Dog grooming during coronavirus

[#2ontheway]

We have a dog who normally gets groomed every 6-8 weeks. He'd be due in the next few weeks so starting to think we should figure out what to do! What are you all doing? Have you bought clippers and nail clippers and giving it a shot on your own? Recommendations for products? Sigh, on the long list of things I never planned to do myself.....

[wencit]

My dog was scheduled to be groomed soon after our lockdown was ordered, so we had to cancel. He's looking kind of shaggy now, although he's a Havanese, so we could let his fur grow. I'm trying to brush it often so that it doesn't mat. My biggest concern was his nails, which are black so it's impossible to see the quick. I purchased a Dremel-style nail tool a while back but never used it because I was too scared. I tried it for the first time a few days ago, and it wasn't too bad. Definitely prefer it to the guillotine style clippers, which I used before when I accidentally cut his quick. I did take scissors and cut some of the hair around his eyes and head so that the poor thing could actually see, lol! So far, his fur isn't too bad, but if it gets really matted or unwieldy, I won't be opposed to trimming his body with scissors. I'm sure it will look terrible, but it's not like we're going anywhere soon!

[essnce629]

My cat got super matted in the last month and I just scheduled an appointment for Thursday with the mobile groomer. If they were just a few matts on her belly I could shave them myself (I have grooming clippers already), but her shoulder area is getting bad. I'm assuming I'll put her out in her carrier on the front step for the groomer and she'll place her back when she's done. She already has online payments set up so no need to hand over cash/check. She can text me when she arrives, if she has any questions, etc.

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[MSWR0319]

Our Australian Labradoodle was supposed to go tomorrow. She hasn't been groomed in almost 4 months because our groomer goes to Florida for 3 months. I cancelled, as I just don't feel comfortable. I'm pretty sure grooming isn't even supposed to be open, as all of my other friend's groomers have closed and I heard of some Pet stores getting fined because they were still grooming. I did cut her face on my own and am looking at getting clippers and seeing if I can just do it myself. It'd save me in the long run. Problem is, the clippers I want seem to be out of stock everywhere because I'm sure everyone is doing the same thing!

[Twoboos]

I innocently asked this question on my town FB page and it went south real quick. My dog is 1/4 poodle so has curly hair that doesn't shed. He needs to be groomed but I was told to just deal with it for now - although that won't be sustainable in another month or two.

Besides being lectured by people have never used a groomer in their 25 years of owning a dog so I should learn to do it myself, putting the hair on his head in a ponytail so he can see, and people bickering over what qualifies as an "essential worker" in my state (apparently not dog groomers), the actual advice I got was thorough brushing before bathing, and if you're going to trim them use high quality clippers which start at $200 then the blades are add'l usually starting at $30. And if you do need to cut matts don't use scissors bc it could harm the dog, has to be clippers. Some people also suggested checking with mobile pet groomers to see if they're still working, bc technically there's no interaction with them.

(Side note: Brushing my dog literally doubles him in size. )

Good luck - it's frustrating.

[twowhat?]

I innocently asked this question on my town FB page and it went south real quick. My dog is 1/4 poodle so has curly hair that doesn't shed. He needs to be groomed but I was told to just deal with it for now - although that won't be sustainable in another month or two.

Besides being lectured by people have never used a groomer in their 25 years of owning a dog so I should learn to do it myself, putting the hair on his head in a ponytail so he can see, and people bickering over what qualifies as an "essential worker" in my state (apparently not dog groomers), the actual advice I got was thorough brushing before bathing, and if you're going to trim them use high quality clippers which start at $200 then the blades are add'l usually starting at $30. And if you do need to cut matts don't use scissors bc it could harm the dog, has to be clippers. Some people also suggested checking with mobile pet groomers to see if they're still working, bc technically there's no interaction with them.

(Side note: Brushing my dog literally doubles him in size. )

Good luck - it's frustrating.

Hahahaha this made me laugh! All the doodle owners everywhere are in this same pickle! I would probably prefer trying to do it myself if I could get a good set of clippers, otherwise I think a mobile groomer is a fine idea and would be OK with it AS LONG AS the mobile groomer sanitizes the workspace between dogs and wears a mask and you bathe the dog yourself right afterwards. There's not enough information about the virus and animals for me to feel 100% comfortable with it but everything these days that involves any interaction with other people carries some risk and I feel like the groomer sanitizing between clients and wearing a mask would minimize the risk.

[mom2binsd]

In IL mobile groomers are not able to work, whether they are in a shop or mobile, still not essential. Someone asked a similar question in nextdoor and it did not go well. Similar response when someone asked if hair stylist could come to a house. I know grooming a dog is different than cutting a person's hair but the groomers did respond that they would still likely have 5o interact with the owners.

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[smilequeen]

Our groomer is closed. My dogs go every other week for baths and brush outs. I can brush my collie pretty effectively but I just ordered some tools to brush the bernedoodle. I found some tutorials online so we’ll see. I’m expecting he will need a short cut when this is over because I won’t be able to keep up.

[mikala]

Re: nails, I agree with the comments above that it's totally do-able at home with a Dremel. It helps to have some peanut butter to lick and another person to help hold/distract the pup. I also tried the nail clippers before this but was so afraid I'd cut the quick and they were always a little sharp afterwards. Grinding them is so much easier and faster.

[Philly Mom]

My vet and her kids used an electric razor on her dog. The dog looked kind of ridiculous but she was glad to get the winter coat off of their dog.