Winter Grooming

The best kind of grooming is regular grooming. Whether your pet is a fluffed out poodle princess or a seasonally shedding sheltie, there is an appropriate grooming interval that a discussion with your groomer about the specific needs of both you and your pet can help reveal. If that interval is 4-6 weeks, as it typically is for most drop-coated or curly-coated breeds, or closer to 8-12 weeks, as is often the case for short-coated shedding breeds, it's generally a good idea to stick to that interval year-round. Often, however, winter gives pet owners pause when it comes to their regularly scheduled grooming.

"Well, it's cold now, so we're going to wait a bit," is a common comment heard at grooming shops across the un-temperate parts of the country. The reasoning usually is that a pet whose coat is allowed to grow out a bit longer will be more comfortable in the cold weather. Unfortunately, skipping or stretching grooming visits often results in exactly the opposite -- a less comfortable pet. Why is that?

First of all, drop-coated and curly-coated pets who are prone to matting get a double whammy. The extra length of coat combined with the snow-balls and moisture the coat is exposed to creates an ideal environment for tangles to form and tighten and grow. So now your longer coated dog's matted coat actually does the opposite. A matted coat dries more slowly, leaving your pooch wet and shivering after a romp through the snow. Additionally, the tangles in the coat prevent it from insulating efficiently -- an unmatted coat insulates by trapping a pocket of air close to the body while a matted coat just traps dirt and moisture. Of course, this can be prevented by being more vigilant in brushing and combing at home, but that's a lot of extra work without the extra benefit you would expect. Adding a bit more length of coat doesn't really add to the insulating power of the coat the way putting a cute doggie coat on your pet would. By the way, those coats will help accelerate the formation of tangles as well, yet another reason to keep up with a tidy, insulating haircut!

Second, a dog who spends the majority of his time indoors is really not going to appreciate any extra insulation while he's inside, enjoying an otherwise comfortable life with central heating. If he suffers in the cold, doggie clothes will keep him cozy while he's in the cold, without his having to wear his "winter gear" while he's indoors as well!

And while they don't suffer from the cold nearly as much as our designer dogs do, a dog with undercoat often needs a bit of help keeping his coat's insulating power in top form. Undercoated dogs often run into trouble when hairs that were released but didn't shed out properly mat up or otherwise block that nice double-pane window effect and interfere with natural insulation as well. Brushing at home can certainly help keep the coat in top condition, and you should feel free to put off grooming for however long you can stand the eau d' ungroomed dog!

If the points above don't convince you to keep to your schedule, bear in mind that the haircut is usually the most apparent, but arguably, not the most important part of professional grooming. You can certainly request a longer haircut in the winter time so that you can enjoy all the benefits of a professional bath and comb-out, nail trimming and ear cleaning, without taking as much (or any) coat off. Your groomer can make sure your pet's rear end, pads of the feet, eyes and other problematic, debris-catching areas stay clean and tidy while preserving the length of the rest. There's no reason to miss out on the joys of a clean, styled pet just because the snow flies, now is there?

My Ideal Client

Recently, I was listening to an audiobook called Book Yourself Solid: the fastest, easiest, and most reliable system for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if you Hate Marketing and Selling by Michael Port and Tim Sanders. Although it seems at first glance to be a handbook for pulling in huge numbers of people, the book actually emphasizes quality over quantity. By cultivating relationships with clients who are very compatible with your services and your philosophies, you are more likely to do your very best work. When you are exactly what your clients have been looking for and your clients are exactly who you want to serve, everybody wins.

As an exercise, the book recommends making out a list of qualities you would expect to find in your ideal clients. As you might expect from someone with perfectionist tendencies, my list is probably too long and certainly too detailed, but here it is!

My ideal client:

continually seeks education about pet care and solicits, listens to, and values my expertise as a pet professional

understands or accepts the limitations of grooming with regard to coat condition and pet behavior and respects my professional judgment

keeps their pet on a regular grooming schedule and in a length that is compatible with the upkeep they are willing to do at home, the lifestyle of the pet, and the pet's tolerance for maintenance

has their pet spayed or neutered for the health of their pet and to help prevent overpopulation and bad behavior

keep appointments and arrives roughly on time, especially during busy times of year

is flexible with pick-up time and allows me to call when their pet is finished

makes sure that their pets' biological needs are taken care of before drop-off

really appreciates the value of a precise, quality haircut

controls their pet with a leash or carrier, cleans up after their pet outside, and generally ensures that their pet doesn't offend, scare, or injure anyone in or around the shop

understands that accidents can happen when sharp objects and moving pets come together and does what they can to teach their pets good grooming manners, keeps them in good shape to minimize their risk of irritation and injury, and closely watches any minor scrapes that do occur to make sure that the pet doesn't fuss with them and make them more serious

is open and detailed with medical history, aggression problems, and other information that are pertinent to grooming and can help make the grooming process as smooth as possible

understands and appreciates the standards of sterilization and sanitation I make at the shop to help prevent the spread of infection, parasites, and disease but also realizes that there are risks associated with taking your pet out in public and takes responsibility for keeping their pet healthy

when the condition or behavior of their pet forces a change in grooming plan, my ideal client trusts me to do what is best for their pet and says things like, "Do what you think is best"

is generous and honest in their feedback and refers others who can benefit from my services

Solon Home Days

Yesterday, my shop assistant and I spent our evening over at Solon Home Days with the Kelley's Kritters booth and some adoptable kittens. I brought over the two remaining "dumpster kittens," who are staying at my house. Although they were initially a bit anxious about the crowds, they relaxed after a while and enjoyed a lot of affection from passing children. Kelley found a home for one kitten, a gorgeous orange tabby, and a lot of people stopped by to visit, volunteer, buy raffle tickets, and make donations. Hopefully the trend will continue for tonight and Sunday night. If you're in Solon, visit Home Days at Solon Community Park on SOM Center Road. And if you're at Home Days, be sure to visit Kelley!

