Questions & Answers
This page is to try and answer some of the questions that
come up regarding grooming: when, where, how and why!?!!
If you don't see the answer to your question here, please give
us a call. We may add your question here for others too see!
Remember, if you have a question, at least one other person
will too!
Q: Why does my dog need grooming?
A: All dogs need grooming at some point. Whether you do it
at home or have it done professionally is up to you and how
much time you have. Regular grooming helps you to keep
your dog clean (mostly!) and aware of any skin issues,
bumps, possible ear infections, and more. It is an opportunity
to look closely at your dog and observe him or her to ensure
that they are healthy and nothing unusual is going on.
Q: How do you determine how much it will cost to groom
my dog?
A: The cost of grooming a pet is based on the amount of time
that we expect it will take. When we give you an estimate we
are expecting that your dog is standard for their breed or mix
of breeds, they are not matted or need excessive amounts of
brushout, etc. and that they are well-behaved. These factors
can vary from dog to dog and then the price will vary. For
example: a dog that is matted, not used to being groomed
and very wiggly and tries to bite for his or her nails will take us
more time than one who comes in regularly, i snot matted
and is well-behaved.
Q: When should I start getting my puppy familiar with the
grooming process?
A: Ideally puppies should be introduced to grooming from
birth. Whether doing it at home or having it professionally
done, nails can be done at the breeders and then continued
at home. When bathing puppies, be sure to use a shampoo
safe for small dogs. A puppies first trip to a grooming salon
would ideally be at 8 to 12 weeks of age for a bath and getting
to know the groomer - in some cases a little bit of neatening
and nails. If you can't or haven't been able to get your puppy
to start at an early age, don't give up! The sooner the better so
they will learn that there is nothing to worry about!
Q: What happens to my dog a grooming salon?
A: There are different types of salons, some have you drop-off
in the morning with pickup sometime in the afternoon. Others
have appointments specifically for your pet and will groom
him start to finish.
At Bark Easy, we usually have your pet dropped off in the
morning though we can do appointments when there is a
special need.
Typically when your pet comes into the salon, there is some
prework done such as dematting, nails, ears etc. Then your
pet will have her bath, and is dried on a drying table with a
hand dryer. Your pet will be mostly dry at this time and will
likely go into a crate to finish drying so she will not be damp.
(At Bark Easy none of our dryers are heated dryers and all use
room temperature air.) Once the dogs are all bathed and
dried, they come out one by one for their finish work, whether
it is a little bit of neatening or a full-haircut.
We will work around your schedule if you give us advance
notice of any appointments or plans you have for the day. If
you need a specific pick-up time for your pet - we will do our
best to accommodate you.
We know in some cases you may need special
accommodations for elderly pets or nervous pets and we will
be glad to work with you on giving them the best care
possible and getting them home to you as soon as we can.
We do offer in and out services so your pet does not have to
stay. This is at an additional cost and must be discussed in
advance of the appointment so we can fit it into our day.
Q: How do I know if a groomer is trained and will be good to
my pet and keep them safe?
A: Groomers should have gone through a course of study that
includes practical experience. There are also organizations
that groomers belong to and certifications that a groomer can
obtain. Check to see if they are familiar with your type of dog
or mixed breed. Unfortunately, there are no licensing
requirements for groomers at this time, so ask alot of
questions!
The best way for you to be certain is to interview the groomer,
either by phone or stop by. A good groomer should not mind
you stopping by at any time to ask questions or take a peek at
where your pet will be. Though be sensitive to the groomers
time. If your pet where at the groomers and someone new
came in, you would want to make sure that the groomer was
still giving your pet the care and attention he or she deserves!
Make sure you are comfortable with the person that will be
grooming your pet. Bring your pet with you so you can see
how your pet and the groomer interact. Word of mouth is a
great way to find someone so just ask around! If you see
someone walking their dog or carrying their pet - ask them if
they have any recommendations!
Q: My dog's shedding all the time! Will cutting the hair
reduce the shedding?
A: Shaving a dog with a double coat (those that shed alot!) will
usually change the dogs coat. It can make it grow back
thicker, it can change texture and sometimes color. Cutting
the coat will not stop shedding, the hair that sheds is just
shorter since it has been cut.
Q: Will cutting my dogs hair in the summer make him
cooler?
A: Typically shaving a dog in the summer will not make him
cooler. What does make your dog cooler is making sure that
the undercoat has been thoroughly brushed out! This is very
important! Typically dogs with undercoat shed all the time.
The coat is constantly shedding and filling in. You will see a
bigger loss of coat with seasonal shedding in the spring and
early summer. Making sure all of this coat is removed is the
best way to keep your dog cool! Dogs will typically bulk up in
the fall and winter. Grooming and removing undercoat will
never hurt your dog and will always keep him from getting
matted. It can help prevent hot spots that may be caused by
the coat retaining moisture and not drying out. Actually, a
dog's coat, once the undercoat is removed, insulates him
from the heat and cold, protecting his skin from the elements!
If you wait and have your dogs undercoat only removed once a
year in the spring, it will be very hard on your dog, pulling on
his or her skin and making the grooming process a difficult
one.
We recommend quarterly grooming at a minimum for dogs
with double coats.
Q: My dog has hair that grows when not cut, there is no
shedding and I do not plan to get his hair cut, I want to keep
him in full coat. How often should I get him groomed?
A: If your dog is in full coat, that is long and not in a "pet" style
haircut, you should be doing daily brushout at home. Make
sure you are brushing your dog out from underneath working
torward the top of the coat, one layer at a time and working
from the skin out. Matts from quickly and if not brushing out,
they can work their way closer and closer to the skin. If they
are not worked out, they will either pull all the hair out when
brushed or need to be shaved out. If bathing him at home,
make sure he is completely brushed out before and after the
bath. If you bathe him when wet, it can make the matts tighter
and tighter each time he is bathed.
If you were to keep your dog in full coat and want professional
assistance, we recommend coming in every two weeks for a
bath and brushout. This is flexible depending upon how
much work you will be doing at home and how easy you find
to maintain it.
Q: My dog has hair that grows if not cut and I want to keep
my dog in a haircut so it easier to maintain. How often
should I bring her in for grooming?
Most dogs that get a regular haircut will come in every 4 to 6
weeks. The time between appointments varies depending
upon how much maintenance you do at home between
appointments and how long you want to keep the coat.
Q: My dog/cat is matted, what should I do?
A: It depends upon how matted your pet is. In many cases, if
it is just a bit of matting here and there, we have special
products and tools to help dematt your pet successfully.
If the matts feel like balls and are right up to the skin, shaving
under the matts and relieving your pet might be the most
humane thing to do. Matts pull on your pet and the hair is tight
and uncomfortable.
Shaving a severly matted pet is not an easy task for the pet or
the groomer. Though an experienced groomer is very careful,
there is still a risk of your pet's skin being nicked by the
clipper when shaving them so closely, but if they are that
badly matted, there really is no choice.
If you have any questions or are unsure of your pet's coat
condition, the best thing to do is to stop by with your pet and
we can discuss it with you.
We will even teach you how to prevent them and how to brush
them out at home to prevent this from happening.
come up regarding grooming: when, where, how and why!?!!
If you don't see the answer to your question here, please give
us a call. We may add your question here for others too see!
Remember, if you have a question, at least one other person
will too!
Q: Why does my dog need grooming?
A: All dogs need grooming at some point. Whether you do it
at home or have it done professionally is up to you and how
much time you have. Regular grooming helps you to keep
your dog clean (mostly!) and aware of any skin issues,
bumps, possible ear infections, and more. It is an opportunity
to look closely at your dog and observe him or her to ensure
that they are healthy and nothing unusual is going on.
Q: How do you determine how much it will cost to groom
my dog?
A: The cost of grooming a pet is based on the amount of time
that we expect it will take. When we give you an estimate we
are expecting that your dog is standard for their breed or mix
of breeds, they are not matted or need excessive amounts of
brushout, etc. and that they are well-behaved. These factors
can vary from dog to dog and then the price will vary. For
example: a dog that is matted, not used to being groomed
and very wiggly and tries to bite for his or her nails will take us
more time than one who comes in regularly, i snot matted
and is well-behaved.
Q: When should I start getting my puppy familiar with the
grooming process?
A: Ideally puppies should be introduced to grooming from
birth. Whether doing it at home or having it professionally
done, nails can be done at the breeders and then continued
at home. When bathing puppies, be sure to use a shampoo
safe for small dogs. A puppies first trip to a grooming salon
would ideally be at 8 to 12 weeks of age for a bath and getting
to know the groomer - in some cases a little bit of neatening
and nails. If you can't or haven't been able to get your puppy
to start at an early age, don't give up! The sooner the better so
they will learn that there is nothing to worry about!
Q: What happens to my dog a grooming salon?
A: There are different types of salons, some have you drop-off
in the morning with pickup sometime in the afternoon. Others
have appointments specifically for your pet and will groom
him start to finish.
At Bark Easy, we usually have your pet dropped off in the
morning though we can do appointments when there is a
special need.
Typically when your pet comes into the salon, there is some
prework done such as dematting, nails, ears etc. Then your
pet will have her bath, and is dried on a drying table with a
hand dryer. Your pet will be mostly dry at this time and will
likely go into a crate to finish drying so she will not be damp.
(At Bark Easy none of our dryers are heated dryers and all use
room temperature air.) Once the dogs are all bathed and
dried, they come out one by one for their finish work, whether
it is a little bit of neatening or a full-haircut.
We will work around your schedule if you give us advance
notice of any appointments or plans you have for the day. If
you need a specific pick-up time for your pet - we will do our
best to accommodate you.
We know in some cases you may need special
accommodations for elderly pets or nervous pets and we will
be glad to work with you on giving them the best care
possible and getting them home to you as soon as we can.
We do offer in and out services so your pet does not have to
stay. This is at an additional cost and must be discussed in
advance of the appointment so we can fit it into our day.
Q: How do I know if a groomer is trained and will be good to
my pet and keep them safe?
A: Groomers should have gone through a course of study that
includes practical experience. There are also organizations
that groomers belong to and certifications that a groomer can
obtain. Check to see if they are familiar with your type of dog
or mixed breed. Unfortunately, there are no licensing
requirements for groomers at this time, so ask alot of
questions!
The best way for you to be certain is to interview the groomer,
either by phone or stop by. A good groomer should not mind
you stopping by at any time to ask questions or take a peek at
where your pet will be. Though be sensitive to the groomers
time. If your pet where at the groomers and someone new
came in, you would want to make sure that the groomer was
still giving your pet the care and attention he or she deserves!
Make sure you are comfortable with the person that will be
grooming your pet. Bring your pet with you so you can see
how your pet and the groomer interact. Word of mouth is a
great way to find someone so just ask around! If you see
someone walking their dog or carrying their pet - ask them if
they have any recommendations!
Q: My dog's shedding all the time! Will cutting the hair
reduce the shedding?
A: Shaving a dog with a double coat (those that shed alot!) will
usually change the dogs coat. It can make it grow back
thicker, it can change texture and sometimes color. Cutting
the coat will not stop shedding, the hair that sheds is just
shorter since it has been cut.
Q: Will cutting my dogs hair in the summer make him
cooler?
A: Typically shaving a dog in the summer will not make him
cooler. What does make your dog cooler is making sure that
the undercoat has been thoroughly brushed out! This is very
important! Typically dogs with undercoat shed all the time.
The coat is constantly shedding and filling in. You will see a
bigger loss of coat with seasonal shedding in the spring and
early summer. Making sure all of this coat is removed is the
best way to keep your dog cool! Dogs will typically bulk up in
the fall and winter. Grooming and removing undercoat will
never hurt your dog and will always keep him from getting
matted. It can help prevent hot spots that may be caused by
the coat retaining moisture and not drying out. Actually, a
dog's coat, once the undercoat is removed, insulates him
from the heat and cold, protecting his skin from the elements!
If you wait and have your dogs undercoat only removed once a
year in the spring, it will be very hard on your dog, pulling on
his or her skin and making the grooming process a difficult
one.
We recommend quarterly grooming at a minimum for dogs
with double coats.
Q: My dog has hair that grows when not cut, there is no
shedding and I do not plan to get his hair cut, I want to keep
him in full coat. How often should I get him groomed?
A: If your dog is in full coat, that is long and not in a "pet" style
haircut, you should be doing daily brushout at home. Make
sure you are brushing your dog out from underneath working
torward the top of the coat, one layer at a time and working
from the skin out. Matts from quickly and if not brushing out,
they can work their way closer and closer to the skin. If they
are not worked out, they will either pull all the hair out when
brushed or need to be shaved out. If bathing him at home,
make sure he is completely brushed out before and after the
bath. If you bathe him when wet, it can make the matts tighter
and tighter each time he is bathed.
If you were to keep your dog in full coat and want professional
assistance, we recommend coming in every two weeks for a
bath and brushout. This is flexible depending upon how
much work you will be doing at home and how easy you find
to maintain it.
Q: My dog has hair that grows if not cut and I want to keep
my dog in a haircut so it easier to maintain. How often
should I bring her in for grooming?
Most dogs that get a regular haircut will come in every 4 to 6
weeks. The time between appointments varies depending
upon how much maintenance you do at home between
appointments and how long you want to keep the coat.
Q: My dog/cat is matted, what should I do?
A: It depends upon how matted your pet is. In many cases, if
it is just a bit of matting here and there, we have special
products and tools to help dematt your pet successfully.
If the matts feel like balls and are right up to the skin, shaving
under the matts and relieving your pet might be the most
humane thing to do. Matts pull on your pet and the hair is tight
and uncomfortable.
Shaving a severly matted pet is not an easy task for the pet or
the groomer. Though an experienced groomer is very careful,
there is still a risk of your pet's skin being nicked by the
clipper when shaving them so closely, but if they are that
badly matted, there really is no choice.
If you have any questions or are unsure of your pet's coat
condition, the best thing to do is to stop by with your pet and
we can discuss it with you.
We will even teach you how to prevent them and how to brush
them out at home to prevent this from happening.
| Bark Easy Pet Grooming LLC 3 Hollis Village Marketplace, PO Box 1015, Hollis, NH 03049 603-465-2113 |
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| "The best things in life are furry!" |