Bonejourmtl

Bonejourmtl Salon de toilettage BoneJourMTL
Award winning dog grooming by a certified master stylist in the plateau mont royal. Sculpting dog hair with care since 2011
(20)

I want to say a really big thank you to everyone that's supported BoneJour over the years ❤️ It's been a wonderful adven...
31/05/2023

I want to say a really big thank you to everyone that's supported BoneJour over the years ❤️
It's been a wonderful adventure in self employment, and it's been a great career working with animals over the last 12 years.
Unfortunately due to health issues this chapter now comes to a close so I can focus on rest and recovery.
This ended up being quite an immediate change due to a sudden flare up of issues durinh may that I couldn't seem to alleviate.
Safety has always been a really big priority for me, and this health flare was becoming unsafe for both me and potentially your dog's 💔 its been a tough choice, and I don't know what the future holds other than immediately resting and managing symptoms.

Thank you so so much for all the support and love through the years.
I'll miss all of you, and this little salon!

-Shona

27/02/2022

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BEHAVIOUR

One of the most common questions we as dog training professionals get asked is ‘Can you give me a few tips on [insert behaviour here] and whilst I can give you a few tips, I want to explain to you why I probably won’t and the reasons behind it.

Recently on a FB live I did in my Romanian Rescue Community Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDogsPointofView)
I shared a slide I had quickly put together to help me get this point across, and I want to share that again with you here, although I’m glad to say I have since made the slide look a whole lot better! (You can see the shockingly bad original one on my FB live recording in the group, when I also shared a few general tips for Romanian Rescue Adopters)

As you can see from this picture, the observable behaviour you actually see your dog ‘DOING’ can be underpinned, driven by and be a result of a large number of OTHER things. These could be major contributing factors or minor contributing factors, it doesn’t really matter, but what it means is, if none of these POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS to your dog’s behaviour are taken into account and considered from the DOG’s Point of View, then any ‘tips’ I give you are unlikely to be the best advice I can give that would help.

Not only that, but I could give you tips or recommendations that might be wrong for your dog and your particular circumstances. I could give you tips that make the behaviour worse. I could give you tips that may upset your dog, or cause them to feel threatened in some way, because I’m missing important pieces of the puzzle.

This could result in them changing their behaviours in a less positive way and/or doing something unexpected. This is why giving a ‘few tips’ or ‘bit of advice’ can actually be dangerous in some cases.

People seem to forget we are living with an animal that has 42 teeth that were designed to rip into flesh and crush bone! Thankfully, for the most part, our dogs avoid using them in a confrontational way, but that doesn't mean they won't if pushed.

This is why I am often horrified to see some of the advice given on Facebook posts where someone has asked for some ‘tips’

Often it is advice that is incorrect, given by the general public, but even if it is advice that is suitable and worked for that person and their dog, it doesn’t mean it will work for someone else and their dog, who will be experiencing the world in a completely different way.

To give an example...

A question I see asked often in Facebook posts is around excessive barking, a common issue for adopters of Romanian or Foreign rescue dogs because of their GENETICS (that’s one contributing factor there)

Even if I gave one BEST piece of advice I could, if that dog had just ONE thing from that list of possible contributing factors, let’s say elevated baseline stress levels, then my advice is likely to be ineffective.

Not only that, but it’s likely to create frustration and discord for both the human and canine halves of the partnership in trying to apply it because the underlying cause of the behaviour is not being addressed.

In fact, let me just say, relative to the seemingly simple problem of excessive barking (most pet parents perceive a dog barking is simple to resolve, which it isn’t necessarily), it is entirely possible that all of those contributing factors could be impacting on or driving the behaviour and they NEED to be taken into consideration for progress to be seen, that not only reduces the degree and intensity of the barking behaviour, but that also supports that dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing whilst doing so.

Can you see how it really isn’t as simple as ‘just giving some tips or advice?’

Even something as simple as how long a dog has been in the home or how old they are can make the progress plan for that dog look very different.

It is SO IMPORTANT to remember your dog is A THINKING, FEELING, EMOTIONAL BEING, JUST LIKE YOU, BUT DIFFERENT.

They can be affected by not only life and the world around them as much as we are, but also by how they are experiencing the world at any given moment, in the same way that we are. They are as individual and unique in both their perspective of the world and how they respond to it, as much as we are.

I hope this article has helped provide you with a bit of a deeper understanding of your dog and of why it simply isn’t possible or appropriate to ‘give you a few tips.’

