Services
We are one of the Best Dog Groomer's in the region where a full groom includes all the services listed below;
1. Groom out
Your dog is thoroughly brushed first, to remove any matts or loose undercoat.
Matts can enlarge and become unmanageable when wet. If a matt goes undetected or coat care is neglected your dog may have to be clipped short or the matt cut out so that bacteria doesn't grow between it and the skin and cause a yeast infection.
Smooth or short coated dogs are groomed with a rubber curry or fine comb. Long coated breeds are groomed with a slicker or pin brush or an undercoat rake. This distributes oils from the skin throughout the coat.
2. Clip or Trim
Any matts or large amounts of hair that may increase shampooing and drying time will be trimmed out.
Some breeds such as poodles have their feet and face clipped before bathing. Most dogs look best when groomed after they are bathed and dried.
3. Ear Care
Next your dog's ears will be cleaned with a few drops of ear clean solution which will kill bacteria, yeast and mites.
The solution is applied to a cotton pad and simply wiped around the inner ear. The ear is then wiped out with a damp cotton ball or cloth, gently drying it.
If your dog's ear looks swollen, red, irritated, dark or blackened or show signs of discharge or sores or has a bad smell, we will note this and you should consider making an appointment with a vet as this could be a sign of infection or disease.
(A clean ear may contain some wax but shouldn't have any particular smell to it).
4. Eye Care
Some breeds require more maintenance in this area than others. While it may often be a simple matter of pulling eye "crust" away from a potentially irritating spot in the corner of the eye, long-haired or white-haired dogs may require special attention to make sure that the eyes are clear. We use a special product called Diamond Eye Stain Remover for this job. A healthy eye should be clear and should not show any sign of irritation or unusual discharge.
5. Shampoo
The next step is shampooing where your dog is put in the bath and, if necessary, secured to keep him or her in place. Your dog is thoroughly soaked down and the hand shampooing then begins starting at the back and working towards the front.
I use a rubber curry brush on double coated breeds to help work the shampoo into the coat. The head is saved for last and is gently tilted back to ensure that no shampoo gets into the ears or eyes and special care is taken around the nose and mouth.
I use various shampoos for different coats:
- Banana & Mango - General use
- Blue Pearl - White coats
- Ridasect - Flea prevention
- Medicated Tea Tree - To combat skin problems
- Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo - irritated & flaky skin (vet grade)
Also use a Tropical Cream Conditioner for silky coated breeds.
6. Rinse
Your dog is then rinsed. This must be done thoroughly as any shampoo left in the coat may cause hot spots, irritating spots of bald, itchy and red skin.
7. Dry
The dog is then towel dried with an absorbent cloth and towels before being blow dried with a high pressure drier. A slicker brush and comb may also be used if necessary.
If your dog has a naturally curly coat like a Poodle or Bichon it will be blasted dry and dried straight to stop the coat reverting back to a curl.
Lastly the feet are thoroughly dried to stop fungus growth or feet problems occurring.
8. Clip & Style
Your dog is then clipped and styled to your own preference.
I use Moser Wahl clippers with many different blades to facilitate the effective cutting of different coat lengths. The scissors are top quality Australian stainless steel and give a very professional finish.
9. Nail Care
Next your dog's nails are trimmed if necessary. Nail clipping is important for the long term health of all dogs. Overgrown nails can break easily. The longer the nail, the longer the quick. This can make nail clipping difficult.
Long term over growth can cause difficulty in walking, pain, soreness and even contribute to the development of arthritis.
10. Finish
Before your dog comes home, he or she is perfumed with a dog safe Coat Conditioner containing Pure Evening Primrose Oil and a bow is added to the collar as a finishing touch!