Kristin's K-9 Cuts

"When should my puppy have his first professional grooming?"

Grooming your pup should start at 8 weeks of age to let the pup get acquainted with the sounds of the grooming salon environment, and other dogs. I recommend a grooming session every month for the first 4 months. It's good to start with a bath, nail clipping and ear cleaning. At each session little more can be done, this will make it easier on the pup.

"Why does my dog itch after grooming?"

Some dogs itch as people would after a shower if they didn't use any conditioner. When you bath a dog you take the oils out of their skin making them itch the conditioner will put the oils back into their skin. Another reason is the dog came into the salon severely matted to the skin and the groomer had to use a very short blade to get under the matting.

"I want my dog's fur short but not shaved."

Shaving and clipping are the same thing to a groomer. Blades come in different lengths. The better the coat is maintained without matts or knots, the longer the style can be for your dog.

"How often should my dog get groomed?"

If you want to keep your dog in a longer hair style, he/she should be groomed every 4 weeks. If you prefer a shave down on your dog, every 6 weeks is recommended. If you have a "bath only" dog (Lab, Shep, Rottie, Boxer etc.) I also recommend every 8 weeks. This will help your dog maintain a healthy coat and skin. This will also keep your dogs ears and nails clipped.

"Will I get a discount if I have two or more dogs?"

Kristin's K-9 Cuts does not offer discounts for two or more dogs. The same amount of work goes into each dog and the fee is charged according to the breed and the condition of the coat.

"How do I handle fleas?"

Here at Kristin's K-9 Cuts I offer Flea Baths. This only kills the fleas on your dog. It will NOT protect them after. You must take care to properly protect your pets from fleas. I recommend Frontline or Advantage for your pets once a month. If your home is infested with fleas you must flea bomb your house. Fleas may take several months to get rid of completely and there is always a chance they can come back. It does not help to have a flea bathed your dog only to have him get re-infested at home.

"Should I have my dog groomed in the winter or is it too cold?"

Many pet owners neglect to have their dogs groomed in the winter months. It may be cold, but our pets still need proper grooming. They may not need to have a trim but they should be properly brushed out and bathed, ears cleaned and nails trimmed. If you choose not to have your dog trimmed and he/she gets matted, the dogs natural insulation process cannot work. He must be kept free of matts to stay warm in the winter.

"How much is it to have my dog groomed?"

Are prices are based on the breed of dog. The price may change due to the condition of the coat. Call for further details. Prices may change without notice.

"Can you get all the matts out of my dog?"

I'm able to reasonably brush out some matts or knots. I f your dog is severely matted I will NOT dematt. It is cruel painful to do this. If you bring a very matted dog in, it will be shaved. If matting is so severe, I will not groom your dog and you will be referred to a veterinarian.

"Do you sedate my dog?"

The answer to this is NO. I do not sedate any dogs. If I am unable to groom your dog due to temperament, or severe matting that I cannot shave off, I will call you to come pick up your dog. I will try my best to get the job done, but I will never endanger a pet or person.

 

"How long will my pet be there?"

Depending on the condition of the pet or the thickness of the pets undercoat it can take up to 2-3 hrs. The groomer will either give a estimate time or will call you when the job is done. 

 

"What products or equipment should I have on hand at home, and what else should I know prior to having my dog groomed?"

All dog owners should have the proper brush(s) and comb for their type of breed. A good quality nail clipper and , "Kwik stop" to stop bleeding of a clipped nail. ( it happens don't worry that's why they make Kwik stop) Sometimes when groomers cut the nails, we are suppose to go just in front of the "quick" or vein. When the owner shows up the dog prances and spins on the flooring and carpet just enough to file that nail a little more, opening up the vein, which bleeds. Now don't panick, the bleeding looks like a lot of blood but if your dog is healthy and has no blood clotting disorder, it will clot all on its own, or apply that Kwik stop to the nail that you just bought for your dog supplies. While your at the pharmacy buy Gold bond medicated powder and/or Zincofax diaper rash cream. These two products help dogs to stop scatching, sometimes just because of clipping. They will get used to it in time. Some dogs react more than others. Apply gold bond to the coat, NOT on any open sores or head or eyes. Use diaper rash cream for butt, belly and under jaw. White dogs are more prone to scratching. Let your groomer know if this happens to your dog so we can keep a record of it and apply the products right after grooming is complete.

 

"I worry that you will be using hot dryers on my dog, and have heard about dog related deaths associated to heat drying,... Will you be using heat dryers on my dog?"

At Kristin's K-9 Cuts we do NOT use any heat dryers. It is true that dogs left unattended in cages being dried with heat dryers have died because of negligent groomers or attendees. NOT at Kristin's K-9 Cuts! The best way to understand this is its like leaving your dog in the car on a hot day causing stroke and or death. Dog dryers have to be maintained, cleaned and oiled depending on the make, like any clothers dryer, and this is routinely done at Kristin's K-9 Cuts. Groomers should have the latest dryers on the market and NOT be using cage heat dryers at all. You can put your mind at ease with Kristin's K-9 Cuts as we refuse to use heat dryers on any dog. The latest dryers are all cool air based using only the room temperature air on the dog. In the summer the shop is air conditioned, cooler than what you would have in your home. Also 95% of the dogs are hand dried with no heat, and if it is just their heads to be dried, as most dogs do not like heads being blown dried, they will be cage dried with a cool air unit only. These latest cage dryers are designed to run all day with no heat and no danger to your dog. There is NO excuse for a dog to die because of dryers these days!