I am now semi retired, and normally work three days a week. Small to medium sized dogs only.

Dean dogs is a small dog-grooming business, run from a purpose built grooming room in my home. This means you only pay for the service I provide, and not my rent and expenses, keeping the cost down. I am based in Pillowell near to Lydney in the Royal Forest of Dean Gloucestershire. Customers come to me from Lydney, Coleford, Cinderford, Monmouth, Bream and Yorkly, a few travelling from as far afield as Gloucester and Newport.

I have been grooming dogs for over 40 years, originally trained by one of the top groomers at the time, over the years I have groomed dogs belonging to pop stars and TV celebrities, Crufts best in show winners, rescue dogs and many much loved pets, I also breed and show dogs of my own, and judge at championship level both at home and abroad, so this is not just my business, it is my way of life.

A few things to think about when bringing your dog to be groomed.

Firstly, most dogs will avoid taking a bath if at all possible !

No matter how much they like playing in water or splashing through puddles, a bath is a completely different matter!

It does not take a smart dog very long to realise that the first thing that happens when they come to visit me, is they get put straight into a bath of warm water and covered in shampoo.!

Therefore, it is quite common for them to put on the brakes, as they come in the through the gate, and do all they can to persuade you to turn around and go home.

For this reason I ask that you bring them on a well fitting harness, or collar and lead, a well fitting collar is tight enough to allow you to slip two fingers between it and your dogs neck, ANY LOOSER AND YOUR DOG CAN BACK OUT OF IT, and end up under a car, take the positive, matter of fact, approach, and just walk them in firmly and hand the lead over to me. If you sympathise, and try to comfort your dog, you are actually just reinforcing his conviction that something nasty IS about to happen, and he will pick up from your body language that you are concerned, this in turn will cause him far more upset, than if you just hand him over to me, with a minimum of fuss.

I am not going to torture them, or do untold nasty things to them, no matter what they try to tell you,

Nevertheless, a bath is an unavoidable part of the process.

I do not let owners wait while their dog is being groomed.

Most dogs are much better behaved when the owner is not present. If they can see their owner, they will wriggle and fidget far more, in an attempt to get back to ‘mum’ making the whole job much more difficult for me, and so longer for them.

I do not use a body harness to restrain your dog, as I feel these can be frightening for the dog, and in some cases can even be dangerous  by putting pressure on to its neck and chest.  I do tether the dog while I am grooming it, to prevent any chance of it jumping off the bench, and injuring itself, and I only use a soft canvas muzzle on dogs that I think are going to make a serious attempt at biting me. Most dogs behave well if handled correctly and with confidence.

Why does it take so long ?

It may seem that I keep your dog for a long time, around three hours is an average time, but I prefer to allow sufficient time to work on the dog without rushing, this is less stressful for the dog ( and also for me) , and as I work alone, it means I am not going to have to rush things if I have to stop a couple of times to answer the phone.  I can either give you a time to collect your dog when you drop him off, or I can call you as soon as he is ready to collect, what ever is best for you.

Do I need to bring shampoo or bath my dog first ?

No, it is easier to groom the dog if I bath and condition the coat first, just as your own hair is easier to groom when it is damp and has just been conditioned. I use a full range of Johnsons dog shampoo, including - Anti Flea, Medicated, Tea tree oil, Anti tangle, conditioning and whitening shampoo. I do not use one type of shampoo for all dogs, but try to find the most suitable shampoo for your dog’s skin, coat type, and condition. Unlike many groomers, I do not believe that one shampoo is suitable for all coat types! If you have a medicated shampoo provided by your vet, I am happy to use that.

Why do you need my phone number ?

 I do appreciate it if you keep me updated with any changes to your phone number, just in case I should need to contact you, this could  happen if I am unwell and unable to trim your dog, or if we have a power cut, or have I any concern about your dog, I will not pass your number on to anyone else. And PLEASE call to let me know if you are unable to keep an appointment, this business is my livelihood, and if customers just fail to turn up, my takings are short for the day, when a quick call could enable me to offer your appointment to another customer.

Care between trims.

 Lastly, please try to find time to brush and comb your dog between appointments. Just as you would expect to brush and comb your own hair between hairdressing appointments. Your dogs hair needs regular brushing and combing, so that burs and grass seeds can be removed, this is also a good time to check your dog for any cuts and scratches, or for any lumps or bumps, or parasites that may need your attention. If I find any parasites, or any unusual lumps that I feel you should be aware of I will tell you when you collect your dog.

I reserve the right to clip a dogs coat off short, if I feel that attempting to groom it will cause the dog undue stress or discomfort due to the condition of the coat.

If you would like to learn more about me, or my dogs, please click here

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