Our front desk isn't just a place to check in dogs, do paperwork, schedule appointments (and entertain grandkids), it's also where Donna spends a decent amount of her time answering questions.  Our clients have a variety of dog questions ranging from behavior to fashion, and Donna is happy to answer any and all questions.  With that in mind, I sat her down and asked her a few questions of my own. 

Mainly, I wanted to know what the most commonly asked question was regarding grooming. Donna stated that many people inquire about which tools they could be using at home. Her answer to that, she said, is almost always the same:  A slicker brush and a comb.  But does everyone need them?  And why these specific tools?

Let's first tackle who would want these tools. Obviously not your short-haired dog owners. These tools are more for thick coated dogs and/or long coated dogs. If you like the full look of your dog's fur, then doing some work at home may be necessary. For example: 

Toby here has a nice full coat, long tail, and long ears, not to mention his lovely full face.   His hair is similar to that of a Poodle, Maltese, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, and all "non shedding" or single coated breeds.  The fur doesn't shed, but if it's not brushed, all that hair gets tangled extremely easily causing solid matts like rocks that must be shaved.  Often times, these breeds require much more maintenance than double coated dogs, especially if the owners desire a full, flowing or fluffy look. 

Another type of hair is that of the "shedding" or double coated breeds such as  Goldens, Shepards, Huskies, etc.   This type of hair doesn't quite tangle up the same way as Toby above, (although it can) instead, these dogs have a heavy undercoat that can get so thick, it turns into a solid layer of hair (almost like a rug) that must be shaved. 

Now onto the why:  
What's so special about these simple tools? Donna says that often times, people who are brushing their dogs at home are only "surface brushing". By this she means that the tools they use, or technique, is not getting down to the skin; down to the real mess. So while the top layer looks all nice and pretty, hidden below are those matts and stubborn hair.  That's why she says these tools, when properly used together, are the best for "at home maintenance." 

The slicker brush will pull out all the thick undercoat on those thick double coated dogs, (long or short actually) and will pull apart that poodle-type hair trying to mat up. This brush is also good on those shorter coated dogs that shed (like labs and such).  Even though they don't really need to have home maintenance, if you'd like to keep some hair off your floors, a slicker brush is a great choice.  All in all, for a majority of hairy breeds, this is the brush for you.  No need to purchase this ergonomic style we have, that's mainly for groomers who use it all day long.  Anything similar should do the trick.

The comb is good back up to the brush, and by itself also a golden tool to own. As a back-up, after you've done some good brushing, this is where Donna says you should get "down to the skin". Use that comb to make sure your brushing did enough work. The comb will really 'get in there" to reveal undercoat and will reach whatever the brush couldn't, or what ever the brush loosened up but didn't remove.  And on the non-shedding breeds with little knots everywhere, the brush & comb team work to keep those knots in check. 

By itself, the comb works great to keep that long flowing hair in good shape, just as we humans comb our own hair to keep knots away. The comb is also great for ears and tails that are so prone to tangle up.  Gentle, regular combing will keep them from needing shaved because once they knot up, those sensitive areas are too delicate to be pulling and working out mats. 

Again, it doesn't have to look exactly like this comb, anything similar. In fact, these tools come in many sizes depending on your needs. 

These tools can be found in almost any chain pet supply store, and even online at places like Amazon.com.  Remember, not everyone needs these tools, and not everyone has the time to use them even if they wanted to. But for those of you curious as to what type of home maintenance you can do, this is Donna's most famous answer. 

Still have questions? Feel free reach out via email, Facebook, or hey,  just ask us at the front desk!  

Thanks for stopping by!

-ingrid

Donna once said that her shop is much like a Barber's shop in that the clients come in and share stories, and it is so very true for her dogs.  If you are reading this, chances are you're a dog person so you understand completely how every dog has his or her own story.  These stories, are possibly one of my favorite parts of working at Digger Dogs. I absolutely love hearing owners talk about the adventures, quirks, dramas, and habits of their dogs. We'd like to start sharing some of these stories with our readers and to start off, here is our first dog story. 

