Professional grooming vs grooming at home

Home grooming covers more than people think. Brushing is the biggest single job, and VCA's veterinary guidance says dogs with long, silky or curly coats need it daily to stay free of tangles, while short coats need less. A bath with a dog shampoo is manageable for most short-coated dogs; VCA warns that human shampoo, baby shampoo included, is too harsh for a dog's skin, and that tangles should be brushed out before the bath, because water can make them impossible to remove.

The jobs that go wrong at home are the ones with a sharp edge. The AKC describes the quick as the blood supply running through the core of each nail; on dark nails it is hidden, so owners are told to watch for a chalky white ring near the tip and to keep styptic powder on hand. Clipping a growing coat takes clippers, blades and practice, and VCA says mats should come off only with clippers, never scissors, because it is very easy to cut a dog's skin.

Mats form where the coat rubs and stays damp: behind the ears, in the armpits, under the collar or harness and on the back legs. A coat brushed on top but not to the skin can look fine while felting underneath, and a home bath on a tangled coat makes the knots tighter. When a matted dog reaches the groomer, the choice is dematting at $15 per 20 minutes or a short clip that slides under the mats, and neither is the haircut you planned.

VCA's guidance is that severe or extensive tangles belong with a groomer or a veterinarian, and that a mat which has irritated the skin is a reason to see your vet. That gives owners a practical line: work small tangles out at home with a comb, holding the hair at its base, and book the groomer as soon as a comb will not pass through to the skin. Waiting another month rarely makes a mat cheaper to deal with.

Off-season beach days leave salt and sand in the coat. At the time of writing Gloucester allows dogs on its beaches from October 1, with Good Harbor on even-numbered days through March 31 and Wingaersheek on odd-numbered days through April 30. Rinse the coat on the day, because dried salt itches and sand works into tangles. Tick season runs roughly April to November, and a weekly brush to the skin doubles as a tick check; the CDC explains how to remove one.

Use every home session to look as well as brush. A new lump, a sore pad or a red patch of skin is a reason to call your vet rather than wait for the next groom. Our studio at 210 Eastern Ave takes dogs without an evaluation, a groom can be added to a daycare day or the last morning of an overnight stay, and the Pup Van runs $10 each way in Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.