonderful job with bathing and drying your dog.
1. Before deciding whether or not you want to bathe your dog yourself, assess the coat condition. If moderate to severe matting is present, I discourage bathing the dog yourself as drying a dog with matting will only make mats tighter and more difficult to remove. It is hard enough even for professional groomers to de-mat a dog, de-matting or clipping moderately to severely matted dogs should be left to professionals.
2. At Head to Tail, our basic DIY shampoo is Aloe Moist from Tropiclean. It is free of harsh chemicals, cleans great, is gentle and rinses easily. It leaves the coat shiny and conditioned. We dilute all our shampoos to make lathering easier.
Rinsing is VERY important dog parents pay special attention to difficult to reach areas such as armpits, underbelly and pads. A rule of thumb is to rinse until the water flowing down from the dog is completely free of suds.
3. Our high-velocity dryers blow the excess water off the dog and fluff the coat, loosening the undercoat. Dogs should be dried using this dryer until no more water is sprayed from the dog when drying. It is important to spend enough time blow-drying your dog to avoid wet hair to remain too long on your dog. In general, a 70 lbs Golden retriever takes about 10 to 15 minutes to dry until it is just damp.
4. I recommend a good brushing at home when your dog is completely dry to remove the undercoat that was loosened by the bathing and drying process. A pin brush or slicker brush can be used for most dogs as well as a de-shedding tool with a blade such as the Furminator tool. Combing your dog once or twice weekly using a metal comb also helps with removing undercoat and allows you to discover tangles that could have formed.
We will be happy to give you tips and pointers on how to make this experience pleasant for the both of you.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
At home maintenance for your dog
In this fluctuating economy, saving money is a must and this post is an attempt to help pet owners who love their pets but have little resources to spend on regular professional grooming services.
1. Keep your dog in a short haircut:Dogs with a haircut of about 1/4 inch will not mat for many months even without any brushing at all. Most single-coated dogs could benefit from a sweater or jacket in the winter anyway no matter how long their hair is.
2. Small dogs can be easily bathed right in your sink using a cup or a spray nozzle. When bathing your dog, use high quality dog shampoo and always use conditioner. At Head to Tail, we have many all-natural shampoos available for purchase and we will be happy to advise you on what product is best suited for your dog.
3. Prevent matting
Matting causes much discomfort to your dog and grooming a matted dog is expensive. If your dog is kept in a longer trim of 1 inch or more, regular brushing and combing at least twice weekly is primordial. There is no other way.
4. Quicker Slicker by Nature's Specialties
Matting is aggravated by poor hair structure caused by breakage and static electricity. Quicker slicker is a non-toxic silicone-based product used to coat the hair shaft and make it slippery easing brush-outs and de-matting. When sprayed onto the mat and allowed to dry, this product allows for pain free brushing out of undercoat and mats. We are very excited with this product and are proud users and distributors of Nature's Specialties exceptional quality products.
5. Do-it-yourself nail trimming: If you call us ahead of time, we will be happy to show you how to safely trim your dog's nails.
1. Keep your dog in a short haircut:Dogs with a haircut of about 1/4 inch will not mat for many months even without any brushing at all. Most single-coated dogs could benefit from a sweater or jacket in the winter anyway no matter how long their hair is.
2. Small dogs can be easily bathed right in your sink using a cup or a spray nozzle. When bathing your dog, use high quality dog shampoo and always use conditioner. At Head to Tail, we have many all-natural shampoos available for purchase and we will be happy to advise you on what product is best suited for your dog.
3. Prevent matting
Matting causes much discomfort to your dog and grooming a matted dog is expensive. If your dog is kept in a longer trim of 1 inch or more, regular brushing and combing at least twice weekly is primordial. There is no other way.
4. Quicker Slicker by Nature's Specialties
Matting is aggravated by poor hair structure caused by breakage and static electricity. Quicker slicker is a non-toxic silicone-based product used to coat the hair shaft and make it slippery easing brush-outs and de-matting. When sprayed onto the mat and allowed to dry, this product allows for pain free brushing out of undercoat and mats. We are very excited with this product and are proud users and distributors of Nature's Specialties exceptional quality products.
5. Do-it-yourself nail trimming: If you call us ahead of time, we will be happy to show you how to safely trim your dog's nails.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Effective client-groomer communication
At Head to Tail, my staff and I strive to understand our human clients' needs and provide useful advice on the appropriate style for our canine clients. That is why we often ask that clients be very specific as to the length they want left on their dog, the style desired for the face, ears and tail and to tell us about any skin or medical issues which will determine what products can be used and what extra precautions should be taken during the grooming process.
