Giant dog grooming

Giant Dog Grooming

These dogs weigh over 100 lbs, and it includes St.Bernard, Great Pyrenees, Mastiff

 

Grooming appointments must be scheduled. Call your preferred location to schedule a spa day today! 

Walk-In-Services are only available when the groomers are in the store. Call store to confirm available times. Refer to main grooming page for Whole Pet late arrival, late pickup, and rabies policies.

 

Brush & Bath Package $85

Includes everything in our Full Grooming Package (see below) except a full-body haircut. Great for short-haired breeds and in between full grooms for long hair breeds. Dematting or extensive deshedding charges may be added. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Full Grooming Package $115

Includes bath (basic shampoo), forced air dry, sanitary trim, full-body haircut, blueberry facial, nails trimmed/filed, anal glands, ears plucked/cleaned, brush out/de-shed. Special patterns, attachments, and extensive de-shedding or hand-scissoring fees will be added based on breed/coat type. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Doodles & Poodles (Full Grooming Package) $135

Larger Doodles and Poodles are heavily coated. They require significantly extra time and work to groom versus other breeds. Therefore, a surcharge will be added to our full grooming package for larger Doodles and Poodles.

 

Madra Mor Mud Treatment +$30

Soothing Mud uses mineral-rich clay with high concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients. These time-tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

Giant dog grooming

Giant Dog Grooming

These dogs weigh between 76 and 100 lbs, and it includes German Shepherd, Collie, Malamute

 

Grooming appointments must be scheduled. Call your preferred location to schedule a spa day today! 

Walk-In-Services are only available when the groomers are in the store. Call store to confirm available times.  Refer to main grooming page for Whole Pet late arrival, late pickup, and rabies policies.

 

Brush & Bath Package $75

Includes everything in our Full Grooming Package (see below) except a full-body haircut. Great for short-haired breeds and in between full grooms for long hair breeds. Dematting or extensive deshedding charges may be added. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Full Grooming Package $100

Includes bath (basic shampoo), forced air dry, sanitary trim, full-body haircut, blueberry facial, nails trimmed/filed, anal glands, ears plucked/cleaned, brush out/de-shed. Special patterns, attachments, and extensive de-shedding or hand-scissoring fees will be added based on breed/coat type. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Doodles & Poodles (Full Grooming Package) $115

Larger Doodles and Poodles are heavily coated. They require significantly extra time and work to groom versus other breeds. Therefore, a surcharge will be added to our full grooming package for larger Doodles and Poodles.

 

Madra Mor Mud Treatment +$25

Soothing Mud uses mineral-rich clay with high concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients. These time-tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

Giant dog grooming

Giant Dog Grooming

These dogs weigh between 51 and 75lbs, and it includes Springer Spaniel, Pit Bull, Boxer

 

Grooming appointments must be scheduled. Call your preferred location to schedule a spa day today! 

Walk-In-Services are only available when the groomers are in the store. Call store to confirm available times.  Refer to main grooming page for Whole Pet late arrival, late pickup, and rabies policies.

 

Brush & Bath Package $65

Includes everything in our Full Grooming Package (see below) except a full-body haircut. Great for short-haired breeds and in between full grooms for long hair breeds. Dematting or extensive deshedding charges may be added. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Full Grooming Package $80

Includes bath (basic shampoo), forced air dry, sanitary trim, full-body haircut, blueberry facial, nails trimmed/filed, anal glands, ears plucked/cleaned, brush out/de-shed. Special patterns, attachments, and extensive de-shedding or hand-scissoring fees will be added based on breed/coat type. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Doodles & Poodles (Full Grooming Package) $90

Larger Doodles and Poodles are heavily coated. They require significantly extra time and work to groom versus other breeds. Therefore, a surcharge will be added to our full grooming package for larger Doodles and Poodles.

 

Madra Mor Mud Treatment +$20

Soothing Mud uses mineral-rich clay with high concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients. These time-tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

Giant dog grooming

Giant Dog Grooming

These dogs weigh between 26 lbs and 50 lbs, and it includes Cocker Spaniel, Standard Schnauzer, Sheltie

 

Grooming appointments must be scheduled. Call your preferred location to schedule a spa day today! 

