Goldas Grooming Annual Pet Photos 2015

Chances are your puppy will need a grooming for Thanksgiving anyway so why not come out and join us for a grooming and photo opp. at

Golda's Grooming on November 21st, 2015. Starting at 9am

 

Sign up today to have your puppy groomed and photographed for Christmas. All packages will be received in time for Christmas and will look fantastic as Christmas Cards or as a simple reminder / keepsake of your little loved one this Holiday Season.

 



For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website. Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here: Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

Double Coats in Warm Weather

There can not be enough said about the importance of brushing your dog every day. Especially, if it is double coated. Many "winter" dogs have double coats.

To name a few of these breeds: Husky, Akita, Malamute, German Shepard, Great Pyreneese, and Saint Bernard on the large dog side.

American Spitz, Pomeranian, Scottish Terrier, West Highland Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Schnauzer, Shitzu, Yorkie, and Bichon are a few of the smaller dogs with double coats.

 You can keep your dog trimmed short or long it is a personal preference, but shaving it short could put your dog at risk of sun burn.

The best methods for keeping your double coated dog cool during the heat is to ALWAYS have cold water available, hang around the shade when you're outside, and keep your dog brushed out.

The andis deshedder (basically furminator but cheaper)is amazing and really helps to pull the undercoat. You can find recommendations on the furminator site for how often to use it. De-shed tools for double coated dogs be found practically anywhere.

So just to recap...

 

WATER

 

 

PLENTY OF SHADE

 

 

DE-SHED With DE-SHED Tools

 

 

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet 

 

 

 

 

 

What to Do About Ticks and Allergies Spring and Summer 2015

Spring Fever is Here and the Ticks are predicted to be the worst here in Tennessee than they've been in years. Ticks carry a number of infectious agents. Larvae hatch from eggs within days and generally feed on small animals. After feeding for a number of days they will then leave the host and become an eight legged nymph, who will then find another host and feed until they are able to morph again into an adult tick. That is why ticks are considered three-host parasites. Ticks feed for 12-14 days in all three stages.

The brown dog tick is one of the most common ticks to be found on dogs. It looks like this...

The dog tick is of concern because it is known to carry the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.


Ticks are most easily removed from the skin with tweezers or tissue, but it is important to remove the entire tick including the head of the tick. If the head or mouth is left attached inflammation can occur.



Tips to Removing Ticks: Never Burn Them and the Use of Chemical Agents such as Alcohol Are Not Necessary

The best preventive methods for ticks are to see your vet before travelling to wooded areas and fields where tick may be more populated. Your vet can prescribe preventive flea / tick medication that will keep ticks at bay.

Photo Credit: Drs. Foster and Smith

Unfortunately, Spring is also the time for allergies and your pet is just as susceptible to hay fever as you are. Signs of spring fever include itching ad scratching during ragweed season. Animal tests have demonstrated common areas for scratching can be more predominant in hairless areas such as arm pits, groin, and the toes.)

 Foot and ankle chewing can be manic and can often be attributed to growing bacterial infections from saliva. Saliva can also stain these areas. It is common to see multiple signs on a single pet. The signs have also been known to worsen with age.

The vet can run allergy tests on your pet similar to the tests for human patients where tiny injections of possible allergens are made to test subject skin reactions. Therapy can include medicated baths, change of diet, and medications.

Sources Cited: Family Dog May / June 2015 issue
                        The Dog Encyclopedia
                        Drs. Foster and Smith Website

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet 

 

Spring Colors Your Dog Will Dye For

Believe it or not many of these spring colors aren't being used for just easter eggs. You can also have an Springtime, Spring color puppy. Dyes can be mixed to create brilliant colors of orange, pink, blue, and purple.

Some dyes are especially made just for your pet so that they are temporary and can wash out after a few washes.

Here are some of the new puppy dyes on the market:
OPAWS offers many non-toxic temporary ways to color your pet.

Pet Hair Chalk:

Pet Paste:

 For a More Detailed Job there are even Pet Pens:

 

Dying can be done at home or by your local groomer. Golda's Grooming of Knoxville offers a variety of colors to turn your pet's fur into art.

 

Cesar Milan and many others including Golda's Grooming are against the use of harmful dyes that contain chemicals. According to http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/2013/08/dog-hair-dye.php

The safest way to do it is to use basic food coloring — either the juices from colorful foods that are safe for dogs to eat or organic food coloring that contains all-natural ingredients. Following are some helpful tips for dying your dog’s fur… without hurting your dog or making him uncomfortable in the process.  

