Should dog groomers be working?

[EloiseTheFirst]

I refer to discussion on a previous thread that says you should work from home, unless that's not possible.

But my dog groomers (salon) has been closed since lockdown.

They told me the dog grooming association said they couldn't open because it's "non-essential".

Now they could easily deal with clients outside at 2m distance. Take dog in and return to customer outside. So no breach of social distancing.

My dog is in a right state and I would argue if it goes on much longer, her fur will be so thick it will become a welfare issue.

So what's the general consensus? Should they be open or not?

[Ylvamoon]

some of the crosses have weird coats that mats if you so much as look at it that’s harder to look after than a poodle coat, some have fairly poodley coats and some are easier because they’re more like the other breed’s coat.

.... and some of the "wird" coats are a direct result of early spaying/ neutering, alias before the adult coat could fully develop. But that's a whole new thread.

[stanski]

Haven't read the full thread but ours were given the go ahead by the local council to stay open; however it is a 'poshy' type groomers who only has one dog at a time. Handover is being done at the entrance and payment by bank transfer rather than going in and paying by card.

That said I've bought some clippers and since lockdown been grooming mine myself and not needed to go.

[Prisonbreak]

Yes you are correct. A dog with a double coat will self regulate in temperature

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

@FredaFox
"No they are not essential"
How is it that we are in our 6th week of lockdown and yet you still do not that ANYONE who cannot work from home can go to work subject to a few stated exceptions (e.g. cafes, pubs). It was not stated that dog groomers were not allowed to work, ergo they can.

It is not only those doing essential work that are still allowed to work.

[pigsDOfly]

@Prisonbreak I think a lot of people assume that their dog is going to be uncomfortable when the weather warms up.

My dog has a long double coat and as far as I'm aware, from reading up on it, her coat keeps her cool in the heat as well as warm in the cold. Having said that, when the weather is very warm we don't go out until late in the evening or early in the morning.

I don't get her coat clipped because I like the way she looks with her full coat, but yes, if I didn't brush her a couple of times a week the dead hair I remove would cause awful matting.

[sleepingpup]

yes you're right @TruffleShuffles just read the guidance for Dog Groomers. He's just got back so it's done now. They def ignored that part of it.

[TruffleShuffles]

I suppose if you were happy with that arrangement @sleepingpup then that’s ok but that procedure is completely against guidelines that we have been given as dog groomers. You must not have dogs from different households at the same time.

[sleepingpup]

This morning my dog groomer rang to say she had arrived outside my house as had been pre arranged. She was driving around in her van picking up customers dogs to take away for the day to her shop where they will have their cuts.

We did the hand over across my front garden with all social distancing in place. i'll be paying by bank transfer and we're waiting for the dog to be delivered back right now.

The groomer rang up and suggested this idea and we were happy to go with it.

[InfiniteSheldon]

Yes everyone who possibly can should we need as far as possible to protect our children and grandchildren from the crippling economic fallout coming

[BenjiB]

Mobile ones near me are working.

[Itoldyouiwasill]

My groomer and I met in a lay-by to do the handover of my terrier for a much needed hand strip. It felt like a drug deal but with social distancing

[tabulahrasa]

“These dogs get their high maintenance coats from poodles.”

No... some of the crosses have weird coats that mats if you so much as look at it that’s harder to look after than a poodle coat, some have fairly poodley coats and some are easier because they’re more like the other breed’s coat.

So it’s not that poodles have easy coats to look after, it’s that some of the crosses are harder than that.

[Prisonbreak]

I am a groomer and I’m closed despite quite aggressive messages I receive. There are many reasons to stay closed. If I accidentally cut your dog (which happens more than you think) you will probably need a vet. Most vets are closed and you would need an emergency appointment. If your dog bites me (yes even your lovely little darling) I may need medical attention which requires entering a virus ridden hospital. Groomers have been told we are not essential and therefor our insurance is impacted if we go against guidelines. Also if you are worried about matts....BRUSH YOUR DOG! matts are 100% preventable but you have to put the work in. If you have let it get to a point where your dogs welfare is now at risk then you must contact a vet. Those worried about dogs being too warm in summer, read up on your dog. Learn about coat types. Many breeds are kept cooler with a longer coat. Remember dogs don’t sweat like us.
Above all, please do not put pressure on your groomer to open. No haircut is worth dying for

[CaliforniaMountainSnake]

Poodles coats are not easy to maintain. They need regular washing, brushing and cutting.

These dogs get their high maintenance coats from poodles. I know people with cockerpoos that never brush them and only groom them a few times a year.

