FYI: Toes, Ears + Skin

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Toenail clipping is more important than you may think. Luckily some dogs are active enough to keep their nails in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, most dogs do need nail trimming every 4-8 weeks. If nails are clipped often enough, the "quick" or vein starts to recede, keeping nails at a healthy length. If they are allowed to grow too long, it becomes very painful. When their nails touch the floor or even bend sideways on the floor, it's trimming time!

Ears are an important subject as well. Take a quick whiff of your pet's ears. If they have a very faint smell of "dog", you are safe. If you wince at the smell, it's time to get them cleaned! Most often, "doggie odor" can come from dirty ears. If you own a high-maintenance breed such as a Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu or Poodle, just to name a few, their ear hair must be plucked out in order to avoid moisture build-up and potential ear infections. We do not pluck ear hair as this is a veterinarian procedure. We will only trim the hair.

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If your dog has dry, itchy and/or flaky skin and no noticeable fleas or skin conditions, it is possible that with more frequent bathing in moisturizing shampoo and/or conditioners, your pet's skin can improve immensely.


FAQs

Q: Do you need to hook up to my home for power or water?

A: No. Our mobile units are equipped with a commercial generator which supplies all of our electricity. We have two separate water tanks: one filled daily with fresh water and the other stores the used bath water. And, our vans are equipped with water heaters in order to provide a warm and cozy bath.

Q: Why is my appointment scheduled for an approximate time that spans several hours instead of an exact time?

A: Including traffic, weather, and how expediently each preceding client is groomed. With this in mind, the groomer may be ahead or behind with his/her schedule; therefore, it is impossible for us to give you an exact time. Each client is important to us and we do our very best to stay on time. However, when an unexpected event occurs, we will contact you as soon as possible.

Q: Do you groom older dogs, puppies?

A: Yes, we do. Our groomers are professionally trained to provide quality service for both puppies to senior dogs. At mobile Pet Spaws, we required that all puppies are 6 months of age and fully vaccinated at the time of their first groom.

Q: Why is a "shave down" sometimes more expensive than a regular haircut?

A: Excessively dirty or other conditions which make shaving not only more difficult than a normal haircut, but usually necessary. Stripping, especially a dirty, matted coat, also subjects our clippers and blades to unusual wear and tear which can be costly to maintain or replace. In addition, great care and extra time is required in an effort to shave the coat evenly. A shave-down will be performed with the owner’s consent.

Q: My pet has a lot of mats/tangles. Is it necessary to shave them out?

A: Severe mats can cause skin irritations and hide other conditions such as hot spots, dermatitis, seborrhea, cuts, scabs, sores and redness. It is not unusual to encounter these problems when the coat is stripped from a badly matted animal, and it is definitely in your pet's best interest to address them. We do not demat dogs. If a dog is matted, we will need to shave it down.

Q: What can I do to keep my pet from matting?

A: Here are a few tips that should make his life and yours easier. Most importantly, if you don't have time to comb him to the skin, don't bathe him! Washing a tangled dog or cat will have the same effect as washing a woolen sweater in hot water! The tangles shrink and tighten as they dry. Before bath, completely brush and comb to the skin. Concentrate on the chest, stomach, and armpits where friction and wet grass cause the most tangling. Check with a fine comb under his collar and right behind his ears. These areas tend to tangle the most. Ask your groomer to show you the correct combs and brushes to use. Use products made specifically for your type of pet as over-the-counter shampoos generally are too harsh and drying to your pet's hair and skin. Remember, your groomer would much rather groom a happy, mat-free pet than one that is miserably tangled and thinks groomers are bad guys because they pull his hair!

Q: Can I inspect the mobile salon or stay with my pet during the grooming?

A: For liability reasons, our insurance carrier prohibits anyone being inside the van except our groomers while grooming is in progress.

Q: Why is mobile grooming more expensive than a grooming done in a walk-in salon?

A: Our motto is: "Quality over quantity". Mobile grooming is a specialized service that offers convenience, we come to your home or place of work. Less stress for the pet in a cage free environment and one-on-one service from start to finish.