Grooming Older Golden

Question
QUESTION: Hi and thanks for your services here!

I have a golden who turned 14 in October. She is in good shape generally but losing muscle mass and just generally aging. She is also literally covered in fatty tumors and other little growths. A few have been biopsied over the years and due to her age and the fact that they don't seem to trouble her, we leave them.

She went to the same groomer for many years, and that groomer left. She was replaced by a new one, who groomed my dog one time and cut off all of her fur! I always specifically say DO NOT cut off much, but she did. She called it a "puppy cut" and charged me an extra $20. This was in the spring of last year, nearly a year ago and we have not been back. I should mention that my dog was shaking when I picked her up, and had a seizure when I got her home (she has these occasionally with certain triggers and has not had one since).

So that is the background. I have given her a bath here and there, brushed her, and even trimmed some hair. I worry about finding her a new groomer because I don't want to stress her out.  Do you have any tips? Now that she is older, I can't put her in the tub, but I might be able to get her to sit in the shower stall (!)  Or do you think at this age it would be OK to try a different groomer? I don't even know of any good ones.

Another quick question: I have a one year old Pomeranian. What type of cut should I request for him? I also have to find a good groomer for this dog. I tried one and wasn't too impressed. The shop smelled like smoke, and she charged me $15 more than she had quoted over the phone.

Thanks, sorry if I got too wordy!

ANSWER: Boy this is a toughie! Finding a good groomer (and then losing her) can be hard. I always say if you find someone you like, stick with her! At this age, I can imagine it must be tough to find a good groomer. I would suggest stopping in to some shops without your pup and just say hey and see if you can get a "feel" for the place.

Some suggestions to help your older dog cope:

Skin tends to get more sensitive as dog's age, unless brushing is done often at home, the teeth of the brush that best get out deep undercoat and matting is a metal "slicker" tooth and is the unfortunately only item that will get down to the skin and brush out dead undercoat. A pin brush (with the balls on the end of the teeth) are better for your dog's skin, however if there is lack in the amount of brushing being done at home, this will not penetrate that dense undercoat unless done daily and kept mat-free. Why so much focus on brushing? If you keep him brushed out well, then bathing can be done less often and the dog's natural oils are distributed throughout the coat.

Groom in sections. Nails one day, brush the front one day, the rear the next.

Perhaps try to find a mobile groomer? They focus on just your dog while they are there and the shorter time might help with stress on your dog.

Where mobile services might not be available... perhaps ask the shop for the latest appt of the day so it is shorter (or ask the shop when is best since he is older and the groomer can dedicate time beginning to end on him)

There are also foam and waterless baths out there. They are amazing! rub the coat with the powder, it soaks up the dirt and oils, then just brush out and you'd be amazed at how clean and fresh they smell and look!

The shower stall isn't such a bad thing. If you have a handheld shower head that would also make it easier on you. It is similar to what we use at work! The other option is to find a shop that has one of those "do it yourself" stations so you can bring your dog and do it by yourself, but all the needed equipment is provided. The best part is the high speed dryer... If your dog tolerates it. It is great for spreading (and viewing) the coat to the skin while blow drying and this helps to locate mats and help push them away from the skin for later dematting.

I hope this gives you an arsenal of ideas for your older dog!

For your pomeranian, the cut you request will have a lot to do with how you can keep up with at home maintenance. If you are able to brush frequently, then just some scissoring to neaten feat, hanuches, chest and mane would look great on him. But if you find that you don't have extra time at this point, a really cute but trim cut on a pom is a "#3 blade" (in groomer speak). If your Pom's coat is dense and full like a typical pom, then this will stand out from the body about 3/4"...still looking fluffy and cubby but more teddy bear like. If you would like longer but no full coated, then a 3/4" comb puppy cut is also cute and full, but still short enough that you won't have to worry about brushing for a couple of weeks (but probably will need to brush for those last few weeks before your next scheduled groom). A 3/4" comb, when used with the lay of the coat, will leave the coat about 1 1/4" long. Specify to the groomer if you want the mane left full or blended, and if you want the tail natural, or scissored neat. My favorite on a pomeranian is a "fox tail"..scissored but still fat...it looks, like.. well.. a fox's tail!

The other cut we see frequently here (in Florida) is a lion cut (clipped short on the body, about 1/4", with mane left full and tail typically scissored, or in some cases, clipped to all but the end to look like a lion's tail, or "paintbrush") but it is my least favorite to do to your breed. While it is cute, the double coat of the pom doesn't grow back evenly (the top, or "guard hairs" is the longer, more wiry coat and it grows back faster than the cottony undercoat). This makes a sparse hair appearance until the undercoat catches up...usually a few months longer than the top coat. The result is the hair doesn't grow back as beautifully or full between grooms...it may eventually, but we're talking 8 months to get all the coat to catch up. This won't be an issue with the longer cuts I recommended. As the undercoat isn't being cut too deeply in to.

No problem with the wordy question as long as you don't mind my wordy reply!!

I hope you find a good groomer or are able to make the time for your older girl to do some at home work. It certainly can be a daunting task finding a new groomer and to find one for a 16yo! I don't envy you. If you let me know your location...I can let you know if I have any contacts from grooming shows that are local.




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much!!

I am in Monmouth County, NJ.  I never thought of mobile grooming. I know there is one locally, maybe I will try that.  I guess most of all I worry about not doing the paws properly. Her nails are so thick that I think they will be difficult to trim. (although that is my husband's job!)

And thank you also for the advice on the pom.  I'm sure I will pass on the 'lion cut' and I was worried a 'teddy bear' cut might ruin his coat as well. If you say it will not, maybe I'll give it a try. He is so cute, but some of his fur is just TOO fluffy!

If you do have any groomer recommendations in ther area (for either dog) I would welcome them. Otherwise, I'll probably try the dry shampoo or shower stall if the mobile groomer doesn't work out. She doesn't have amy mats, so I'm not worried about that. She just gets itchy and her fur feels coarse, and she has some flaking now that she never used to have.

Thanks again!

Answer
I wish I knew the proximity of the groomers that I know to be in NJ, but I don't know the area!

I recommend calling the groomer on this website: http://www.apurr-fectpaw.com/

She is an award winning groomer and known for her compassion! Even if she doesn't service your area (she is mobile), she may be able to recommend someone in your area to try.

For the Pom, I say try the longer cut first (1" comb or 3/4" comb) and see how you like it. I just did an older Pom (8yo) today that comes in every 6 weeks. She gets a 1" comb and scissoring and when she comes back in 6 weeks later, she looks like a normal pom...Full coat and no discoloration or choppiness. She is much older and has the "black roots" which is a sign of a skin issue usually associated with poms causing regrowth problems, but this longer cut keeps it from being an issue.

You can always go shorter later, but not longer! So try the longest one, and edit in the future if you feel it is too long.