Award winning groomer Louise Hamilton from 1066 Grooming is back with some fantastic seasonal grooming tips for the colder months.
Thank you so much Louise
Keep your dog’s grooming pattern the same.
If you normally get your dog groomed every 6 weeks, keep this the same throughout autumn and winter. It is not advisable to leave your dog’s hair to grow longer as you think this will mean they will be warmer. Walks become wetter and there are a lot more puddles to play in! The shorter the hair the easier it is to dry off and not be left to be wet and cold or to matt up from all the dirty water and debris! Your best bet is to buy a nice waterproof jacket to use on walks, and brush/comb your dog daily to avoid knots forming.
Protect their Paws
With the colder months your dog’s pads can crack and become irritated, so make sure to keep them in tip top condition. Products such as a ‘paw balm’ is great to help with this. Also try not to walk your dog in areas there is salt down (for ice/snow) as this can increase irritation and sores. Keep a towel handy by the door and make sure to wipe your dog’s paws after every walk. Also be mindful of snowballs in-between the pads, for this you should soak your dog’s paws in warm water to melt the snow and ice away.
Don’t forget Fleas/Ticks
The colder months doesn’t mean fleas and ticks are no more. In fact fleas can live on for months in the environment so continue to treat your pets and your home to ensure you don’t have an infestation. Ticks also love the damp season of autumn and the longer grass can help transfer the little things into your dog’s coat. So remember to check thoroughly after walks for anything untoward. Regularly brushing will help you see to the skin easier and will also help to keep knots at bay as well as checking or parasites/lumps or bumps.
Keeping your dogs coat in tip top condition
Time for a de-shed
Many pet owners think their dogs have 2 seasons that they shed in (Autumn and Spring). Unfortunately dogs shed all year round however due to the amount of daylight, shedding can increase/decrease. So it’s all to do with when the clocks change! A lot of dogs can look super in winter with a nice full and thick coat, however they still need a good de-shed so that the dead coat doesn’t get packed into the new growth of coat and cause uncomfortable matting. Keep your dog’s coat well combed through and avoid the amount of hoovering with a professional de-shedding treatment.
Book your Holiday appointment in advance!
Don’t forget as much as you would like to think your dog is the most important in the world, your dog groomer has hundreds of other clients on their books that think the same for their dog! Your dog groomer wants to pamper all the dogs ready for Santa Paws and will no doubt be working extra hours to fit everyone in.
Your groomer loves your dog but remember that they also deserve some time off during the holiday period so remember that once the appointments are booked they are booked! If you want your doggie all nice for family and friends, and the holidays, book well in advance!
Louise Hamilton has been grooming for 3 years now where she started off working in a local boutique grooming salon and now owns her own salon 1066 Dog Grooming.
She competes regularly within the industry and placed 3rd in her class at the British Dog Grooming Championships 2012. She has worked alongside top Grooming Suppliers such as Christies Direct/Dezynadog and Groomers at Crufts and The London Pet Show, providing grooming demonstrations and advice. Louise owns a Bichon Frise and an English Springer Spaniel. Grooming is absolutely her passion.
Thanks Louise
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My dog’s skin becomes dry and flaky during the winter months and needs extra attention. Moisturizing baths at the groomer and frequent brushing always helps.
We have to do the same with our dogs also
Our guys always tend to shed at the end of August for some reason. Always had, all of them.
I wish my dogs would be that considerate
Excellent tips! I never really thought about how shedding could be related to daylight/when the clocks change. That’s very interesting. I think that has some merits for cats too. They shed all year round if they are kept indoors, but spring and fall seem to be the worst.
I have a note on my calendar to call the groomer later this month to book his December appointment!
We just did the same thing
Great tips! Even though we live in Florida our weather is going to change soon to slightly cooler and Mary’s coat is going to get thicker. You would think that she wouldn’t shed as much. Oh so wrong. She has Shepherd in her and has that double coat. Looking forward to the cooler weather but not the shedding. Great article.
So glad you found it helpful
Great suggestions. I always let my dogs hair grow out in the winter because I thought it kept them warm. Now I know it’s best to keep with their typical schedule! Thanks so much for the insight!
So glad you found it helpful
Excellent advice, thanks! I didn’t realize that of course groomers will be super busy come holiday time, I need to book my appointment!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
We are booking our groomers apt today for Xmas. We don’t usually think ahead this much but they will be so busy
Two of my dogs visit the groomer pretty regularly. I used to think that longer hair in the winter would help keep them warmer. Like you, my groomer, explained that it actually made her more uncomfortable as she got wetter and more matts.
We used to think the same thing. Boy were we wrong
These are great tips for grooming, and ones that Mommy and I follow for me all the time. Mommy grooms me herself. I get those winter snowballs ALL over my fine fur and she she has one heck of a time getting them off me. But she warms me by a heater and slowly gets them off.
Thanks for writing this article!
Pixel
So glad you found them helpful
Great tips! We shed year round, too, but we don’t go outside. Mom Paula grooms us.
Truffle and Brulee
You lucky cats
Fleas and ticks are an important thing to keep up with through the winter especially here in California. Our winters are simply not cold enough to kill off many of the fleas and ticks.
They are such a nightmare. Best to prevent them