Off The Grid K9 LLC

11/27/2024

It’s all fun and games until someone loses a finger… or a hand! 🤣🤣

11/24/2024

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11/18/2024

To be candid, dogs have consumed my attention for as long as I can remember. The affinity for dogs is instinctive, not acquired. They are not a discretionary interest I engage in sporadically, but a fundamental aspect of my lifestyle.

11/08/2024

We’re evolving once again… stay tuned for big changes. The tree that fell on our shop June 5th may have slowed my progress but nothing stops me! Big Red for tax because who doesn’t love a big brown hound?!

11/04/2024

No, a dog does not need “your stinky mitt” shoved into its face for it to smell you. I assure you it smelt you long before you ever invaded its space. Do as your momma told ya and keep your hands to yourself! 🤣

Quit sticking your hand in dogs’ faces. It could pick out your personal joint at a Willie Nelson concert; it can smell your stinky mitt just fine from a respectful distance.

11/02/2024

Tonight I’m here to debunk a few myths!

Here are a few that I hear on a very regular basis and are 100% untrue.

1. “Doodles (poodle mixes) are non-shedding and “hypoallergenic”.

False. After over a decade in the grooming industry I can safely tell you majority of the “doodles” I’ve had my hands on do shed quite a bit. No two doodles (not even ones from the same littler) are the same! Most have combination coats that are difficult to maintain unless they are trimmed short and groomed often (every 4-7 weeks).

2. People are allergic to dog hair.

False. People are allergic to the proteins in dog’s skin and saliva!

3. Shaving a double coated (goldens, newfoundlands, Australian shepherds, shelties, ect.) dog helps keeps them cooler in the summer, makes their groom last longer, or makes them shed less.

False. Shaving your double coated dog does NONE of the above! The only way to help keep your dog stay cool is to keep the dead coat brushed or blown out and keeping extra weight off of them (fat=insulation). Shaving a double coated dogs fur diminishes the functionality of the coat and your dogs ability to regulate its own temperature. Your dogs fur acts as insulation, it helps keep them cool in summer and warm in the winter.

4. How your dog turns out as an adult is “all in how they are raised”.

False. Your dogs genetics play a direct role in the traits your dog has. We can alter behavior but we cannot change genetics. Unfortunately this misconception results in a lot of dogs ending up in shelters. Do your research on the breed you are obtaining to make sure it fits your lifestyle.

Photoed in Yuka the Belgian Malinois. Yuka is about 3 years old and I am the 6th person she’s been with in her life. She’s been told a few times in her life that she is “too much”… and for the average dog owner a Belgian Malinois would be “too much”.

10/17/2024

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10/10/2024

I am incredibly grateful that my clients are allowing me to share these photos to help educate other people. Pictured is a long time clients Rough Coated Collie. I briefly stepped away from grooming, during that time they brought their Collie to a different groomer. Education and good grooming practices matter folks… pictured below is how my Collie client returned to me in June of this year. This breed has a double coat and is not supposed to be cut into… after cutting a coat to this extreme (which, was not asked for) the coat may never return to its normal state. Please, do your research on the professionals you choose and trust with your pets. Make sure you know what their skill level and education is. In the comments I will post photos of this dogs coat rehabilitation process (which will be a very long one) and how she used to look before I stepped away from grooming (before she was given this hair cut by another groomer).

10/08/2024

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09/27/2024

I could not agree more! I absolutely love “hard breeds”, I love working with dogs that are a challenge. Not every dog is soft and “purely positive” does not work for every dog. It is incredibly important to work with a trainer who has a “hat full of tricks” and understands “purely positive” doesn’t work for every dog. If the dog world keeps going this direction there won’t be and “hard breeds” left, and that’d be a damn shame.

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Putting a dog down and condemning them to death because you refuse to use any method that isn't "positive only" isn't very positive...

Sedating a dog into a zombie because you don't like other training tools isn't very positive...

Restricting a dog to a confined life without the chance to thrive isn't very positive...

Telling someone to put down their 8 month old working line dog for having lots of energy and acting like an 8-month-old working dog isn't very positive...

Guilting a young family that lives in an apartment into adopting a large dog with behavior issues isn't very positive...

Telling an older lady their dog would be better off dead then using a prong collar that helps her walk and control her dog isn't very positive....

Bashing other trainers because they don't train dogs using only one method isn't very positive...

Having an owner put a 5 month old puppy on 400mg of trazadone isn't very positive...

Harming dogs because of your own ego isn't very positive...

All of the things I just listed are REAL things that owners have dealt with by "certified positive only trainers and behaviorists."

Anyone can be certified online for $50. It means nothing.

Dogs and their humans deserve real trainers who care and emphasize for both ends of the leash. Trainers who will tailor training to each dog in front of them. Don't be fooled by the "positive" sounding approach. That's just fancy marketing from people who care more about their ego and lining their pockets rather than helping the dog community.

I've chosen to speak out on this because I care and hate seeing dogs harmed. The positive only cult is doing more harm than good to dogs. Dogs and owners that are already having a difficult time. Enough is enough.

09/26/2024

WARNING! This post is going to be blunt, non-sugar coated and very serious.

I’ve grown incredibly intolerant of no call-no shows, last minute cancellations, and late arrivals. $200+ dollars has been lost this week alone to no-shows. I have shop policies to protect the well being of my shop and my time for a reason. My wait list is VERY long with potential clients who would appreciated and respected my time. I can be understanding of a rare occasion but my time is valuable and will be paid for.

Secondly!

If your dog or a dog you recently acquired is showing signs of illness, keep it away from my shop! It clearly states in my shop polices to keep any and all sick dogs home (this is common sense). Also, if there is a chance another dog in your home has an illness that is contagious DO NOT bring any other dogs who live in the home, to my shop. Just because that dog is asymptomatic DOES NOT mean it is not carrying the illness. I will not tolerate a client putting my personal dogs or my other clients dogs at risk because of negligence.

If you are offended by anything I write in this post today, I am unapologetic about that. My time is valuable, the cleanliness of my shop is incredibly important to me, and I will not keep clients who cannot respect that. I do hospice grooms, I groom dogs who are immune compromised, I groom the very young and the very elderly.

Lastly…

THANK YOU to my clients who respect me, respect my time, respect my shop, I am forever grateful to have you! The good far outweigh the bad, I’m appreciative of that and those who make my job easier.

-Shawna

09/25/2024

Thank you to my lovely clients who gifted the shop some cute fall decor!

09/25/2024

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09/20/2024

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09/03/2024

08/18/2024

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