Extra Care Pet Grooming

15/08/2024

07/07/2024

Big news today! We have secured a new venue in Ashington! We will be holding classes in Trinity Church, Station Road on a Sunday afternoon 2-3pm! The first class will be starting on 21st July and booking will be live on the website later today

08/05/2024

It’s been a really sad night so unfortunately I’ll not be available today. Thank you for your understanding xx

20/03/2024

Hi everyone. this is not a post I wished to write, however after facing some health difficulties recently I have had to make some changes to my policies and working hours to take some time to recover and prevent further health issues .
My working hours will now be Wednesday to Saturday from 8am until 6pm with my last appointment being 4.30. If this affects your preplanned appointment I will contact you to reschedule. As a result of these changes I am unable to take on any new clients for the foreseeable future.
I am also forced to reinforce my de-matting policy. If your dog is found to have matted fur and I am not able to get a comb through to the skin, my policy is that they will be shaved with the longest blade possible to shave underneath the mats. You always have the option of taking your dog home to de-matt yourself and return at a later date to complete their groom. Unfortunately I will not be able to make any exceptions to this rule.
I am always happy to discuss any coat issues and give line brushing demonstrations or lessons. Please just ask.
I thank you all for your ongoing support and understanding. I am sorry that I must make these changes if I am to continue grooming your wonderful dogs into the future.

14/02/2024

Start of a busy day - end of a busy day lol. I wouldn’t change a moment 🥰

29/01/2024

It was an absolute pleasure to meet these wonderful dogs today. They are all looking for the perfect forever home. If I didn’t have 8 I’d be first in the queue 🥰

01/01/2024

Happy new year to all of my lovely Clients and their gorgeous dogs. Thank you for continuing to support me and my business. Your support and kindness throughout the past year of our personal difficulties has been amazing. You and your wonderful dogs have kept us going. Thank you again.

01/12/2023

Christmas has officially begun 🥰

25/11/2023

Today ended on a real high. Wonderful Beethoven is an elderly rescued dog with a horrendous history who was in a bit of a state. He doesn’t love being groomed and can get a bit feisty. Shaving under sedation was likely however he was a really good boy tonight and allowed us to shave him with lots of treats instead of medication. Double coated dogs shouldn’t be shaved but occasionally it’s the best option. His grooming desense can begin now without those tricky knots.
Thank you for being a gentle giant Beethoven 🥰

22/11/2023

Hi guys. A post for owners of dogs with double coat, curly coat or mixed coat. I know it breaks your heart when you’ve regularly brushed your dog but I tell you it’s matted underneath! I know it breaks mine too. I’m looking at ways to help you groom your lovely dogs at home in between visits that will help you get the groom you want, rather than being shaved.
Would anyone be interested in learning how to effectively line brush your wonderful dog? Is this something that would be helpful?
Please let me know your thoughts ###

22/11/2023

I do love a Curly transformation 😍🥰

05/08/2023

I’m on holiday until 15th August. Any messages will be answered after this as I’m going phoneless 🥳🤦‍♀️

26/07/2023

Agapanthus are fab this year but petunias and pelargoniums are drowning

05/07/2023

Billy my new assistant for the day helping me with Admin 🥰🐹

29/06/2023

One of my favourite jobs. Making an Akita Snow globe 🥰

13/06/2023

Staff meeting 😂🤣

02/06/2023

It was our 2nd anniversary yesterday!Wow where did that time go? It just shows that it’s never too late to follow your dreams 🥳🐶
Thank you for your continuing support and kindness
Huge thank you to Dexter, Arlo, Dennis, Eric, Bella and of course Kenzy for making my day wonderful 🥰🐶

04/05/2023

Hi lovelies. As most people know, my appointments are now running approximately 8 weeks ahead. Unfortunately I have had a number of people not show up fo appointments this week.
if you’re not able to make your appointment please let me know in good time so this can be offered to someone on my cancellation list. anyone who has not rang to cancel will be given 15 minutes past their appointment time before this slot is offered to someone else. I’m really sorry but a £10 rebooking charge will be added to your card before another appointment is offered.

