Hairy Hounds Professional Dog Grooming

14/06/2024

17/07/2023

August classes!

Mantrailing intros
🐾6th one space
🐾19th two spaces

Saturday
🐾Fun dog Gundog class 2 spaces

Tuesday night
🐾Puppy class One space

Thursday night
🐾SOLO Scentwork (One2One class) one space

🐾Puppy class Sold out

🐾Good dug club one space

📍Held at our woodland training venue in Balloch.

Book online NOW! Before it’s too late!

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22432530

02/06/2023

The dog training industry is unregulated which means anyone can set up and call themselves a trainer or behaviourist.
It's very much a buyer beware market.

I've been saddened this week to hear some of the stories new clients have told me about the advice they have been given.
It breaks my heart to hear of dogs and people being treated badly in the name of training when it's so unnecessary.

Don't let a trainer criticise you and make you feel you have to use a certain approach and it's your fault.

A good coach should empower you, teach you skills to become a competent handler and fill you with self belief.

If you're a woman don't let a male trainer tell you your dog is a man's dog or it needs an alpha male or you're not 'strong' enough to handle the dog. (This one gets the feminist in me raging 😆)

A good coach should be able to find a training solution that fits both the dog and handlers personality to build a mutual relationship based on safety and trust.

Don't let a trainer tell you positive reinforcement training doesn't work with all dogs, or some dogs or high drive dogs.
If a trainer tells you , you can't do something. Maybe they mean they can't...

There's plenty of trainers out there doing it and doing it well. Positive reinforcement trainers are good at reinforcement and motivation simply because they do it more than those that don't.

Check out qualifications and certification as there are also good and bad dog training courses out there. Also worth considering that a learner only gets out, what they put into a course.

There are trainers out there using different approaches. Some are skilled at what they do and some are not, regardless of the methods. Don't assume a particular method equals competence.

Some of the best trainers I've learnt from are those that compete in sports. They learn how to teach complex and reliable behaviours that are performed under pressure.

It also seems to now be popular for new trainers to spend time and money on business coaches and marketing than actually becoming a good/better dog trainer. So watch out for that too!

Do your research, ask questions and find a trainer that fits in with your beliefs and values, question everything.

Have a great weekend 🐾

Jane Ardern BSc Hons Dip Cabt
Author of Mission Control How to Train the High Drive Dog
The Gundog Club Approved Instructor and Assessor
ABTC Registered Animal Trainer
ICAN Accredited Behaviourist
Kennel Club Dog Trainer of the Year 2015

29/12/2021

Following last weeks witness appeal for the attempted robbery of a dog in Alexandria, here are some tips on how to keep your dog safe when you are out and about.

🏡 Keep garden fences secure to avoid your dog escaping and to prevent easy access to trespassers. Perhaps install a sensor light or bell gate to be alerted of trespassers?
🐶 Always keep your dog in sight on walks and in your garden. When out walking your dog, make sure your dog is trained to respond to a recall command.
🛒Never leave a dog tied-up outside a shop or left alone in a car. If you’re going in to a shop or to a café, for example, why not check if your dog is allowed inside? You may be surprised!
📱Ensure your dog is microchipped, has up-to-date contact details, and is wearing a tag with YOUR name, phone number and address on it. All of these are legal requirements and will ensure your dog is easily returned, should they go missing.
⌚Varying the times and routes you take when walking your dog will help to prevent your dog from being targeted.
💬Be careful of strangers asking you a lot of questions about your dog.
🖥️If you plan to use services such as a dog walker, groomers, house sitter or a boarding kennel, do your research to ensure you are using a legitimate and reputable service.
🐕If you are a dog breeder, be careful about who you are inviting into your house for viewings.
📵Social media can be viewed by thieves in many instances, so be careful about what you post. Be particularly careful with details of where you live, the type of dog you have and where you walk.

If you know anything around the witness appeal from last week, please contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 3400 of 22/12/21.

