Just a reminder that It’s A Dog’s Life will be closed from Saturday May 19th- Monday May 21st. There will be no daycare or training held on any of these days. If anyone is looking to board their dogs be sure to book ahead to reserve a spot.
**For all new boarding dogs who have not done daycare, a temperament test is required at least a day before their first day so be sure to book this ahead of time**
Just a reminder our groomer will not be working this Saturday May 5th. Anyone looking for drop in services such as face trims, brush outs and nail trims are welcome to come in this week Tuesday to Friday from 9am-4pm.
Due to a family emergency our groomer will be away this Friday April 27th. We will not be able to provide our regular drop in services such as nail trims, or full grooming services. We thank you for your understanding on the matter and apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.
With the warmer weather, its time to get ready for flea season. Last year had been the worst year for fleas that our groomer has seen in a long time, and with an unseasonably warmer winter, we are sure this year will be too. Be sure to get them on a flea prevention treatment soon. There will be an automatic extra $10 charge to any grooming dogs and automatic extra $20 charge for daycare dogs who come in with fleas. This charge is to cover the cost of the product used to treat the facility to kill any fleas which may have found their way in.
Just a reminder that It’s A Dog’s Life will be closed from Friday April 6th – Monday April 9th, with no daycare or training during these days. We will be open again on Tuesday April 10th at regular hours. Anyone looking for boarding over the long weekend must reserve a spot by no later than 11am on Thursday April 5th. Please be advise we will have designated pick up and drop off times for anyone boarding on these days as well. For more information please call us our facility at 416-537-6580.
For our grooming clients: Many people like to keep the coats of their dogs longer for the winter. With the combination of length, winter weather and not enough brushing, your dog may have extremely matted coats. If the coat is too matted, our groomer may have to do a complete shave down. For some coats they may still have the option of being saved by being de- matted. There will be a $35/hour de- matting charge. However it may also mean re-booking your appointment to another day due to time restrictions. We are booking 2-3 weeks in advanced, so if you notice that the coat is getting a bit hard to keep, call to reserve a spot ahead of time so we can do our best to give your pooch the look you love!
Spring is here, and grooming season is in full gear, which means we will be booking 2-3 weeks in advance! Already we have a limited number of spots before the Easter long weekend. If your dog is in need of a groom, call to grab a spot before they all go!!!
Maintaining the drop coat
Drop coats such as those found on the Shih-tzu and maltese shed in a mosaic pattern. Tangles form in these coats easily as the guard coat wraps up and individual hairs cross over one another. Tangles turn to mats when rapidly growing undercoat gets trapped beneath the crossing top coat and worsen with friction and moisture. Moisture acts on a tangled coat the same way a hot dryer acts on a wool sweater- tightening the tangles to the point that they are pulling on a dog’s skin. Matting that is pulling on a dogs skin can become extremely painful – similar to tying your own hair back in an extremely tight ponytail. Irritation can develop under the matting and many skin problems can be hidden. In extreme cases of matting the mat can reduce blood flow to certain areas of the body and severe cases seen by animal control have resulted in the loss of limbs.
To avoid painful matting a dog must be brushed regularly with the proper tools and groomed frequently. The length of a dogs coat will dictate how often s/he should be groomed. The longer the coat, the more frequently the dog needs to be groomed in order to remove tangles and dead coat. The length of the coat will also dictate the frequency and method of brushing. A coat ½ “ or longer needs to be brushed at least 4 times a week and every time the dog gets wet. A coat over 1” must be brushed even more frequently. A dog maintained between ½” – 1” should be groomed every 6-8 weeks a shorter kept coat can go a little longer in between and a coat over 4” should be groomed every 2-4 weeks depending on home maintenance.
Line brushing with a slicker brush and follow up with a metal medium tooth comb is the best method to maintain the coat. Lift the coat up with one hand and brush down and out along the hair brushing through one section at a time and making sure to get right down to the skin WITHOUT dragging the brush over the skin itself.
With the weather warming up, grooming season is heading back into full gear! If your dog is in need of a groom, be sure to call today to book them a spot. We are currently booking from one and a half to two weeks in advance!!
With the March break coming up, many people are planning on trips or even a weekend escape. While you’re away having fun, why not let your dog have some too? Our boarding allows your dog to spend the day in daycare, playing with their doggy friends and spend the nights with their human friend!! To see if this is the best option for your dog, call today and we will set up a free assessment for them!