Breeders Choice Grooming Shop
109 Pine Ridge Court
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587
Phone: 919-556-5724

"Professional Grooming With Quality Care"



Service Highlight of the Month "Nail Grinding"

Grinding buffs off the sharp edges of the dog's toenails after the nails have been cut; it also shortens the length of the nail. No more scratched arms, legs or hardwood floors.


Tips On Protecting Your Pet From The Heat

  • Remove all the dead winter undercoat from your pet(s); this will allow air to reach the skin keeping them cooler and the skin healthier.
  • Have your pet's hair cut shorter for the summer months.
  • Consider an "Air Conditioning" cut, in which all the hair on the belly is shaved off. When your pet lies on the AC vent or linoleum floor, it will help keep them a little cooler.
  • Keep plenty of fresh water available.
  • Be sure outside dogs have access to a shaded area.
  • Never leave your pet inside a car, even with the windows rolled down.
  • Feed your outdoor pets in the morning when it is cooler.


Grooming Tips

  • The first step in checking whether your dog has fleas: part its hair around the base of the tail, and below the ears and belly, look for tiny black specks attached to the hair and skin. Rub some of the black specks onto a wet paper towel. If it turns a reddish color, your dog has fleas. The specks are digested blood excreted by the fleas.
  • Matted hair can conceal or worsen hot spots or other skin problems. This is especially important with longer haired dogs or dogs with thick coats.
  • Without regular flea control, your dog is at risk of developing flea allergies, anemia and tapeworms. Although rare, humans can acquire a tapeworm infection from fleas.
  • Make clipping your dog's toenails a routine, which reduces the likelihood of a nail growing into the footpad or into the leg tissue at the dewclaw area. A sharp claw can cause damage to you or your possessions. Long nails cause great discomfort to your companion. He can no longer lay his foot flat without the nails curling to the sides, which will often cause them to split at the base of the toe and it may become infected. Long nails can also cause an irregular gait that leads to skeletal damage.


top of foot white top of foot black bottom of foot
These are photos of feet where the nails were not kept cut, you can see what happens to the front of the foot as well as the pads. This damage can become permanent. Long nails also impair the ability to walk on wood or laminated floors. Keeping the hair shaved out between the pads will also allow the pet to get better traction on hardwood floors.

Most owners have no idea their pet's nails are too long because the hair covers the nails. It is not until the hair is pulled back to the base of the nail that you realize how long the nail really is. A major problem is the longer the nail is the longer the vein within the nail grows, therefore the less you can cut back the nail without quicking it. In order to make the vein recede you must cut the nail to the edge of the quick. You should seek professional help to do this. We offer nail cutting as a service.


ear full of hair ear after it has been plucked
The photo on the left is the ear of a standard poodle that came into our shop. This poodle had been groomed at another grooming shop just 3 weeks prior. The hair in the ear canal had not been removed; this should be a standard practice whenever your dog is groomed. When the ear canal is left full of hair, the ear will stay moist and increases the chance for yeast infections or other types of ear infections. When the ear is carefully cleaned and the hair is removed, the ear canal has better air circulation, which will help keep the ear from staying moist.

The photo on the right is the same ear after cleaning and removing the hair. It is important to have this done on a regular basis. We recommend having your pet groomed at least once a month. By doing this the ear hair is kept at a minimum, avoiding a moist, damp ear, and the hair removal process is less painful on your pet when done on a regular basis.




Back Home spaceAbout Robin, Your Groomer spaceSafety Practices spaceDirections to Breeders Choice

spaceGrooming Tips spaceTestimonials spacePhotos Of Our Wonderful Grooming Dogs





Information and backgrounds on this site, unless otherwise indicated,
Copyright © 1999-2023 Robin McKeithan, www.breederschoice.net All Rights Reserved
Any problems with this site? Email the webmaster@breederschoice.net.


Site Design by www.squirrel-rehab.org
Site Hosted By Esosoft