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Mobile Grooming Open 7 Days a WeekMobile Grooming (now 23 Vans)
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Our Promise To You
Compassionate Pet Care
Picking the right pet Groomer is a tough decision…
Your pets are family, but does your current service treat your pet with the same care and expertise as your family doctor?
Well, at The Dogfather, we know that your pet is part of your family. That’s why we promise to always treat your furry friends with the same love and care that we give our own pets every day.
We will put your mind at ease as our team goes the extra mile to give you and your pet a 5-star experience.
Your pets are family, but does your current service treat your pet with the same care and expertise as your family doctor?
Well, at The Dogfather, we know that your pet is part of your family. That’s why we promise to always treat your furry friends with the same love and care that we give our own pets every day.
We will put your mind at ease as our team goes the extra mile to give you and your pet a 5-star experience.
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TIPS & TRICKS: GROOMING, TRAINING & NUTRITION
IMPORTANCE OF GROOMING
One of the most important, yet overlooked, aspects of routine care for dogs is grooming.
You should brush and comb your dog daily so that he/she becomes used to being touched and handled. A professional grooming should be done every four to ten weeks, depending on the breed. For example, a Lab will go to the groomer a little less often than a Bichon or a golden retriever.
There is a huge benefit to maintaining professional grooming schedule. Removal of the undercoat is extremely important to maintaining good health. In some cases, owner’s of severely matted dogs are charged de-matting fees which can be very expensive. De-matting removes the hard knots of hair can result from lack of brushing which is time consuming and unpleasant for the dog.
A matted dog has no insulation from the heat or cold either, because air cannot circulate through his coat. Since we do not use tranquilizers on any pets we groom it can be very uncomfortable for them.
A matted dog has no insulation from the heat or cold either, because air cannot circulate through his coat. Since we do not use tranquilizers on any pets we groom it can be very uncomfortable for them.
Shaving is not always good for your pet either because a shaved animal has no protection from the heat or cold. Despite the warm weather, a properly maintained coat with the undercoat removed is the best protection from the heat and sun. A shaved coat provides no protection. The same goes for winter weather. In the cold, a matted coat with lots of undercoat retains the water and moisture and provides no protection. A properly maintained coat with the undercoat removed provides warmth and insulation.
Dogfather Grooming realizes the importance of proper grooming. Our full grooming service consists of an 8-point skin and coat exam, bathing, fluff drying, removal of undercoat, clipping, styling, ear cleaning as well as nail trimming and filing.
We also offer additional services such as flea dips, skunk baths, teeth brushing and our very popular and effective “Furminator” Treatment.
BRUSHING
Brush your pet thoroughly every day. This helps keep his or her hair in good condition by removing dirt, spreading the natural oils throughout the coat, preventing tangles from forming and keeping the skin clean and free from irritation.
It is best to start brushing your pet at an early age. Proceed slowly and gently, and be sure to use treats and plenty of praise to make the experience fun!
EARS
Ear care is an important part of grooming. Ear infections can not only be painful, but lead to permanent hearing loss. The signs of a problem with a companion animals’ ears include redness, constant scratching, head shaking and odor. If the problem persists, talk to your vet.
Chronic ear problems are often times the result of a food allergy. Check the ingredients on the label of your dog’s food and try feeding a food with a different grain or protein source. Foods made with fish and sweet potatoes are sometimes a
good alternative.
Cleaning Your Pet’s Ears: Check your dog’s ears twice per month. The skin inside and on the flaps should be pale pink. If there is a foul odor and/or any red, brown or black skin, have a veterinarian examine your pet’s ears. Moisten a cotton ball with warm water or a little mineral oil and use it to clean the opening into the canal and the flaps. Do not probe too deeply into the canal.
TEETH
Dogs and cats can get cavities and develop periodontal disease, so their teeth should be cleaned with a pet toothpaste at least twice per week. It is best to use a small toothbrush that has soft bristles. Cleanings performed by a veterinarian may also
be required.
NAILS
Many people prefer to leave this to the groomer, but if you choose to trim your dog’s nails at home, the pliers style is the best kind of nail clipper to use. Trim just a small amount at a time being careful not to cut the quick.
TRAINING TIPS
The two biggest training and behavior complaints that dog owners seem to have are JUMPING and NOT COMING WHEN CALLED. Here are some simple steps you can follow to help with both of these issues.
Jumping
- Dogs, being social animals, will greet with enthusiasm. A good thing to do is ignore the dog when they jump. Fold your arms, look away and do not talk to the dog. Become a statue.
- Reward the dog when all four paws are on the ground. Give a treat as soon as the dog relaxes and does not attempt to jump.
- Do not back up when your dog jumps. Walk into the dog. Do a quick "cha cha" step into the dog, knocking them slightly off balance.
