As the winter season is upon us, it’s important to take a moment to recall some special things to watch out for in the winter months. For new puppy owners, this is essential, but even for seasoned dog lovers, it’s a good reminder.
This fall/winter season has been unseasonably warm and we’ve been seeing more ticks than ever. It’s important not only to use monthly flea and tick preventatives, but also to watch for the ticks themselves. Even when using preventative, you can find live ticks on the dog. While they’re not necessarily problematic, it’s a good idea to remove them as long as you know how to do so safely. Our favorite product is called “Ticked Off” and it’s a little tool that scoops the ticks of easily and all in one piece which is extremely important.
Just like with people, turning on the furnace in the winter can really dry out the dogs’ skin and coat. If you’re noticing itchiness in your dog, or flaky skin, this is likely the culprit. The solution is easy – upgrade to an oatmeal bath instead of regular dog shampoo, and pamper your pooch with extra soothing and moisturizing suds. Please remember never to use human soap products on your dog – the pH of dog skin is very different from our own, and human products can make the condition worse as a result.
Grooming is as important in the winter as it is any other time of year. After the Christmas rush, we often hear customers wanting to skip grooming appointments in January and February because they want the hair to grow out and keep the dog warm. This may sound like a good idea in theory, but in practice, it can cause some real trouble. If the coat gets too long without professional maintenance in between, you can end up with tangled undercoat, and often severer matting. If this happens to a great degree, there are some cases that require the coat to be shaved. And now rather than having a long luxurious warm coat, you’ve got a dog that’s shaved in the middle of February or March! I can’t even tell you how many times this happens in the winter time.
Dog breeds that require regular grooming really do require grooming through the winter too. If you’d like to grow it out longer, we’re more than happy to do a touch-up groom in between clips, or even a full clipping but at a longer length. Since our dogs are all house pets, their coat length really doesn’t have to change seasonally. However, if you’d like to change it up, we’re happy to oblige!
Consider calling well in advance to schedule grooming so that you can get an appointment that suits your schedule and your dogs’ needs. In fact, if you book your January grooming appointment by December 30th, you’ll be rewarded with a Free Royal Treatment! This upgraded service includes a luxurious upgraded shampoo and conditioner (hint – oatmeal is great!!) along with your choice of either a nail grinding pedicure or a teeth brushing service.
Ok, winter we’re ready – bring it on!
