FAQ
Grooming Questions
We offer pain free grooming experience for your pet. If your pet is severely matted, we will offer to shave down the coat using the longest length blade that will penetrate the mats. If this is not acceptable to you, you might want to comb out the mats with particular attention to the stomach, underarms, and behind the ears before the appointment.Just remember, it is more humane to cut down the coat and start all over again than to de-mat a heavily matted coat. IT IS PAINFUL TO DEMAT A MATTED COAT.
For flea removal we recommend a two step process. First, we bathe the pet using environmentally friendly flea based natural shampoo which will eradicate the fleas presently on the pet and help soothe skin irritaitons caused by the flea bites. Secondly, we recommend monthly flea preventative treatment such as Nextguard, Advantix, Confortis, Frontline, etc. There are many good products available. Please check with your vet for a recommendation.
Yes. You can leave us a key or digital invite. Let us know and we can accommodate any preferred absentee entry. We will make sure to contact you before arrival and let you know once your pet is returned. We will treat your privacy and home with the same respect as we treat your pet. Trust is earned and we strive with integrity to maintain that earned trust, every day.
Yes, usually around $20-$30 more per pet. For that extra money, you get the convenience of not making 2 trips to your local grooming shop and having to wait approximately 4 hours in between drop-off and pick-up time. Your pet will also benefit from a less stressful environment with no barking dogs, no cages, and no wait time, with only us grooming your pet each and every time.
No, our van is a completely self-contained unit. We also bathe with warm water. The generator on board provides for all the electrical needs. The unit is always climate controlled.
Yes. Bathing area, scissors, clippers, and surfaces are all cleaned with a spray disinfectant to ensure every pet is groomed in a clean environment.
It means that with bathing, grooming ,the teeth brushing, nail trim/grind, premium shampoo, premium conditioner, ear cleaning, bow/bandana are all included. We don’t upcharge for nail grinding, or products that offer the best bathing solutions for your pet’s specific coat and health needs like large chain grooming salons tend to do.
No. We are a one-on-one grooming salon. We sanitize before and after each pet to ensure and maintain the best conditions to keep your pet healthy. We understand if your pet is too young, too old or allergic to shots therefore records are not required.
Non-Anesthetic Teeth Cleaning Questions
Excellent question! Sadly there are many groomers “scaling” teeth improperly and not taking a history or performing a proper exam of the dog. Many also only clean the front of the teeth leaving the back still full of plaque and tarter. I am certified by Merryfield School of Pet Grooming with over 300 hours of practical hands on training as well as excellent online reviews. The risk of having your pet’s teeth cleaned by an uneducated layperson with little or no formal training is great risk to take.
Consider this; we humans generally brush our teeth twice a day and we are advised to have a teeth cleaning twice a year. The frequency of dental cleaning for a pet depends on diet, age, health, breed and brushing frequency. When you see a tan or brown color on the teeth then it is time to have them cleaned. Leaving large amounts of bacteria in your pet’s mouth may lead to other health issues as well as an unpleasant odor (“doggie Breath” is not normal and is a sign of disease or infection.
Effectiveness will vary somewhat depending on the particular pet’s behavior as well as the condition of the mouth, but in general non-anesthesia teeth cleaning is highly as effective although in some cases it may take a few dental cleaning sessions to reach this level. In our experience this level of efficacy is very satisfactory in preventing gingivitis and periodontal disease.
This is not possible for several reasons. First, this is a training process; if you are present the pet will pay attention to you and we need the pet to pay attention to us. When you are not present your pet will begin to bond with us rather than looking to you for comfort . The relationship we are building is one of trust and relaxation.
Please be aware that there are reasons a veterinarian may not agree with a non anesthetic dental cleaning. Some believe we are taking away from their services. Some believe there is no clinical value in our offering. Its important that they base their opinion on today’s studies on non anesthetic dental cleanings. There are many groomers out there that buy a hand scaler and scale your dog’s teeth without any knowledge of conditions of the dogs mouth or training and call themselves technicians. Im trained at Merryfield Academy Of Pet Grooming with over 300 hours of dental training.Besides looking inside the dogs mouth, I will examine your dogs overall health, ask questions about the dogs history such as health conditions, prior surgeries before I even begin to work on your dogs mouth. I will evaluate your dogs mouth and if there are advanced conditions that would require a trip to the vet I will let you know. It would be unethical to clean a mouth that needed more care than a non anesthetic dental cleaning. If your vet has any concerns I would be more than happy to seak to them.
We use the same type of manual scalers and curettes that are used for human dental cleanings. All of our scaling instruments are sterilized prior to each use. If tolerated we also use ultrasonic scalers.
The best way to make sure your pet’s teeth remain healthy and clean is daily brushing. We understand that it’s not always tollerated by pets but there are other ways to maintain your pet’s oral health when you can’t brush their teeth.
- Utilize water additives
- Give your pet dental chews
- Dental toys
- Choose food and treats that control plaque and promote dental health
- Schedule regular dental cleanings
Some of the companies are corporations that want to undercut the competition. That leads to the technician being rushed because these companies are now looking for volume to make up for the low cost. Also it’s important to compare “apples to apples”. My interest is after the cleaning, to educate the owner on the importance of keeping the pets mouth healthy. You will receive a bottle of an enzymatic water additive to give to your pet to help maintain a clean mouth as well as a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste. Also have peace of mind I am certified to clean teeth as many of these teeth scalers are not. Your pet is in great hands with me. Also consider when comparing price is that I am mobile. Your pet is in and out typically in one hour and back inside your home. Consider the reduced stress on your pet as well as convenience to you. Most people can justify the slightly higher price for the convenience.
Dental water additives and water rinses for dogs are a way to help keep your dog’s mouth, teeth, and gums healthy and free of harmful bacteria that causes plaque and tartar. The dental water additives are in liquid form and are administered to your dog simply through their drinking water daily. Think of it as doggie mouthwash.
No. Human toothpastes contain ingredients that should not be swallowed. If it is swallowed, it can cause an upset stomach or digestive disturbances. Some human toothpastes contain high levels of sodium which may even make your pet ill, while others may contain xylitol which is toxic for dogs. Pet toothpaste is available in a number of different flavors that are appetizing to dogs, including poultry and beef. Using a product that tastes good, your dog will be more likely to enjoy the whole experience.
