ARTICLE:

Grooming for All Seasons

Many pet owners believe that it is not necessary to take their pet to a groomer when it gets cold.

The thought of a human wearing a fur coat all winter long and not using good personal hygiene is, well, not a pleasant thought.  The same is true for our pets.  They too need regular grooming hygiene all year-round for good health and comfort.

Misconceptions

There seems to be a misconception that dogs should not be groomed in winter.  This simply is just not true.  Let’s look at the grooming process and see how grooming on a routine basis, especially in winter months, can help your pet stay healthy, happy and comfortable.

The most important grooming procedure is brushing your dog’s coat.  The brushing process helps to keep your dog from getting mats and tangles.  A mat and tangle free coat helps it distribute the natural oils and stimulates the skin.  Brushing your dog on a routine basis helps to keep their coat shiny and healthy. Also, a mat and tangle free coat assist in keeping your dog at a comfortable temperature as warmth radiating from your pet’s skin aids the body’s natural insulating qualities.  However, a dog that does not receive a routine brushing may cause their coat to become matted, and a matted coat does not provide healthy insulation and warmth.  In the colder months, a matted coat can create a real health problem.  Matting has a tendency to hold moisture against their skin and consequently can chill you pet.  The moisture on the skin creates the perfect environment for bacterial growth and skin infections too.  So if your dog were to become matted, it possibly would be better to clip them short than to let the matting cause skin and health problems, even in the coldest weather.

Dry Heat Damage

The dry heat found in many homes throughout the winter season can be tough on our skin and hair, so we apply lotions and conditioners to ease the scratchiness and irritation. Your professional knows tolls, all too well, that dryness has on your pet’s coat and skin.

We at Precious Pet Cottage Pet Grooming have a multitude of products and services to care for your pet’s coat and ease the dryness that causes your pet to scratch and chew at his skin during the winter months.

But, he or she will get cold

At The Pet Cottage Pet Grooming, we have a warm area in which we bathe your pet, and hair dryers especially designed to dry your pet quickly.  We can perform other services too that will help your pet be comfortable and prepared to better handle the hazards of cold winter weather, like clipping the hair from out of the pads of your pet’s feet.  Hair that accumulates in the pads can pick up rock salt and ice, become matted and hold moisture between the pads.  It is sort of like waking around with rocks in wet shoes?  Sounds uncomfortable, doesn’t it?

Total Groom Concept

In addition to the brushing, bathing, and paw maintenance, we will trim their nails, clean their ears, check the teeth, do their anal gland, and look for any potential health problems.  Your pet could also receive some trimming.

Taking your dog to Jenna at Precious Pet Cottage doesn’t mean that he or she has to be clipped short.  It is important to discuss the options with Jenna.

Many pet owners prefer to keep their pet in a fuller trim during colder weather, but one should remember that more hair requires more grooming maintenance.  It is unfortunate when a dog must be clipped very short because their routine grooming has been neglected – allowing their coat to become so matted that nothing else can be done.

Year-round comfort

Each spring we sometimes have the tedious and sad job of caring for pets that have not received any grooming attention over the winter months.  The process can be uncomfortable for the pet and sometime more costly for the owner.  Shouldn’t your best friend enjoy the year-round health, comfort, and attention that we at Precious Pet Cottage Grooming offer?

Keep your pet nice to snuggle with, especially during the winter, by making regular visits to your professional groomer, Jenna.  Every season has a good reason.

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