05/11/2021

Great advice from Cat 🐶

💥 F I R E W O R K S 💥

I know it's my second post about this this year but it can be such a scary time for our pets that it's important we do all we can to support them through it whether it's their first time experiencing it or they've struggled in the past. I've sadly already read about a couple of deaths this year from dogs scared by fireworks and it happens year after year.

🧨 KEEP YOUR DOG ON THE LEAD. Even if your dog hasn't shown signs of distress at fireworks in the past it is a completely normal behaviour to startle at a sudden loud bang. Don't take the risk of an unexpected firework going off nearby while you are walking and your dog taking fright and running. Keep them on lead in a well fitted harness that they won't be able to slip out of.

🧨 LAST WALK BEFORE DARK. Take them out their last walk before it gets dark when you are less likely to hear fireworks. If you have a garden and you let them out after dark make sure your garden is secure, supervise your dog closely and consider keeping them on lead even in your garden. A startled dog can jump surprisingly high or squeeze through small gaps in an attempt to escape.

🧨 BUILD A DEN. Give your dog a safe space where they can hide if they are feeling scared. A covered crate (with door open), a blanket den or a small room with the curtains drawn.

🧨 GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DO. Give your dog a stuffed Kong, chew or lickimat to keep them occupied and help them stay calm.

🧨 MASK THE NOISE. Put the radio on (Classic FM will have a special Bonfire night show between 6pm and 10pm tonight with calming music) or look up Taiko drumming videos on YouTube (the low frequency drumming has been found to be very effective at masking the sound of fireworks)

🧨 COMFORT YOUR DOG. It's an old misconception that you can reinforce your dogs fear by comforting them. This is no more true than if you were scared/upset and your friend offered you comfort, you wouldn't feel more scared as a result, you would feel supported. If your dog comes to you for comfort be that friendly support for them.

🧨 MEDICATION AND BEHAVIOURAL SUPPORT. If your dog really struggles with firework phobia then speak to your vet about appropriate medication to help lower their anxiety and get in touch with a behaviourist to start putting in place a plan to help them cope better next year.

🧨 OTHER PETS. Fireworks effect all our pets and also the local wildlife. Keep your cats indoors and bring any outdoor pets inside if you can.

Cat x

17/08/2021

⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠ LATEST ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠

We are now at a critical point in our lobbying campaign to get the Nowzad veterinary care team and dependents on the rescue list to the UK.

We desperately need you all to continue to lobby Dominic Raab, Wendy Morton, James Cleverly, Zac Goldsmith, Lord Tariq Ahmed and Ben Wallace and your MPs this afternoon as a matter of urgency, to get them behind getting the Nowzad team out of Kabul on a rescue flight in the next few days.

The Emergency debate in Parliament on Wednesday will be a critical opportunity for MPs to show support for Nowzad and the rescue of their veterinary care team and family members

Please do all you can we must rescue the animal rescuers, we will leave no one behind

Rt Hon Wendy Morton - https://twitter.com/morton_wendy
Rt Hon James Cleverly - https://twitter.com/jamescleverly
Rt Hon Dominic Raab - https://twitter.com/DominicRaab
Rt Hon Zac Goldsmith - https://twitter.com/ZacGoldsmith
Rt Hon Lord (Tariq) Ahmad - https://twitter.com/tariqahmadbt
Rt Hon Ben Wallace - https://twitter.com/BWallaceMP

13/05/2020

A further update!! They’re like buses, none for ages then 2 come along at once!!

The Scottish Gov have been in touch again saying -

******
This is the Scottish Government guidance for dog groomers. In short, it is not classed as an essential business and should remain closed as long as current lockdown guidance is in place in Scotland. However, you will see there is an exemption made for animals where this affects their welfare.

"The Scottish Government recognises that the lack of access to professional pet grooming services has the potential to impact on the welfare of certain breeds of animal, particularly those requiring regular grooming to maintain their wellbeing.

"Despite the ongoing restrictions on journeys and access to workplaces not considered essential, we acknowledge that professional pet groomers may provide a service for those animals whose welfare is at risk from severely matted hair.

"Where an animal’s welfare is not at risk, professional groomers should not be providing routine grooming services.

