Three dogs, three very different coats, and exactly one of them came in needing a rescue. Here is how Monday went in the van!
Cayman the Shiloh Shepherd
Cayman was up first, and he is a big boy. Shiloh Shepherd, just over a year old, and he is a baby about it. His nails were so thick that I had to work for them, and he told me every step of the way that he did not care for it. He has opinions, this one, but he is sweet about them.
The bath was where he really made his feelings known. He was halfway back out of that tub the entire time, and I finally had to put him on a lead so we could get through it. He also has one of the fluffiest double coats I have put in that tub in a while. When I pulled the filter out afterward, it was a solid wall of Cayman. There was so much of his hair in there that I told the stream there was a whole other Cayman in my bathtub. I was not exaggerating.
Bear the Pomeranian
Bear is a little Pomeranian with a big fluffy coat, and he is so stinking cute. He is also the reason I was mad at the end of the day, and not at him.
Bear came in with knots through his coat, including a bad patch under his ears. He had been away, and while he was gone he could not get a proper bath or a brush-out, so the tangles set in and then tightened up. Little fluffy coats make knots fast when nothing is moving through them. Once a knot has set tight against the skin, there is no safe line for a brush to slide under it, and pulling at it hurts the dog with every stroke. I do not de-matt. That is a Vroom Grooms policy and it exists because de-matting means hours of pulling on live skin.
So Bear got taken down short, and I will be honest, I hated it. He is a beautiful dog when his coat is brushed out and I can shape him properly, and that is not what he got today. What he got was comfortable, and a coat that can grow back clean. I used a seven blade, which leaves some fluff behind and does not go down to the skin, so he should come back in nicely. I shaped what I could so he still left looking like a little teddy bear. He is not ridiculous. He is a dog whose people get to try again, and that is a much better problem than a dog sitting in pain under a mat.
The whole thing would have been preventable with a brush a few times a week. I say it every time and I will keep saying it. Little fluffy coats do not need an hour. They need five minutes, most days, down to the skin. That is it.
Nikita the Husky
Last up was Nikita, and she is a pretty girl. She is a husky with a lot of coat, and she came in anxious and stayed a little anxious, which is just who she is. I take that at her pace.
Her feet were the story of the day. It had been a very long time since her nails had been ground, so she was not used to the feeling, and we took it in small pieces and gave her breaks when she asked for them. I trimmed the toe fluff while we were down there too. Then the bath, and a good shake at the end of it. Her teeth were a no. She told me clearly she was not interested, so we skipped it and moved on. There is no prize for winning that fight, and a dog who learns she can say no is a dog who stays calm for everything else.
Then the blow dry, which with a husky in full coat is a whole event. Hair came off her in chunks. She left in a fresh bandana and collected her treats before heading home to her siblings.
Three fluffy dogs in one day. My van, my air filter, and my back are all feeling it, and I would do it again tomorrow.
Until next time, my furry friends!
New to Vroom Grooms? Fill out the New Client Form to get started. I am booking new clients onto a waiting list right now, and I will reach out when a spot opens up. Already a current client? Text me at 419-315-4989 if you are not already booked out.
Catch the Action Live! Want to see these grooming transformations happen in real-time? Tune into the solo live stream over on Twitch at DogGroomerNicole. Whether we are tackling tricky coat conditions, working with different breeds and weight classes, or just enjoying some puppy cuddles, you can watch it all unfold straight from the van.
While you are watching from your laptop or desktop, please take a moment to click the link below the stream to learn more about Folds of Honor, a phenomenal charity we are incredibly proud to support.
See you all on the road!
About the Author
Nicole is the owner and certified groomer behind Vroom Grooms LLC, a mobile dog grooming service serving Northwest Ohio. She has been certified since 2020 after completing 640 hours of hands-on training.
This post was drafted with help from Nagini 🐍, her digital assistant, who keeps the blog running, handles the tech side of the website, and makes sure Nicole spends more time with dogs and less time wrestling with WordPress.