Happy Sunday!

I'm enjoying a nice day off, but after submitting a few new photos of some pets I groomed this past week, I of course started reminiscing. There were a couple that I took some great, useful home grooming tips from. Let's get started.....

1. I groomed Mushie, the sweetest, most cooperative Persian cat ever! Persians have very smooshed in noses and therefore their folds between the eyes and the nose get "gunky". So make sure and use a moist (warm or tepid, never hot or cold!) piece of gauze to wipe away any gunk within the folds. Make sure and wipe the eyes gently and also the nose. With a smooshed nose, there can be a tendency to have difficulty breathing. So make sure and keep the nostrils free of any discharge or "boogers"!

2. Some people with dogs and cats that have long hair don't realize the maintenance that can be entailed when acquiring the pet. So read this! Certain breeds of dogs like Shih Tzus, Yorkies, Poodles, long haired dogs can get matted, or knotted, hair. This can be very uncomfortable as it pull on the skin. Imagine if you had longer hair and you didn't brush and your hair just developed a huge knot, pulling on your scalp. Well, that's what they feel. Long haired breed cats, such as above mentioned Persians, and also Himalayans and your typical domestic long haired cat can also require maintenance to avoid matting. So to prevent this, you want to go to your local pet store or hop online to Amazon or wherever you will to acquire a couple of essential grooming tools.

    -A steel comb. This is a great tool for regular, everyday combing. Why a steel comb and not those brushes that have the wire bristles?? Well, the brush with wire bristles, aka slicker brush, only brushes the top coat. It doesn't get down to the roots. A comb will. You want to get a comb down to the roots and comb the hair through. Mats will typically start closer to the root and not the ends. The longer the mat is there, the worse it gets. ALWAYS COMB THE HAIR RIGHT BEFORE BATHING!!! Bathing and wetting the mat only makes it worse. The next time you get in the shower, if you have long hair, don't brush beforehand if you normally do, and you'll notice the difference.
    -A rake. This is a comb, if you can call it that, that will get down to the roots under a mat that has already developed. It is comprised of blades that will cut the mat out of the hair. This is only to use on mats that have just started forming!! If your pet is severely matted, do not use the rake. Your pet needs to have a shave down. Again, let's use our imagination. You have long hair and this big knot that is pulling on most of your scalp and you try to use a comb, that yes has blades, but you have to pull and pull to get that knot out. The smaller the mat, the less pulling, the less "torture" as I like to call it.

So please make sure and pick up these tools and use them appropriately! This will help you avoid matted hair and make your pet much happier!
   

Does my dog need to be sedated to be groomed?

Yesterday, I had a girl come in with her Maltese/Bichon pooch named Coco. I was told at the time of making the appointment that Coco would be difficult. Is sedation a possibility? Yes! But I always try to take my time and work with the animal first. Why introduce drugs and make the experience even worse if it can be avoidable?

Sara came with Coco and while usually owners will simply drop off to me and then come back after the pup or cat is ready, I could sense that Sara knew she needed to stay. And boy, was she right. Coco barked and growled and showed her true distaste for me and what was about to go down. However, because of her foul temper with grooming, she was horribly matted and desperately needed to be groomed. So in we went, ready to do whatever it took to free this pup from her painful, irritating, knots. Sara stayed and helped hold and console Coco and be there for moral support. Boy, was Sara good!! Between Sara and I, we were able to get a terribly matted, frightened, uncooperative dog shaved down and mat free! While it was a struggle, don't let the short paragraph fool you, Coco strutted her stuff out of here feeling the fresh air on her skin and the green grass on her paw pads!

Sara and I agreed that Coco will pay me a visit once a month. If not for a haircut, then for a brushing. Just something to get her used to coming and hopefully make her a success story.

I have some of those too....I'll tell you more about my success stories another day!

So in answer to your question, does my dog need to be sedated for grooming? I don't know but I guarantee I will try my hardest to avoid it and make your dog feel at ease so as to create a good experience and make future experiences even better.

Clipping Dog's Nails

Here's an article to help you with clipping dog's nails. This is a task about 98% of owners fear and so do does the dog! But with the right technique it can be done!

So take a peek....

https://www.superpages.com/em/clipping-dog-nails/

Welcome to my salon!

Hello all, 2-legged and 4-legged!

I'm Stephanie LaPlante, owner and groomer of Airport Pet Salon & Day Spa. I'm located inside Airport Veterinary Center!

I love grooming both dogs and cats and try to give the best experience possible! I'm compassionate and caring. I love to teach my clients about good grooming techniques as well. Things such as which kind of comb to use, or how to cut dog's nails, or teeth brushing can all be discussed.

My shampoo is a wonderful fragrance that will last weeks! In fact, the shampoo I use was out of stock once so I ordered a different brand....boy, people noticed the difference and so did I! So I guarantee a fresh look and fresh smell that will last for weeks!

I have competitive pricing and all haircuts and baths include a free nail trim and ear cleaning. (I also pluck the ear hair as well to help prevent infection.)

I'm so excited for you to get to know myself and my business! Please don't hestitate to contact me! 845-462-6300

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AirportPetSalonDaySpa/
www.airportpetsalonanddayspa.com
11 Airport Drive
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590