Remember, your dog's skin is very different than a human’s.

That’s why human dye to color your dog’s fur. Therefore, first and foremost, don’t use any products with harmful chemicals in them to dye your dog’s fur. The chemicals — including bleach — will irritate your dog’s skin and you’ll have to undergo a series of vet visits to get your dog’s skin and coat back to normal. Don’t make your dog suffer through this.
The safest option is to use food coloring. This will not harm your dog if he should happen to lick his paws or his coat while it’s drying.

The dyes used at Golda's Grooming are non-toxic, safe and created specifically for use on dogs.

 

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet 

 

Training Your Puppy or Dog Do's and Don'ts

Dog Training, It's Never Too Late...

MAX Training to Settle

Training isn't just for large dogs. It's important for small dogs to get trained too. Your dog may not be destined for the circus to jump through hoops of fire, but with a little training it will be a much better family pet and your friends will appreciate it too. Basic training is really manners training. We don't expect our children to learn their manners on their own and we can't expect our puppies to either. Whether you choose to train your dog yourself or have him/ her trained for you Golda's Grooming highly recommends formal training for your pet. Even being trained to basic commands such as sit, stay, lay down, and roll over teaches your dog that you are in charge. It helps you to gain control of your pet when it might otherwise not want to listen.

So how do you choose the training method that is most comfortable for you. Training programs designed to train your pet while you're away can be more costly than hands on training on a regular basis, but boarding costs while travelling can also be costly. A two week program may cost anywhere from $400- $1,000 dollars, so if you do have any vacation coming up and you want to avoid weekly trips to the Pet Smart this may be your best bet.

On the other hand it may be more time consuming to take the challenge of personal training on yourself, but it is also a great bonding experience for you and your pet. It shows you're willing to put the time and effort into making your pet the best he/ she can be. You can start by reading up on some common language terms and handling of your pet. You can also find many resources on the internet that discuss the pluses/ minuses of various training methods such as shock collars, whistles, and the use of treats. If you have multiple dogs it is important to not let them all have attention at once. Single out the individual you want to listen to you and reward its behavior on an individual basis.

Here are some basic commands that come in handy. Remember not to reward your puppy or dog when it doesn't complete the command its been asked. It's also to remember that treats are for commands only and not to be given out freely; otherwise it won't be as appreciated.

1. Sit - If your dog likes to jump up on people sit is the best command to start with. To train to sit

Repeat the same sequence as in Step 1, but this time your dog will just follow your empty hand.

1. Say “Sit” and bring your empty hand in front of your dog's nose, holding your fingers as if you had a treat. ...
2. When your dog sits, say “Yes!” and then give her a treat from your other hand or your pocket.

 

2. Settle - Settle takes multiple training sessions but is one of the best commands you can give your pet to help it to feel comfortable with its surroundings. Here is a video on how to do it:

3. Stay -

• Call your dog over to the bed or mat you'd like to use. ...
• Hold a treat in front of your dog's nose so she sees that you have something delicious, and then toss the treat onto the mat.
• Your dog will step onto the mat to eat her treat.
• Clap your hands and walk a few steps away to encourage your dog to move off of the mat.

4. Wait - Take your dog, on a leash, to a door. Ask your dog to ‘sit’. Slowly open the door. If your dog begins to break the ‘sit’ to move through the door tell it ‘wait’ and quickly close the door. Repeat until you can open the door without your dog trying to go through the door.

Now, put your dog in a ‘sit’ then open the door fully. Tell your dog ‘okay’ and encourage it to move through the door. As it moves forward tell it ‘yes’ and give it a treat. Repeat 10 times.

Next, take your dog outside on a leash and let it wander around. Randomly say ‘wait’ in a neutral but moderately loud tone. If it stops and looks back to you say ‘yes’ and give it a big jackpot (lots of treats thrown on the floor in front of it). Repeat 20 times over several days

 

5. Uh Uh - We prefer the term uh uh to the command no. We say no to our children and we don't want our pup to confuse who is being talked to. By using a separate command for the word no the dog is quicker to respond.

