Grooming by Amberley

04/26/2025

May & June are filling up fast- please consider booking ahead! 🥰

04/24/2025

10 years ago!
How many of you remember when I worked at Tips 2 Tails in Millwoods?

04/17/2025

Always striving to learn new things ✨️

The International Association of Professional Esthetic Groomers - the IAPEG

04/17/2025

04/15/2025

Burt was back for a Bath & Tidy today, he's soo cute 😍 We love a shaggy little terrier 🐾

04/11/2025

Friendly reminder:
I am booked for grooming appointments until mid-May.
*If your pup has not had a haircut in 8 or more weeks and is not currently booked, I won't be able to accommodate them at this time, sorry! 6-8 weeks between visits, and prebooking, has always been my professional recommendation 🫶

04/08/2025

Please consider signing your baby up for my Charity Spaw Day, more info in the comments. Proceeds will go directly to this organization and these pups in need.

Updates on our puppy mill babies, and a plea for help ❤️
Arthur - picture 4. Arthur fought so hard and wanted love so badly, but the neglect had taken too much of a toll on both his body and his mind. We lovingly syringe fed him, but his little body had given up. He was so pale and masses could be felt on his last day. At his final vet appointment we watched him heartbreakingly pace the perimeter of an imaginary pen that he had lived his whole life in. We tried so hard for him, but we did the kindest thing and let him go peacefully in the arms of our volunteers. We miss you Arthur.

Maisie: photo 1 - Maisie is doing great and learning to trust. She’s still very scared and struggling with major anxiety. She will be having her spay soon, and then have most of her teeth removed as they are terrible. After healing from those surgeries she will be ready to continue the emotional work in an adoptive home ❤️

Nikki: photo 2 - Nikki is doing great as well. Her biopsies came back inconclusive but her team feels positive about removing the mammary masses with a good outcome. She will also be spayed and have most of her teeth removed. She is struggling with skin issues due to the length of time that she was neglected, we are working on getting her comfortable and that involves lots of baths!

Estelle: Estelle is doing so great and controls any house she is in with her loud bark and bossy attitude. She is working on slowly gaining weight over the next couple months before she will be able to go for surgery to spay her. She is skin and bones and got very sick when calories were re introduced. She is now on a better path and doing well with her eating. She has a long road ahead of her as well.

These babies are just some of our animals in care and their expenses have been higher than initially anticipated. They all still have several surgeries ahead of them, each of those surgeries being well over $1000. any donations are appreciated to help these guys, and all of our other animals, heal and move in to new homes.

We can accept donations by etransfer to [email protected]

As always, thank you for your support and stay tuned for updates!!

04/07/2025

April is booked for Full Groom appointments. Text for nails/Happy Visit availability. 780-668-2682

04/04/2025

Enrichment doesn't even need to be fancy or expensive. My dogs love shredding up recycling cardboard, or snuffling for kibble off the ground.

This week there was a post from a well-known dog influencer claiming that "dogs don't need enrichment" and that we should focus on their "real needs" instead.

I'm not sure if this statement was made simply to create controversy and get a rise out of people, or if it reflects a genuine belief. Either way, it fundamentally misrepresents what enrichment is and why committed dog owners invest time and effort into it.

Let's get something clear: Enrichment IS meeting our dogs' real needs. It's not some frivolous extra - it's acknowledging the reality of who our dogs actually are.

At the end of the day, our dogs are animals living in captivity. Yes, they're domesticated, but we still ask them to live in ways that are profoundly unnatural to them.

Think about it:

❌ It's not normal for dogs to stay inside houses 22+ hours a day
❌ It's not normal for dogs to walk slowly on leash without pulling, sniffing, or interacting with their environment
❌ It's not normal for dogs to ignore other animals they see
❌ It's not normal for dogs to not forage, counter-surf, or dig up your garden

Our dogs actually make very big efforts to fit into our human world with all its arbitrary and weird rules. The least we can do in return is fulfill their natural needs as much as possible.

That's what enrichment really is: providing opportunities for species-specific behaviors like sniffing, chewing, licking, digging, shredding, and foraging.

