I’m so excited. 5 years is huge and we are so grateful to this community. There’s no other way to celebrate this milestone than with the people who have made it possible. For our Fifth annual customer appreciation pawty we will be holding a #raffle to benefit Prison Pet Partnership, a program near and dear to my heart. RAFFLE tickets are $2 each. We have local small businesses donating products and gift cards – if you would like to get in on that, please let me know. Essence Coffee Roasters will be donating a very generous basket with some of their locally roasted coffee. Cynthia from Best Friend Nutrition – […]
Continue readingNo, And No In Pink
A friendly reminder: if I won’t do it to my own dogs, I’m not going to do it to yours. If your pet is experiencing symptoms of illness, or they have suffered an injury, and the vet has not diagnosed them, please keep them home. Can you imagine sitting in the salon chair getting your hair done, while your tummy was upset? Or being forced to stand up if your leg hurt? When dogs come here, sometimes that in itself causes stress and tension in their body, so a sore leg is going to hurt more just by simply coming in the door. If we do not know what the […]
Continue readingNew Policy Effective May 1st
If any appointments are cancelled due to weather, injury or illness the following will apply: If you are on a yearly grooming schedule of every 6 weeks or less, you will have to wait for your next appointment. If you are not on a yearly schedule, you will be rescheduled at the next available appointment. Please note that will most likely be 4-6 weeks out. I understand this may seem harsh. I understand you all believe your pet to be the most important pet, and while I agree, I have to consider the mental well being of my staff too. There are many factors that play into our job, one […]
Continue readingIt’s Okay To Say No
So many things can go wrong on-leash. I can say from experience it’s always my fault if there’s an on-leash incident with one of my dogs. The leash causes tension, can get tangled and creates an unsafe space if there is an issue. Don’t even get me started on flexi leads. If you want to properly introduce your dog to another it should be done in a secure area where they can be free to walk away if they choose. I also want to note, my dogs are under no obligation to meet every person or dog they come in contact with. Just yesterday on the ferry a family insisted […]
Continue readingWelcome Michele!
We are thrilled to welcome Michele Feris to the Sonny’s Spaw family. She starts April 1st and Sharon and I are verrry happy to have another groomer on board. Meet Michele: “I am from Everett, WA. I have a fiance and a sweet Blue pitty named Louis (pronounced lou-ee). I have been grooming dogs going on two years, I was a bather for several years before that. I was asked to come bathe for a friend’s shop and I fell in love with the environment and working with dogs all day. Becoming a groomer was the promotion I worked hard for, learning as much as I could to achieve my goal. […]
Continue readingUse your Manners!
This might sting a little. A dog’s nose can smell a Q-tip from across the room. You don’t have to force yourself on any dog, it’s actually rude. They are not obligated to be friends with every human or dog they meet. This is good information. The sniff test – Stop doing this! The sniff test is a badly engrained habit that society has been taught, without a clear understanding of what they’re actually doing. When you reach out towards a dog, you are using body pressure at them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe and whether they require further investigation to pick up your information. […]
Continue readingWhy You Should Leave A Dog’s Anal Sacs Alone
by Carol Bryant Want a client for life? Start expressing their dog’s anal sacs. That’s the exact piece of advice a veterinary technician shared with me while having my first Cocker Spaniel’s anal glands expressed during a routine visit. There is definitely a time and a place for anal sacs to be expressed and have all that fishy-smelling material removed from a dog’s scent glands. The problem is there are: Too many people expressing a dog’s anal glands too often Too many unqualified people manipulating a dog’s anal glands Too many dogs experiencing too much discomfort and undue trauma from improper and sometimes needless emptying of anal glands It’s a […]
Continue readingWhy Your Dog Is Like A Mirror
From my new dog training friend, I love this. Nine times out of ten, if I’m having a behavioral issue with one of my dogs, it’s most likely because of something I have or haven’t done. I remember when Stella was about 7 months old, I considered re-homing her. I feared the salon life wasn’t enough for her. Her behavior was out of control. She ate my car. Had a hard time settling down. I got called out by an old boss, she asked how much time I had actually put into her training. It was hard to hear, but it snapped me out of whatever land I was in. […]
Continue readingHumanity Before Vanity
Sometimes I have to make a judgment call for your pets and their grooming. Sometimes it is in conflict with the information your vets give you. I see most of my clients every 4-6 weeks. I know every square inch of their bodies. I know every like, dislike. I see things on my grooming table you or the vet will never see. When I am determining the best course of action for your pets grooming I always consider, if it were one of my dogs, would I do the grooming? Quite often that means you, as the pet parent, don’t get what you want. While I want you to be […]
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