Grooming your pets

[Jam-on-toast]

When I was a kid, we got a poodle and my mother joined a course on how to cut a poodle's hair/fur. Not sure if it was specifically for poodle owners, but the point is that all dog grooming was always done at home - bathing, cutting, nail clipping... Our first dog was a Labrador, so she was not a high-maintenance dog and, naturally, we did all the grooming by ourselves. Our current dog - an English cocker spaniel - is not exactly a low-maintenance breed, but, following in my mother's footsteps, I bought brushes, scissors, and a pet hair trimmer, watched several YT videos, and learned how to do it myself. I'm no big professional, but his curly fur is rather forgiving so he actually looks cute. It had never occurred to me to take him to a pet groomer until our neighbor asked where we have him groomed.

What about you? Do you take your pets somewhere or do you groom them yourself?

 

[AK_Tracy]

My shih-tzu dogs go to the groomers. I tried really hard to groom them myself. I have physical limits and trying to get them to hold still was a nightmare. They looked horrible. For $50 (after tip) per dog, they are shaved short, washed, dried, nails, glands, all done. I drop them off and pick them up and they look amazing. I really wanted to do them at home and be an amazing doggy mom but for me, I had to admit I am a better dog mom taking them to the groomer every other month. I couldn't get between their toes, or feet or legs or face. They looked horrible. Almost diseased. Our wirehair pointing griffons I do bath myself. They dont get trimmed, just bathed, brushed, and nails cut. I drag them into the shower with me and scrub them. The bonus is that when they get out and shake all over the floor is wet and I grab the mop and poof floors clean too.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

We got a Poodle years ago when we were first married. We knew that the grooming was part of having one of these breeds. We just had "mutts" growing up and didn't do anything to them except turn the hose on them periodically. DH and I have had labs, lab mixes, etc. since then and when we lived in Florida, they swam in the pool, or DH bathed them once in awhile or took them to the dog beach and let them swim. We have had a Labradoodle for 9 years and she goes to the groomer every 6 weeks. My DD has 2 Doodles, and they all go on the same day. They're there all day and it's a big job to groom them. We have talked about tackling the job ourselves, but it's a lot of work. We would have to get a table with a "stand" on it plus lots of other equipment and we have since given up on that and just take them to a groomer.

 

[Veronika]

My current dog and the one before that have terrier fur and can only be hand-stripped
and I only have groomers do that.
At home, they only brush and comb.

 

[Celestine]

We have a Goldendoodle and with that high maintenance double coat, we take him to the groomer. Since he is white, we have also been known to bathe him at home on occasion in between scheduled grooming. When he was a puppy, he dug in the yard constantly and would be covered in mud up to his belly. Sadly, we had to cancel his last grooming appointment because we didn't feel he could stand long enough at the groomer. He is 11.5 years old and very tall and big (105 lbs), and his hips are barely working these days, plus he is mostly blind and deaf. We gave him a dry shampoo and brush at home as he enjoys his last days and we give him all the love and cuddles.

 

[AnaSantos]

Well, I have hairless cats and a chihuahua. This may lead you to think that I have an easy task. I'm the one who takes care of them at home and what you can't imagine is the work it takes to cut and clean nails and ears of 13 cats and 1 dog. It takes me a whole morning to do this task and I feel the need to make a list so I know exactly who I've dealt with and who's missing.

 

[zanthia]

i have a lab so no groomer just the occasional brushing and more so during shedding season. sometimes during hte spring hubby may give her a weekly bath due to extra scratching ( allergies perhaps ? ) but this year there was no need to. As far as nails go she naturally keeps them short so no need to clip them.