#

Let's talk decompression and why it's important for your dogs! I've recently been incorporating decompression activities...
25/01/2022

Let's talk decompression and why it's important for your dogs!
I've recently been incorporating decompression activities into your dog's grooming services and seeing huge benefits.
Whether your dog arrives in a hyperactive excited frenzy, an anxious scared ball of nerves, or reacts to something along the walk (or drive) to the salon it's really important to the dogs to decompress that energy before we start.
Hyperactivity, anxiety and reactivity are all states of increased cortisol and adrenaline and can increase your dog's chances of being startled and becoming even more anxious or reactive during the grooming.
I'm sure any groomer can tell you about a super over excited hyperactive puppy they've groomed that startled quick and then started using their teeth to communicate... This is because that extreme excitement is very similar in the body to anxiety and reactivity!
Getting your dog's calm and relaxed before starting gets them to think clearer, learn better, startle and react less during the process.
Being mindful of what's happening inside their bodies is extremely important for reducing their stress for salon visits!

24/01/2022

Building positive associations is important!
Paul had a great successful nail trim where we worked on pairing handling and the sight of tiny nail clippers with treats he found reinforcing.
By conditioning positive associations to all of these things together we were able to decrease his anxiety for the process and have him willing to engage in his nail care because he found it enjoyable and rewarding instead of threatening.
Before starting, and once finished he decompressed with something called a snuffle mat, by using a mat like this for anxious dogs they're able to decrease their stress levels by doing something they find enjoyable and rewarding (sniffing and foraging for treats), instead of starting with a high level of stress.
By working with our dogs natural instincts and incorporating associative learning to the process we're able to build care that's enjoyable for the dogs that they want to engage with rather than run away from!
The dogs feel safe, they feel secure, and if they find the process threatening we know we haven't fully trained a positive association to the process and need to step back for them to enjoy it and be willing to engage in their care.

19/01/2022

Too long to be a reel 😭 but important!
Behavior modification for decreasing fear, stress, and anxiety to experiences your dog needs in their life doesn't happen in the same way it happened or by a process that stresses your dog more.

If we continue in the same old way for dogs that exhibit these signs the problem 98% of the time will just get worse.

Exposure to similar experiences allows for the fear to be decreased over time as positive experiences are built up and trust is gained back.

Desensitization and creating positive experiences after bad ones is possible, but you have to go slow and steady for progress.

17/12/2021

Last post of 2021! I know the year isn’t over yet, but I’m closing out the year of posting a little early to talk about an important subject.
In 2022 I’m no longer going to be posting after photos of your dogs!
I’ve done a lot of reevaluation this year, and I no longer think it's beneficial to your pets or myself to be prioritizing posts that focus on simply the aesthetic factor of the services I provide.
As social media has grown and changed many industries it's impacted dogs in so many ways, and grooming is no longer seen as a preventative health care service, and instead a service simply for aesthetics.
Pet care has changed significantly and the aesthetic aspect of animals is consistently being valued more than their comfort, training, overall wellness, and other basic needs.
I know many will end up disagreeing with me, but I don't think promoting a preventative health care service by its aesthetic value is serving the animals properly anymore.
In 2022 instead my posts will be focused more on showing your dog's as a participant within their care, highlighting their comfort, their willingness to learn new behaviors, and really giving a different perspective on what grooming visits are.
In the past I've used "low stress environment" to try to describe what I work towards, but after reflecting I think a term that more people can understand is "Dog centered care".
Underneath the aesthetic you want is; your dog!
Their needs within the service need to be prioritized in all interactions before a perfect end result is ever considered.
Going into my 11th (😳) year working with dogs I feel like there's been a lot of changes within the way the industry works, and I think more of us need to promote compassionate care, our understanding of behavior, and fully advocate for the dogs needs inside and outside the salon because the social media algorithms are doing the opposite.

Thank you so much to all my clients for understanding my position on this, please definitely feel free to tag me still, I'll still repost your photos! 💕 Your support has always meant the world to me, and with your support I can continue creating a safe mindful environment for your pets.

