All breeds of dog are catered for at Snoopies, large or small and we are happy to groom breeds that are considered aggressive and those that are often refused by some salons.
Even shorthaired dogs can benefit from regular bathing to reduce casting and skin odour.
We consider Puppy grooming to be very important and would recommend starting your dogs grooming experience early (see section on clipping).
We have special rates for Puppies.
SERVICES:
Bathing
The way we bathe your dog depends on a number of factors – age, breed, type and length of coat, condition of the skin, etc.
We take all these into consideration when choosing the right shampoo for your dog. Our wide selection of animal shampoos ensures we have the right one suitable for your pet’s skin & coat type.
If you bathe your dog in between your salon visits, it is extremely important to use a pet shampoo, not a product made for humans. Even mild shampoos for human use, can really dry out a dog’s coat.
On average, bathing your dog once a month is plenty. Many breeds can go much longer than that. We will advise what the correct interval should be for your dog. All dogs are dried with conventional dryers. We never dry dogs in enclosed cabinet dryers.
Clipping
Your dog probably won’t understand that being clipped is ultimately for its benefit and there is a possibility that during its first grooming experience it may be extremely nervous.
At Snoopies we will make your dog as comfortable as possible, with the tools and procedures, simply by minimising the scary sides of grooming. We will slowly introduce the sound and feel of the clippers giving reward and praise for behaving in the right way.
You can help by desensitising your dog to some of the smaller grooming procedures, before it’s first grooming session. Spend short periods at home petting your dog gently all over its body, touching its legs, the sides of the body, the face, the tail, and it’s rear end.
Give your dog small (healthy) treats as you pet him.
If your dog shows signs of sensitivity or nervousness when you touch a particular area, don’t push it. As your dog relaxes, you can try to go back to the sensitive area with a gentler approach.
Keep the petting sessions short, maybe only one or two minutes and gradually increase the length of the petting sessions as your dog relaxes and begins to enjoy them.
Get your dog used to grooming objects; for example, run a brush or comb through his fur and against his skin.
De-matting
Every pet owner who has a longhaired, or thick-coated animal, knows how difficult, time consuming and frustrating it can be for both you and your pet when dealing with matted fur.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how often you groom your dog, those large, tight knots of fur are just inevitable.
Matted fur is difficult to avoid in breeds such as Lhasa Apsos, Cockerpoos, Newfoundlands and other longhaired types.
Thick matting can be very painful and uncomfortable for an animal, especially when those mats are located behind the ears, flank or rear end areas of the pet.
De-matting skills are developed with practice over time, much like scissoring and styling and a visit to a professional Groomer is usually required.
Mat splitting requires much care and attention and by teasing small areas of matting at a time, most coats can be saved.
Snoopies make every effort to save a matted coat, but in severe cases, the coat will need to be shaved to resolve the problem.
Animal welfare always comes first and we will not carry out de-matting if we believe that the animal will become stressed.
With a little attention at home, in between salon visits, this can and should be avoided, as it’s a time consuming and sometimes unpleasant experience for the animal.
Hand Stripping
Not all groomers offer Hand Stripping of Terriers, Setters or Spaniels, due to it being highly labour intensive and the fact that it takes twice as long as clipping.
Snoopies are fully trained in Hand Stripping and are keen to promote the advantages it brings. The coat remains weather proof, the skin remains protected from the sun, skin conditions/allergies are less likely to occur, it maintains the required breed specific texture and colour of the coat.
It is advisable to have a Terrier puppy hand-stripped for the first time as early as possible, in order to introduce the dog to the process.
Once a coat has been clipped, the texture of the coat will be changed and make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the coat to be stripped.
Many dogs quite enjoy the stripping process and will occasionally relax so much that they fall to sleep on the grooming table!
Styling
We will discuss how you want your dog styled before grooming begins.
Many owners, regardless of breed standards, want their dog groomed in a particular way.
At Snoopies, we are happy to cater for your preferences, as well as producing the classical breed styles.
THE SALON:
At Snoopies we believe that your pet deserves the best, which is why we have created a secure, Air Conditioned environment, that ensures your pet is as comfortable as possible.
A safe, healthy Salon was at the forefront of the design process. Built in kennels are used to ensure complete segregation and are fully tiled, to enable thorough cleaning, making sure that ALL diseases are kept at bay.
The flooring throughout is non slip and sealed around the edges.
The Grooming Salon is spacious and offers comfortable facilities for you and your pet.
Animals are NOT allowed to roam free and mix with others.
Should you choose to stay with your pet, there are toilet facilities, a pleasant waiting area to sit and read a magazine, or you can browse around our well stocked shop.
Outside is a dog toileting area, which we encourage dogs to use prior to entering the Salon.
The salon is open plan and you are welcome to watch your pet throughout its pampering, ideal for a nervous animal (or owner!) and is designed to cater for dog breeds of all sizes.
We use all the latest equipment, including electric Grooming tables to ensure a stress free visit, particularly for the larger breeds.
At the back end of 2015, we installed the latest Hydrobath, which gives your dog a therapeutic, deep clean bathing experience.
We NEVER use cabinet dryers.
We always use the very best quality shampoos, specifically designed for use on animals. Our wide selection ensures we will have a quality shampoo suitable for your pet’s skin & coat type. We never use any shampoos or detergents that are not produced for animal use.
On your first visit we always discuss and record fully your requirements along with any health or behavioural issues your animal may have; This assures your pet’s welfare and the welfare of our staff, whilst at the same time ensuring we obtain the end result you are looking for.