Cold Weather Pet Tips

Many people believe that animals can handle cold much better than humans can, however, this is not true. Animals, like people, all have different tolerances for the cold. It’s important to pay attention to your pet and help make the colder months easier for he/she and you. Here are some winter pet safety tips:

1. Provide a warm place for a dog to sleep inside: Actually, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends providing several different options throughout the house for your pet to sleep. Depending on the weather outside and the temperature of your house, your pet may need to move to a warmer location.

2. Get regular exercise: It’s still important for your dog to get regular exercise. You might need to shorten walks or time outside, but getting that exercise is still vital to maintaining your pet’s health.

3. Put petroleum jelly on your dog’s paws: Putting petroleum jelly on your dogs paws can help protect their paws from the salt and other things on the ground during the winter.

4. Wipe your pets paws down when they come inside: When you wipe down their legs and paws, you are not only removing as much water and mud as possible, but you are removing anything that could be harmful to your pet like antifreeze.

5. Keep the antifreeze put away: Antifreeze is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, so keeping it up out of their reach is the safest option.

6. Don’t leave your pets in the car: While you always hear this tip in the summer, it's important to follow this rule in the winter as well. Cold weather can be just as dangerous as hot weather.

7. Watch for health concerns: The cold weather can escalate already existing health concerns and it could cause dry skin, much like in humans. Watch for these things and consult your vet if you have concerns.

8. Check the water bowl: If your pet has an outdoor water bowl, remember to check it frequently to make sure its not frozen.

Remember if it's too cold for you, it might be too cold for your pets. Be sure to provide the best care you can and remember to take those extra steps to make it through those cold winter months.

Are You Ready?!

It’s that time of year again-- the end of it.  We are reviewing the year of 2019 and looking ahead and planning for 2020.  We review the goals we had for 2019 and ask ourselves, “Did we meet those goals?  Where on the scale of accomplishing those goals are we?” Along with our dreams and aspirations for the year, we also have to take a look at budgeting our finances.  There are so many things we have to budget for in our lives like household bills, vacations and all the things that go along with raising kids if you have them. I don’t want to add to your plate of responsibility, but I want to encourage you to not forget the pets that are counting on you.  Pets are an expensive responsibility and should be taken into consideration when figuring your expenses for the year.

Some things to keep in mind when thinking about pet expenses are:

• Food.  This is an obvious expense and often the first one to come to mind.  Dog and/or cat food can be expensive and, depending on your pet’s diet and size, can cost hundreds of dollars per year to buy.

• Medication/supplements.  If you have ever had to purchase medication or vitamins and supplements for a pet, you know how expensive those can be.  These are things that can be the difference in many veterinary bills and just one or two a year. It is always a good year when you can get by without having to buy these but they can break the bank in some cases if you do.

• Veterinary Care.  All pets should be checked out by your veterinarian at least once a year.  There are vaccinations that should be administered to all animals in your household that keep pets and, in some cases, people safe and healthy.  Vaccinations help prevent the spread of disease and if your dog or cat is going to be in any environment where other animals are going to be or have been, it’s a very good idea to keep those up to date.

• Emergency Veterinary Care.  We don’t like to think about accidents, but they do happen.  One accident that requires veterinarian treatment can cost hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of dollars.  If we don’t have contingency plans in place before those happen, it can be detrimental to a family living on a budget.  Nobody wants to be forced to make a decision on treatment, or no treatment because of financial ill-planning. 

• Parasite Treatment (flea/tick/heartworms,…etc.). There are so many different kinds of parasite treatments out there in today’s modern society, that there really isn’t a very good excuse to have problems with these miserable pests on our animals anymore.  The treatments do cost money though but if they are figured into your budget then your fur kids shouldn’t have to suffer with these little buggers. The treatments are readily available when you need them.

• Grooming/ Boarding/Daycare.  This kind of expense can sneak up on you if you aren’t thinking of it.  Taking care of a pet’s skin and hair on a 4- or 6-week basis can be rather costly.  Also, don’t forget to plan for accommodations for your fur kids when you have to be out of town for work or vacations.  

• Miscellaneous expenses.  While the above will take care of the bulk of the expenses, there are still other things to factor in to owning a pet.  There are things like, repairing fences, yards and flowerbeds from those little escape artists and mole chasers that we have.  There are also things like toy and bedding replacement throughout the year along with leashes and collars and any outdoor activity items you want your pet to have.

