Dog grooming, proffesional ?

lil_me

Firstly how much is it, ish? For a german shepherd.

Secondly is it worth it ? Anything I should be wary of ?

Megan is a bit heavy to put in our bath and can't be lifted easily, she's too old to jump in, to be honest I think she could do with some pampering, also her claws are getting long no matter how much she's walked, do they do those aswell?


TIA for any advice

catkins

I live in Essex and the prices vary enormously. I have an afghan and I pay £35. Before I found this groomer I was paying £60 a time. I rang round a few groomers and the quotes ranged from £35 to £100!!!! I think the one that quoted £100 did not want to groom him as obviously he is a lot of hard work!

I personally like a groomer that actually seems to like dogs. The first groomer that my dog went to (the one that charged £60) did not even speak to my dog or stroke him when I took him to her. When he went the second time he really did not want to go in - I had to really pull on his lead. That made me think that he had not been happy the first time. Then when I went to collect him the woman said he had pooed on her table!!! He is the cleanest dog I have ever had so I knew then that he was unhappy and/or scared so he never went back there. The groomer I use now he has been going to for over a year (he goes twice a month) and he loves her!! She is a real dog lover and makes a big fuss of him.

Groomers usually will cut claws and clean anal glands (nice!). If I were you I would ring round a few and get some quotes. Is there a college near you that does a course on dog grooming? There is one near me and lot of people I know use it. They only charge about £10/£20 a dog but because it is only weekdays and I don't drive I can't get him there.

Slapps

i have a long haired german shepherd and paid £25 but i think that was just 4 wash and blow dry lol

best to ring round and get quotes

pboae

I have a rough coated (long haired) St. Bernard. There are two groomers I use, one charges £30.00, that's for a wash, brush out, partial clip and trim and claws. The other charges £70, just for a wash and brush out, everything else is extra, so it adds up to about £100 in the end.

He is far too heavy to be lifted into a bath, but most groomers use waist high baths, and one did use it. They managed to get him in, but getting him out was a nightmare when he was twice as heavy with a wet coat and slippery.

The ones I use now have floor level showers, and I much prefer the cheaper one because she is lovely with him, really gentle and careful with him. The others can be a bit rough. But the cheaper one washes him down outside (with my permission, because her grooming room is too small for him) so he can only go there when the weather is good.

I always insist on staying with him, because can be very nervous with strangers due to his past treatment. Some groomers won't let you stay, others will let you, but would prefer it if you don't. So I only use one's who are happy for me to stay with him. I don't think there is anything suspicious about them wanting to work alone, but it's not an option for me.

I definitely think it is worth it though. They do such a good job, it doesn't compare to a DIY hose down in the garden! My dog looks lovely when he comes out, his coat is much easier to manage and stays that way for ages.

I take him abut 3 times a year, and overall the cost is minimal compared to the everyday costs of keeping him. Having said that he hasn't been at all this year, because he has had a lot of health problems, but he is starting to look really scruffy now and he's getting mats and tats that I struggle to remove. Fingers crossed he'll stay well for the rest of the year and I'll be able to get him booked in soon.

lil_me

Ah see that would be perfect something floor level so she doesn't hurt herself.

Megan is great with strangers usually and very obedient when she knows she has to be, ex force dog so comes with that really. She's brushed daily but still leaves half herself on my floors (someone suggested pro grooming might help with this) and is trained to be upright on a short fence or wall to be brushed but this I am sure will become painful for her in time as she has a little arthritis, but apart from going in the sea and local rivers (water baby) she hasn't been washed since we got her back, she was in manky kennels aswell before she came home.

Prices are much better than I thought, I will phone round tomorrow and see where can offer the service I need (inc the floor level washing) I don't think there is a college which does grooming in my area but have just looked on yell and there is a few dog grooming places, one very local within 2 miles which I was completely unaware of I must have walked and drove past it twenty times just this week.

pboae

It makes a huge difference to the shedding. My dog is double coated (most long haired GSD are too I think?) So he has a short thick mat of woolly undercoat and then a long coarse/wiry overcoat. No matter how much I brush him he still sheds undercoat everywhere, but the groomer strips it all out.

Oh, I've also tried a mobile dog groomer. She came to the house in a huge transit van with a bath and everything inside it. It was an amazing set up and the lady who ran it was lovely, but I couldn't get my dog into the van.

(My dog was once kept tied up in a little shed/cupboard and regularly beaten, so he gets panicked if he is tethered, or shut in an enclosed space, the van was plenty big enough for most dogs, he just couldn't handle it).

lil_me

Ohhhh poor pooch, how awful, no wonder he gets scared. St Bernards are one of my favourite dogs ever, growing up with Schnorbitz I think caused that. Would love to own one one day, a neighbour has one and I get jealous every time I see him.

Megan is quite long haired, she does have that undercoat which gets everywhere! The casts take some work to get out. I currently vacuum 3-4 times a day, we call it 'removing the extra Megan', most of it is off Megan as my short haired lab x doesn't shed much at all, some relief from that would be great!! Have looked and doesn't look like any are mobile ones. Megan would get annoyed I think if she got in a vehicle and didn't go anywhere :rotfl:

Megan's story, she's been through a bit but she is a fab lady of leisure now.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=461207

lil_me

Booked in week on Thursday (just before we move) £22 inc wash, condition, dried, grooming, clipping etc. Not bad at all they seem lovely aswell.

Thanks for all the advice

pboae

I think we deserve get a pic when she is all fluffy and clean :-D

lil_me

I will do, migh be a few days after that I post it as we'll be in middle of moving and unsure when broadband will be sorted Just found out a new poochy parlour opened last week where we are moving to aswell will have to get prices from there.

foreign_correspondent

I just read your thread about how Megan ended up with you - how lovely, sometimes it just seems these things are meant to be! hope she is still well and happy, she is a handsome dog and looks like a real star too!