- Make sure you have a NO JUMP policy. Do not invite the dog to jump on you, and do not allow friends and relatives to permit the dog to jump.
- Teach young puppies to keep all four paws on the ground. Most jumping problems start when our dogs are small puppies.
- Put a leash on the dog when guests come over. Step on the leash as your guests come toward the dog. This forces the dog to stay on the ground.
Coming When Called
- The dog needs to develop a sense of freedom. Without that, the dog will never come.
- Developing a sense of freedom can be done by bringing the dog to a fenced in ballpark or tennis court.
- Use a long line. Attach a 50 to 60 foot long line to the dog’s collar. If the dog does not respond to your "come" command, use the line to guide the dog back to you.
- Every time you command, "come", make sure you reward the dog for coming. Use treats, praise, toys, etc.
- Never call the dog and then punish him. If your dog comes to you and then gets scolded, chances are that he will remember that the next time you call him.
- Make coming when called a game. The more exciting you make the command "come", the better the results.
- You can make it exciting for your dog by getting his attention and running away from him. Dogs love chase games.
- A fun game to play is the spring loaded recall exercise. Have a friend hold your dog’s collar. Get the dog excited and run away while your friend holds the dog. Face the dog and call "come", at which point your friend lets go o collar.
- Reward when the dog gets to you.
NUTRITION TIPS
A bad diet affects all aspect’s of your dog’s life including his skin, coat, and even his behavior. Make sure you feed your dog a quality, premium food.
When choosing a food, read the label. Familiarize yourself with ingredients.
When choosing a food, read the label. Familiarize yourself with ingredients.
- Choose a food that uses chicken or lamb meal as opposed to chicken or lamb by-products.
- Foods are usually made with a corn or rice grain source. Corn can be difficult for some dogs to digest. Try a food with rice or even oatmeal as the grain source.
- Foods preserved with ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT have been linked to cancer.
- A food preserved naturally with Vitamin E or tocopherols is a better choice.
- Garlic is a great herb to add to your dog’s diet. It is a natural antibiotic and flea and tick repellant.
- Cod liver oil is also great to add to your dog’s diet. It provides essential Omega fatty acids.
- Supplement your dog’s food with a vitamin and mineral mix.
- Choose a food that uses chicken or lamb meal as opposed to chicken or lamb by-products.
- Foods are usually made with a corn or rice grain source. Corn can be difficult for some dogs to digest. Try a food with rice or even oatmeal as the grain source.
- Foods preserved with ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT have been linked to cancer.
- A food preserved naturally with Vitamin E or tocopherols is a better choice.
- Garlic is a great herb to add to your dog’s diet. It is a natural antibiotic and flea and tick repellant.
- Cod liver oil is also great to add to your dog’s diet. It provides essential Omega fatty acids.
- Supplement your dog’s food with a vitamin and mineral mix.
41 WAYS TO EXERCISE YOUR DOG
For a long time, I have informed dog owners that lack of exercise is one of the major reasons for behavior problems. Here are 41 ways to give your dog some much needed aerobic exercise:
- Memory retrieve
- 2 person recalls
- Treasure hunt
- Service dog gofer
- Hide and seek
- Leg weaves
- Weaving with ski poles
- Agility
- Digging for objects
- Herdling indestructible ball
- Chase remote control car
- Chase object on fishing pole
- Chase light
- Chase racquetball bounceback
- Chase hose with water
- Chase remote control airplane
- Chase ball
- Lure coursing
- Swimming free
- Swim next to canoe
- Swimming relay race with bumpers
- Water Kong retrieve
- Jumping over picnic benches
- Skateboarding
- Flyball
- Frisbee
- Mt. Bike
- Run through powder snow
- Run through sand dunes
- Sled dog
- Treadmill
- Run a race track
- Jog with dog
- Rollerblade
- Backpacking
- Carting
- Skijor
- Run hills
- Walk/run stairs
- Throw ball downstairs
- Throw ball upstairs
- Memory retrieve
- 2 person recalls
- Treasure hunt
- Service dog gofer
- Hide and seek
- Leg weaves
- Weaving with ski poles
- Agility
- Digging for objects
- Herdling indestructible ball
- Chase remote control car
- Chase object on fishing pole
- Chase light
- Chase racquetball bounceback
- Chase hose with water
- Chase remote control airplane
- Chase ball
- Lure coursing
- Swimming free
- Swim next to canoe
- Swimming relay race with bumpers
- Water Kong retrieve
- Jumping over picnic benches
- Skateboarding
- Flyball
- Frisbee
- Mt. Bike
- Run through powder snow
- Run through sand dunes
- Sled dog
- Treadmill
- Run a race track
- Jog with dog
- Rollerblade
- Backpacking
- Carting
- Skijor
- Run hills
- Walk/run stairs
- Throw ball downstairs
- Throw ball upstairs
HOUSE TRAINING 101
Any behavior modification program consists of several parts. The first part is effective management skills, the second part is to treat the problem and teach the dog new behaviors. In order for any program to be successful the dog owner must follow the plan.
Good Management Skills
The first thing you have to understand is that the dog is probably confused about where to relieve himself. You need to help him clear up that confusion by only allowing him to urinate outside. Your dog should be put in a crate when you cannot physically be right in the room with him. When he is out of the crate, keep a very close eye on him.
A good rule of thumb is to let the dog outside as soon as you get home. If the dog does not urinate when you let him out, bring him inside and put him back in the crate. Wait ten minutes and bring him back outside. If he does not go, repeat the process. If he does urinate, bring him inside and do not put him in the crate. Still keep a close eye on him.
It is strongly recommend to leave a leash on your dog in the house while you are still house training. If you are busy doing something you can attach the leash to a doorknob or a sturdy table. This way the dog is still in the room with you and if he starts to go, you can quickly catch him.
REMEMBER: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH HOUSE TRAINING IS ALLOWING THE DOG TOO MUCH FREEDOM. LET HIM EARN HIS FREEDOM.
My dogs have total freedom in the house. The only reason they have that freedom is because they earned it. They don’t chew, destroy or urinate in the house. If they did they would be in a crate until they learned.
Treating the Behavior
The second step is to actually teach the dog new skills. You want the dog to learn that urinating inside is unacceptable and urinating outside is acceptable. This is done by catching the dog in the act. The second your dog starts to lift his leg, quickly startle the dog. You would want to make a loud noise (stomp your foot, a loud “No”, clap your hands, etc.) and take the dog outside immediately.
Once outside you will start to give the dog a command such as “Get busy” until he starts to go. Do not say anything else until he has finished. If you say “Good boy” while he is going, he may not finish. The second he’s done then you say “Good boy” and give the dog a treat. You want to reward the dog for urinating outside.
REMEMBER:
When you are trying to teach the dog to do anything you are trying to communicate with the dog. You have to influence his behavior the second the behavior occurs, whether it is positive or negative behavior. You are influencing the dog by startling him the second he begins to urinate. You also influence the dog when you reward him the second he is finished.
The second step is to actually teach the dog new skills. You want the dog to learn that urinating inside is unacceptable and urinating outside is acceptable. This is done by catching the dog in the act. The second your dog starts to lift his leg, quickly startle the dog. You would want to make a loud noise (stomp your foot, a loud “No”, clap your hands, etc.) and take the dog outside immediately.
Once outside you will start to give the dog a command such as “Get busy” until he starts to go. Do not say anything else until he has finished. If you say “Good boy” while he is going, he may not finish. The second he’s done then you say “Good boy” and give the dog a treat. You want to reward the dog for urinating outside.
REMEMBER:
When you are trying to teach the dog to do anything you are trying to communicate with the dog. You have to influence his behavior the second the behavior occurs, whether it is positive or negative behavior. You are influencing the dog by startling him the second he begins to urinate. You also influence the dog when you reward him the second he is finished.
Case Study
Canine Behavioral Issues
Susan’s 2-year old Jack Russell, Fitz, kept escaping from her yard, despite all her best attempts to keep him fenced in. He would jump the fence and dig under barriers. He was a real escape artist, especially if there was a female in heat nearby.
Susan was mostly afraid Fritz would get hit by a car. But she also didn’t want to put him through the pain of being neutered. Then one spring day, Fitz detected a female in heat in the neighborhood and escaped. The larger female didn’t share Fitz’s level of interest…and they got into a pretty major fight.
Finally, Susan realized she had no choice and she decided to have Fitz neutered.
The surgery went smoothly and Fitz was back to normal in a couple of weeks. He has also stopped running away and is less territorial and aggressive with other dogs in general.
Many pet owners are hesitant to put their pets through reproductive surgery. However, it’s a quick, simple procedure with minimal side effects with significant benefits. It’s truly the humane choice. Talk to us about it at your next appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do my pets need to see the vet?
Most pets need at least some vaccines each year. For this reason and others, we recommend at least one wellness checkup per year, even for otherwise healthy pets. Older pets may need more frequent visits. We will recommend a treatment schedule for your pet at your first checkup.
Should I have my pet spayed or neutered?
We recommend that most pet owners have their pets spayed or neutered before their first birthday. This helps reduce the number of unwanted pets and control unwanted behaviors. Of course, we’d be glad to discuss your individual situation with us when you come to see us.
Are teeth cleanings really important?
Absolutely. Gum disease is major problem for pets that can seriously impact their quality of life. We recommend two to four times a year dental cleaning to prevent any long-term issues.
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