Nothing like a gorgeous poodle! 🐩✨Everybody loves aesthetically pleasing trims! The poodle trims, Teddy bear cuts and As...
28/11/2021

Nothing like a gorgeous poodle! 🐩✨
Everybody loves aesthetically pleasing trims! The poodle trims, Teddy bear cuts and Asian fusion cuts are in such demand, and so cute!
However there's lots to keep in mind if you enjoy your pet in an aesthetically pleasing trim.
1. Can you commit to the daily maintainance of brushing and combing your pup to keep them gorgeous and tangle free? If your schedule doesn't quite allow for this, or your dog is uncomfortable with the process you may need to find an alternative that works for you both!
2. Frequent salon appointments. For all breeds, but especially curly coated breeds there is damage to the hair that comes with daily brushing. To grow the hair longer, and keep it tangle free frequent salon appointments can't be skipped. Deep conditioning treatments and cutting off damaged ends helps to keep the skin healthy and prevents matting and tangles and protects the hairs integrity.
3. Fear, stress and anxiety. If your dog is fearful for parts of the groom that are essential to these trims, these trims won't be ethical to accomplish without reducing the fear through positive experiences and training.
A trim that has less of what your dog is fearful for can help increase confidence in the process and help your dog to enjoy grooming.
Being open to changing hair goals and expectations depending on your dog's comfort is important!
4. Your lifestyle! If you enjoy hiking, swimming, park trips, puddle jumping and letting your dog live their best outdoor dog life you're going to have a lot more daily upkeep. A shorter trim can really help your dog to enjoy all these things without an hour of brushing every night. Let your dog have fun!
💖

I've been waiting and watching so patiently and finally need to share this coat progress! This is  and I've been working...
27/10/2021

I've been waiting and watching so patiently and finally need to share this coat progress!
This is and I've been working on trying to get his coat back since March and it's finally showing some great results! (Swipe through!!!)
So much thicker, fuller, and there's a noticeable (inch long!) layer of black guard coat finally regrown, his undercoat is also looking much healthier, silkier and less wispy.

Can't wait to see how he'll look with a full body of hair again.

Thank you everyone! BoneJour has reached client capacity yet again, and the online booking is now not accepting new clie...
27/09/2021

Thank you everyone!
BoneJour has reached client capacity yet again, and the online booking is now not accepting new clients for Emily or Shona!
We're days away from the two year anniversary of BoneJour's original opening, and one year anniversary of the salons location change to our beautiful little salon at 4490 rue fabre!
If you're an existing client, you can book in the online app! All appointments are taken in the online app and not by phone call or DM to promote a good work life balance for your groomers.
We're so happy that you've chosen us to provide your pups with top notch care, it means a lot as a super small business to have such great support and wonderful clients that understand how complex pet care can be. 💗
Thank you so much for your dedication, your commitment to keeping your pets healthy, happy, and we'll cared for. We love you!!

Got to groom little lily today! She's come so far in the past two years since being adopted and has had quite the histor...
27/05/2021

Got to groom little lily today!
She's come so far in the past two years since being adopted and has had quite the history!
It used to be nearly impossible for me to touch her for long periods, grooming restraints are totally out of the picture, and much of her groom is spent eating soft food from a slow feeder bowl.
She doesn't see much anymore, I don't know how much she can actually hear, but she's come a long long way with trusting the process and I'm so thankful her family trusts me with her!
There aren't many salons that take on seniors like her, and she was one of my clients that made housecall grooming so fulfilling for me before starting the salon.
Although my feed is filled with beautifully scissored dogs, it's not always those dogs that truly make me feel like I'm making a difference.
Having a senior dog learn to trust the process when they start getting groomed late in life is so rewarding for me!
Thanks for your trust Lily and family! ❤️

Warning, if you swipe right you'll possibly be in awe of the cute dogs that have visited the salon recently 😍 Photograph...
14/05/2021

Warning, if you swipe right you'll possibly be in awe of the cute dogs that have visited the salon recently 😍
Photographed: , miles, oomka, and Walter!
❤️ @ Plateau Mont-Royal

Happy Saturday!! Finally got to try my airbrush from  on a real dog 😍 is this pink tail just incredible??? Happy 3rd bir...
08/05/2021

Happy Saturday!! Finally got to try my airbrush from on a real dog 😍 is this pink tail just incredible???
Happy 3rd birthday to ! Always a pleasure to groom her, and I really love the spring/summer color appointments! @ Plateau Mont-Royal

So amazed with this first place in the  poodle specialty judged by the amazingly talented Jackie Boulton! ❤️ I put a lot...
03/05/2021

So amazed with this first place in the poodle specialty judged by the amazingly talented Jackie Boulton! ❤️
I put a lot of effort and work into this trim on Wiggins and I'm so thankful to for letting me borrow him for the day last week to put him in this gorgeous trim.
I'm so critical of my trims, but this really makes me think I might be moving in the right direction with them ❤️
I really can't wait for the in person competitions to happen again and I'm getting a little more hopeful I can pull these trims off in the future in the ring!

If you look through my previous posts you can see my progression with this trim on Wiggins! This is my fourth time grooming him and it just gets better each time!

