K8's K9s Dog Grooming

25/05/2024

🐾🐾🐾🐾TRUST TAKES TIME 🐾🐾🐾

I always ask owners to give me 3 grooms. Why? Because trust takes time. Learning your dog’s communication style takes time. Learning which combs and brushes, which blade type and which order they prefer takes time. And time is needed for your dog to learn to trust that I am doing things in ways that are minimally confrontational and stressful.
I also ask owners to come to a meet and greet session before any grooming takes place, whenever possible. This sets the tone for your dog and gives the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the area, my salon and me.
This sweet girl had her first groom with me after a meet and greet and was so much more confident than would’ve been otherwise. And I’m certain it won’t be long before she is trotting up to greet me and comfortable in the groom environment.

08/11/2023

CONSENT BASED DOG GROOMING WORKS

This handsome boy was referred to me by another groomer. His owner stated he was getting worse and worse and his level of anxiety and reluctance was becoming ever more problematic. True to his breed he wasn’t shy about showing his teeth and was desperately communicating his discomfort.
We did several socialisation sessions, gently progressing towards a full groom. Now he enters the salon straight away, is happy to jump up onto the table, will enter the bath with a bit of coaxing and tolerates 80% of a full groom with no issue. Feet and nails are still bothersome for him and we continue to work at his pace to help him gain confidence.
Today he was the best ever and I’m thrilled with how far he has come

06/11/2023

🐾🐾🐾🐾 Autumn Clip 🐾🐾🐾🐾
This lovely boy is all ready for the wet weather. His owner is great at maintaining his hair between grooms, but prefers him kept short and easy to dry. He’s gone from being terrified of grooming to tolerating every aspect of the process calmly. He knows he can move away any time he wants and after 3 grooms chooses to stay. Isn’t he adorable?

02/11/2023

🐾SPLISH SPLASH, I WAS TAKING A BATH 🐾
Sid having a bubbilicous time in the tub ☺️

19/10/2023

Please be advised:
I am NOT K8’s K9s Bridgend Doggie Daycare.
They tell me K8’s K9s is their logo, Bridgend Doggie Daycare their name.
I doubt anyone wants to drive from Bridgend to Northamptonshire for a groom 🤣 I’m good, but probably not THAT good 🤣

11/10/2023

🐾🐾🐾🐾 WELCOME 🐾🐾🐾🐾
It’s been a long time coming, but finally…

11/10/2023

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
Unleash the Ultimate Grooming Experience!
One-to-One Calm Grooming

I understand that every dog is unique, and their comfort is my top priority. That's why I offer a behaviourist based grooming experience tailored just for your furry friend.

Your dog deserves undivided attention. A tranquil, stress-free groom. Individualised care for a happier, healthier pup.

Say hello to a serene, one-to-one pampering session. Your dog's relaxation is my objective.

Book your appointment today at K8’s K9s Dog Grooming and treat your beloved companion to the calm and care they deserve.
🐾🐾🐾🐾
Based in Long Buckby
Call or text 07771817517

28/08/2023

Finally. North. Ready to go home

He is calm. Relaxed. Has a coat at an easy length to maintain. Free of any compaction or foreign bodies. And comfortable, both physically and mentally. Which...

25/08/2023

The lovely North. Part two

The noise of the dryer was such I felt best to skip that bit

23/08/2023

Another groom for your entertainment.
A gentle giant. I’ve had to split the recording into parts. Because the whole groom would’ve been too big to download.
Large dogs bring different challenges and this gentleman is probably the largest dog I groom. So there’s a lot to do to ensure his hair and skin are healthy and maintained.
I give you the beautiful North

