Why bother grooming short haired breeds?

Short-Haired Dogs Need Grooming Too

Contrary to popular belief, dog grooming appointments aren’t solely for long haired, fluffy or mud loving dogs. Whilst the floofy dogs may dominate our client base, we see many short haired breeds too.

But why do owners of short haired breeds get groomed, they don’t need a hair cut?! Its simple, whilst poodles barely shed, our short haired friends such as Pugs, French bulldogs, Labradors and Rottweilers for example shed heavily! Owners of these dogs who don’t visit a groomer regularly are likely forced to seek shares in Dyson and Shark to try and limit the fur-based tumbleweed that dominates their home on the daily…

Those owners who do use a groomer swear by regular appointments which provide relief for their cleaning rotas! And yes, I speak from experience. My rottweiler sheds so much I question how she is not bald – so monthly grooms are done for not only her health, but my sanity too!!

By deshedding the coat, it allows it to aerate which is essential for homeostasis and temperature control. A coat that is heavy compacted, has a lot of dead fur or isn’t groomed doesn’t allow the skin to breathe, this can cause overheating, skin issues, aid parasitic infections and more.

Grooming Is About More Than Just Fur

Whilst massively reducing the rate of shedding coat, grooming your short haired breed also has many other benefits that also deserve to be mentioned… firstly, nails. Dog nails grow fast, and they can grow long – this hinders normal gait and foot structure, causing pain and increasing the risk of injury from snapping/fully ripping out nails. On every groom your dogs’ nails will be trimmed to an appropriate length and maintained to help reduce the risk of any damage.

Secondly, we bathe your dog, this reduces the chance of skin infections, sebaceous cysts developing, yeast issues and cleanses keeping bacteria at bay. We all know that neighbour with the smelly, greasy lab who’s smell lingers on your hands after giving him a good fuss don’t we?

Your Groomer May Notice What You Don’t

Dogs who are groomed regularly are more likely to receive prompt veterinary attention. What do I mean by that? Well, when we groom your dog we literally see, feel and learn every inch of them. We notice changes in the first instance that most of the time owners don’t spot until they are entirely obvious. We health check your dog and know when they’re not quite right, perhaps they’re a little stiff on that left hip which wasn’t an issue last time, perhaps whilst asking them to balance on one leg we notice their patella’s are slipping – why would you ever ask your dog to balance at home? we sadly find suspect lumps on dogs that are often diagnosed as cancerous, but we find them earlier and this means owners are able to get treatment fast. I personally have saved countless lives of dogs this way over my 25 years. You may stroke your dog, but do you see every millimetre of their skin? Do you know what looks normal or what doesn’t?

In summary… Groomers offer more value than simply bathing your dog, making them look pretty or other aesthetically pleasing reasons. I hope this has sparked new pathways of thought behind the benefits of grooming short haired dogs. 🐾