Products used: everyday shampoo line, for scissor work, .grooming combs, for clipper work, scissor spray, hairspray ❤️ Thank you so much for making these amazing products to produce such fabulous results! @ Plateau Mont-Royal

Happy Sunday! Here's some of yesterday's dogs! Have a great weekend ❤️ @ Plateau Mont-Royal
02/05/2021

Happy Sunday! Here's some of yesterday's dogs! Have a great weekend ❤️ @ Plateau Mont-Royal

"Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong."
26/04/2021

"Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong."

Feeling like I have a long way to go with these poodle trims, but seeing some improvements! Growth is sometimes slow, bu...
25/04/2021

Feeling like I have a long way to go with these poodle trims, but seeing some improvements!
Growth is sometimes slow, but it's always a gradual movement and I learn more and more every time I try! ❤️

(Note: he isnt baring his teeth in the second photo, it was a slip as the timer went off and I didn't get another photo of his profile 🤦‍♀️) @ Montreal, Quebec

***Current clients only*** Looking for dogs that would be available for a Sunday grooming in June! I'll be teaching a gr...
08/04/2021

***Current clients only***
Looking for dogs that would be available for a Sunday grooming in June! I'll be teaching a groomer some head styles, so if your dog gets a cute face style and you'd be available on a Sunday in JUNE send me a message!

08/04/2021

Lola from yesterday 💕 I love her trim so much! Are you on tiktok?
Bonejourtoilettage is! And I'm having a lot of fun over there!
If you're there, let's follow each other!

My gosh! Where have I been these last few weeks? Apparently not posting your pups to my Instagram feed! If you didn't ca...
07/04/2021

My gosh! Where have I been these last few weeks? Apparently not posting your pups to my Instagram feed!
If you didn't catch these cuties in my Instagram stories I have loads of pictures to show now!!
First up we have , omg the head tilt!
Second there's He's come a long way in trusting the process and used to be a housecall pup before covid times!
Third is the always spectacular , with his new and improved round hear, fluffy ears AND MULLET.
Next the gorgeous .snoopy 💕 fabulous westie!
Then who is the cutest little guy!! Can't wait to see progress on his hair growth!
Then the handsome , the cutest little chocolate schauz,
Next up.... looking Dapper as always!
The amazing duo, Ako and Virgil,
in her fluffy best,
And last but not at all least being not an average poodle at all!!

Sorry to be so late to upload your gorgeous pups!
Aren't these some of the cutest pups you've seen?
Truly blessed to know them all and to work with them! Love being your groomer 💕 @ Montreal, Quebec

Working on Lili's trim and posting in .grooming 's makeover competition!!I'm in love with this trim on Lili and I'm lovi...
19/03/2021

Working on Lili's trim and posting in .grooming 's makeover competition!!
I'm in love with this trim on Lili and I'm loving the amount of online competitions available to enter this year to learn more while we can't travel for competitions and critiques, it's been amazing that we can compete with groomers all over the world without leaving our salons!


@ Montreal, Quebec

Long time since I posted anything! Getting through the after lockdown rush is almost over! 💕 Here's a throwback from a f...
14/03/2021

Long time since I posted anything!
Getting through the after lockdown rush is almost over! 💕
Here's a throwback from a few weeks ago, the always amazing 🥰
Currently his haircut is in a transition stage as his head, neck ears and tail are growing out! This is going to be such a fun transformation over the next few months!

So thrilled to have been judged by some very talented groomers and to have placed in two of the competitions I had recen...
07/03/2021

So thrilled to have been judged by some very talented groomers and to have placed in two of the competitions I had recently entered!
Second place salon styled put on by World Pet Association!
Second place intermediate salon freestyle, and Second in model dog group put on by Online Competitive Pet Stylist club.
Absolutely honored!
And very excited for the upcoming Mastergroom UK online, and for the British Creative Dog Grooming Championship online!
I've entered both and will be grooming Lili shortly for them 💕 I also have a very cool model dog design to complete!!
These online competitions are really helping me practice, and I'm loving not having to travel in order to receive such great critiques from outstanding groomers in this industry. @ Montreal, Quebec

21/02/2021

A big poodle makeover today!
I absolutely love this trim and I think I almost nailed it 👌
Can't wait to do it again!

