Practical advice on grooming & coat care for Canberra dog owners. Whether you're a first-time puppy owner or looking to better understand your dog's needs, we've put together answers to the questions we hear most often.
Most dogs benefit from professional grooming every 4-8 weeks, depending on breed and coat type.
Double-coated breeds like Golden Retrievers, Huskies, and Border Collies need de-shedding treatments 3-4 times per year, typically at seasonal changes.
Curly and long-coated breeds including Poodles, Cavoodles, Spoodles, and Shih Tzus require grooming every 4-6 weeks to prevent matting.
Short-haired breeds can often go 8-12 weeks between professional grooms.
A full groom includes bathing with breed-appropriate shampoo, thorough blow dry, complete brush out, haircut or trim styled to breed standard or owner preference, nail clipping, ear cleaning, and sanitary trim.
The process typically takes 2-3 hours depending on coat condition, dog size, and temperament.
Dogs with matted coats or those requiring hand-scissoring may take longer.
A wash, dry & tidy includes bathing, blow drying, brush out, and basic tidying of feet, face, and sanitary areas - ideal for short-haired breeds or maintaining a coat between full grooms.
A full groom adds a complete haircut or clip, detailed styling, and more intensive coat work.
For breeds that don't require haircuts, such as Labradors or Beagles, a wash and dry with de-shedding treatment is usually sufficient.
Breeds with continuously growing coats require professional grooming - this includes Poodles, Bichon Frises, Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, and most Poodle crosses (Cavoodles, Labradoodles, Spoodles, Groodles).
Double-coated breeds like Golden Retrievers, Huskies, and German Shepherds benefit from professional de-shedding treatments.
Even short-haired breeds like Labradors and Beagles benefit from occasional professional bathing and de-shedding to manage coat health and reduce household shedding.
Matting occurs when loose fur tangles with the coat and tightens into dense clumps over time.
The primary cause is allowing dogs to air dry after getting wet from swimming, bathing, or rain - each time curly or long coats dry naturally, the fibres bind together more tightly.
High-friction areas like behind ears, under legs, and around collars mat most quickly.
Infrequent brushing, particularly in breeds with undercoats, accelerates matting significantly.
Preventing matting requires three things: regular brushing (daily for long coats, 2-3 times weekly for medium coats), proper drying after your dog gets wet, and professional grooming at appropriate intervals.
When brushing at home, work through the coat in sections using a slicker brush followed by a metal comb to ensure you're reaching the undercoat, not just the surface.
Never leave a wet dog to air dry - use a pet dryer or towel dry thoroughly, brushing as you go.
When matting becomes severe, the only humane option is often to clip the coat very short.
Attempting to brush out tight mats pulls painfully on the skin and can cause bruising, skin tears, or significant distress.
Matting also traps moisture against the skin, potentially hiding sores, hot spots, or parasites.
While the short clip may not be the look you wanted, it allows the skin to heal and the coat to regrow healthy.
Regular grooming prevents matting from reaching this stage.
This is a complicated question, but the short answer is no, providing the dog is otherwise healthy. Whilst shaving or clipping a double-coated dog has been traditionally advised against, recent science has found that it doesn’t actually do any harm to the coat unless the dog has underlying health problems.
Occasionally the hair may not grow back the same, particularly in older dogs, and in all dogs it usually grows back uneven until the guard hairs catch up with the growth rate of the undercoat.
Whilst we generally recommend deshedding of double-coated dogs, we have no ethical aversion to clipping or shaving them, particularly in an Australian summer. We just need you to be aware of the possible outcomes. We are more than happy to discuss this with you further.
Puppies can have their first professional groom from around 12-16 weeks of age, once they've had their initial vaccinations.
Early grooming experiences are valuable for socialisation - puppies introduced to grooming young typically accept the process more readily throughout their lives.
First puppy grooms are usually gentle introductions focusing on bathing, drying, nail trimming, and getting comfortable with handling rather than full styling.
Before a grooming appointment, ensure your dog has had a chance to toilet and avoid feeding them within two hours of drop-off to prevent car sickness or upset stomachs.
Don't attempt to brush out severe matting yourself as this can be painful and make your dog more anxious.
Do let the groomer know about any health issues, sensitive areas, skin conditions, or previous negative grooming experiences so they can adapt their approach accordingly.
Start handling your puppy's paws, ears, and muzzle daily from a young age so they become comfortable with being touched.
Introduce a soft brush as part of play, rewarding calm behaviour with treats.
Run an electric toothbrush (without touching them) nearby so they get used to buzzing sounds similar to clippers.
These short, positive sessions at home make professional grooming far less stressful - puppies who've been handled regularly rarely develop grooming anxiety.
Ask for our comprehensive hand out when booking your puppy’s first appointment
Yes, professional groomers regularly work with anxious dogs and have techniques to help them feel safe.
Experienced groomers use calm handling, allow extra time, take breaks when needed, and can keep nervous dogs separated from others.
Some anxious dogs actually settle better at a grooming salon than with mobile groomers, as the unfamiliar environment can be less threatening than having their home space invaded.
Letting the salon know about your dog's anxiety in advance helps them prepare appropriately.
We groom dogs because we love them!
All dogs catered for, big and small. We are located centrally in Mitchell.