6. Leave It - Leave it is perfect when your dog is eyeing the delicious cheeseburger on your kids plate. With the command leave it your dog will turn its head away from tempting foods that are placed in front of it. Let's take a look at the video:

 

Training information provided references:

WikiHow http://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Wait

ASPCA https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/training-your-dog

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

 

 



Choosing the Right Haircut for Your Dog

Heading to the Doggy Spa can be a big deal. We often struggle with what we want our pets to look like. There are long hair cuts and short hair cuts for many dogs including: shihtzu, lhasa, poodle, yorkie, pomeranian, cocker spaniel and many more. Many of the owners we see at Golda's Grooming opt for longer cuts during the winter and shorter cuts for the summer as a practicality to staying cooler in the warmer months. Other owners like to keep their pets shorter all year long as a low maintenance option to keeping up with regular brushing. A few of our regular customers keep their pets long all year long because they want their pet looking its fanciest for any unexpected picture perfect moments. It's also important to take into account the cost of regular upkeep. Most dogs who have fur that grows long visit their groomer regularly, within an 8 week timeframe to avoid tangles, dirt, and other unwanted problems (i.e. sharp/ overgrown toe nails, ear mites, fleas, skin problems, etc.). It's also important to consider what the cut will look like if your dog has skin problems such as dandruff or scaly skin. A shorter cut may be more comfortable for your pet and help you to monitor such issues, but a longer cut may look better.

Longer haircuts are hand scissor cuts that require more time and patience on the part of the groomer and the dog. If your dog is hyper at home, it will probably be bringing its go, go, go personality to the grooming table and may not have the patience to sit still for hand scissor trims. These trims are also generally more expensive because of the time it takes to hand scissor.

Shorter haircuts are clipper cuts that require shaving of the fur to a shorter length. If the dog isn't matted it can sometimes be shaved with a 3 3/4 or 4 blade that leaves the fur at its longest length for a clipper cut. If the dog is matted it often needs a 7 blade to get beneath the mats. This cut is fairly close to the skin and if not performed by a professional groomer can cause skin burn. It's very important as an owner to keep your dog brushed. It not only makes the entire grooming process smoother for the groomer, but it is easier on your pet. Tangles can be painful to brush out. With regular brushing you can avoid this. Golda's Grooming recommends using a curved wire brush that pulls through tangles with ease. Areas to focus on include the tail, under the ears, and the legs.

Shaved feet or Clean feet is also popular among poodles. This can be done whether the body is cut to a long or short cut. This is when the foot is shorter than the rest of the leg giving it a cleaner appearance.  Typically other dogs, do not have their feet cleaned.

In our experience the main things to keep in mind when choosing a cut for your dog during its grooming are as follows:

1. budget friendly for regular grooming within an 8 week period
2. is it comfortable for your dog
3. is your dog matted
4. does your dog have skin problems
5. what is your personal preference

We hope this article has helped you to consider what is best for your dogs next grooming.

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

 

Dogs Shouldn't Eat These Plants in the Spring

Toxic Plants for Your Pet During the Spring

After a cold winter Spring is welcomed by everyone, but some of the flowers that we enjoy so much during this season can be deadly.  Here is a list of plants that you should try to avoid keeping around the house if possible. If you live in an apartment complex or travel with your dog it's also important to be familiar with the look of these plants, because they can be toxic to your pets health if ingested.

According to the humane society:

"More than 700 plants have been identified as producing physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. Poisonous plants produce a variety of toxic substances and cause reactions ranging from mild nausea to death. Certain animal species may have a peculiar vulnerability to a potentially poisonous plant."

There's not enough space to cover 700 plants in this article so we focused on common household plants and flowers that could be harmful to your pet's health.

Here's our top 10:

Believe it or not apple seeds can be toxic to your pet.

 Azaleas can look beautiful in a flower pot, but this entire plant is bad for your pet.

 

 The buckeye may look safe, but this is one dangerous nut.

 

 

Buttercups are everywhere in the springtime, but this entire plant can be extremely harmful if eaten.

 

Daffodils are equally dangerous especially if the bulb is ingested.

 

The Iris is especially popular in many gardens during the spring time, but the leaves and roots can be dangerous.

 

 

 Hyacinth can also be one to watch out for. It can grow wild or be a regular household plant and its bulbs are bad.

 

Larkspur grows plentiful in spring fields and as a young plant can be highly toxic to your pet.

 

 

Morning Glory

These little springtime flowers pack a big punch, both the seeds and the roots can be harmful.

And, as much as we look forward to the Easter Bunny the Easter Lily can also be dangerous.

Springtime isn't the only time that plants can harm your pet. There are also many winter plants that can cause harm. For example, Poinsettias, Christmas Rose, and Holly. We recommend viewing the full list provided by the humane society at: http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/poisonous_plants.pdf

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet