Question: What makes the Animal House' different then other grooming shops?
Proper grooming for pets is an essential part of your pet's care and keeps them looking, and feeling, their best. At Animal House we offer a personal and professional service to our clients with the utmost emphasis placed on the safety and well-being of each and every dog placed under our care; it is important for us to give your dog a 'happy' grooming experience and you peace of mind. Each animal is given a specific appointment time with their groomer. We do not believe in bringing in all the dogs in the morning and having them sit until their appointment time. We want each dog to move from bathing to drying to styling with as little stress as possible.
Once the groomer and bather review the services you have requested they begin the process:
Your dog is brushed & inspected for any skin conditions such as fleas or dry skin
1. The pet is then take to the bathing area where they receive two or more shampoos with a deep cleaning, exfoliating shampoo. At Animal House we use the Prima Bathing System. This technology helps rejuvenate the pet’s epidermis by oxygenating underneath the fur, opening up the pores and completely cleansing them of oils and bacteria. This helps restore a youthful sheen and vigor to the animals coat, skin, and nails. During the deep cleaning process eye white (to remove tear stains) is applied and the ear canals are cleaned.
2. After the deep cleaning your dog is bathed in a moisturizing shampoo followed with a ph balancing rinse and deodorizer. Once the shampoo process is complete a conditioner for the skin and hair is applied. The dog conditions for five minutes before the final rinse. This ends the bathing process.
3. Each animal is towel dried and then each pet is hand dried with a forced air drier to help remove any loose hair. The final stage of drying is that your dog is brushed as they are dried. This helps to remove any undercoat and fluffs the hair for the stylist. Your dog is now ready for the groomer.
4. Once on the grooming table your pet, is brushed again to fluff the hair for the haircut. Clippers and shears are used to create the style you requested. It is during the haircut that the nails are cut and buffed. Any matts which have formed in the paws are removed. Ear hair is pulled (if any is present). Medicated ear powder is applied to help remove any moisture and to protect the ears.
5. To finish, the dog is fluffed and brushed one final time. A finishing spray is applied to help repel dirt and lock in moisture. Bows and/or bandanas are put on your dog. Fragrance application and any finishing touches are done at this time.
We are happy to discuss your requirements and style your dog according to your wishes and your lifestyle. The QUALITY of your pets groom is our number one concern.
We are NOT a grooming franchise.
Question: How are dogs priced for grooming?
There are a number of factors that make up the pricing of grooming: • Size of dog • Breed of dog • Texture of coat • Condition of coat • Dogs behavior during grooming
Most dogs can be groomed in 2 hours. If the dog is in poor condition that will increase the time needed to perform a stress free grooming session. A heavily ed dog can require 2 groomers to get the job done correctly. These factors increase the cost of grooming.
Question: What if my dog bites?
If your dog has bitten in the past, or has a rough time with grooming it is Your responsibility to let our groomer know. In some cases she can work through the problem, in others it is too dangerous for both her and your pet. In the end, it is the pet owner who is liable for the behavior of their pet.
Question: What is a matt?
A matt is a tangle of hair or fur that can be found anywhere on a pet that has not been brushed and combed regularly. When a matt is left on the pet for a long period of time, it begins to grow (collect more tangled hair) and pull at the skin, eventually ripping itself away from the skin. The skin underneath the matt cannot breathe and will retain moisture and bacteria. Raw spots called hotspots can form under matts; abscessed open wounds, mold, and maggots can also reside underneath a matt. The matting process is speeded up when the pet gets wet from a bath or being out in the elements and is allowed to air dry without being brushed. A pet should be fully brushed and combed prior to and after any bath or circumstance where the pet could get wet at all. A longhaired pet should also be hand dried while being brushed and combed after getting wet, to reduce the possibility of matting.
Matt Removal: Pets with matted coats need extra attention during their grooming session. Matts left in a pets coat only grow tighter, and can strangle the pet's skin, or eventually tear it open. Our groomers do not wish to cause serious or undue stress to your pet, and will not continually de-matt your pet for you. Matts can be very difficult to remove, and may require the pet to be shaved. When necessary, removing a heavily matted coat includes risks of nicks, cuts or abrasions due to warts, moles or skin folds trapped in the matts. Heavy matting can also trap moisture and urine near the pet's skin allowing mold, fungus or bacteria to grow, causing skin irritations that existed prior to the grooming process. Torn skin from matts can also harbor maggots. After effects of matt removal procedures can include itchiness, skin redness, self-inflicted irritations or abrasions and failure of the hair to re-grow. Shaved pets are also prone to sunburn and should either have sunscreen applied daily or should be kept out of the sun until the hair grows sufficiently to protect the skin. In some cases pets may also exhibit brief behavioral
changes. Prevention is the best defense against matting by scheduling regular grooming appointments. There is an extra charge for dematting your pet.
Question: How often should I brush my pet?
It depends on the type of hair involved. Regular brushing helps to de-shed as well as draw out the natural oils in a pet to keep the skin and coat shiny and healthy. It promotes the re-growth of new hair. A short-haired dog may only need brushing once a week, but a dog with medium to long hair that needs regular trimming will need brushing AND combing every one to two days to keep matts from forming. Brushing your pet using a slicker brush or pin brush, will usually only get the hair that lies on top of the coat. It may not get the hair that lies closer to the skin. A comb will also get the hair close to the skin. Very often, people who do brush their dogs don't also comb them, so matts will form close to the skin and the owners will not realize it. Combing a dog will very easily let you know if you have missed any matts. Once a matt has formed, it can be difficult to remove it and they can grow very quickly and will eventually need to be professionally shaved off.
We will be happy to show you the proper brushing, combing techniques, and tools.
Question: How often should I have my pet professionally groomed?
It really depends on the type of hair/fur your pet has. A short-haired dog may only need a full grooming a few times per year to keep you happy, but a pet with medium or long hair that needs to be regularly trimmed will need grooming every 4-6 weeks. To keep shedding down on ANY pet, regular grooming is recommended. Professional grooming can easily reduce the shedding by removing a lot of the undercoat for you. A 4-6 week cycle is recommended for maintenance de-shedding.
Question: If I want to bathe my pet myself in between professional grooming appointments, how often should it be?
That is left up to the owners discretion, but over-bathing a pet can cause severe drying of the hair and skin unless a pet re-moisturizer or conditioner is used. Typically, a pet may only need one bathe in between professional grooming sessions. Be sure to brush and comb the pet before the bath to remove any matts and after the bath while you are actively drying your pet. Do not let your medium or longhaired dog air dry. As soon at they roll around, matts will begin to reform in the wet hair. See FAQ on matts (at the top of this page) for more information.
Question: How often should I have my pet's nails trimmed?
If your pet is regularly walked on cement sidewalks or pavement, nail trimming may not even be a requirement. The pavement will often file the nails for you. Be sure to check the nails once in a while so you know if the pavement is filing them down adequately. For dogs who are not walked on pavement, nails should be trimmed every three to six weeks. If the nails are left to grow, they will begin to twist the toes making walking uncomfortable, even painful. Some nails, especially the dewclaw (thumbs on pets) will curl around and stick themselves into the pads,
causing bleeding and infections. Long nails are especially difficult to cut because the quick or blood vessel grows with the nail and makes the groomer unable to clip the nail short. When a nail is trimmed, the quick recedes to protect itself from exposure. Short term weekly nail trimming might be required to get the nail back to being short again. If your groomer is unable to trim the nails due to a pet's difficult behavior, you may need to have the nails done at your vet's office.
