Shiba Inu grooming in Gloucester, MA

The breed standard describes a double coat: a stiff, straight outer coat over a soft, thick undercoat, short and even on the face, ears and legs. The AKC's grooming note says it has been said that Shibas shed twice a year, but some owners quip that it lasts six months at a time. VCA's breed page puts it more gently, telling owners to expect copious amounts of shed hair once or twice a year.

The good news sits in the same AKC note: unless a Shiba is a long coat, the coat does not mat, so a week without brushing does the dog no harm. It does put the shed on your floor. Loose undercoat works its way out through the stiff outer coat in soft tufts, and a Shiba in the middle of a heavy shed can look patchy while the new coat grows in underneath. That is the stage when a bath and de-shed make the biggest difference at home.

The AKC's guide to the breed is frank: Shibas tend to be difficult about nail trimming, and owners may want the nails done professionally. It also calls the breed vocal, warning that its unique vocalizations can cause stress for both the dog and its people. A Shiba that objects at full volume to having a foot held is behaving like a Shiba, and the answer is a slower plan rather than a firmer grip. Tell us at booking how your dog takes feet, ears and the dryer.

The $20 behavior or handling surcharge buys extra time and hands for a dog that needs a careful pace. Ask at check-in whether your Shiba copes better with nails at the start of the visit, while it is fresh, or at the end. VCA's breed page recommends beginning nail trims, ear cleaning and baths early in a Shiba's life so the routine becomes familiar, and the AKC gives the same advice for puppies. A puppy's first baths at $55 are as much about learning the table as getting clean.

VCA suggests weekly brushing and more during the seasonal shed. Work an undercoat rake or slicker with the lie of the coat down to the skin, a section at a time, and stop when the comb runs clean. The AKC mentions blowing the coat out with a strong dryer at home as well; keep it on a cool setting and away from the face and ears, as the AKC's drying guide advises. Our how-to on de-shedding a double-coated dog walks through a full session.

Cape Ann winters suit the coat, while the salted sidewalks around Gloucester are harder on the feet, so rinse them after walks. In tick season, April to November, part the dense coat along the neck and behind the ears after any woods walk. On daycare days the Pup Van brings dogs from Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea for $10 each way, and the bath can follow the play. Spend a minute a day touching paws, then treating, so nail day starts calmer.