"Routine grooming is deemed a non-essential business activity and is liable to the penalties in The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

Where essential professional grooming on welfare grounds is undertaken it must be conducted in line with the Scottish Government’s guidance on social distancing."
******

Should you feel that your dog falls into this category please give me a shout (existing client’s only).
🐶😊💕

12/05/2020

A wee update on the current situation!
I contacted the Scottish Government in order to clarify whether or not dog groomers could be open at the moment. As you can see from the below reply, dog grooming is NOT classified as ‘essential business’ and therefore groomers should NOT be open.
While this is the Government’s advise, I will not risk putting my client’s lifes at risk.
Also my business insurance will not provide cover at the moment.
I will be up & running again as soon as it’s deemed safe to do so and REALLY hope for all of us that that will be very soon!
Take care all!
🐶😊💕

******

Dear Gillian,

Thank you for getting in touch with Brendan to request clarification on the operation of dog grooming businesses during COVID-19.

I am sorry but we have been told only essential businesses are allowed to be open during lockdown and this unfortunately, does not include dog grooming.

This is something many MP's offices have been asking the Scottish Government for clarity on and as soon as the situation changes we will let you know.

I hope this is helpful,

Yours sincerely
Lindsey

Lindsey Alexander for Brendan O'Hara MP
Argyll and Bute

******

20/04/2020

Bums!!

The sixth in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is all about keepi...

20/04/2020

Bath time!!

The fifth in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is all about bathi...

04/04/2020

These are the lovely people that I get my scissors from. They’ve put together a great wee package including a slicker brush, comb & scissors to help anybody trying to maintain their dog while we’re in isolation!!

Keeping your pet tidy in isolation! Here at The Scissor Boutique, we are working alongside professional dog grooming salons to help you maintain your pets groom until they open again.
We have this kit to help you keep the tangles out and to help you trim around paws, bottoms, and fringes. £35.00
Many other Scissors and kits on our website for Pet Grooming - Home hairdressing & barbering along with Arts, Crafts & Tailoring. - www.thescissorboutique.co.uk

Emergency Pet Kit for use in Isolation follow this link to purchase now. https://www.thescissorboutique.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=emer&x=0&y=0

29/03/2020

Part 4 - Brushing (& combing!!)

https://youtu.be/lpUoUYb-BVc

The fourth in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is all about brus...

27/03/2020

Video 3 - Faces
Any queries, just shout! 🐶

https://youtu.be/ag8CnptoNHo

The third in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is specifically ab...

26/03/2020

Part 2 - Ears!!

https://youtu.be/hWMWoNhw4Nk

The second in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is specifically a...

26/03/2020

Morning all! I’ve had a few enquiries from clients about what they can do to maintain their dog’s coat until I’m able to groom again. As I’m a bit camera shy & rubbish at making videos, I’m going to share Tanya of Brittanya Grooming’s great YouTube videos. I’m sure these will help but if you have any specific queries please don’t hesitate to shout! Take care & stay safe!💕

https://youtu.be/UAm9HndKQgE

The first in our series of videos helping dog owners to keep their dogs healthy and well groomed whilst in Coronavirus isolation. This one is specifically ab...

24/03/2020

Our Prime Minister announced last night a directive that all non-essential businesses must be closed with immediate effect & set out a series of directives that people should adhere to for non essential travel in order to not leave their homes.

It is therefore with a heavy heart that I now have no choice but to close Hairy Hounds until authorised to reopen. The government have dictated that this will be for a minimum of 3 weeks and will be revisited at this time.

I love all my clients and am very upset at having to close but want to assure you that I will be back up & running as soon as I’m able to and would like to wish every one of you the best of health and safety in the meantime.

The more we all adhere to this ‘stay at home’ directive the faster we can get back to normal.

Stay safe!!

25/12/2019

Happy Christmas to all my lovely customers!🐶😊
Thank you for all my fab cards & prezzies!🎄

21/12/2019

🤣🤣🤣

How to protect Christmas trees from your pets