This gorgeous bernadoodle having a post holiday bath

30/06/2023

Every dog teaches me something.
This is Charlie.
Charlie taught me that, along with fear and discomfort, frustration can be a trigger causing reaction.
Charlie reminded me how much muscle use goes into standing still.
He responded to freedom to sit down. He responded to a walk at the start. Charlie was a great teacher for me because he was amongst the first of the reactive dogs I had the pleasure of helping.
Sadly Charlie has passed away. And I shall miss him immensely. Because despite his inability to tolerate elements of the groom he tried so hard to be gentlemanly. He didn’t want to bite. He just needed some space and time. And his courtesy afforded me the opportunity to meet his need and grooming became a calmer, less unpleasant experience for him. I’m honoured to have been able to spend some wonderful moments with Charlie. Moments where he looked to me for reassurance. Where he trotted along side me, glad of the movement. Where he looked deep into my eye and lifted his leg, even though he was scared of a nail trim. He trusted me. And I him. We learned one another’s limits and the mutual respect was a beautiful thing to be part of. I will always be grateful to him for his restraint, and his lessons.
RIP beautiful Charlie

02/05/2023

I don’t often share such as this.
When something epitomises how I feel about the respect due our doggie companions, I can’t resist.
Every dog is precious
Every dog gives loving service
Every dog deserves reciprocation
That’s where dog groomers like me come into the equation
Reverence, respect and recognition; it’s not a big ask is it?

29/04/2023

After the bath….

He usually jumps on the table unbidden. His owner had mentioned he’d been poorly and wasn’t jumping up like he used to so I put it down to this.

Using a slicker brush I go gently to find any knots or matts and you can see that where he licks or yawns he’s aware I’m getting close. I use the slicker in a variety of ways as by changing the hold I can back away from a knot, the traditional strokes would be more likely to snag and cause discomfort. I do watch the dogs for indicative behaviours and over time can reassure them I’m not raking through their coat. A dog that used to fidget in avoidance he only has to move his head or signal to me and I can change the direction of brush stroke, go more slowly, hold the knot or similar and remove it without his feeling anything.
Of course there will always be some that get snagged but because he knows I’m respecting his tolerance he is more able to accept the chore as a whole.
I combed him through afterwards and then trimmed his feet and nails, but stopped filming because you would mostly be seeing the back of me at this angle. I shall do another video from a different spot another time.

If you’d watched his bath you’ll have noticed I used three brushes on him. Before he could tolerate this the drying and slicker brushing would take easily in...

28/04/2023

The truth is I don’t treat all of the dogs I groom the same. Some can’t cope with two blueberry facial scrubs. Some can’t cope with conditioning treatments. Some need different skin treating products or processes.
This boy knots very easily so he has the deepest conditioner, but as he copes really well in the bath the subsequent extra rinsing isn’t an issue.
Ifyou ever wonder why your dog’s groom takes a while this video may indicate how that could be. Sure, I could rush this part of the process. But as this sweet dog shows by taking my time I can give a little massage and the dog and I get to bond.
When I first groomed him he was fearful of all the equipment, noises and sensations. Using cooperative care techniques and earning his trust means he gives what I need and I can ensure every millimetre of him is squeaky clean, which means the rest of the groom is easier and quicker for both of us. Clean hair not only dries quicker but also makes brushing and clipping far easier.
Notice when I use the blaster dryer I avoid his face and head. He allows me to do the rest because he has learned I won’t subject him to it in his face. If I were to direct the air towards it I very much doubt he’d tolerate the blaster in the future.

You may not have the time to watch this but if you’re curious as to the level of attention to detail I employ…

Oh. And. Owner was made aware of his ear, it was a bit pinker than I’m happy with and did seem to get a bit more red as we progressed, but for the life of me I couldn’t think of what could have caused it. I’m hoping I get an update from his lovely owner, who did inform me he has had an ear issue which flares up from time to time.
(Feel free to fast forward. Or ignore. Even I got bored of watching this lol)

The bath effects everything else. The higher quality workmanship at this stage impacts everything else. It’s also a lovely bonding opportunity for dog and do...

01/04/2023

I am utterly thrilled to announce I have been awarded approved groomer status with Taking the Grr Out of Grooming Dogs.
The whole ethos is around working to reduce stress and adapt to each dog’s individual tolerances. I’m exceptionally proud to be part of a movement pushing for change in an industry that historically didn’t acknowledge this aspect of dog husbandry.

