Although many dog owners are proud of grooming their pets at home on their own, professional dog grooming at a groomer’s can have a lot of benefits.
The awareness of pet caring is growing year by year in UK. This is evidenced by the number of new dog grooming salons and the extension of the offer of groomer services.
Regular visits with a pet to a groomer are no longer a niche practice, but are becoming a common practice among owners of dogs and even cats.
We understand better the needs of our pets and we want the best for them, and our awareness leads to an increased interest in services for our four-legged friends.
Groomer – is it just a hairdresser for dogs?
This profession is mainly associated with dog grooming, but there is much more to it than that.
Grooming a pet means:
- combing
- clipping hair
- combing hair
- trimming hair
- clipping claws
- ear cleaning
- contest preparation
- hair colouring
- grooming and curative bathing
- advice on choosing the right cosmetics
- preparation of cats and dogs for participation in professional dog shows
First visit to a Groomer
Your pet’s first visit to the groomer is certainly an important event. Getting it right can determine future visits. If something goes wrong, your pet may become extremely anxious about next visits.
In the case of puppies, many owners make the mistake of waiting until their dogs are more than six months old before taking them for grooming. The general rule is that puppies should be no more than four months old, as younger dogs are easier to train and it will be much easier to teach them the proper basics with a groomer. Of course, puppies must have all their vaccinations done before their first grooming.
Adult dogs can also start their adventure with a groomer but it may be more difficult to convince them to the treatment.
The first contact between the groomer and the pet is very important. It will be the most important step towards a proper visit. So inform the groomer that it is the first visit.
The groomer, as a professional in contact with pets, will know what to do gaining his trust.
How long does pet grooming take?
The first visit will not be one of the longest to avoid additional stress. The average duration of a visit to a groomer is between 1 and even 3 hours depending on the breed and size of the dog. A normal reaction of your pet may be fear of tools such as scissors, clippers or hairdryers, which by their noise may induce fear. Acclimatisation and adaptation should be the priority here.
Scope of services and cost of a visit to a dog groomer
During your first visits, consider taking advantage of the following groomer services:
- bathing
- brushing and combing
- claw clipping
- ear cleaning
- light trimming where it is particularly needed
The cost of a visit to the groomer, depending on the selected treatments, the breed of the dog and its size. The price range starts from 60£ for small breeds up to even 120£ for large dogs and demanding hair.
It’s great if you can stay with your pet during treatments, but your presence can also make the job more difficult as your pet will focus attention on you, thereby endangering itself during a haircut for example.
Of course you know your pet best, and together with the groomer you will surely come to a compromise. After just 2-3 sessions, your pet should be familiar and treat your groomer like a visit to a 5-star hotel with a spa.
How to choose the right groomer for your dog?
If you want to get to a qualified person and leave with a happy pet and a smile on your face, you should first do a little research on grooming salons in your area.
It is worth answering a few questions:
- Does the groomer have the right qualifications and attend training courses?
- Do I require a specific styling for my pet?
- Does my dog’s breed require experience in grooming a specific type of hair?
- What is the groomer’s attitude towards, for example, anxious dogs?
- If this is your first visit to a groomer, you may want to go to a salon for an initial look.
Who can benefit from the services of a groomer?
It is not only pure-breed dogs that benefit from grooming services. Multi-breed mutts also need professional grooming.
Dogs of specific breeds most often benefit from grooming services:
Long-haired dogs:
- Cocker spaniel
- Yorkshire terrier
- Maltese
- Shih tzu
- Skye Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Afghan Hound
- German Shepherd Dog
- Sussex spaniel
- Japanese Chin
- Silky Terrier
Wire-haired dogs
- Dachshunds, Greyhounds
- Airedale Terrier
- Border Terrier
- Brussels griffon
- Jack Russell Terrier
- German Shorthaired Pointers
- Irish Wolfhound
- Scottish Terrier
Special care at a groomer’s should also be given to breeds, which are very time-consuming to groom at home, e.g. Samoyeds.
As the statistics show, more and more people (57% of those surveyed) take their pets to a groomer. This is a good sign! We pay more and more attention to the well-being of animals.
A cat at the groomer? That is the question.
It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question. If your cat is afraid of water itself, a bath at the groomer’s will not change anything.
Bathing a cat is a controversial subject and we should leave the decision about it to each individual.
It is the same with the haircut. There are arguments for and against. Consultation with a groomer and, above all, your decision will be the best one, because who knows your cat better than you.
Of course, a groomer is not only a bath. If your cat has a demanding coat, for example it is a beautiful long-haired Persian, a visit to a groomer will be a great idea for it. The groomer will have the opportunity to show off in combing the coat, removing tangles and so on.
The benefits of visiting a groomer
Regular visits for your pet are not only about taking care of their beauty, but also their health and happiness.
Here are some of the benefits of professional grooming at a groomer’s salon:
- Grooming keeps the coat and skin healthy
- Regular claw clipping not only helps to keep them in good condition, but also reinforces healthy paw structure and posture and reduces the risk of infection
- Your pet will look stunning
- Regular visits can result in early detection of problems with ears, skin, teeth and more
- With professional services, you will avoid improper grooming and the risk of, for example, injuring your dog during a haircut
Find a groomer in your area and make the first appointment for your pet. Give your pet great pleasure. Try it and you won’t regret it.