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Grooming
Do I need to schedule an appointment to have my pet groomed?
Yes. Appointments allow us to give each pet the special attention and time they deserve.
How much does it cost to have a pet groomed?
Prices are bases on the breed and size of the animal. Age, behavior, special needs and condition of the coat can influence the cost of individual grooming services.
At what age should my puppy have his / her first professional grooming?
Puppies should be introduced to professional grooming at 8 weeks of age and scheduled for a follow up visit every 4 weeks. This will gradually let your puppy get acquainted with the sights, sounds, smells and procedures.
How often should my dog be groomed?
Frequency of grooming can depend on breed, coat type and length, lifestyle and how much brushing and detangling you do at home between grooming appointments.
If your dog has a longer hair style or a coat that tends to get tangled he / she should be professionally groomed every 3 – 4 weeks. A dog with a short hair style or short coat can be groomed every 6 – 7 weeks.
How long will my pet need to stay for grooming?
A typical grooming procedure takes about 3 hours. Additional time may be needed for larger dogs or dogs with thick or matted fur.
Will my pet come in contact with other animals during the grooming process?
No. All grooming pets are handled individually and do not have contact with any other animals during the grooming process.
Can I get a discount for 2 or more pets?
A 10% discount is offered to all clients that keep a rescheduled standing appointment.
Appointments must be rescheduled the same day as the grooming and be scheduled within 8 weeks or less.
Should I have my pet groomed in the winter?
Yes! Grooming is a year round process. Some people prefer to let their dog’s fur longer during the winter months. Longer fur has a greater chance of developing matts and tangles. Matts do not allow proper airflow through the coat and this can lead to health problems. Short haired breeds also need attention in the colder months. Pet skin can become dry and flaky due to a lack of humidity in the colder air. Regular shampooing, conditioning and brushing can help stimulate the natural oils to ease the dryness.
Why do dogs shed?
Hormones in a dog’s body control shedding. Most shedding seems to occur between winter and spring when the dog loses its thick winter coat. Shedding seems more prominent in breeds that originate from colder climates. Almost all dogs shed. A shed –less grooming procedure can tremendously reduce the amount of hair left around your house.
(note: excessive shedding that does not respond to treatment can be a symptom of an underlying health problem. Please consult your veterinarian in this situation)
How can shedding be reduced?
Shedding can be reduced by 60 – 80 % after 1 – 2 applications of a shed – less treatment. A shed – less treatment consists of a specially formulated de – shedding shampoo followed by the application of a de – shedding solution. A special tool is then used to remove the undercoat and loose hair.
Would my dog benefit from Shed – less?
Shed – less treatments are formulated for “shedding” breeds such as Labs, Goldens, Shepherds, Huskies, Border Collies, Pugs, Shelties, Beagles, Dachshunds, Boxers etc.
Why is my dog itchy?
Dry skin, hot spots and fleas are the most common causes of itchy skin. We offer medicated baths, oatmeal baths and flea treatments to sooth your pet’s skin.
Will cutting my dog’s hair short in the summer make him cooler?
Actually a dog’s coat protects his skin from the elements, insulating him from both heat and cold. Making sure that the dog’s coat is thoroughly brushed out and all undercoat is removed so that the air can circulate through the coat will keep him cooler.
My dog had a flea dip and I see fleas on him. Does that mean the flea dip isn’t working?
At Happy Tails we use a Permethrin flea dip that offers a residual protection up to 35 days. The residual protection is not a flea repellant. The flea will die within a few hours once it bites your dog.
Proper flea control must also include treatment of the environment. This may include your home, yard, vehicle and your dog’s bedding.
No flea control product can penetrate fleas while they are in the pupae stage. You will need to treat these areas at weekly intervals to kill the newly hatched fleas. It can take 3 – 4 treatments to completely rid the environment of fleas as per the flea life cycle.
My dog is on a monthly flea control regimen from the vet. Can he still get fleas?
Yes. Fleas seem to become resistant to some products over time. A combination of products may need to be used together to win the war against fleas. The environment and your pet both need regular flea control treatments.
How can my cat have fleas when he / she never goes outside?
Fleas jump. They can be carried in to the house on your clothing or brought in by other animals.
Can my cat get a flea dip?
Only products approved for use on cats should be used on cats! The chemicals that offer residual protection in dog flea dips are harmful to cats and should not be used on cats.
Can I get fleas if my pet has fleas?
No. Fleas may bite humans but prefer cats and dogs due to the higher body temperature of the animals.
How can I tell if my pet has fleas?
Most animals are very itchy when fleas are present. They will typically scratch and bite themselves. Dogs will tend to bite their backs just above their tail.
Hair loss on the dog’s back above the tail are is another good indication that fleas are present.
Tiny black specs throughout the coat that look like black sand is a definite indication that fleas are feeding off your pet.
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Daycare
How can I enroll my dog for doggie daycare?
All daycare applicants :
- must be current on rabies, distemper and bordatella vaccines
- must complete an enrollment application
- all dogs over 6 months must be spayed or neutered
- must play well with others
- owners must certify that their pet has never harmed or threatened any person or animal
- must pass a short temperament test and pre-screening interview
Why should I bring my dog to daycare?
Some people bring their dogs to daycare for socialization so their dogs can have fun and play with their friends. Others work long hours and don’t want to leave their best friend home alone for such a long time. Some dogs are very energetic and daycare provides a safe atmosphere to release energy to have a tired and calm dog at the end of the day.