How much hair to leave on a dog?
We often get this request NOT to 'shave' the dog. In our pet grooming world, the word shaving means using a clipper blade to take length off the coat and the length left can be as short as 1/40 of an inch to as long as 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Therefore, even if a dog is 'shaved' using a long blade, he will still look fairly long (as long as 3/4 inch). When a customer tells us 'I don't want my dog shaved', 'short but not too short', we always ask what is the approximate length of hair he/she would like LEFT on the dog. This will help us determine what clipper blade or comb attachment to use to achieve the desired length and eliminate any ambiguity and potential customer dissatisfaction.
Face, beard, goatie, visor, ears, tail
We can customize the above to the look desired by the dog parents. Breed standards give guidelines on how to groom purebred dogs but there are immense variations between the hair texture, body shape, head shape of each individual dog making it an art to make each pet attractive. We will be happy to advise you on what would look best for your pet taking into consideration the coat condition and the dog's lifestyle and your family's maintenance commitment.
Unfortunately, there are times when a misunderstanding may occur and we are happy to fix little details on your pet as you wait or if you bring him back within 3 days. We would rather spend a few minutes re-working the styling of your dog than have an unhappy customer leave our shop without giving us any feedback.
How much hair to leave on a dog?
We often get this request NOT to 'shave' the dog. In our pet grooming world, the word shaving means using a clipper blade to take length off the coat and the length left can be as short as 1/40 of an inch to as long as 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Therefore, even if a dog is 'shaved' using a long blade, he will still look fairly long (as long as 3/4 inch). When a customer tells us 'I don't want my dog shaved', 'short but not too short', we always ask what is the approximate length of hair he/she would like LEFT on the dog. This will help us determine what clipper blade or comb attachment to use to achieve the desired length and eliminate any ambiguity and potential customer dissatisfaction.
Face, beard, goatie, visor, ears, tail
We can customize the above to the look desired by the dog parents. Breed standards give guidelines on how to groom purebred dogs but there are immense variations between the hair texture, body shape, head shape of each individual dog making it an art to make each pet attractive. We will be happy to advise you on what would look best for your pet taking into consideration the coat condition and the dog's lifestyle and your family's maintenance commitment.
Unfortunately, there are times when a misunderstanding may occur and we are happy to fix little details on your pet as you wait or if you bring him back within 3 days. We would rather spend a few minutes re-working the styling of your dog than have an unhappy customer leave our shop without giving us any feedback.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Why is my dog so nervous at the grooming shop?
Anxious and caring dog parents often ask this question and it begs to be answered. Truthfully, there are so many valid reasons why dogs behave nervously in a grooming shop environment: the many new smells and sounds, the anticipation of their beloved owners leaving, the anticipation of getting wet, scrubbed and dried, the anticipation of the grooming itself, etc. Depending on the dog's temperament, the stress of grooming can manifest itself in uncontrollable shaking, urinary accidents, excessive barking or whining.
I often read on other websites that dogs should be happy when entering a grooming salon and that a dog's reaction to the environment and to its groomer determines the quality of the establishment and its staff. I could not disagree more. It is not realistic to expect all dogs to enjoy going to the grooming shop as it is not realistic to expect a toddler to gleefully step into a dentist's office. Although grooming procedures should not cause pain, there is a certain level of discomfort that cannot be avoided. Maintaining a dog on a regular grooming schedule and with a manageable length of hair ensures that the dog will never have to suffer through uncomfortable de-matting and close clipping to remove matting. Groomers, when dealing with moderate to severe matting, have no choice but to brush, de-mat or shave and these procedures, while they should not be painful, are lengthy and NEVER pleasant. As I view dogs like children, my heart sinks when I have to perform a necessary procedure that I know will be unpleasant for the dog.
Therefore, I do not blame certain dogs for disliking going to the groomers. Grooming is a learned process, with time and consistency, the stress and unpredictability decrease. Some dogs will always be nervous and some dogs will come to love the attention and the pampering. While I cannot control how a dog will react in my shop, my staff and I strive to treat each dog as if it were our own, with kindness, patience and understanding for their possible discomfort.
