A Spa for Paws

07/13/2024

Ms Sassy enjoyed her Saturday Spa day! 💖

06/21/2024

Hello everyone! We hope you are having a wonderful week and have some fun plans this weekend!

We want to give everyone a heads up that our summer is booking up fast. If your pup will be due for a groom or bath in a couple weeks, or even a month, the time to call us is now!

We want to keep everyone happy and the best way to ensure we have space for your pup's next Spa day is to book early. 💖

We also just wanted to remind everyone of our cancellation policy. We do require 24 hours notice for cancellations otherwise there will be a fee of $25. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment please give us a call so we can keep all of our wonderful clients cared for. 💞

A big thank you to all of our amazing clients! Here are some beautiful pups Brienna has pampered 💖

06/21/2024

These handsome brothers got a Spa day together 💖

06/20/2024

Happy Birthday Chelsea the chug. We love you!!!

06/20/2024

We often ask "is your dog good in a crate?" Our number one answer is "I don't know he/she never goes in a crate." Grooming can be stressful for some dogs. So why would you want to add to their stress? Crate training is something you can teach at home to make your dog more comfortable at the groomers. If your dog is barking, whining, digging, and biting at the cage they could get injured. Also, it stresses the other dogs out that are in for grooming. Sometimes we have to adjust our schedules just to accommodate dogs that don't do well in a crate.

05/31/2024

Summer is just around the corner! Let us help you get your pup ready for sunny days and play time with a haircut 🌞

We can also help those hairy dogs shed that old winter coat with a good bath and deshedding!

Give us a call to get your pup on the schedule we are filling up fast! 💖

05/23/2024

Let us get your pup fresh and clean for some good summer fun! Here are some of the cuties that came to see us 😍

To schedule an appointment give us a call today 💖

05/23/2024

We are so grateful for our wonderful four legged clients! Your pups are so very special to us 💖

If you are looking for a groomer, A Spa for Paws is still accepting new clients! We would love to hear from you 💓

05/20/2024

Did you know at A Spa For Paws we give your dog two baths for the price of one?

Every bath or grooming service automatically includes a second bath to get your pup extra clean with our gentle cleansing shampoos! This helps remove dirt, debris, dry skin, and odors stuck in your dog's coat.

We have a couple openings this week so give us a call to get your pup a spot! It's time for a glow up! 😊💖

05/16/2024

Hope you can make it 😀

05/13/2024

We hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! 💕

We have a couple openings this week, give us a call if your pup needs some pampering! 💞

A Spa For Paws
Luxemburg, WI
(920) 845-9817

05/13/2024

This sweet girl always looks stunning after her Spa day 😍

05/10/2024

Take a look at this beautiful girl 😍 Give us a call if your pup needs a "transfurmation"! ✨

A Spa for Paws
Luxemburg WI
(920) 845-9817

05/10/2024

Here is an excellent explanation of why shaving double coated breeds is not beneficial for the dog. Get those hairy pups in for a good deshedding to help their skin breathe and their coat function normally. Unless your pup has a skin condition it is always more beneficial to maintain the coat they have. Of course we can always trim them up, and some breeds can benefit from having their belly shaved to help get them in contact with the cool floor. 💖

To shave or not to shave your Golden?? .. I share this excellent article each year and with the warmer weather upon us, this is a reminder on why not to be tempted to shave your Golden ..

Wait! By Nancy Bynes, NCMG of Nevada City

With warmer temperatures finally coming to Nevada County, many dog owners are exploring options to help their pets stay comfortable. Shaving off all that hair is probably the most popular option. Indeed, for some coat types, this is an ideal solution. Not for all. With the exception of hard-coated terriers, dogs come in one of two coat types: single coated and double coated.

Examples of single-coated breeds are poodles, shih-tzus, bichons, etc. This type of coat will continue to grow longer and longer, much like human hair, with genetics being the final determination in reference to length. Double-coated or fur-bearing breeds have coats that grow to a predetermined length. They can be further separated into open coats and closed coats. These breeds have a hard, protective outer coat (guard hairs) and a soft, dense undercoat. Examples of open, double-coated breeds are any of the spitz-type breeds, such as Siberian huskies, Pomeranians and chows.

This coat is designed to shed snow or ice and provide maximum protection against freezing weather. Closed, double-coated breeds have noticeably longer guard hairs, which lay down over the undercoat, sort of like a blanket. While the outer, or guard, hairs get wet, the undercoat works to keep the dog's skin dry. Examples include golden retrievers, Australian shepherds and Newfoundlands.

Single-coated breeds can be clipped down to the skin, and the coat will grow back pretty much as it was before. The same is not true for double-coated breeds. For this reason, shaving these dogs down is not a solution to summer heat.

