# Self grooming vs professional groomer



## Valentinosmamma (Feb 26, 2018)

Hi SM world, I am planning to pick up my baby, Valentino, in Orlando this weekend and can’t wait to bring him home to NYC. 

I am debating grooming him myself versus relying on a professional grooming service. 

I would love to hear your experiences and any pros and cons of either option. 

Xo 
Valentino’s Mamma


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

So exciting new puppy parent to be!!! I am all for home grooming. I would never trust anyone else with my Baby, especially in light of these recent PetSmart tragedies. I've been home grooming for 5 years as long as I've had my sweet little fluff. Check out great grooming how-to videos by 'Maltese Obsession' on YouTube. She is also a member here at SM who pops in now and then. You will need to invest in some scissors and clippers and be super careful to learn how not to injure your dog while grooming, but once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature & come naturally. 

A pole that attaches to your table with a tether on it and close supervision so your dog won't jump or fall and hang him/her self. Super careful if cutting near the eyes, ears & genitals, & delicate underarm areas, same thing with using the clippers near those parts. I use Petology Keratin Conditioner and also the shampoo which works great on my dogs combo silky/cottony coat, it has no sulfates or bad things in it. I use Chris Christensen Ice on Ice spray when brushing him. I have Chris Christensen Shears {cherrybrook.com carries all of this stuff} Your investment in grooming tools will pay itself off quickly from the money you save from not going to the groomer. I have posted recently in another thread all about how I groom at home. If I can find the other thread where I wrote more in depth about grooming I will try to post a link to it here. Good luck & congrats about your new arrival in advance!! Please don't let the airline bully you on the plane, and just get off of it if they insist to you do anything unsafe with your dog onboard! And never NEVER let them put your dog in cargo hold under the plane...Bring on the photos of your new baby!!!!


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## Valentinosmamma (Feb 26, 2018)

LOVE_BABY said:


> So exciting new puppy parent to be!!! I am all for home grooming. I would never trust anyone else with my Baby, especially in light of these recent PetSmart tragedies. I've been home grooming for 5 years as long as I've had my sweet little fluff. Check out great grooming how-to videos by 'Maltese Obsession' on YouTube. She is also a member here at SM who pops in now and then. You will need to invest in some scissors and clippers and be super careful to learn how not to injure your dog while grooming, but once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature & come naturally.
> 
> A pole that attaches to your table with a tether on it and close supervision so your dog won't jump or fall and hang him/her self. Super careful if cutting near the eyes, ears & genitals, & delicate underarm areas, same thing with using the clippers near those parts. I use Petology Keratin Conditioner and also the shampoo which works great on my dogs combo silky/cottony coat, it has no sulfates or bad things in it. I use Chris Christensen Ice on Ice spray when brushing him. I have Chris Christensen Shears {cherrybrook.com carries all of this stuff} Your investment in grooming tools will pay itself off quickly from the money you save from not going to the groomer. I have posted recently in another thread all about how I groom at home. If I can find the other thread where I wrote more in depth about grooming I will try to post a link to it here. Good luck & congrats about your new arrival in advance!! Please don't let the airline bully you on the plane, and just get off of it if they insist to you do anything unsafe with your dog onboard! And never NEVER let them put your dog in cargo hold under the plane...Bring on the photos of your new baby!!!!



Thank you!!! I agree with you, I am leaning in the direction of grooming Valentino myself as I wouldn’t trust anyone else, it is a better bonding experience and also a better experience for him to have me groom him rather than a stranger, I can control the way he looks (no unexpected short cuts bc he was “too matted”— as the groomer for the Bichon I had growing up would do, I suspect out of laziness mostly), I can save money in the long run, and I can self maintain his look as needed as opposed to waiting for his grooming session for him to look presentable. 

The reason I was considering a pro groomer however was because I wasn’t sure if there are any “special” things that require equipment or expertise that are not accessible to me. For instance I have heard of this “anal release”, that groomers do and also nail clipping etc...

I have seen Maltese Obsession’s videos of Tweety and Pinky and I am INSPIRED!! I would love to know where she gets some of her brushes and combs as they look really nice (maybe she links them in the videos but I haven’t checked yet). 