February 2021 is pretty special for me!  It marks ten years working as a pet groomer, that's over a third of my life spe...
18/02/2021

February 2021 is pretty special for me!
It marks ten years working as a pet groomer, that's over a third of my life spent so far making your pets beautiful 💕
It was hard choosing a photo for this post, so I choose a few from over the years.
Over the last ten years I've had some pretty interesting career goals and am shocked to have completed all the ones I previously set by this point.
I started my career in February 2011 in Calgary Alberta and knew I wanted to move to Montréal, to have my own business and to one day place first in a grooming competition! I wanted to do all these things before my ten year mark and ended up making it happen.
My goals have definitely changed over the years, early in my career I wanted to be more of a creative groomer and specialize in coloring pets, my papillon Teto was constantly my demo dog for this and was every color of the rainbow. He loved the attention from strangers asking about his colorful tail!
These days I like to focus more on breed standard grooming and also asian fusion styles and my poodle Lili is happy to help me out!
Over the next few years I hope to continue learning as much as I can in this industry, start teaching and continue competing (when it's safe to do in person shows again!), I'd also love to certify with a few more organizations and grow my knowledge further.
It's been a great journey so far and I'm so excited to continue growing and learning. 💕 @ Montreal, Quebec

The matting season has appeared earlier than normal, which I thought would be a great opportunity for a post on the freq...
16/02/2021

The matting season has appeared earlier than normal, which I thought would be a great opportunity for a post on the frequently asked questions about coat maintenance!
If you struggle with maintaining your dog's hair, I truly hope this post will be helpful for you.
First off, what tools do you need?
To keep your dog tangle free all year long you'll need a slicker brush, a fine tooth comb, and a quality brushing spray.
Depending on your dog's length you'll need to use these items at least once a week or every day for fluffy coats.
Why and how do you use a brushing spray? Before you start using your brush it's important to mist your dog's hair lightly with a spray, this will reduce static and reduce the damage brushing does to the coat.
Curly coated dogs have hair that's easily broken and damaged by frequent brushing, and when damage happens the broken hairs tangle together easier making all that brushing useless.
How do you make sure the coat is tangle free?
After your dog is misted and comfortable, brush the coat starting at the base of the hair and be sure you are brushing all the way down to the roots and skin! When you think your work is complete take a fine tooth comb and comb through the coat. If you can't comb from the skin to the ends of the hair you'll need to mist the coat again and brush again.
If there's any pulling or resistance with the brush or comb that means there's tangles!
If there's too many tangles, and your pup has ventured into wet weather or wears clothing that compresses the tangles and moisture you may end up with matting that can't be brushed out and will require a shave.
Groomers truly don't enjoy shaving dogs bald, but it's the most humane thing to do when the tangles have become tight.
Tight matting can cause skin issues, infections, loss of circulation to the limbs and many other preventable issues!
Frequent grooming and coat maintenance is preventative care for your pet and essential to your pets health.
If you have any questions, post them and I'll be sure to answer!

Last week I finished up my little model dog and added some color thanks to  airbrush! Airbrushing services are now able ...
14/02/2021

Last week I finished up my little model dog and added some color thanks to airbrush!
Airbrushing services are now able to be offered at the salon, it's much quicker than permanent dyes and only lasts a wash!
Coloring services are included in the salons hourly rate of $50/hour and the sky is the limit when it comes to your options!
Model dog wig and body is from

While I'm so glad to be back in the salon, my focus will be on getting all these pups back to their beautiful self and n...
11/02/2021

While I'm so glad to be back in the salon, my focus will be on getting all these pups back to their beautiful self and not on taking photos!
I know everyone loves their pets being posted to Instagram, but each pet is going to be taking a little longer than normal due to their over grown condition after lockdown.
Here's a Lili photo to brighten your feed 💕

09/02/2021

A little before and after video of 💕 So excited to be back in the salon tomorrow and seeing all your pups again!!

It's a good day when my own dog finally gets a haircut! I changed up her head shape a little today and decided to do a m...
09/02/2021

It's a good day when my own dog finally gets a haircut!
I changed up her head shape a little today and decided to do a much rounder style! I'll be entering this groom into online in the Asian fusion class!
Scared, but excited to enter!

Bonejour will be back to grooming your dog's February 9th! Between today and Saturday I'm going through my list of clien...
03/02/2021

Bonejour will be back to grooming your dog's February 9th!
Between today and Saturday I'm going through my list of clients and will be contacting people that had their January appointments cancelled by order of who I haven't seen in the longest.
The entire month of January was fully booked when the shutdown was announced, and February was almost full as well.
The extreme amount of rescheduling will mean that the salon will more than likely be booked until April when everyone is rescheduled.
I'm doing my best right now to accomodate as many of my clients as possible, and for the foreseeable future I will continue to not take on new clientele as my client list is full.
Thank you to everyone for understanding, please wait for me to contact you if you had your appointment cancelled and did not have a place reserved in February.

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