FAQ

Frequent Asked Questions


11. How often should my dog be groomed?
Depends on the dog, but here’s the general rule: Short-coated dogs with no skin conditions – can go 6 to 8 weeks between baths unless they get into something dirty or smelly. Longer-coated dogs should be groomed every 4-6 weeks to make sure their hair doesn’t get matted and they’re not harboring insects or hiding skin conditions. Certain haircuts require grooming more often to maintain their appearance. Some pets come in more regularly – weekly/bi-weekly or every 3-weeks.
22. When should I take my puppy for her first grooming?
Sometime after your puppy has received all of her/his initial vaccinations (usually about 12 weeks old). Since our goal is to give her a positive experience, we suggest her initial session include a bath, hand drying and trimming the hair around her eyes, paws and anus only. If she enjoys herself, she’ll want to come back next time for more!
33. Do you take my dog outside during grooming?
No. We are located where there are busy streets and your dog’s safety is primary. Please remember to walk your pets before coming to the salon and to clean up after them. We do have a full basement with potty area where we bring them when necessary.
44. Why does my dog sometimes “scoot” his rear on the floor?
This usually means your pet needs to have waste fluid squeezed from his anal glands. See your vet for this common procedure.
5What is your appointment policy?
You can call anytime during salon hours to make an appointment for your pet. You can call us a few days before to schedule your appointment or if you need an appointment the same day, give us a call and we will try our best to accommodate you. When you call to make your appointment, you will receive a check in time.
6My dog just needs his nails clipped. Do I need an appointment?
No appointment is necessary, however, if you give us a call ahead of time we will have a sta tion ready for your pet and a salon team member available to assist you. Nail clipping hours are from 8am – 2pm.
7How long will it take to groom my pet?
The average time frame allowed for grooming your pet varies from 3 to 5 hours, but may take longer, depending upon the size of your pet, the amount of coat, temperament, the physical condition and of course, the type of trim style. This time frame includes at least one break so that your precious pet has time to relax in our holding area and a chance to drink some cool water. For example, pets that arrive between 8:00am and 8:30am are usually picked up between 12:00pm – 1:00pm. However, if your pet needs to be done in a shorter time frame, please let us know when dropping off so we can do a Express Grooming.
8Do you sedate pets?
Never. At Golden Paws Pet Grooming, we are firm believers in the magic of patience and a kind word. It's not that we don't approve sedation, as there are some pets that are simply too stressed to be safely groomed. If your pet must be sedated due to temperament or for some other reason, you should contact your veterinarian so that he can prescribe the proper medication for your individual pet. For the safety of your pet, you must inform the salon team that your pet is sedated so that we can monitor your best friend during his/her stay in the salon!
9The groomer said my pet had matted fur and had to be shaved down. Why can't they just brush him out?
Matted fur means that your pet doesn't just have tangles but that his fur has woven itself into a pelt all the way to the skin. To detangle it would leave your pet's skin bloody, his nerves a wreck, and your bank account empty. The only humane thing to do is to shave it all off and start over. It’s not painful, it’s a relief.
10Well if he's matted, why can't they just cut a little off and still leave him some fluffiness? Why do they have to shave him so close?
Professional grade hair clippers use different sized attachments. The groomer may choose from different attachments that leave the fur different lengths. But matted fur and thick double coats ( such as you might find on german shepherds and collies ) pose a unique problem. Any attachment designed to leave lengths of say 1/2 inch to 2 inches of fur will simply not move through matted or double coated fur. The attachment will jam and refuse to move. The only way to get it to move through is to get the fur into pristine condition by detangling and separating the hairs so that it will feed into the clipper attachment. But as we covered earlier, detangling coats in that condition is simply not humane or affordable.
11Do you use heated cage driers?
No, all of our driers are hand driers only.