In all my years working with clients, I've NEVER encountered a dog owner who spent "too much time" on enrichment. In fact, I've found the opposite - the more intentional enrichment a dog receives, the happier they are, the easier training becomes, and the better the relationship gets.

Why?
Because enrichment acknowledges dogs for who they are. We humans don't have innate needs to sniff, dig, shred things, or forage - but our dogs absolutely do.

When we don't provide appropriate outlets for normal canine needs, our dogs find their own solutions - which we often label as "bad" behavior.
The dog who shreds your couch cushions, digs up your flowerbeds, chews your baseboards, raids your garbage, destroys toys within minutes, or counter-surfs is actually just acting according to their natural needs. Enrichment helps bridge that gap by providing appropriate alternatives.

With my own dogs, I ensure they have several types of enrichment every day - chewing opportunities, licking activities, daily sniffing adventures, appropriate digging spots, and chances for shredding and de-stuffing.

To be clear, enrichment doesn't replace exercise, training, or social interaction. It's ONE important piece of a fulfilled dog's life.

The next time someone suggests that enrichment is unnecessary or superfluous, remember: It's not about mindlessly throwing toys at our dogs or creating Instagram-worthy snuffle mats.
It's about honoring their true nature within the constraints of our human world.

It's not a way to DISCOUNT what they need. It's a way to ACKNOWLEDGE who they truly are.

(BY the way: I am writing this as my own dogs are all eating their breakfast in the form of frozen slow feeders 😄)

Happy Enrichment!

04/04/2025

Henry was the SWEETEST little guy this morning! He's a who came from a puppy mill, and his dad wanted him all cleaned up and tight for low maintenance and to make his medicated baths at home easier. Even "hairless" breeds need grooming 🥰 Swipe to see his before photo.

04/03/2025

New policy effective immediately
Thank you for your understanding 🐾

03/31/2025

Drawing 1 winner tomorrow (sometime in the early evening 😀)

Facebook Giveaway!

1 winner will get 1x 4 piece Lick Mat set, 1x MarshMello Dematt Nose/Paw balm, and 1x Tilted Barn Lamb Treats.

To enter: Like & Share this post, and Tag a friend in the comments (each Tag will count as an entry)

*You must be able to pick up your prize (Edmonton).
*Deadline for entries is April 1, 2025.

03/31/2025

03/31/2025

Happy Sunday, friends!

03/29/2025

Totally agree, this also applies to blow drying techniques.

03/29/2025

Introducing my new friend, Riley 🐾
This tough terrier has some big feelings regarding the world, but was a total rockstar on the grooming table today. We did have to slow things down, and modify the routine as well as environment to help him feel comfy. Winning the trust of a new furclient is the best feeling!

03/28/2025

Sharing for educational purposes only.

I, personally, love getting messages from new potential clients who ask questions regarding my training, safety policies, etc.
While my foundational grooming training certificate does not require any continued education to maintain, I am a member of Fear Free Pets , The International Association of Professional Esthetic Groomers - the IAPEG , as well as keep my first aid up to date through Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid . In order to maintain your membership/certification, we are required to submit a certain amount of Continued Education Units (CEUs) annually. I update my First Aid every 3 years (2 days, 10+ hour course)

Think your pet is safe with any pet groomer? Think again. The grooming industry is completely UNREGULATED! That's right. No mandatory education. No mandatory continuing education. No mandatory first aid. Nothing. Zip. Nada.

Anyone who wants to pick up clippers can call themselves a "professional groomer". Which means absolutely nothing. The closest thing we have to regulation is certification. And many of those do not require continuing education which is the whole purpose of becoming certified.

Before you leave your pet with any groomer. First find out if they are certified. Then find out through whom are they certified. When did they certify. Does their certification require continuing education. Have they currently (within the last two years) completed first aid training.

In a completely unregulated industry you have every right to be the advocate for your pet. If the groomer can't answer the questions above, find another groomer.

If you have questions, send us a message and we'll help you find a groomer by asking the right questions! https://www.theiapeg.com/