Thank you for the advice, I am so grateful for the guidance during this journey to being the best possible mamma for my baby. 

I will happily send many photos and share stories once I bring him home! Btw I was able to get a mental health professional to write a letter prescribing him as an ESA so that I will not have to pay when he flies with me and I do not need him and a carrier. However, these are the laws, but like many have mentioned the plane staff are sometimes ignorant or the regulations so I will expect the worse. I have shipped a soft sided carrier to the breeders home so I can use it to transport him to the airport. I am going to bring the blanket, some treats, a nylabone, toy, and harness and leash that I’ve bought for him. Will update you once we are home safe <3


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

If I had time for home grooming, I would go that way too.

Don't allow a groomer to express the anal glands as they do not always do it properly. If they become impacted, have your vet do it, and if it happens often, there are things you can do with diet to help keep it from happening. Yes, you should learn to do nail clipping and if you're afraid to do that to wiggly paws, many groomers and vets will do a quick nail trim while you wait. 

My apologies if this isn't your situation, but I do hope that the designation of an ESA is not simply a way to avoid paying fees. If a mental health professional truly feels that an ESA needed, that's understandable, but people abusing the ESA designation are making it difficult for those who truly need a service animal (and not just an ESA) to not only travel but to go about their daily lives.


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## Valentinosmamma (Feb 26, 2018)

maggieh said:


> If I had time for home grooming, I would go that way too.
> 
> Don't allow a groomer to express the anal glands as they do not always do it properly. If they become impacted, have your vet do it, and if it happens often, there are things you can do with diet to help keep it from happening. Yes, you should learn to do nail clipping and if you're afraid to do that to wiggly paws, many groomers and vets will do a quick nail trim while you wait.
> 
> My apologies if this isn't your situation, but I do hope that the designation of an ESA is not simply a way to avoid paying fees. If a mental health professional truly feels that an ESA needed, that's understandable, but people abusing the ESA designation are making it difficult for those who truly need a service animal (and not just an ESA) to not only travel but to go about their daily lives.


Thank you for this info! 

Yes, I understand what you are saying. When I looked into the designation I found a plethora of websites where people can pretty much pay to have some mental health professional (whom they most likely have never actually seen for treatment) write a letter on their behalf— I believe that contributes to (or perhaps even is the source of) the dilution of ESAs around. I know the way/ context in which I worded that I got the dog certified as an ESA could have been misleading, however this is a doctor whom I see for treatment. Was it the doctor’s idea per se that I get the dog? No, but when I explained the situation they agreed that it was a reasonable accommodation. Additinally, I live in NYC and although the landlord claims that dogs are allowed in the building, it is not rare to be discriminated against for having a dog. Having him registered as an ESA will be an added protection from this possible occurance.


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## cshepard (Dec 27, 2017)

With a puppy, it is essential to have him/her get used to being up on a table, brushed, combed, bathed, and handled (face and feet especially) whether you bring him to a groomer or not. So, while you are doing this you may as well just do all the grooming yourself, anyway (my opinion as a retired professional groomer).
If you do a tiny bit, every day, with treats as a reward, the puppy will grow to enjoy grooming time, plus it will be easy to keep up the coat as it gets longer with this habit. Build up slowly - 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 etc., trim one toenail a day, then two etc., brush one foot on day then another the day after, that sort of thing and you’ll catch little matts of problems before they turn into a traumatic event.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

I groom my girls at home but I do not do nails or their sani areas. They go monthly to someone who trims their nails, dewclaws, shaves their feet, their privates and belly. 
It's a quick 45 min appointment for all three, we are in and out.

I don't feel comfortable doing nails at all, so for me, this works and they are never left alone.
Other than the nails, grooming my girls relaxes me. It's definitely a lot of work with my three, finding the time is not all that easy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

If you don't think it will stress you out...why not try grooming yourself at home.
What's the worse possible thing, if it doesn't work, you bring your fluff to someone to do it.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

cshepard said:


> With a puppy, it is essential to have him/her get used to being up on a table, brushed, combed, bathed, and handled (face and feet especially) whether you bring him to a groomer or not. So, while you are doing this you may as well just do all the grooming yourself, anyway (my opinion as a retired professional groomer).
> If you do a tiny bit, every day, with treats as a reward, the puppy will grow to enjoy grooming time, plus it will be easy to keep up the coat as it gets longer with this habit. Build up slowly - 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 etc., trim one toenail a day, then two etc., brush one foot on day then another the day after, that sort of thing and you’ll catch little matts of problems before they turn into a traumatic event.


