We are so often asked about best scheduling for pets to be groomed and we encourage setting up maintenance plans not only to ensure healthy, happy pets, reduce shedding, prevent tangles & added charges associated with length & matting But where do we get this magic number 6 to 8 weeks? This is a 2 part answer because we have shedding dogs and non(less) shedding and partly the same but slightly different reasons for recommending this time frame. If you consider people have 1 single hair per follicle compared to our furry shedding friends who may have upto 20+ hairs PER follicle and when we see them professionally for the first time the coat is usually in all stages, hundreds of hairs pushing to release from each of the follicles and we have several tricks of the trade to help that happen but the results can be temporary when we only see these pets sporadically through the year. A rule of thumb the shorter denser coats of for instance a pug may go through a complete coat cycle in a month yet a dog like a collie may have shorter hairs that complete a cycle in a month and longer hairs that complete a cycle in 3 months and dogs such as poodles may grow hair for years before it completes a cycle so they seemingly dont shed but do need to be trimmed. On average the coat cycle is 45-60 days ( 6 to 8 weeks). Getting on a grooming routine that corresponds with the coat cycle of your pet will greatly reduce shedding , some say by up to 80%. I personally feel although after the 1st professional visit the results can be noticeably pleasing after the 3rd or 4th visit on a 6 to 8 week plan pet lovers will see longer lasting results because these visits start to become more about removing fur that is at the end of the cycle and is about to push out and less about playing catch up with hundreds of hairs jammed up trying to get free. Now every dog is different, different life style, different diet , different coat and seasonal changes influence the cycle so 6 to 8 weeks is an average although we find some people like to come more often and some prefer to keep up with things at home and spread appointments out a little more.

Now for our non or less shedding dogs that grow something more like hair that needs to be trimmed, 6 to 8 weeks still seems to be the perfect rule of thumb. These pets regardless of the length you choose and if your desired style holds up for this time frame or longer they still grow hair in their paw pads, around their eyes and potty path that is undesirable and sometimes unhealthy and needs to be trimmed on a regular basis. Now you can choose an ultra short style that may hold up for your pet 10 to 12 weeks and alternate in between with a tidy to keep your pet healthy or for some they prefer longer lengths or styles that always look maintained and prefer to come monthly and than of course some of you have pets like mine that just love to play in mud and roll in grass and get tangled so monthly just works best with a short & sassy style :). Over all we find the majority of families and pets, need something in between that is cute and low maintenance will last the 6 to 8 weeks and this is the perfect “happy place” for maintaining these coats and optimum skin health. Be advised in some cases pets left ungroomed for months on end can lead to unwanted veterinarian bills for various problems that can result from over grown, dirty and matted coats. And lastly for most pets 6 to 8 weeks also seems to be the magic time frame nails need to be trimmed, feet start smelling like corn chips, ears get stinky and our pets get that musty wet, old dog smell that starts to linger, we can barely stand to cuddle with them at this point and a trip to the spa is in order! :) Please talk to us about what will work best for your pet and family and we’ll help you choose a length and style for your personalized pet maintenance plan, you can reschedule up to 1 year in advance or book your next appointment via our Online booking sites for Lakeside, Deer Lake or Downtown Pottsville locations.

Have a dog gone great day!