17/04/2023

Doodles, Poos and dogs with mixed coats
Written with love for your dog

“As lengthy as this post may be, I highly recommend taking a moment to read it for you, for your dog and your groomer. ♥️♥️♥️

As a groomer whose salon consists of about 60% doodles, poos and dogs with mixed coats ,it is extremely important to educate yourself about the breed and it’s needs.
Before choosing this type of dog it is a good idea to look into your breeder, as doodles come with a hefty price tag, which has caused a lot of market manipulation and irresponsible backyard breeding for profit ,which can lead to devastating health and emotional problems for your dog.

So first of all, let me start by saying we as groomers are not trying to extract more money out of you by suggesting that you come more often. We are not maliciously shaving your dog for no reason, and we are not suggesting calming meds because we don’t want to deal with your pet’s personality. Our recommendations are to better serve you and your pet, based on their specific needs which goes for all breeds. Our job is make your pets beautiful in a safe and happy environment.

We love our job and I for one absolutely love doodles and poos . I love their personalities,I love the colors and the sweet teddy bear faces and I love grooming them! There are however many misconceptions when it comes to these dogs and it’s causing some groomers to blacklist them all together. This is what your groomer wants you to know about the doodle trend.

Doodles and poos are extremely high energy and high maintenance and their coats are very unpredictable so do not let your breeder tell you otherwise. They are usually a mix of 2 high energy, working breeds, eg cocker spaniel and poodle. Both of these breeds need exercise and mental stimulation to remain healthy , well balanced dogs. You will not know the true requirements of your doodle’s coat until it has reached about a year old. Most people think that their doodles coat is super manageable upon first taking them home, when it’s puppy coat is in fact much easier to maintain than your dogs adult coat will be. Your dog, depending on its coat type, will need routine grooming on a 4-6 week basis. It is really useful to begin their socialisation to the professional grooming process as soon as they have completed their puppy vaccinations. Your Doodle or Poo will need grooming throughout their life and the sooner they are introduced to the grooming process the more comfortable they will be. This includes the daily grooming you do at home.

Fun fact: ⬇️

Dogs have predetermined genetics based on their breed. Poodles are a “hair type” breed which means that the hair continues to grow from the follicle and needs to be cut to be shortened. This type of coat could also be referred to as a “Single Coated”.
Retrievers, shepherds, and a vast majority of the remaining breeds are fur types, which means that their fur will eventually stop growing once it reaches a certain length. These breeds also have a secondary coat. They shed year round and “blow” their coats out twice per year. Blowing of the coat is your dogs way of preparing for seasonal changes to better help regulate their body temperatures. This type of coat could also be referred to as “Double Coated”. You may notice an increase in the fur around your house at the beginning of spring and as cold fronts start pushing through in the autumn.

When you mix a fur type dog with a hair type dog, the fur layer that would typically shed gets stuck in the hair portion of the coat and needs help to be removed. If left, it can cause matting to the fur which is why proper at home coat maintenance is so important.

The difficulty we as groomers often see when it comes to at home maintenance, is that owners are brushing the top layer and are unknowingly unsuccessful at penetrating the lower portion of the coat , which causes matting that may not be visible to the untrained eye. The top layer fluffs out and appears to be brushed to perfection, only for your groomer to run their hands through your dog and say they’ll need to be shaved. It’s extremely disheartening and frustrating for you and I get it! I promise! It’s not a conversation I enjoy having with owners. Doodle and Poo maintenance is an absolute learning curve and we’re in this together. Many of you have heard me talking about the importance of “line brushing” which is the most effective way of ensuring your dog maintains a beautiful knot and mat free coat. I will add a link to line brushing at the end of this post.

