I want my dog to look like this....

Before photo: shows a dog with in between curly to wavy hair. long snout and a bit of home grooming which needs correction

Have you walked out of many grooming salons, just disappointed in the grooms your dog receives ?
Quite often as groomers we get a lot of requests on how someone wants their dog groomed. I love a good styling challenge and I specially love when photos are included on what you want. Sometimes though, the photos given don't match the dog standing in front of us. The groom that walks out of the salon may be great, but if the owner have a preconceived idea of what they want without understanding how it's achieved, they will always end up disappointed. So how do you avoid disappointment ? Here are a few things to consider so you will always walk out as happy as your dog.

---

Coat Type

​Coats come in different forms, curly, straight, wavy, double coat, long, short. What can be done on a curly coat, which can be made to look fluffy and lots of volume, may not look the same on a straight coat which lays flat. When looking at photos always see if the coat type matches to your dog's coat and if not be open to discus with your groomer how to make the style work or have something similar.

Face/Body Shape

Certain styles will suit a dog with a long nose but may not suit a dog with a short nose. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes and usually breed clips are designed to suit the natural shape of that breeds body and may not represent as well on another. A round teddy bear face may not work on a dog who has a long snout.

Request photo: different breed to the above dog. while the nose shape is very similar, this dog has a broader skull shape, naturally shorter coat around the face and more of a straight/wavy texture with a thicker under coat.

​Behaviour and Health

Consider if that style will be ok for your dog's personality or health issues. A clip that's going to take longer may not suit an elderly dog that can't stand for long, or a dog that doesn't like its feet touched may not tolerate shaved poodle feet. If your groomer feels another style is suited for your dog's abilities, listen to that advise. Your groomer always has your dog's best interest in mind. Sometimes their are ways around it like frequent grooms so less time is spent on the table per session or getting a dog behaviourist involved to work on behaviour issues. ​

  Coat Condition and Maintenance

After: styled slightly different to accommodate for the different coat texture. still resulting in a very cute groom

Some styles may require time or a few sessions to get the desired look. Specially if you dogs coat is matted, the coat may need to be taken back to ground zero first and then re-shaped over time. Some styles may also require more visits to a groomer to maintain. If you are looking for longer styles 2-6wk intervals to maintain may be required. Consider if this is the type of commitment you want to put in and if not ask your groomer what alternative styles can work.

Photos are definitely a great way to communicate what you want, but remember to be open to adapting the style to your dog's needs and lifestyle. If you are not happy with the groom you received, always remember that we always have your dog's best interest first and we may not have picked up on exactly what your seeing first time round, everyone visualises things differently. Contact your groomer to discuss what you may want different from the last groom, and just remember it may take a few grooms to get there.
Happy grooming
Bianca
​Funky Fur

---