Walk-In-Services are only available when the groomers are in the store. Call store to confirm available times. Refer to main grooming page for Whole Pet late arrival, late pickup, and rabies policies.

 

Brush & Bath Package $55

Includes everything in our Full Grooming Package (see below) except a full-body haircut. Great for short-haired breeds and in between full grooms for long hair breeds. Dematting or extensive deshedding charges may be added. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Full Grooming Package $70

Includes bath (basic shampoo), forced air dry, sanitary trim, full-body haircut, blueberry facial, nails trimmed/filed, anal glands, ears plucked/cleaned, brush out/de-shed. Special patterns, attachments, and extensive de-shedding or hand-scissoring fees will be added based on breed/coat type. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Madra Mor Mud Treatment +$14

Soothing Mud uses mineral-rich clay with high concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients. These time-tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

Giant dog grooming

Giant Dog Grooming

These dogs weigh up to 25 lbs, and it includes Yorkies, Shih Tzus, Toy Poodles, Mini Schnauzers

 

Grooming appointments must be scheduled. Call your preferred location to schedule a spa day today! 

Walk-In-Services are only available when the groomers are in the store. Call store to confirm available times.  Refer to main grooming page for Whole Pet late arrival, late pickup, and rabies policies.

 

Brush & Bath Package $45

Includes everything in our Full Grooming Package (see below) except a full-body haircut. Great for short-haired breeds and in between full grooms for long hair breeds. Dematting or extensive deshedding charges may be added. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Full Grooming Package $60

Includes bath (basic shampoo), forced air dry, sanitary trim, full-body haircut, blueberry facial, nails trimmed/filed, anal glands, ears plucked/cleaned, brush out/de-shed. Special patterns, attachments, and extensive de-shedding or hand-scissoring fees will be added based on breed/coat type. Consult with your groomer for more info.

 

Madra Mor Mud Treatment +$10

Soothing Mud uses mineral-rich clay with high concentrations of colloidal oatmeal and nourishing, healing ingredients. These time-tested skin care ingredients promote healthy cell regeneration, ease irritation related to itchy and scratchy skin, and hydrate dry skin.

“I need a new dog food. My dog just won’t eat ANY dog food. He only eats deli meat if I feed it to him by hand or if I cook him a chicken.”

 

We hear this… well… a lot. We are asked to provide better options for picky dogs at least daily, if not multiple times a day. We do our best to point pet parents in the direction of foods that are more palatable or that sell well. We listen as they recite a long list of things they’ve tried - food toppers, canned food, this brand, that brand, and the other brand.

What we try to explain - in the nicest way possible - is what I’m going to spell out pretty bluntly here.

Most “picky” dogs are created, not born. They’ve learned to game the system by manipulating well-meaning owners into offering them better and better food options. It’s a vicious cycle that usually ends with a pampered pup a frustrated pet parent…and a long list of foods that have been tried and discarded.

In our society, food is often an expression of love. We want our loved ones to LOVE food, to taste our affection in each bite, and sometimes that transfers to our pets as well. It makes us feel good when they enjoy their dinner when they ask for more when they seem to appreciate the gesture of food. So when a dog is lackluster about his bowl of food, there is lots of guilt. “He doesn’t like it…I have to make it taste better!”  And thus it begins.

If your dog isn’t picky, congratulations and take heed! It can happen at any time if you fall into the “big brown eyed puppy” trap. For those of you struggling with a picky pooch and are at your wit’s end…this is for you.

Note: If your dog’s finicky behavior has come out of nowhere and his appetite diminishes quickly, please speak to your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health issues. Often one of the first signs of illness is loss of appetite.

If you’ve ruled out an underlying health problem and your pup is just acting like a turkey, then buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. There is only one way to rehabilitate a picky eater (and an enabling pet parent). It is not easy but trust me, it’s going to be a lot harder on you than your dog.

