The Importance Of Restoring The Skin And Coat
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| Maverick loves those ozone bubbles! (Photo used with permission.) |
The skin is the largest organ, but we don’t always take great care of it.
That goes for our pets, too. While we want to be sure they’re clean, given a great-looking haircut, and have their nails trimmed, it’s easy to miss looking deeper, under that hair, to the skin beneath.
As an owner of many animals (including quite a few dogs!), I know the frustration clients feel when their dog is suffering from skin irritation. Redness, flaky or scaly dry areas, bald patches from constant scratching to the point of bleeding, oozing hot spots, infections, chewing on feet—I’ve seen it all.
One of the reasons I made the move from thirty years as a veterinary technician to my own dog grooming business was that I wanted to offer a different approach to my clients. Dog grooming was booming, but what kind of service was being provided? Cute haircuts, or a focus on skincare and comfort? When you get the latter in place, the former is a better reflection. When a dog leaves The Dog Shop, he should feel as good as he looks.
That’s why my unofficial motto at The Dog Shop is “humanity over vanity.”
It might not lead to a lot of fancy photos or bells and whistles (though there are quite a few bandanas and bows 🙂), but it does lead to putting the animal first in terms of healthy skin and coat. Getting that taken care of is a big part of why I believe regular grooming, alongside good veterinary care, is part of the total health picture. That approach to grooming is necessary for an animal to be happy and comfortable at home.
Because of this, I’ve spent the past few years of grooming with a focus on continuing education, both online and traveling for on-site training. I’ve received specialized skin care training to use some of the best products I’ve found, all with the goal of helping my clients restore their pet’s skin and coat back to their personal best levels.
With all-natural and simple ingredients (non-medicated), these products soothe and rejuvenate troubled, itchy skin. The idea is to use products that are good for the dog not only on appointment day but also in the long term. They are good for the client’s bottom line in the long term, too, as regular grooming and at-home use of these products reduce the need for aggressive solutions to problems that have gone neglected.
While I carefully select all the products I use at The Dog Shop, clients may request specific products to address concerns they have with their pet, as well as purchase sprays, shampoos, conditioners, and creams to use at home. Clients may also request a pet appointment for our Hydrozone Spa Experience, which mixes refreshing and relaxing bubbling ozone in a warm bath to help restore skin.