I often read on other websites that dogs should be happy when entering a grooming salon and that a dog's reaction to the environment and to its groomer determines the quality of the establishment and its staff. I could not disagree more. It is not realistic to expect all dogs to enjoy going to the grooming shop as it is not realistic to expect a toddler to gleefully step into a dentist's office. Although grooming procedures should not cause pain, there is a certain level of discomfort that cannot be avoided. Maintaining a dog on a regular grooming schedule and with a manageable length of hair ensures that the dog will never have to suffer through uncomfortable de-matting and close clipping to remove matting. Groomers, when dealing with moderate to severe matting, have no choice but to brush, de-mat or shave and these procedures, while they should not be painful, are lengthy and NEVER pleasant. As I view dogs like children, my heart sinks when I have to perform a necessary procedure that I know will be unpleasant for the dog.
Therefore, I do not blame certain dogs for disliking going to the groomers. Grooming is a learned process, with time and consistency, the stress and unpredictability decrease. Some dogs will always be nervous and some dogs will come to love the attention and the pampering. While I cannot control how a dog will react in my shop, my staff and I strive to treat each dog as if it were our own, with kindness, patience and understanding for their possible discomfort.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Groomers
Over the past few months, I have frequently pondered on the qualities that make certain groomers excel in this industry where so many fail to find success. In analyzing my excellent present groomers and bathers and those that I have encountered in the past, these following qualities come to mind: high intelligence, patience and artistic talent.
Intelligence is an asset that facilitates every endeavor and helps transform challenges into successes. Grooming a dog requires a high dose of human intelligence as groomers juggle many changing variables each passing second. Each grooming assignment IS unpredictable, even dogs that come regularly may have bad hair days and present with unpredictable behaviors that were not displayed before. There are immense variations between and within each breed in terms of coat conditions, hair texture and length, the body size and shape, not to add health issues that limit what can be achieved in each groom. Acquiring the coordination and dexterity necessary to safely operate sharp tools around 'moving targets' requires more than natural talent, successful groomers very RARELY injure a pet, they are able to draw on their own experiences and those of others to anticipate an injury and use proper judgment to prevent it from occurring.
As a salon owner, I regard patience as an indispensable asset for all my employees. Love for dogs is certainly a must but patience and compassion are key. Thousands of years as human companions have made dogs experts at knowing our mood and intentions by reading our body language, smelling us and listening to us. Although a firm and confident handle is necessary and commands respect, groomers should never trigger the instinct of fight or flight in a dog. Competent groomers know that there is no point in getting aggravated with a dog. If aggression is an issue, the grooming should stop immediately, if the dog is restless and unruly, additional assistance may be required, if the dog is scared and nervous, a calm and gentle voice and touch should make it more comfortable.
Artistic vision and attention to detail are what fine tunes basic grooming skills and create outstanding results. This is where natural talent plays an important role as there are no precise templates or recipes for grooming. The grooming of a dog goes beyond making it look neat but involves precise tweaking and styling to accentuate certain areas while correcting other aesthetic flaws.
Intelligence, patience and artistic talent: the basic building blocks to making a great groomer!
Intelligence is an asset that facilitates every endeavor and helps transform challenges into successes. Grooming a dog requires a high dose of human intelligence as groomers juggle many changing variables each passing second. Each grooming assignment IS unpredictable, even dogs that come regularly may have bad hair days and present with unpredictable behaviors that were not displayed before. There are immense variations between and within each breed in terms of coat conditions, hair texture and length, the body size and shape, not to add health issues that limit what can be achieved in each groom. Acquiring the coordination and dexterity necessary to safely operate sharp tools around 'moving targets' requires more than natural talent, successful groomers very RARELY injure a pet, they are able to draw on their own experiences and those of others to anticipate an injury and use proper judgment to prevent it from occurring.
As a salon owner, I regard patience as an indispensable asset for all my employees. Love for dogs is certainly a must but patience and compassion are key. Thousands of years as human companions have made dogs experts at knowing our mood and intentions by reading our body language, smelling us and listening to us. Although a firm and confident handle is necessary and commands respect, groomers should never trigger the instinct of fight or flight in a dog. Competent groomers know that there is no point in getting aggravated with a dog. If aggression is an issue, the grooming should stop immediately, if the dog is restless and unruly, additional assistance may be required, if the dog is scared and nervous, a calm and gentle voice and touch should make it more comfortable.
Artistic vision and attention to detail are what fine tunes basic grooming skills and create outstanding results. This is where natural talent plays an important role as there are no precise templates or recipes for grooming. The grooming of a dog goes beyond making it look neat but involves precise tweaking and styling to accentuate certain areas while correcting other aesthetic flaws.
Intelligence, patience and artistic talent: the basic building blocks to making a great groomer!
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