Grooming your Dog – At the groomers
For general dog grooming we are very happy to have Hot Dog Grooming located at the southern end of our car park. Kyoko runs her grooming salon independent of Pittwater Animal Hospital but has a very good reputation on the Northern Beaches.
There are a number of other excellent groomers in this area who can also look after your dog.
Groomers recommend to start getting puppies used to going to the groomer just after their 16 week vaccination. As soon as you get a puppy who will need regular grooming, it is best to get it used to being handled and brushed. Our staff can show you how to clip around the eyes and bottom. It is very worthwhile to get your puppies used to the noise of the hairdryer when young. Groomer always wash and dry pets before they clip.
Well groomed long haired dogs like cavoodles and poodles will go to the groomer every 6-8 weeks. Most groomers will put them on a program with regulars bookings. Some dogs can cope with grooming every 3 months depending on the hair type.
Once hair starts to tangle and mat it is much more uncomfortable to clip. Matted dogs will often have to be clipped very short all over – “The 1mm clip”.
Grooming your Dog – At the vet
Some dogs a very difficult to clip, so Pittwater Animal Hospital can assist by sedating and clipping your animal at the hospital. This is very important, as an unkempt coat can lead to irritating matting and skin disorders.
Pittwater Animal Hospital has a hydrobath where nurses can apply medicated washes for dogs and cats if they are difficult to wash at home.
Grooming your Dog – At the home
Some of our clients are fabulous at keeping their dogs well groomed at home. Others quickly realize how worthwhile it is for someone else to do that job. The easiest areas to clip are around the main body. Once you start clipping the face, legs and bottom, dogs can get very wriggly. Remember we are grooming our pets for their comfort and hygiene as well as the look!
Grooming your Cat
Cats are clipped under sedation at Pittwater Animal Hospital. This is usually a short clip to control the hair and remove irritating matts. Areas can also be left long and brushed out for appearance. When your cat is sedated to be clipped it is best to do blood tests to make sure there are no underlying problems with their health.
Grooming your Rabbit
Rabbits are one of the most difficult animals to clip and their skin can be damaged so easily. Rabbits are occasionally clipped but mainly just around their belly and bottom as they have very fragile skin.
Maintaining a healthy coat is really important for the happiness of your pet and the enjoyment you get from them.