My poodle needs to be in the groomers every other month or I need to do top up trims at home. I can get away with a brush once a week if it's short but once long it's every other day.

[TruffleShuffles]

Probably because a poodles coat is much easier to maintain @california. Poodle cross coats are much, much more difficult to deal with and unfortunately the vast majority of people who own these breeds haven’t got a clue where to start with the maintenance of them.

[CaliforniaMountainSnake]

A friends dog had the edge of its ear snipped off with scissors - and that was at a groomers!

I'd avoid sissors. You're not grooming for the show ring. You can get it done well enough to stop your dog being uncomfortable and looking a complete mess with just clippers.

[CaliforniaMountainSnake]

Whilst I agree that if people can clip off the thousands of cockerpoos, cavapoos, poo this, poo that themselves, that would be great, in reality, there are going to be people that have these type of dogs that don't feel remotely capable of doing this (for various reasons) and then the dogs will suffer.

I find it odd that you didn't mention poodles. They are an actual breed. Not just an ingredient for mixed dogs.

[CaliforniaMountainSnake]

I do mine myself, looks scruffy but it's not in his eyes, his bits are clean snd it was better for him in the heatwave.

Some groomers clearly are working though. I seem some freshly groomed dogs that look way to well done to be DIY jobs.

[Ylvamoon]

I like all the clippers, scissor advice. But please please be careful! Even with clippers, you need to bath and dry your dog first. Use a good dog shampoo & conditioner! Make sure the coat is bone dry. Use a slicker brush & comb on the went coat while drying... and have sossors to hand to cut out matts. Be prepared to spend a whole day doing bath and clipping- depending on your dog's coat and patience.... your dog will need a break at some point!!!

Once all this is done, get yourself a grooming spray and thinning out scissors and keep on top of it by brushing every other day.

[pigsDOfly]

The last time I took my dog to the groomer, just for her dew claws, before the lockdown. The were allowing owners into the shop but I had to put the dog on the floor and take off her harness/collar and lead.

He then picked her up, small dog, and put on their own, sterilised collar/harness and lead.

I then waited in the car, only took a few minutes, and when he'd finished he came out to the car to get me, we went back into the shop and reversed the process of pick up.

They have quite a large grooming room so there were two people able to work whilst keep a good distance apart.

It all seemed to work very well.

[pigsDOfly]

Thanks PerfectionistProcrastinator, I do sometimes get the vet to do them under normal circumstances, but it feels a bit of an ask at the moment.

I had to go and pick up some medicine for her soon after the lockdown started - forgot about the bank holiday coming so didn't order in time for them to post it - and given the precautions that they're taking I think I'd feel a bit as if I was wasting their time just for two dew claws. Although, obviously they can't be left to just grow.

I'm going to have a go at filing them. If I start before they get too long I might be able to keep on top on them. Otherwise, it'll have to be the vet, unless the groomer opens soon; he's still running the pet shop side of things as far as I know.

[mencken]

if it is animal welfare (same as useful animals such as sheep) then yes it needs doing by someone who knows how to do it.

no, cats and dogs don't catch covid-19 but they can be contaminated surfaces. Don't touch anyone else's animal and be careful with your cats, you don't know where they've been. And this is yet another reason why dogs need to be under total control and not going near any other people.

[T0tallyFuckedUpFamily]

The dog groomers around here are starting to open up, but only if they follow the new rules advised by the government (I’ll try to find them, as I have see them). They must have all the proper protection. Dog grooming is essential for many, as some dogs will behave more aggressively towards their owners, than at the groomer, as she/he will know how to hold and restrain them. There are also people who are elderly, ill or disabled that wouldn’t be able to manage the level grooming needed to stop tats, long term. There has also been an increase of dogs needing veterinary care, due to accidental injuries, including ear tips being clipped completely off and some horrendous injuries to the dogs’ tongues. My own dog can’t be groomed by me or any professional groomer because of horrendous abuse, so my vet grooms him under anaesthesia. If my vet thinks it’s essential, then I’m happy with that.

[pigsDOfly]

Thanks Wolfiefan, I'll have a look at that.

She has very hairy feet and I have to trim the fur between her pads, between visit to the groomers for the dew claws and she doesn't like that so I'm not sure how she'd react if I came at her with a pair of clippers

She's small, as well, so everything is quite fiddly. I think the file is probably the best idea.

If I can get her used to having them filed it would be handy in the long term rather than having to bother with the groomers.

[PerfectionistProcrastinator]

@pigsDOfly yes, vets can do your dogs nails if they need doing and groomers are closed.