This list might not be exhaustive; there are always things that come up in life that we haven’t thought of, so it is always a good idea to “pad” the budget for those items.  It’s difficult to know about all of the expenses in our lives but when different things around pet care come up, life is much less stressful knowing the funds are there to cover things.  

Have fun and stay safe with the pets in your life this year.  Make 2020 full of adventure for you and your best four-legged buddy!

How Much is that Doggie in the Window: Tips for Caring for a New Puppy

A puppy can be a great gift for Christmas-- if you are prepared to take care of it. Here are tips for keeping that puppy safe, happy, and healthy while you introduce it to a new home. 

1. Find a good vet: The first thing you want to do when you get a puppy is to find a good vet and make sure you take the puppy in as soon as possible. Depending on the age of the puppy, he/she may need multiple rounds of shots to get them set up for a healthy first year.  

2. Regular visits to the salon: Not only is going to the vet important, making sure you get your puppy into the salon regularly is important for the puppy’s future. Even if your puppy doesn’t need a bath or a haircut yet, visiting the salon regularly can get the puppy used to the environment and make future grooming trips easier and less scary for everyone involved.  

3. Socializing: Doggy daycare is a great way to begin socializing your puppy. It’s important for dogs to be social, getting used to being around other dogs and other people. This is also a great way to get your dog used to car rides.  

4. Potty Training: Potty training early will make everyone’s lives easier down the road. Start by establishing a routine for taking your puppy outside. Use positive reinforcement to help your puppy understand they are doing a good thing by waiting until they can eliminate outside. 

5. Proper Feeding: Finding the right food and feeding the right amount are both important to maintaining a happy, healthy dog. Talk with your vet about the best options for you and your puppy.  

6. Be patient: Ultimately, puppies are a lot of work, and it takes patience and love to make sure you and your puppy adjust to this new lifestyle. Don’t get discouraged if your puppy doesn’t take to you and your family immediately. It takes some dogs a few weeks to get used to their new life.

Holiday Food and Your Pet

You’ve heard it time and time again… don’t feed your dog chocolate! But did you know there is a whole list of food items that are toxic to your pet? It’s always tempting to feed our pets what we are eating, especially around the holidays. After all, who wouldn’t love some pumpkin pie?! We wanted to take a moment to remind you of some of the potentially toxic foods that you (and your pet) might encounter this holiday season. 

1. Chocolate: Chocolate is dangerous to dogs for a couple of reasons. First, it contains caffeine which can speed up your furry friend’s heart and cause issues. Second, it contains theobromine. Theobromine negatively affects the central nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. 

2. Turkey skin: Because it is high in fat and full of seasoning, turkey skin can actually cause pancreatitis and irritate your dogs stomach.  

3. Onions: Onions contain N-propyl disulfide which causes damage to your pets’ red blood cells. All parts of an onion are toxic to cats and dogs including processed powders. Similar to onions, garlic, shallots, leaks, and chives are also toxic to your pets. 

4. Nuts: Some nuts are toxic to your pet and some are not. Peanuts and cashews are reportedly okay in small doses (not regularly), but are high in fat and can lead to pancreas issues. It’s best to just avoid nuts altogether. 

5. Raw dough: Raw dough can easily expand in your pets’ stomach causing the stomach to become distended and bloat to occur. Bloating in humans is simply uncomfortable, but bloating in dogs can turn into gastric-dilatation volvulus (GDV) which involves the twisting of the stomach.

6. Nutmeg & Cinnamon: Both nutmeg and cinnamon are toxic to animals when consumed in large amounts. Both spices can cause irritation of the stomach, low blood sugar, liver disease, vomiting, and diarrhea. NOTE: Cinnamon essential oil is more toxic to dogs than the powder. Exposure to the oil in any amount can be dangerous. 

Whether its chocolate or pumpkin pie, it’s best to keep that on the table and out of your dogs stomach.

Education in the Pet Care Industry

We are living in a day and age when our relationships with pets has never been more important to us. We are realizing the value they add to our lives every day. Anyone that has a therapy dog or cat can attest to this. So it only stands to reason that we want caring and qualified people to care for them when we have to take them to a veterinarian or grooming salon or boarding facility.

Many things can go wrong in pet facilities and accidents can happen when you have people mixed with animals and sharp objects. It doesn’t matter if you are in a veterinary clinic, grooming salon or a daycare/boarding facility, life can happen. The risk can be great and no one feels that more than caring and qualified pet care providers.

