We may say rrrf-ruff, arf-arf, or bow-wow. But, how do other countries speak dog? 

• Arabic: Haw-haw
  

  Whatcha say Sam?!

• Chinese: Wang-wang
• French: Whou-whou or Vaf-vaf
• German: Vow-vow
• Italian: Bau-bau
• Japanese: Won-won or Kyan-kyan
• Norwegian: Voff-voff or Vov-vov
• Russian: Gav-gav or Guf-guf
• Spanish: Guau-guau

I first used a high velocity blower in 1990. It was called a cattle dryer back then. It is a noisy vacuum-like contraption. It makes short work of drying dogs. It is the main reason we are able to groom the dogs as quickly as we can. It removes dander, straightens a curly coat, loosens mats, and removes packed in undercoat. I call it brushing with air. Any dog that gets their coat scissored has to have the hairs straightened and separated. We use the HV dryer first then touch up with a regular stand dryer. The HV dryer also saves time and irritation to the skin on the hairy beasties. The blower just blows all the dead coat right out. After that, there is minimal brushing. Gus and Harley are a couple of Bernese Mountain Dogs that I’ve been grooming since they were wee babies. They are the biggest and hairiest dogs we have at Park Hill Pooch. It takes a long time to dry them completely. I love  watching the clumps of dead hair slowly loosen then fly out leaving their coats healthy and shiny. It is the closest I come to a zen state of mind.

 Miss Lucy loved being able to keep a look out for her mama. (we don’t have the window in the grooming area in the latest shop) She is a little old lady, but you wouldn’t know it when you see her jump into the tub. She used to come to my house with her brother Miles for their grooming.

 

 

 

 Leo the braveheart reminds me of the lion from wizard of oz. He is such a big hunk of love. He is anxious about his grooming but he bucks up just to get through it. He seems to love all the compliments after its all done. He’s one handsome dude! 

 

 

 Ginger “Gingina” is one BIG mama. Her tail doesn’t stop wagging. She loves the socializing but not the grooming. She looks at me the whole time as if to say, ” Are we done yet?” We are both lucky that she doesn’t have much hair and doesn’t take very long to groom.

The thickness of a dog’s fur, not the length, determines how a dog tolerates cold temperatures. To know if your dog needs a coat to go out, think about how thick your dogs fur is is to determine what your dog needs. Another consideration is how long your pet will be outside. The government has outrageously minimal requirements for dogs which are kept outside. There is a huge gap between their requirements and what is humane.

Nordic breeds were created with dense undercoats and are well suited for cold climates, not so for the majority of the breeds we choose to share our lives with. We humans have created these creatures to be dependent on us. Even large breeds sometimes need help from us to keep them warm.

Sick or elderly dogs might need them even while they are indoors. And don’t forget their feet. Bare tootsies get painfully cold on frozen ground. In extreme cases dog’s body cannibalizes itself to try to keep warm. You may think it is froo-froo to have your dog wear a coat, but you can find lots of “plain jane” coats too.

Bottom line: Pay attention to your dogs. They should NOT be shaking or have the chills ever. They should NOT be holding their feet up because they are too cold to stand on. If they are, go get them a coat!

West Highland White Terrier or “Westie” is a relatively recent breed. They were derived from white Cairn Terrier puppies in Scottland. These white puppies were bred to develop the West Highland variation. The Westie is basically a White Cairn Terrier - and an extremely popular breed.

 

- excerpt from Planet Dog a doglopedia

 This little boy looked as though he had never been groomed in his life. Even though his hair has coarse, he had sheet matts all over his head and body. He was happy the whole time and giving me kisses. I really wanted to give him some style by leaving some hair somewhere. So, he ended up with some boots, a round head, and a lion tail. Sooo cute!

 

 

 

Yes, dry itchy skin is a problem in Colorado. But, we also have fleas, lice, and ticks in Colorado. So, is it dry skin or is it bugs? How can you tell? The easiest and simplest way to tell is if the “flakes” are all the same shape and the dog is constantly scratching. In this case, it could be lice.

With each summer we groomers are seeing an increase in the number of cases. My own personal theory is more dogs are going to open spaces and doggy daycare, and at the same time wildlife are losing their inner city homes and moving into our yards.

The good news about lice, as opposed to fleas, is that they are species specific and live their whole lives on the dog. The bad news is that there are two types (biting and sucking), and killing them is more complicated. It takes shampoo, dips and a precise schedule.

You should let your veterinarian or groomer treat your dog because these shampoos and dips are poisonous and can harm your pet if accidently misused.

This is an article about lice that I found helpful: Dog lice - lice in dogs - Article on Pets.ca. But, just like I said, check with your veterinarian before you treat dog lice yourself.

Poor little Beignet is saying ”Orevwa” to her unwelcome guests.

 

 

Pet grooming is unnatural. As groomers, we put our faces in the pet’s face, we hold body parts (usually against their will), we use sharp instruments near sensitive areas, we pour water all over them then dry it all off.

This is all very intimidating to the pet. It takes trust from both parties to have a successful groom. Building trust takes time. Sometimes, as a groomer, we have to try different things until we find the right way to make the pet feel safe and comfortable.

Kilty is a special old man. He has been following me around for years. I know my day will be a good one when I see him on the books!

            

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