I will openly admit that my favorite stories are rescue stories.  This particular story is probably my all-time favorite, and maybe that's because she's a family dog. However, she wouldn't be a family dog if I hadn't been for Donna and her love of her dogs. 

I can't even tell you how many dogs Donna has helped place, rescue, relocate, re-home, ect. So when one of her favorite pit-bulls needed a new home back in 1999, she pushed that girl on me. (which turned out to be the best turn of events in my life ever) From then on, I advocated for the breed and learned all I could.  This is why, when my parents' neighbors found a stray pit-bull just a few years after I acquired my pit, I ended up being involved. 

The husband found her on the streets of N.E. Philadelphia all battered and filthy. He was a delivery man at the time and this street dog ran out in front of  his truck and proceeded to follow him around with her little limp.  After knocking on a few doors, he brought her home. Already owning two large rescue dogs, they weren't keen on owning another.  They searched all over for the owners to no avail, and "rescues" at the time, (because of her breed) were only offering to euthanize the dog for them.  When they had no where to turn, they knocked on my parents' front door hoping to get my contact information knowing I loved the breed.  My mother wanted nothing to do with a stray dog of any kind and was happy with her lovely pure-bred yellow lab puppy.  She admits that she had no plans on telling me about this stray figuring I had "enough to deal with at the time." As fate would have it, I just so happened to be stopping by unannounced that very moment, literally pulling into the driveway as the woman was turning to go home.  And so I had a peek at the little dog, and my mother begrudgingly went with me. 

The neighbors had her in a kennel on their back porch. When we peeked inside, the little pup exploded with happiness and sprayed us with the blood, urine, and fecal matter she was covered in. (so gross).  I HAD to bathe her. When we removed her from the kennel what we saw brought us all to tears. 

A busted back leg that was deformed and not grown as the other legs, a busted shoulder, a broken bleeding tail, she was covered in briars and ticks, five 2inch scars around her neck, and an entire side of her body covered in cigarette and cigar burns. Well, at that point it was obvious her previous "owners" were no good.  So we knew she'd need a new home, but  we had to get her fixed up first. No one would take a dog in this condition and with major pending vet bills. But who would keep her for now? 

I was living in an apartment with a 1 dog rule so my parents agreed to be temporary care-givers. We tested out her temperament, we slowly introduced her to my pit and my parents young lab.  (she did great) And the neighbors all pitched in to help with vet bills which would make her an adoptable dog. Throughout this process, Donna and all at Digger Dogs kept an ear to the ground for possible new homes for this girl. 

That was over 9 years ago.  Needless to say that my stubborn mother and father, after all their fuss about not wanting another dog, caved in to her cuteness and never let her go. They figured it was fate that her path led her to them and it was just meant to be.  "Sometimes we choose our dogs, sometimes they choose us." 

She won their hearts and the hearts of their entire neighborhood. She was fixed up just fine, both her shoulder and leg looking healthy as ever. Her 5 scars are mostly covered with hair at this point but she does suffer some rather unsightly skin conditions seasonally.  She took years to overcome her fear of lighters and matches, and even longer to overcome her fear of bathtubs. (the most likely place to "bleed" a fighting dog in order to "prep" them for "pain tolerance" - sick, I know)
For the past 10 years she has enjoyed numerous trips to the beach, loads of camping trips, countless numbers of belly rubs, 1 skunk as a meal, the destruction of 3 expensive dog beds, countless pounds of table scraps, and a few  escapes from her yard to romp around the neighborhood.  

Briar Rose, as she was named, has an extreme fondness of  the neighbors who found her and will often sit at the fence for hours waiting for them to come over and say hello. She seems to never have forgotten they were the ones who brought her to this great new home.  She loves everyone and loves to be loved.  

As for my mother's precious yellow lab, well, who do you think taught Briar Rose everything she knows?  This oddball pair are about the funniest pair I've ever seen.  The LOVE each other.

Their ten years together has produced countless new stories and adventures. That's because dogs really are individuals. They have their own personalities, their own friendships, relationships, they have their likes and dislikes, they have strengths and weaknesses, and they are just as affected by their environment as any human.  So when they come into Digger Dogs for their grooming, yeah, they have a lot to share with us and the other dogs. It's always a good time! 

Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing all your dogs' stories - keep 'em coming! 

-ingrid

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous heat, Or to take arms against a sea of hair and by opposing - shave them. 

Sorry, Shakespeare nerd here.  But it truly is The Question!  So many people ask us if they should shave their dog. Is it healthy, is it safe, and most common; "Doesn't their hair keep them cool?"  So, here we go:

There are certainly pros and cons to shaving your dog's hair, but first let me state that by "shaving" we do not mean taking a Bic to your dog and making them bald. For those who have never seen the look we are describing, here is a lovely cocker spaniel (Hanna) who has been "completely shaved" (that means, ears, top of head, face - ALL).

So you see, it's really just a super short haircut, not a "surgical shave" one may see in small doses during vet visits.  Is she cooler? You bet!!  Let's do some quick pros/cons.

Pros: short hair means better grooming management, better view of any pests, get to reveal any hidden skin issues, less hair in your home, and a much cooler dog.

Cons: now the mosquitos can get a better chance at that skin! Thin coated dogs should watch for sunburn for the first few weeks after grooming (as any short-haired breed dog should be monitored for sunburn),  and lastly, you may not like the look. 

Now to answer a few common questions:
YES, the hair will grow back, albeit at different speeds for different dogs. 
YES, the hair will grow back with the same look. Sometimes older dogs who have been shaved multiple times per year over the course of their lives have strange growth patterns as the hair returns, but it's not common and most owners simply keep shaving them for comfort reasons. 

Lastly, "doesn't the hair keep my dog cool".  The answer is Yes AND No. 

The full coat of hair is meant to keep a dog cool by way of a "fur insulator" which is meant to keep a pocket of cool air close to their skin. Keep in mind these are man made breeds, not wild animals.  Wild animals with loads of hair don't tend to live in hot regions. If they do, they have options to hide in cool caves, swim in lakes, and migrate to cooler areas. Our pets are not migrating (one hopes) so it's up to us to keep them cool. This means the hair needs maintenance. If those pockets of cool air are filled with matted hair, dead hair, or any other sort of dirt and debris, there goes the "fur insulator".  Yes, if you are vigilant you can brush your hairy partner to keep that coat in full function. If it's not a total mess, we can do that for you as well, but either way, it needs to be maintained throughout the hot, humid season.   Unfortunately, we don't all have the time we wish we had. This is why many owners decide to shave. Shaving the dog will help get air to the skin when the fur has become too thick and even though dogs do not sweat through their skin, shaving a thick coat of unbreathable fur will certainly help!! ESPECIALLY, if the dog is matted. At that point not only do you risk an over heated dog, but sores and such from the matted skin. Brushing is no longer an option, so shaving is indeed your best bet.

The bottom line is time, and preference.  Do you have time to do a percentage of the work at home? Keeping your dog fairly brushed and clean? If so, we can do something like this: 

Salute here was in pretty darn good shape for all that hair! Some tight knots in the back end required going a bit shorter, and some matting behind the ears (VERY normal) had to be shaved, but all in all - this was a very do-able brush-out!   Other breeds are harder to keep up with. Many of us don't have time, or maybe just no time this particular season, or simply LOVE the look, not to mention the clean house one gets from a short-haired dog! (you long-haired breeds know what I mean, it's not just the little hairs everywhere, it's the tumbleweeds blowing around from room to room!)  So here's an elkhound (Damien) who's hair was so thick this year, he was loving his shave-down. 

This breed has probably one of the most drastic changes for a shave-down, Collies and Shelties would be other examples. Dogs with that full mane look always seem totally changed when shaved. Yes, he lost his dark colored fur, yes he looks very different, but it'll all grow back. And when it does, his owner will have a better chance of keeping that coat in check.  Plus- it's kinda hard to make this guy look bad, we think he looks handsome with his new look!! 

Now, for fear of turning into a full-length Shakespeare play, I'll end this humble blog post. I hope we answered your questions, but if you have more, by all means, post them in the comments or shoot us an email! Thanks for stopping by! 

-ingrid