One problem owners are seeing is a halt to taking on new doodle and Poo clients or blacklisting of doodle breeds in salons all together, because of the difficulty that mixing fur and hair type breeds has caused, as well as behavioral issues.

Many people have started to ignore teaching proper obedience to doodle and Poo breeds because they are seen more as a human companion, and improper behavior is excused as “his/her personality”. At the end of the day however, it is important to remember that the majority of these dogs are a mix of working breeds and need to be taught at the very minimum, basic obedience with regular exercise and plenty of mental stimulation.

Without training and grooming socialisation any dog can be extremely hard for your groomer to handle ,especially mixed coats if the fur is not properly cared for at home. As groomers, we are in charge of removing knots and taking care of matted fur which can cause discomfort and pain. This can provoke aggressive or unruly behaviour as brushing out matts is almost never a pain free process ,which is why I am unable to brush out extensive mats and unfortunately I do not have magic wand! Most groomers will elect to shave matted dogs because it is the most kind and humane thing to do. Shaving can still be uncomfortable but much less so than brushing out mats over an entire body. Pulling at your pets coat and skin for the sake of a cute haircut is not ideal and l want to create a place of comfort for your pet. They will have to be groomed for the remainder of their lives, and without their trust, we have nothing. This is why proper training and starting puppies in the grooming salon as early as possible is super important, as well as carrying out consistent at home maintenance with frequent visits to your groomer. If you feel as though you cannot properly manage your dogs coat at home, speak with your groomer about baths and brush outs in between grooming appointments.

One topic that groomers don’t really speak about that I’d like to shed a little light upon, is the wear and tear that untrained and unruly dogs have on the groomers body. Constant pressure on the hands causes trauma to the muscles as well as back pain, pulled muscles, and slipped discs. Another problem that your groomer may encounter is biting. One wrong bite can ruin your groomer’s career. This is yet another reason why proper training, care, and desensitization to grooming is so important.

We as groomers love our job, and in my salon, you will be given lots of information. Client education is of the upmost importance as well as continued education to help best serve you and your beloved pet. If you have any questions regarding your pet or anything you could do to better care for them at home, just ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question. In fact, l encourage it. This post is in no way meant to attack doodle or Poo breeds, so please don’t misconstrue anything I’ve said. My goal is inform anyone interested in doodles, poos and mixed coat breeds and current owners of them. I absolutely LOVE my doodle clientele!

As always, I look forward to seeing each and every one of you, and if you need anything, I am but a phone call away!

Love, Nikki

https://youtu.be/osruYq7xpMA

07/04/2023

I just love this little guy 🥰🤣

02/04/2023

Oooh fab ###

EASTER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!
WE ARE GIVING 2 LUCKY PEOPLE A CHANGE TO WIN A LOVELY DOGGIE HAMPER EACH, FOR THEIR PAMPERED POOCH (OR CAT).
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COMMENT, LIKE AND SHARE OUR PAGE AND THE WINNERS WILL BE DRAWN FROM A NAME GENERTOR ON WEDNESDAY THE 5TH OF APRIL. GET SHARING AND GOOD LUCK 😍

12/03/2023

It’s been a wonderful week at Crufts. Mavis was placed 5th (very highly commended) again in her class and has loved being adored every day at Discover dogs. She has really outdone herself this week and I’m the proudest of mum’s. She has one more day to shine before we come home. I love this curly girlie to bits 🥰

18/02/2023

I’m now On holiday until 28th February and then at Crufts. From 6th March. If you leave a message I’ll reply when I get back.
Just to let you know that my appointment book is full until the end of April, however I do have a cancellation list which I’m happy to add you to if you leave a message. Thanks for your understanding 🐶🐾

14/02/2023

Happiest of valentines days to you and your gorgeous guys ###

03/01/2023

Seeing people come to buy fish and handing the owner, money, this cat went out and got a leaf to pay for her fish. On the first day, the owner of the shop thought this was very cute, so he gave her a small fish. Now everyday this cat comes in to buy a fish with a leaf.