How Often Should You Groom Your Dog?
There is no single answer, and any groomer who gives you one number for every dog is guessing. What actually decides the schedule is the coat, and coats fall into three groups that behave completely differently.
Short, smooth coats
Beagles, Boxers, Labradors, Pit Bulls and similar dogs do not need a haircut at all. They need a bath, a proper blow dry and a brush out, usually every four to eight weeks. In Central Florida you will often land at the shorter end of that, because heat, humidity and outdoor time all move it up.
Double coats
Golden Retrievers, Huskies, German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds and Pomeranians carry a dense undercoat that sheds constantly. These dogs do best on a bath and deshedding treatment every six to eight weeks, and the deshedding is what actually reduces the hair in your house. Important: a double coat should never be shaved. We work these breeds with scissors only, because shaving a double coat damages how it grows back and how the dog regulates temperature.
Coats that keep growing
Poodles, Doodles, Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkies and Bichons have hair that does not stop, so they need a real haircut every four to six weeks. Stretch it much past that and you stop paying for a haircut and start paying for dematting, because the coat mats down at the skin where you cannot see it. If you brush thoroughly at home a few times a week, you can hold the longer end of that range. If you do not, be honest with yourself and book closer to four.
Nails are on their own schedule
Nails grow whether or not the coat does, and most dogs need them every three to four weeks. If you can hear clicking on a hard floor, they are already long. Nails are included in our Mini Groom and in our full Grooming, and can be added to a plain bath.
What if my dog is already matted?
Tell us before we arrive. Dematting is possible up to a point, but there is a line where brushing out a tight mat hurts more than a short haircut does, and past that line the kind thing is to shave and start over. We will tell you honestly which side of that line your dog is on.
Set up a schedule that fits your dog
We come to you in Orlando and more than 20 nearby cities in Central Florida. Call or text (407) 325-0203 with your dog's breed and we will suggest an interval.
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