That is why looking for businesses and individuals who are educated in their pet care field is important. We expect our veterinarians to have an education in knowing about the physical health of Fido or Whiskers and how to keep them healthy, but do we demand that from the many other pet care providers around them?  Veterinary Technicians are required to have education and certifications in order to care for our pets safely and properly.  We should not expect any less from our salon, dog daycare and boarding technicians.

Education and certification prove that the people you hand your pets over to, care enough about them and you to spend valuable time and money to learn and then be tested by national and international boards of experienced individuals, to safely and lovingly care for your animals.  We want to know our airline pilots and mechanics know how to keep us safe when flying.  We want to know our favorite food service provider knows how to safely handle our dinner as he brings it to us.  We know these things because we understand that they are required to have education, certifications or licenses to prove they know what they are doing in their particular industry.

While it is not required by law yet for most pet care providers to have education and certification, except for veterinarians and veterinarian technicians, it is a great indicator of the care you should expect from your pet care facility.  We all want to know that the individuals and facilities as a whole have proven themselves to be able to take care of our four-legged family members safely and beautifully.

So the next time you drop your dog or cat off at the grooming salon, dog daycare or boarding facility, ask them about the staff’s education. Ask them about their certifications and the processes used to achieve those.  Let’s make sure everyone is cared for safely with the highest standards of professionalism available. 

Happy, Healthy Cat Month

September is Happy, Healthy Cat Month, and we want to give you some ideas to keep your cat happy and healthy!

Toys, toys toys: Toys are a great way to both make your cat happy and healthy. Cats need their exercise and chasing a plush mouse around the house is a great way for them to get their exercise in. Not only that, but most cats love to chase things! 

1. Play Pal: Two is more fun than one. Sometimes adding a second cat can help your cat get their exercise in too. Two cats tend to chase each other around, up and down the hallway (sometimes at 3 am), getting their daily exercise in. 

2. Regular Vet Visits: While it may seem obvious, taking your cat to the vet is vital when it comes to keeping your cat healthy. Checkups with vaccines are typically performed and given annually, so make sure you stay on top of when your cat is due!

3. Regular Grooming: As we have said in a previous post, it’s important for cats to have regular grooming. Not only does it help them get more socialization, but it also helps keep their skin and hair healthy. 

The best thing you can do to make sure your cat is happy and healthy is to be dedicated to maintaining their happiness and health. While these four suggestions are great, it all comes down to you and how dedicated you are to taking care of your furry friend. Toys are great all by themselves, but they are even better when they have a human to play with too!

Double-Coated Dogs: No Shave Downs Here

It’s hot outside, there is no denying that. You and your kids can cool down at the pool or the sprinkler, wear lighter clothes and sometimes get a summer haircut. For dogs, you can also consider a summer haircut, however, it may not be what you think it is. For many dogs, a shave down can help keep them cool, but for some it actually has the potential to do the opposite and ruin their hair.

The dogs you want to avoid shaving are double-coated dogs. Some of these include Huskies, Great Pyraneses, Saint Bernards, and more. You know all that shedding your dog experiences when it starts to get warmer? That’s your dog's way of trying to cool down. For double-coated dogs, shedding is a necessity in order to remain cool while also protecting their skin from sun damage. The shedding is the undercoat of the dog, which is used to protect the dog from the cold during the winter months. The outer coat is the one you see, and allows for air to get through to the dogs skin, while also protecting the dog from the sun. 

What a lot of people don’t realize is that shaving the outer coat does nothing more than ruin your double-coated dog’s hair and actually make your dog hotter. When the hair starts to grow back, the undercoat is what grows back first, most times a rougher texture than before. This undercoat, used to protect the dog from the cold, traps heat and increases your double-coated dogs body temperature during the summer months. 

The best way to keep your double-coated dog cool in the summer is with a good bath and a blowout. We use high powered dryers to blow the undercoat out of the dog as best as we can. This not only cuts down on shedding in your home, but it helps the dog stay cooler while also maintaining their beautiful hair.

If you aren’t sure whether your dog would benefit more from a bath and blowout or a shave down, ask us! We are always looking to do what’s best for you and your dog.

Cat Grooming: Is it Really Necessary?