31/03/2023

We all have a story. I wasn’t sure about sharing mine. Hence the delay in posting this. But I stand by what I say, if sharing mine helps anyone else suffering similar then nothing could make me more gratified.
So, not about dogs. Just a bit about me. Feel free to ignore…

https://youtu.be/z8fPw1zZDSs

01/03/2023

https://youtu.be/v2qucpEDrdo

06/02/2023

31/01/2023

https://youtu.be/AQfoZPejmwg

07/01/2023

This is the clearest explanation of quick growth and nail trimming limitations I’ve ever found.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/531865195523437?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V

19/07/2022

HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR LOVELY DOGS DOING?
I feel like I’ve melted. My hairy bestie has been napping on his cool towel. Had more showers than he cares to talk about to cool him off in the worst bits. But it looks as if we’ve got through the worst of it. I hope all of you have too.
The temperature drop is still on the horizon; I’ve prepped abd sert up ready for tomorrow and barring any drastic change over night will be back to business as usual.
Thank you all for being patient. I will get scheduling done and everyone rebooked asap

17/07/2022

THINGS ARE HOTTING UP: CLOSURE DUE TO WEATHER
The forecast for coming days is extreme and it’s imperative dogs are kept safe. So here’s a list of things you can do to help keep your dog comfortable:-
• frozen water behind/in front of a fan
A rotary fan helps but adding a bottle of frozen water will help cool the air it circulates. It’s extremely important that you do not take a dog from the cooled room into a hotter area without managing the transition though. The change in temperature can induce shock. Having a cool room allocated and then a secondary, more ambient one is a great way of ensuring the shock of moving from house to garden isn’t too great. Keeping the dog in the transition area for 20 minutes or so before letting them out to toilet and again before moving to the cooler room will prevent reaction. Turn the fan off for 15 minutes before moving them and waiting 15 before turning it back on will help too. (This applies to air conditioning too: turn it off a few minutes before the dog moves away from it so the temperature rise is more gradual)
• wet towel
Unless a dog s actually suffering from heatstroke it’s actually dangerous to cover them with a wet towel. Vets do use this technique but it has to be monitored by someone knowledgable. Instead a wet towel can be placed on the floor for the dog to lay on
• cooling pads
Again these are great for having on the floor. They will cool the general area a little too so if your dog chooses not to lay directly on it they may still benefit
• room temperature water
It can be tempting to offer ice, after all we enjoy an ice cream why wouldn’t they? But for a dog teetering near overheating this could be dangerous. As long as they have unlimited access to water they should stay hydrated.
HEATSTROKE SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS
Deep red/purple/exceptionally pale gums are a sign of heatstroke. If your dog has dry, dark/pale gums seek veterinary advice immediately. Excessive panting, vomiting, wobbliness are symptoms needing veterinary intervention. Tepid water (not cold) poured over a dog will help bring their temperature down. Do not place a wet towel on them as this will trap heat. Call the vet to check they are open and have capability to help before you leave. If they can’t help they will tell you where to take your pet and this could save precious time.
Obviously I hope you will not need any of this information.
I AM CLOSED FOR GROOMING UNTIL TEMPERATURES DROP
I will keep you informed as the forecast changes and hope to get all your lovely dogs clean and tidy asap
thank you

06/01/2022

HAPPY NEW YEAR
I hope you had a fabulous Christmas and enjoyed the festivities in some way. Current events had us somewhat subdued but speaking for myself it was lovely to actually get to spend time with loved ones.
It's taken a while to break out of holiday mode, I've been rather enjoying my late morning cuddles with this hairy boy. Back to Earth I'm currently working on scheduling.
Historically the majority of my customers are booking their next groom at each visit. I'm finding, however, this is causing some difficulties with my logistics. Also I want to ensure my regulars get their preferred slots and minimise risk of overbooking. I therefore humbly advise that customers prebook at least 3 grooms ahead in order to ensure I can accommodate everyone. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to get this organised, or you can wait until my next visit as per your preference.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing you and all your lovely dogs soon 🥰