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Category Archives: Pet Grooming

Fall Grooming for Pets in Amarillo, TX | Willow Creek Kennels

Posted on September 27, 2024 - 9:45 am


The leaves are changing, the weather is growing cooler, and everything is pumpkin spice. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, I just love the colors. That also means a significant change in my dogs from their tip of their nose to the tip of their tail they make me aware that fall is upon us. Here are just some of the reasons why.

Skin and Coat

I know when fall is here because I have to use more moisturizers. This trend is just as applicable to our pets. We tend to see shorter daylight which means we are inside longer, turn on our heaters, and do not realize how dry the weather can be. The dogs also experience these symptoms. We often see a need to up our conditioner in these beginning months of fall to put a bit of extra moisture back in that fur. Dog’s coats will often try to expel the summer dead stuff, and you will see an increase in shedding because of it. The first month of fall this includes short-coated dogs as well. By getting out this dead coat and giving pups a good brushing we can extend their natural oils and make those lovely dog coats healthier and shiny. Once you get all that extra hair, dirt, and dander out of your pet you might just notice a decrease in your seasonal allergies as well.

Paw and Nail Care

As groomers we are always going to tell you dogs nails need to be done at least every six weeks. Dogs’ nails grow in a circle and if you are not one of those blessed people that the dogs naturally wear their nails down, they need professional care. Since they are inside more through these cooler months it will help them with their movement and help (especially elder dog’s) getting up. As the human in the relationship, we do not always see when a dog may be in need of a pad trim. Just like nails, pads are essential for movement. The older pets get the more hair they grow between those pads and are more likely to slip or need aid in getting to their feet. When you have your pet seen regularly, we will keep an eye on that and do that for you, but you can always request that as well. We know dry grass and leaves can be problematic during fall and with shorter feet and tidy pads most dogs won’t drag all that into the house again helping with seasonal allergies. Pads can also be prone to drying and cracking and with a bath we can do an extra bit of moisturizing to keep that from happening.

Grooming

Just because we think that dogs need fur off during the summer (so NOT true) this often leads to the extreme of getting them cut short. Now as we are going into the winter months those coats have had some time to grow out and may be starting to mat up again or tangle. This is the perfect time to keep that coat a bit longer, so they have some insulation and to make a decision to make it a positive transition to winter. Shorter hair may still have the freedom from troubling your pet with clothes that can actually lead to a lot of stress if dogs have to be shaven in several spots so they will be comfortable wear clothes.

The fall season is sweater weather, a nice long walk due to cooling temperatures, and wonderful fall colors. Let you and your pet enjoy it to the fullest by scheduling appointments to get these grooming tips done. We love spoiling your pet and we really are good at doing the hard work for you (if you’ve tried to shave your own dogs nails you know exactly what I mean.) So, this fall season, let us pamper your pets and maybe make your own life a little easier and less hairy.

Summer time haircuts? – Willow Creek Kennels

Posted on May 19, 2018 - 2:53 pm
Husky dog with a summer time haircut

Every year we get multiple request for dogs to be “shaved down to make them cooler.”  Double coated breeds which are in high demand for being shaved are Siberian Husky, Golden Retriever, Pyrenees, Newfoundlands, Australian shepherds and some smaller dogs such as Pomeranian and Shetland sheepdogs. I hope we can do a little education to help with this common misconception.

The fact is these shave down dogs are at a higher risk for most thing, including heat stroke.  Most people start with “my dog is panting all the time.”  That is a good thing since panting actually cools your pet off.  According to webmd panting helps dogs cool off when they’re hot or engaged in vigorous exercise.  Dogs take between ten and thirty breaths a minute, depending on their size. Get to know what your dog’s everyday breathing and panting looks like so you’ll more quickly notice suspicious changes.

Dogs do have sweat glands in their feet and you should check your dogs feet to make sure you don’t have too much hair preventing a good way to release some sweat.  This is a secondary to panting but is another good way to check that dogs are cooling off.

 

 

Dog have fur for a reason and we try to hard to humanize them, thinking if we are cooler with shorter hair so will our pets.  That is simply not the case.  Air flow is such a significant part of cooling dogs off.  We do want to make sure that dogs coat has a clear path, in other words not an overly thick coat or a coat that is matted and dirty.  Those types will not allow good airflow through to the skin and can not self-regulate their internal temperature.

 

 

Once hair has been shaved off it will not come back in the same.  This husky has both long and short coat now due to being shaved.  Dogs with this type of coat have an undercoat which will grow back in thicker and make it much harder for the dog to adjust to extreme temperature changes.  They can also grow in patchy where the outer-coat come in straight and faster than the undercoat producing a very odd looking dog a cycle of shaving that now can not be prevented. 

Dogs will stay cooler with air flowing through their coat.  Once you shave a dog down the sun’s rays have nowhere to go but straight down on the dog creating an issue for sunburns and extremely high body temperatures which can lead to heatstroke.  A dog with a clean, brushed coat will actually be cooler creating an environment which is safer overall for your pet.

There are some circumstances which shaving is the only option left.  When this occurs please be aware that these dogs need to be inside and only allowed outside for short periods of time.  Without their coat they are essentially helpless and rely completely on you to be their protector.

We love all dogs just want to make sure everyone has all the facts to keep pets safe this summer.  Please remember these dogs have a thick undercoat and need regular bushing and grooming to maintain their coat.  Make sure you make it clear what you want when you leave your dog with a groomer and make sure they in return are well educated about these facts.