You’ve probably heard that a cat’s tongue does a majority of the grooming that a cat needs. In fact, the tongue does help remove some dirt and grime, but most cats still need regular grooming—there are just some things a cat’s tongue can’t handle.

One thing that cat owners may not think about is getting your cat’s nails trimmed. Much like dogs, some cats’ nails can grow so long that they curl back into their pads. This can be incredibly painful and uncomfortable for your cat. Unfortunately, the cat’s tongue is rendered useless when it comes to trimming nails!

Cats also need regular brushing. One of the main benefits of regular brushing is to reduce shedding and hairballs. Even with short-haired cats, regular brushing is paramount. Long-haired cats, then, need to be more regularly brushed to help cut back on shedding and hairballs but also to prevent matting. Matting, if left unattended, can be another source of pain and discomfort for your cat. 

The third area where cats need attention is with bathing. Cat saliva simply isn’t enough to get your cat thoroughly cleaned. Mats should be removed before bathing to ensure they don’t get worse in the water.

These three areas of grooming could be done at home, but cats are typically harder to handle on your own, this is why taking your cat to a professional groomer for a nail trim, a good brush, and a bath is a great option. We have the tools and the experience to help make this task as easy as possible, and you don’t have to worry about finding the time to groom your fur baby.  

The Apprentice

College isn’t for everyone; trade school isn’t for everyone. For those who don’t find their passion at a university or trade school, there are alternatives. This is where the apprenticeship comes in. Here, we want to take the time to explain what our apprenticeship program looks like for both the apprentice and our clients.

You may or may not have noticed the sign in our salon that says, “We are a teaching business. All of our students are supervised by certified staff. We recognize that not everyone is comfortable with this, so if you wish your pet not to be handled by students, please let us know.” This is in reference to our apprenticeship program. Through this program, Tails-A-Wagn’ hires people who are willing to learn the trade and skills of grooming.

Apprentices (or students) go through a similar application process as any other employee. Once hired, the apprentice works in the salon in various areas learning the skills it takes to become a stylist. Our students work hard, and we ensure they are learning under an experienced and certified stylist.

The apprentice program is self-paced, and taught via a distance-learning program with Paragon School of Pet Grooming. Students are taught with hands-on learning, as well as online classroom learning. Students, before acceptance into the apprentice program at Tails-A-Wagn’, come and observe how we work and get an idea for company culture. Should we decide to work with one another, students spend some time in each area of the salon, learning the various skills needed to be a stylist.

So, if you see our sign hanging in the lobby, know that we are doing what we can to teach people a valuable trade, and by allowing your pet to spend time with our students, you are doing your part too!

Puppy’s First Groom

Let’s face it-- most puppies are a mess. What are the best ways to ensure that that “mess” stays in the puppy stage and doesn’t follow our beloved dogs into the adult stage of their lives? Well, there are lots of things you could do that range anywhere from obedience school to training them at home. One thing that will help your puppy when they get into their adult stage of life is to make sure your puppy is visiting the groomer regularly and as soon as possible.

Dogs who aren’t used to the grooming environment may find it stressful, causing them to act out in a number of ways. Particularly with larger dogs, this is an issue as they get bigger because they become harder to handle both for you and the groomer. Bringing your puppy in when they are young can help you and the puppy adjust to this new environment, and potentially help ease those discomforts and uncertainties.

This not only makes it easier for the groomers, bathers and helpers working with your dog at the salon, but it also helps you! Dogs have a keen sense of what’s going on; they know when they are leaving the house for a fun trip—and a not-so-fun trip. We have found that many dogs that have been coming to us for regular grooms since they were puppies actually enjoy their trip to the salon! They get their spa treatment and they get to socialize—who wouldn’t want a fun day out?! However, if dogs haven’t gotten used to the environment, this tends to be a stressful time for them, and a not-so-fun trip out of the house. Getting them to enjoy their trip to the salon will be easier on you when you go to load them into the car and drop them off for the day—plus it might help ease some of your anxieties too.

Sometimes, your puppy may not even need a haircut or bath. In that case, bringing them by just to play can be a great option to get them used to the environment. It’s important to remember that each dog is different, and the adjustment time is different for each of them. We strive to make sure each dog is catered to, and they are as happy and comfortable as they can be. We know this can be scary for newer visitors, and we want to make sure that everyone has a pleasant experience. Give us a call and ask us about how we can help your puppy adjust to this new experience!