What will my dog do while he / she is at daycare?
Dogs are grouped according to size, play style and energy level. Each play groups is rotated between activities all day long. The schedule will include several energetic group play sessions, quieter and calmer group play sessions, cuddle time with our staff, time for brushing and massage as well as rest periods. All activities are monitored closely to ensure your pets comfort and safety.
We have several indoor and outdoor play areas, play ground equipment for climbing and exploring and lots of fun toys to keep your dog entertained and happy. We have a selection of “dog friendly” movies during cuddle time for your pet’s viewing pleasure.
We also feature “tricks for treats” play and training sessions with our staff. Your pet will learn new tricks and earn treats while they show off for their doggie friends.
Are all of the dogs in daycare together?
Each dog is evaluated individually and designated to a play group or groups that are appropriate for the individual. Some dogs do well with a variety of play styles and groups. Some dogs are more comfortable only with certain play styles. The comfort of each individual dog is always a priority at Happy Tails.
What are the benefits of doggie daycare for a dog?
- Your dog will get lots of exercise while playing with friends and be tired and ready to snuggle at the end of the day
- Interacting with dog and people friends will ensure a properly socialized pet
- Doggie Daycare can alleviate boredom, isolation and loneliness from a pet being left alone for long hours during the day.
- Your dog will get the exercise and attention he deserves while you are at work
- Dogs learn manners and social skills
- Daycare facilitates potty training with puppies
Do I need to make reservations?
Yes, reservations are required.
Can I have my dog groomed while he is at Happy Tails Daycare?
Yes, our staff will be happy to coordinate scheduling to arrange a grooming appointment with our professional grooming staff.
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Training
Why should I train my dog?
Training helps your dog become a “good citizen”. Good citizens get to go more places and do more things. You and others will enjoy your dog more if he is a well mannered good citizen.
Do training classes really work?
Dog training classes are not really for your dog. When you take your dog to training classes the lessons are for YOU! You will learn how dogs learn and how to teach y6our dog. It is your responsibility to apply what you learn in the classes.
How old should my puppy be to start training?
The earlier the better; Puppies are learning every moment. With a gentle and positive training approach your puppy will learn appropriate behavior right from the start. A puppy that managed and learns good manners from the start does not develop bad behavior habits that need to be “fixed” later.
How long will it take to train my dog?
This is an impossible question to answer. This will depend on you, your dog and your training goals.
Dogs are learning all the time and will continue to learn new things throughout their entire life.
Basic training classes are five weeks long. You will participate with your dog in class once a week for one hour. You will need to work with your dog at home between classes to help him / her develop the skills and manners that are being taught in the classes.
With consistency and commitment from the owner, at the end of a session of basic classes most dogs are well on their way to being reliable with basic cues and manners.
How much time should I spend training my dog at home?
Dogs and puppies have very short attention spans at first. For this reason training sessions should be kept very short. Each lesson should last about 2 – 4 minutes and can be repeated a few times a day. Specific training time does not usually need to be set aside for manners training. This type of training can be incorporated into your life and interactions throughout the day.
What will be covered in the Basic / Life skills class?
This is a foundation level class. Owners will learn how to reinforce and teach what you want and how to manage and retrain behaviors you don’t want. Basic training will include walking politely on a leash, coming when called, waiting at doors, teaching the dog social and house manners and more. Parenting topics will include housetraining, mouthing, chewing, diet, socialization, crate training etc.
Do you offer more advanced training classes?
Once you have completed basic training with your dog you may continue your dog’s education to more advanced training levels if you choose to. These include training to help your dog be more reliable and responsive, off leash, at a distance and in distracting environments and situations. You can pursue training even further and explore the almost endless list of great dog sports and activities if you choose to do so. We offer instruction and classes for a variety of dog sports and activities at Happy Tails.
Why don’t you use choke collars in your training at Happy Tails?
Choke chain collars are tools of compulsion to force your dog to comply. At Happy Tails training is something that we do together, with our dogs not to our dogs. At Happy Tails we teach our dogs with reward based training which means we teach and direct dogs toward the correct behavior and reward them for responding appropriately. Our dogs will voluntarily give us the behaviors we want because they are actively participating in the training process and all living creatures repeat behaviors that are rewarding to them.
Can we drop our dog off and have you train it for us?
No. Proper training is not about getting the dog to respond to a long list of commands. Training is about relationship and a reflection of the human / animal bond.
Training your dog will help you to form a bond with your dog. The more you train with your dog the more your dog will understand you. The more you train with your dog the more you will understand your dog.
Do I have to use food to train my dog? Can’t I just use praise?
A goal in training is to increase good behavior. When we reinforce good behavior we make it stronger. Just like the dictionary definition of reinforce, applying reinforcement to good behavior will increase good behavior in your dog. To do this the reinforcement must be a reward that the animal wants. That reward can be food, play, a belly rub, praise or anything that will motivate the dog to do his very best. For most dogs food is highly motivating.
If I use food for training doesn’t that mean that my dog will only perform if I have food?
No. If this happens the problem is with the application of the reward not with the food. It is important that the food is a reward and not a bribe. All rewards need to be applied appropriately to achieve the desired results. The rewards should be produced only after the dog has performed or responded to the cue.
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