Are you ready?

Stop catering to your dog.

When your precious pup turns his nose up at his food and looks at you balefully with an expression that asks “What in the world are you thinking, serving this SLOP?”

 

Take a breath.

 

Then do the following:

Feed your dog at distinct mealtimes. Don’t leave the food down all day and refill it “as needed”. Don’t jazz it up with special treats when your dog seems disinterested. Don’t sit on the floor and beg him to take just one bite for mommy, or hand-feed him.

Put the food down, leave it down for 15 minutes, and whatever is left is picked up and set aside until the next mealtime. If you want your dog to eat the food, your dog needs to value the food, and by taking away uneaten food you are communicating to your dog that food is a precious resource and sometimes it goes away.

You can do this, I have faith.

Be prepared to wait him out. Reach deep down for willpower, patience, and determination. Don’t give in at the first sign of disinterest from your pup - be prepared to function at a stalemate for up to 3 days without giving in. No treats. No attempts to dress up the food they’ve already said “No” to.

Your dog will not starve himself to death. He will eat when he’s hungry. Wait for him to get hungry. You’re stronger than you believe. You’ve got this!

Offer a varied diet. This might seem a bit counterintuitive, but it helps in the long run. Nobody wants to eat the same exact thing day in and day out. Pet food companies, however,
have convinced the consumer that that’s exactly the best way to feed their pet.

It is possible for your pet to get “bored” with his food, but it’s less likely to happen if you are rotating and varying your pet’s food periodically. The trick is, rather than wait for your dog to refuse to eat, change it up while he’s still interested. Rotate kibble proteins and varieties every few bags. Supplement with canned, freeze-dried, or raw food and change it up frequently. Not only will your dog view every meal as a fun adventure, but you will also be providing a much more complete diet for him.

Look, the truth is, dogs aren’t THAT discerning about what they eat. They will eat bugs. They will eat rotten garbage. They will eat things that have been dead for days. They will eat poop - their own, from other dogs, from cats, rabbits, geese…they are not as picky as you believe.

The holidays are coming, as are the visits from family and the photos. We know the importance of making sure your pup looks adorable for the festivities and portraits – and wanting them fluffy for winter. It’s incredibly satisfying to see a happy fluffball walk out our door looking stylish.

However, there is something more important to us than the perfect “cute” haircut and that is the comfort of our clients.

Serious matting is where things go sideways

Serious matting is tight and close to the skin and occurs over more than 25% of your dog’s body. Serious mats will appear as clumps sometimes resembling dreadlocks. They are painful and dangerous as they are pulling at the skin, restricting blood flow to the skin, trapping moisture and restricting air flow which can cause hidden sores and, in some cases, bruising or hematomas. Dogs with serious matting must be clipped or shaved down. Clippers cannot cut through mats, therefore the groomer must go UNDER the mats which therefore results in a very short (and sometime uneven) haircut. This presents its own challenges and requires a signed release, because dogs with serious matting can have hidden sores and abrasions in addition to issues and discomfort from the lack of blood flow caused by the intense pulling of the mats for an extended amount of time.

Mats begin as tangles and, just like with human hair, tangles are generally caused simply by living. Friction from the collar can cause tangling, as well as scratching, rolling around in the dirt, running through brush…you know. Being a dog. Brushing your dog’s coat every few days can take care of these tangles while they are loose, which is to say before they turn into dreaded mats.

Minor and localized matting occurs in those areas that rub constantly. Like around the dog’s neck under her collar, behind her ears, in the tuck-up, armpits, and around the tail. These also happen to be some of the more sensitive areas. Minor matting can be brushed out in less than 10 minutes with minimal pulling. Localized matting in sensitive areas is best clipped out and usually does not require a full-body haircut.

Pelting is the final and most serious stage of matting

“Pelts” are mats that cover the dog in one piece almost like carpeting. Pelting occurs very close to the skin and often occurs when a pet owner is not brushing routinely or is brushing regularly but is not brushing down to the skin.

