After I brought Hercules and Pebbles home yesterday they spent the rest of the day sleeping. Apparently going to the groomers is very tiring if you are a 6 or 7 pound rescue dog. I think Pebbles nerves were bad after her session at the groomers, she is not the type of dog who likes to be left with strangers. As a matter of fact she had to accompany Diva and I to the groomers this morning, she wouldn't let us leave the house without her.
I can't wait to see what Diva looks like when I pick her up. Amanda always does such a great job of grooming my dogs and rescues that picking them up is an adventure. Whenever a rescue first goes to Amanda my instructions are always the same "find the personality under all that fur, and give them a look to match." Mostly we simply require that the dog be comfortable and look neat and tidy. The little touches such as painting Pebbles nails, are the things she does to bring out their individuality. If a dog doesn't have personality and attitude before it meets Amanda it certainly does by the time she is finished with it. She makes them feel like royalty and it shows!
It may sound silly to some people, but dogs actually like to look presentable. (Except of course for Hercules who will not speak to me for at least two days every time he is groomed, and spends hours running around the house trying to rub off the clean.) I remember the first time I took Diva to be groomed, she walked in with her head down. When I picked her up she pranced out head held high. She looked good and she knew it! When I pick her up today she will be no different. She will prance out head held high, and we will go visiting to show her off. Diva is always at her best when freshly groomed!
We have been talking about grooming for two days now, so I feel it is my duty to enlighten would be dog owners to the finer points of owning a dog that must be groomed, as most small breed dogs must. Small breed dogs are very popular these days. They fit into the lifestyles of apartment dwellers and homeowners alike. They are portable, and they don't turn you into a kite when walking them. All pros in favor of having a small breed dog right? Well sure! However there are a few other things to consider when choosing a small breed dog.
Small breed dogs are more high strung by nature, they tend to bark more at things they do not understand (i.e: noises they are not familiar with) and are more clingy, wanting to sit on your lap instead of lay on the floor, etc. Some also need regular grooming. This is not an optional thing, dogs with long hair that grows continuously need to be groomed on a regular basis, or it becomes a health hazard. Leaving a dog that must be groomed without grooming can lead to skin conditions, and overall poor health as the fur becomes matted close to the skin. Should you choose to have a small breed dog and leave it with longer hair, it must be brushed properly on a daily basis to avoid matting and skin conditions. There is also the issue of weather to contend with. In the winter, Diva, Hercules, Harley and Pebbles will be allowed to have their hair longer in order to keep them warm. Sure I could put sweaters on them every time they went outside, but I have eight dogs, who has the time to dress them all and then undress them again when they are brought in 5 times a day? So I keep their coats longer in the winter, which of course means brushing four little dogs on a daily basis. A small price to pay not to have vet bills for skin conditions.
Owning any dog is always work, you have to train them, walk them, feed them, play with them and love them. Owning a small breed dog however, is a little more time consuming, and a little more expensive. Let's talk about the expense. Here in North America we seem to labor under the misconception that if something is more expensive it must be better than something less expensive. Not the case with dog grooming. Your best bet is to find a reasonably priced groomer who loves to work with dogs. You may have to shop around a bit, and you may have a few disturbing experiences, but it will enable you to find a) a groomer that is compatible with your pooch, and b)someone YOU and your dog are comfortable with.
Our groomer works out of her home, but there are grooming salons in every town and city. I find that our groomer works best for our rescues because she works in a homelike atmosphere that they are more comfortable with. Also her rates are generally better because she does not have the same overhead expenses as grooming salons. She also does a better job than most grooming salons I have taken my dogs to. I have had some hairy experiences with grooming salons. One place I took Harley, he came back full of little nicks and cuts, and they charged me $65.00. Another time I took two of my rescues to what was supposedly one of the best grooming salons in town, they charged me $55.00 per dog, and one week later the whole pack came down with kennel cough and had to be vetted. That haircut came with quite a high price tag.
Wherever you take your dog for grooming, remember, check out the groomer before using them. Talk to people who take their dogs there, and get their take on the quality of service. Also remember that it is in your dog's best interest to have it groomed at least once every 3 months, every 2 months if you maintain your dog with a longer cut. Most of all remember that a well groomed dog is a happy dog!
Once again, if you live in the Barrie area here is the contact info for the best groomer in town!
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