Think of a healthy double coat as an old-growth forest. There is a balance with different parts providing different benefits. If you clear-cut an old growth forest, there will be immediate regrowth of a lot of young trees very soon. Unfortunately, they won't initially be the same kind as those you cut down. Instead, the forest has to start from scratch and spend decades, first growing ground cover and softwoods that provide an environment for slower growing hardwood varieties. It takes generations before the natural balance is restored. While on a much shorter timeline, it's the same thing with a double-coated dog. Guard hairs represent old growth, and undercoat represents ground covering vegetation.

The act of shaving a double coat removes the dog's natural insulation and causes his system to kick into high gear. He'll now produce coat to protect himself from extreme temperatures, sunburn and sharp objects. Since the top coat or guard hairs take a long time to grow, what the dog's body produces first is soft undercoat. That's why we hear people say, “I shaved my dog, and it grew back twice as thick and really fuzzy!” In reality, what happens is that the original coat isn't restored at all. What grows in instead is thick, prolific undercoat mixed with short new guard hairs. We call it false coat or coat funk.

So, why is this bad? Picture this scenario: It's 90 degrees outside. You're getting dressed to go work in your yard. Are you going to put on a light cotton T-shirt and sunblock or thermal underwear and a sweatshirt? A dog's shaved-down false coat is like that sweatshirt. It's dull, soft and soaks up water like a sponge. Burrs and foxtails stick like Velcro. Above all else, it's way too thick for hot weather. By the time that false coat grows out enough to protect the dog from sunburn, scrapes and bites (the usual job of the top coat), it is so thick that the poor dog might as well be wearing thermal underwear and a sweatshirt.

Remember, Mother Nature designed the undercoat to be extremely heat-retentive. Do you take your dog to a grooming salon? You can request a bath and blow-out. Virtually all modern professional grooming salons have high velocity blow dryers in their work areas. These powerhouses can literally blast the dead undercoat out of your dog's hair after a thorough bathing with minimal brushing and combing needed. The benefit to your dog is a healthy, balanced coat you can both live with. Sure, you could opt for the shave-down, but you'll more than likely be back in a month or so for another “shave-down” because your dog is cooking in its own hair.

Then, if you're like most owners who fall into this cycle, you'll intentionally let your dog's woolly false coat grow out all winter “for warmth,” only to have it shaved off again in the spring. In reality, all winter long while you're under the false notion that your dog is staying warm and dry under that thick layer of fuzz, his coat is matting, retaining water and mud and possibly even mildewing. It will stay cold and wet for hours. Do you see the vicious cycle that started?

In some cases, owners really don't have a choice. If there's an underlying skin condition, requiring removal of the hair, obviously shaving is the lesser of two evils. Same applies if the coat is so matted that shaving is truly the most humane option, affording the owner a chance to start over and improve their brushing skills. These are situations to thoroughly discuss with both your veterinarian and your groomer so you can make an informed decision.

However, if your sole motivation for shaving your dog in the spring is to “keep him cool,” you need to know that you're actually creating a far worse situation than you think. Aside from destroying coat integrity, shaved dogs are susceptible to a multitude of complications, including, but not limited to, alopecia, heat stroke and skin cancer, specifically Solar-induced Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Dermal Hemangiosarcomas. Sometimes, these complications are not reversible.

Nancy Bynes is a certified master groomer with more than 38 years of experience. She lives in Nevada City.

This article was originally published in the Nevada City Union, June, 2011.

05/02/2024

Take a look at these cuties 🤩

04/30/2024

Does your pup need a nail trim, bath, haircut, or just a little off the top? Give us a call to get your pup set up for their next Spa day!

04/29/2024

Happy Monday everyone! Check out these cuties 😍

04/27/2024

Did you know A Spa For Paws is open on Saturday? We are here to pamper your pups 6 days a week!

Here are some lovely dogs that came to see us 💖

04/23/2024

It's Transformation Tuesday 🤩

Take a look at all these stunning before and afters! If your dog is ready for a makeover give us a call 💖

04/23/2024

We love these beautiful faces 💖

04/23/2024

Life is better with friends! Check out these lucky pups who get to have a Spa day with their family 💖

04/22/2024

Take a look at these cuties who came to see us!

Are your pups ready for a spring cleaning? Give us a call today!

Our schedule is filling up fast so reach out to us if you are looking to get in soon. 💖

04/19/2024

As the weather warms up, our schedule is filling up! Call us today to ensure your furry friend has a spot for their next Spa Day.

We hope to see you soon 💖

04/18/2024

It's throwback Thursday, let's see those puppy pictures! 😍😍

04/18/2024

Aren't they precious? Don't wait to give us a call and schedule your next appointment! We look forward to pampering your pup 💖

04/16/2024

It is tongue out Tuesday! Let's see some cute pictures of your pups 😜

04/13/2024

small doggy daycare/boarding/grooming and training facility. family owned & operated. Fully insured.

04/11/2024

Here are some of the gorgeous pups Brienna has recently groomed. Give us a call for availability to get your pup on the schedule! 💖

04/08/2024

These adorable dogs received the royal treatment at A Spa For Paws!

We have openings at both Red River K9 II LLC and A Spa For Paws for grooming 💖 Give us a call to set up your pups next Spa day!