Clippers cannot cut through pelting, therefore the groomer must go UNDER the pelt resulting in a short (and many times uneven) haircut. Much of the same (or worse) happens with pelting with restricted blood and air flow to the skin, hidden sores, skin infections, etc.

Pelting presents its own challenges and requires a signed release. 

With serious mats and pelts, we will not offer to de-mat your dog. It is incredibly painful, slow, and difficult work that would put far too much stress on your dog. We understand the desire for a fluffy pup, but we also want to do what’s best for them. 

If you’ve taken your dog to the groomer and gotten the dreaded “smoothie” or “shave down” you may need some help and pointers on how to properly take care of your dog’s coat in between grooming. Make sure you are brushing your dog no less than 3 - 5 times per week if you want to keep their coat full and long. 

 

Expect to have your dog groomed every 4 - 6 weeks. 

 

Maintenance is very important and the more often we see your dog, it is less likely serious problems will develop. We offer a $5 discount if you schedule your next appointment when you pick up your dog. HOWEVER, even with a monthly visit you will need to care for your dog’s coat in the meantime.

We do offer brush-only services for our clients. Brush-outs start at $15 and depend on the size of the dog and the length/thickness of the coat. Between grooming brush-outs are only available to clients who go no more than 6 weeks between grooming appointments. Brush-outs need to be supplemented by in home brushing as well.

Not sure of the best way to brush your dog’s coat? No problem! Our groomers are more than happy to show you the proper way to brush through your dog’s coat to ensure proper maintenance between grooming appointments.

Whole Pet Dematting Policy:  We will demat a dog in our salon ONCE at the cost of $65/hour. After that, dogs with more than 10 minutes worth of de-matting required will need to be cut short and started again. The reason for this is simple: your pet’s well-being and comfort come first. While we understand that you would like your dog to be fluffy, we will not subject the dog to the long, difficult process over and over again. We believe in humanity before vanity.

Think of it like this.

Mice, rats, birds, and rabbits are all about 75% moisture. Dry kibble formulas are about 5 – 10% moisture. Cats, as descendants of desert dwellers, have a depressed thirst-drive.

Out in the desert, running water is scarce and animals that survive in those harsh conditions need to be able to get the moisture from the food they eat – namely prey (like mice, etc). Fed a diet short on moisture, mixed with a genetic predisposition *not* to drink water, means cats are far more likely to develop urinary tract issues…not to mention obesity and diabetes.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so what’s the easiest way to help your kitkat avoid the pitfalls of their lower thirst drive?

Start by making sure that your cats always have access to fresh water. Water sitting in a bowl will likely be considered “yucky” by your cat after just a few hours. So make sure you’re wiping and rinsing the bowl several times a day. (As you are catering to your finicky feline, remember that dogs have owners and cats have staff…)

Many cats prefer running water, so you might think about investing in a filtered fountain for your kitty, as opposed to turning on the faucet for them every time they’d like a sip.

With access to fresh, clean running water your kitty might drink more…but he probably still won’t drink enough.

This brings us back to our initial problem - how to get more moisture into a dry-fed kitty.

It’s simple, silly! (Well, depending on the cat…) Add it to his diet! Adding some canned food (or better yet raw frozen) – even just once a day – can make a major impact on your kitty’s health over the long term. Of course, cats can become dry food addicted and they may resist this (in their opinion) completely unnecessary change to their lifestyle. Many dry cat foods are sprayed with a tempting animal digest to make them irresistible to felines. Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM has written some great info with lots of tips on how to make a successful transition from dry to wet food with even the most stubborn cats.

Transitioning your cat from a dry food diet to a canned or raw food diet has another, often overlooked, benefit. On moist, meat-based diets the litter box output is smaller and less odorous. This is because there are less fillers and carbohydrates in a good canned food, meaning there is less “waste”. Less waste means…well…you know.

If you’re interested in making the change to canned food, come into one of our stores and let us help you pick the right cans to try.

I don’t know about you, but being itchy is one of the worst sensations for me. Several years ago I had a severe allergic reaction to the new laundry detergent I used. I had full body welts and I was scratching myself bloody in my sleep - I wouldn’t wish that kind of torture on my worst enemy…much less a poor dog or kitty. 

 

If you’ve been to any of our four locations for any length of time, then you’ve heard us talk about the importance of your pet’s diet on their overall health. We aren’t shy about pointing out the damage that crappy diets loaded with corn, wheat, soy, dyes, unnamed meat sources, sugar, and other poor ingredients can do when your pet eats it every day.

 

When a customer comes to us to ask about skin allergies and itching, our first conversation is inevitably about food. We can sell you topicals and sprays that might help the symptoms but it’s really important for us to help you find the root cause and, hopefully, an answer to the itching.

So what causes itchy skin in dogs?

 

Environmental factors can play a part - some dogs and cats can be allergic to grasses and molds. Believe it or not, we’ve had quite a few of our grooming dogs that had itchy skin rashes that turned out to be as a result of the Febreeze their owners were around the house. Parasites are another cause of itching. For dogs sensitive to fleas, a single bite is enough to send them into full-body itchies and can lead to painful hot spots. 

 

Far and above, however, allergies are most often blamed on the food. However, the truth is that “food allergies” are actually uncommon. Dogs and cats can be more sensitive to things like corn, wheat or soy…or even to protein sources such as chicken or beef…but true food allergies are actually not all that commonplace. Food *does* play a role, though.

Did you know that about 70% of your pet’s immune system is dependent on his gut? Yup, the stomach. Your pet’s stomach lining is like a filter that keeps bacteria and toxins out of the bloodstream. However long-term abuse of the stomach lining causes this filter to break down, allowing bacteria, toxins, and even the food itself into the bloodstream.

These foreign invaders can trigger an immune response and the most common stage of this “leaky gut” is…you guessed it!  Allergies and itchy skin! That includes hot spots ear infections and, over time, an overabundance of yeast both inside and out.

Leaky Gut is known as a mimic disease because it is so often mistaken for other problems such as skin allergies, chronic inflammation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and more. It’s a hidden problem that manifests in so many different ways it can be difficult to diagnose and unfortunately, some common treatments for allergies can actually make a leaky gut worse, not better.

Causes of leaky gut vary, but it all comes down to the destruction of the good bacteria in your pet’s gut and the breakdown of the stomach lining. A poor diet that is highly processed and filled with starch and sugars starves the good bacteria in your pet’s stomach, which in turn leads to yeast overgrowth. Adding inflammatory GMOs such as corn, wheat, and soybean to the system keeps their gut and body inflamed.

Worms and other stomach parasites can also contribute. It has also been said that over-vaccination and even some flea and tick treatments can be contributing factors in leaky gut syndrome.

If your pet has issues with itchy skin and chronic ear infections and you’ve been at your wit’s end, it might be beneficial for both of you to adjust the way you view the problem and make some small changes in your treatment. Rather than addressing the symptoms (much like putting a bandaid on the problem to cover it up), it wouldn’t hurt to treat the possible root cause and attempt to heal the gut itself.

Start by feeding a good quality diet

In the beginning, you might even try a raw diet. However, if that’s not in the budget or seems like too much work (yes, even the commercial raw diets can be inconvenient) look for something that has LOTS of meat protein (not plant protein!), low starches, low sugar, no dyes and plenty of good, healthy fat. Make at least 25% of your pet’s diet something other than kibble. Whether it’s raw, freeze-dried raw, or canned (good quality only!), you will be adding much needed moisture and meat content to your pet’s diet.

 

Next, you should look at a few supplements to add to your pet’s meals. A good diet is a step in the right direction, but if your pet has a leaky gut it’s going to require some additional help healing.

Start with a good prebiotic (fermented is best) along with a probiotic. Many high-end foods add pre and probiotics. However, if your pet’s stomach bacteria has been decimated you need more than the minimum to help it out.

 

Ark Naturals makes a product called Gentle Digest that contains bacillus coagulans and dried chicory root to promote the growth of good bacteria in your pet’s digestive system. 

 

We also receive great feedback from pet parents who use Rogue Origins supplement.

 

Omega Fatty acids should also be added - fish oil and hemp seed oil are great. Many of our customers use Ultra Oil and have had nothing but good things to say about it. It contains Hempseed Oil, Flaxseed oil, Fish oil (sardine and anchovy), and Grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil in particular is great because it has antioxidant properties, while hempseed oil is easier to digest than fish oil. It’s also non-GMO and cold-pressed.

 

The anti-inflammatory properties of these oils help to ease and heal the inflammation of the stomach lining. All of the mentioned supplements are good for both dogs and cats and we carry these at Whole Pet.

We hear it… a lot. 

“I want it short but not too short - just a regular puppy cut.”

There is one official puppy pattern in the grooming world, and it is used in the show ring on poodles under 12 months of age.

Is this the cut you’d like? Probably not.

With any other breed, the definition of a “puppy cut” varies wildly from shop to shop and region to region. It could mean anything - a bath with feet/face/sanitary trimming only. It could mean a cut that is the same length all over - however the length is variable.

If you want to avoid confusion with your pup’s haircut avoid using the phrase “puppy cut” when explaining your groom to a new groomer. It may not mean what you think it means in Shop A, and you’re apt to be disappointed to find this cut looks nothing like Shop B’s puppy cut. 

So how do you convey the haircut you want and avoid confusion? I’m glad you asked.

 

  1. Think in terms of how much hair you would like *left* - not how much hair you’d like taken off. A groomer’s tools are labeled according to how much hair they will leave after the cut, and how much hair it takes off is dependent on how long the hair is. “Take half off” means we have to make guesses about which blade or comb combo will take half the length. But if you tell us “leave an inch of hair all over” - that’s much easier to accomplish! ProTip: When discussing your dog’s haircut “short but not shaved” is not an adequate description - everyone’s definition of shaved is different!

  2. Try to be as specific as possible. Would you like the head very round and the ears short? Do you want us to leave bangs so you can tie the hair up? Do you like the hair on the tail left long or taken the same length as the body? If this is your first time at a specific salon, be prepared to visit a few times to get it “just right”. Sometimes what you’re trying to achieve is impossible, or the groomers don’t have the same picture in their head as you do. Trust me, they’re not purposely trying to do it wrong! It’ll take a little fine-tuning to settle on the perfect look for your pup.

  3. If you can, bring a picture of what you’d like - but please listen to your groomer if they tell you something isn’t possible with your dog’s coat. Different textures produce different results and just because you have a Pomeranian and the dog in the picture is Boo the Pomeranian doesn’t mean your dog will end up looking exactly like Boo. Boo’s structure, the texture of his coat, etc all factor into that very sweet teddy bear expression. A sharper face, a longer nose, larger ears, a silkier coat…all means that the final product may look very different from a “Boo” cut.

  4. Understand that longer haircuts require more work and may incur extra charges. Longer haircuts require more prep work and more scissoring. They require that every inch of the hair be completely brushed out and de-matted. If your dog is tangled - even moderately - it is safer and less stressful for your dog to cut beneath the mats and start over. If this is the case, your groomer should always call you before proceeding.

  5. If you come to pick up your dog and something isn’t quite right - don’t be afraid to speak up! “Can I please get these bangs shorter?” It’s actually better to let your groomer know as soon as possible that something isn’t right so they can fix it - or note it down for next time. If you don’t notice it until you’re home - give them a call! Even if it’s not important enough for you to need it fixed right away, the work is fresher in the mind of the groomer and better notes can be made for your next visit.

Grooming can be a stressful event and I promise a good groomer isn’t happy when they do something “wrong” and have an unhappy customer. They really want to make the four-legged and two-legged customers happy!

 

The best way to have a good relationship with your groomer is to make sure you’re communicating clearly with them - make sure you have realistic expectations - keep your mind open and listen to their advice when they tell you something isn’t going to work - and expect to work together with your groomer. 

And when you find a good one?

Never let them go. 🙂