:goodpost:


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

Valentinosmamma said:


> Thank you!!! I agree with you, I am leaning in the direction of grooming Valentino myself as I wouldn’t trust anyone else, it is a better bonding experience and also a better experience for him to have me groom him rather than a stranger, I can control the way he looks (no unexpected short cuts bc he was “too matted”— as the groomer for the Bichon I had growing up would do, I suspect out of laziness mostly), I can save money in the long run, and I can self maintain his look as needed as opposed to waiting for his grooming session for him to look presentable.
> 
> The reason I was considering a pro groomer however was because I wasn’t sure if there are any “special” things that require equipment or expertise that are not accessible to me. For instance I have heard of this “anal release”, that groomers do and also nail clipping etc...
> 
> ...



Your Welcome! Glad I could be of some help!:thumbsup: I'm glad your considering home grooming! Did you also see the video of her grooming her daughters dog named 'Dulce' {I may not have spelled her name right}. Dulce has a longer cut around her face, at least she did the time the video was filmed. Just incase you want longer hair around the face. Some people prefer it a little longer, others shorter. Shorter is easier to take care of. I brush Baby every day if I can, at the longest ever other day. If you do it daily you keep the mats at bay & they don't have a change to form if you nip them in the bud before they form. 

Good for you :thumbsup: for already knowing about and thinking about cleaning 'the glands'. In my opinion it isn't always necessary, and in my opinion is way over done. I've herd that cleaning them will actually weaken the gland. My dog has NEVER had his glands expressed and no problems. To my understanding a good diet such as a raw diet which has some pulverized bone in it helps clean the anal glands naturally when the dog poops. To a dogs body 'bone' is like what 'fiber' is to us and it helps keep their anal glands and stools healthy. Exercise also helps the anal glands release themselves naturally on their own. The glands release themselves naturally a tiny little bit each time they poop. The purpose of the anal gland is to add a distinctive 'scent' to the stool which is used to communicate for the canine world as many animals in natures have glands which do the same. It is not a bad gland but something designed into dogs and other animals so they can leave their 'calling card' and communicate between each other by scent.

I'm sorry about the experience you had with the groomer of your Bichon, it does sound like it was an excuse if your dog wasn't matted and they still shaved her down. I love that my dog never looks shaved and is always fluffy because I groom/cut his hair myself. When you first begin to home groom/home cut it might be a bit stressful and a little scary but that is normal. Just stick with it and you will get it. It may take a few tries before you get it how you want it. I was very nervous when I first began cutting my dogs hair myself, especially one that first day. And the great thing about hair is --it grows! If you do something you don't like, don't worry because new hair will grow and any mistakes will grow out:w00t:. 

Here is a link directly to website for maltese obsession, the groomer on youtube 
http://malteseobsession.com/

, she sells a few products, but not all on her website. But last time I watched she does give suggestions in her videos about where to buy stuff. She used to have links to products on her website too, not sure if she still does.

Personally, I have found all of the grooming supplies I need on the following site,
https://www.cherrybrook.com/searchresults.html?search_query=chris+christensen+shears&Search=Fetch# 


The one thing I won't do is CUT MY DOGS NAILS. But that is just me. I had a bad experience when he was a puppy and I accidentally cut the quick {vein running throughout his nail} _and caused him pain --twice!_ I fealt so bad and never attempted it again. I bring him to the vet they charge $15 to cut them. I am good at grooming but cutting nails not so much :thmbdn:.... Maybe you will be better at it than I am. *Often the nails on the 'back' feet don't always need trimming at all, or as often as the front feet, so be careful when cutting them. I had tried to cut them when they were already short from walking , which I didn't realize at the time an and kicking his feet after pooping outside, that is how I cut the quick.

I understand why you did what you had to do to get your new baby on the plane with you in order to keep him safe, because obviously the airlines won't keep them safe they are not trustworthy. You sound like you will be a great Maltese mommy, it's for a lifetime!


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