Kelley's raffle items are numerous and include gift certificates to local businesses (including K9 Design!) and gift baskets full of goodies. Check out the end of this post for a complete list of raffle items. Drawings will be on Sunday evening around 8:00 and you do not need to be present to win! Raffle tickets are $2 each, 3 for $5, or 7 for $10.

You can see a list of cats and kittens for adoption at the Petfinder site for Kelley's Kritters at Petfinder.com/shelterSearch/shelterSearch.cgi?shelterid=OH775.

Kelley is always in need of donations and volunteers so be sure to take advantage of a great opportunity to help out homeless cats in Solon and surrounding areas by contacting her: www.kelleyskritters.com.

If you're looking to add a new feline family member, you can visit the website to fill out a pre-adoption questionnaire and get the ball rolling. Cats of all ages, colors, and personality types are available for adoption. Adoptable cats are tested for FIV/FLV, vaccinated, wormed, and spayed or neutered. Kelley also provides a nice starter kit. Adoption fees vary but typically range from $50 - $75.

Raffle items:

1. Indians Autographed baseball - Asdrubal Cabrera #13, 4 tickets to a 2009 game (weeknight subject to availability).  Value – unavailable.
   
2. Jack Daniels Winter Extravaganza gift basket;  Total Value $400 value.
   
3. (2) 18 holes of golf with cart at Grantwood Golf (weekday only), $50 to Rusty Bucket, digital convertor.  Value $200.
   
4. Horseback Riding Lessons (7) at Promise Land Farms, Mantua. $150 value.
   
5. Indians tickets (August 13th versus Texas Rangers, 12:05PM. Section 175, Row P, Seats 5 &6), 2 Indians shirts (one men’s’ and women’s’) + 2 coupons for medium Sub Combo at Dibellas (medium sub, 20 oz beverage, chips or cookie). Value $120.
   
6. Panera Bread – “Bagel Pack For A Year.” 13 bagels and 2 tubs of cream cheese, every month for 1 year! $175 value.
   
7. John Roberts – manicure & pedicure (with Felisha, Chagrin Falls location, $80), Arbonne NutriMinC Anti-Aging Body Care System (Body Serum and Hydrating Body Lotion), ($85); Total value $165.
   
8. Andrew Jordan Photography - Pet Photography Session & 8x10 print, $150 value.
   
9. Solon Sampler  ($10 Mitchells Ice Cream, $10 Wildlife Gardens,  $25 Longhorn gift certificate, Gionino's  Free Pizza, (2) coupons for medium sub combo meal at Dibella’s, $20 tanline certificate, $40 Jimmy Dadonna’s, Free in-home estimate from Country Curtains).  Total Value $150.
   
10. $100 Flemings gift certificate, Arbonne Intelligence Hand Cream and Herbal Foot Cream ($30); Total Value $130.
    
11. Dino Palmeri – manicure & pedicure (with Amy, Solon location), ($85) and Arbonne Ginger Citrus bath salts and sea salt scrub ($30), Tanline gift certificate ($20); Total Value $135.
    
12. Blade & Hue Salon – manicure & pedicure, ($70), Nieman Marcus beach bag with Arbonne Reactivate sea salt scrub, herbal foot cream and cleansing gel ($60). Total value $130.
    
13. Learning Resources, Pretend & Play Animal Hospital (3+ year, $40), Mobile Machinery Shop Toy ($5), $15 PlayMatters gift certificates, cat stickers ($5), 6’ x 6’ custom fleece blanket from “Barbies Binkies,” ($50), Total Value $115.
    
14. Wine Gift Basket;  2006 PETs, Petite Sirah – Vinum Cellars, California.  2008 Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon, Valle, Chili.  Chardonnay, Harthill Farm, California.  Wine for Dummies 2 painted wine glasses cat theme, wine charms, 4 wine corks, hand towel & miscellaneous crackers & chocolate). $100 value.
    
15. Swarovski crystal necklace, bracelet & earrings, $75 value.
    
16. $60 off 1 hour booking of Whirly Ball, or Buy 1 game of LaserSport, get a game free!  (2) coupons for medium sub combo meal at Dibella’s.  $75 value
    
17. $20 K9 Design & Grooming for any combination of grooming services and/or pet products; Doggie basket, $50 value.
    
18. $20 K9 Design & Grooming for any combination of grooming services and/or pet products; Cat basket, $50 value.
    
19. $25 Spa-K9 Dog Grooming & Daycare Gift Certificate & dog gift basket, $50 value.