Wash & Wag Grooming

Drink responsibly… when watering plants, make sure you keep them in a place that is far away from your canine and feline.  If possible, try to avoid using chemicals or pesticides in your water.  Your furry friends might be tempted to sneak a drink form the flower pot and end up in the vet’s office – or even worse!

Sniff Around… before you put in any plants in your garden or home, do some research and learn which plants may be toxic to your dog or cat.  For example, azaleas can cause stomach and abdominal pain in your pet, while water hemlock can cause convulsions, seizures and even death.  Fortunately, not all are pet enemies.  There are hundreds of plants, like Blue Eyed Daisies and Jasmine, which are not only non-toxic, but full of color and beauty!

For products marketed as “Natural” or “Organic” at least 90% of the ingredients must meet the Natural Ingredient Resource Center criteria for natural.  The toxicity of each ingredient must also be minimal.  At Wash & Wag Grooming we use a naturals line that does not contain synthetic fragrances, artificial colors or ingredients from petrochemicals, and our organic products are available upon request at no additional charge.

The age old question… “do all Dogs shed?  The answer is YES (unless they are hairless – that is).  There are different phases, or cycles of hair/fur growth.  Shedding, length of hair, and presence or absence of an undercoat may depend on the timing of those cycles.  The cycles are:

Anagen = period of new hair growth.  The longer the anagen period, the longer the hair grows i.e human scalp hair may stay in “anagen” for 2-6 years while the hair on the arms and legs may only be in anagen for 30-45 days.
Catagen = transition phase
Telogen = resting phase
Exogen = when the hair falls out and the follicle once again enters the anagen stage

Some dogs have a turn over rate of 3-5 years to totally replace their coat.  It’s not damaged, it just grows slowly.   How long a hair follicle will be in active growth depends on different factors i.e. genetic programming (some dogs could be genetically programmed to be in active growth for years while others only for weeks). 

Poodles, for example, are dogs that tend to be low shedding because all of their hair follicles are in the anagen (growth cycle) stage almost all the time; their hair continues to grow and has to be clipped frequently as a result.  Most dog breeds have a coat that is genetically programmed for a shorter growth cycle than those similar to a poodle coat.  Shaving breeds such as the Husky, Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Keeshond, Collie, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd , down close to the skin can irreparably cause damage to the coat in the process because of their double coats.

Keep pets out of the bedroom.  Many of us like to curl up with our pet in bed, but people who are allergic may be cuddling with disaster.  Teach pets to sleep in a separate room nearby, possibly in a pet bed.  As a pet lover, dog groomer, and fellow allergy sufferer (you name it, I’m allergic to it) I empathize with the want to cuddle up with my best buddy, but a little sacrifice can go a long way in the war against allergies.

If you are allergic to cats or dogs, make the HEPA vacuum cleaner your best friend.  It is very important to clean up any excess hair or dander left by your furry pal.  Vacuum floors, dust counters and wash carpets often in order to reduce the amount of allergens.  You can even use the vacuum hose attachment on your pet to help control excess shedding.

Grooming and bathing your dog regularly is one of the best ways for you to combat allergies.  It helps to reduce the amount of dander on your pet and keep in check one of the biggest allergy triggers.