Muddy Winter Walks

Happy New Year – wishing you dog kisses, waggy tails and muddy walk

Here’s to hoping that 2021 is much more positive that 2020.

If there’s one amazing thing to come out of 2020 is the extra time I’ve been able to spend with my dogs, be it playing, napping, training or walking – we’ve loved every minute of it.  As much as I love getting out with them altogether it’s also really, really nice to spend 1-1 time with them too.

I have to say 1-1 walks are much easier with my crew, otherwise they egg each other on and occasionally it descends into chaos.  Now Paddy (my little patterdale terrier) is getting older he’s less fond of walking and being bumped into by the Sheps!

I am also exceptionally grateful that after a walk, they’re an easy clean up operation, after a rinse off and a towel dry I pop their drying coats on and they have a nap.  I appreciate that it’s not that easy for most of our customers who have long haired or curly coated dogs – this is where the work begins for you.

With January Walk Your Dog Month Here’s a couple of tips for making your muddy walks a little easier. 

Shorter hair dos!

It’s a myth that dogs needs a longer coat in the winter, they spend most of their days inside where the heating is on or they’re in their beds and super snuggly and when they’re out on their walks they’re usually running about, playing with you or chasing an unsuspecting squirrel that you didn’t notice in the distance!

A shorter coat will make washing them off and drying them much quicker and they’ll also dry quicker the shorter they are ensuring that they don’t get a chill from being too damp for too long, it’s a bit like going to bed with wet hair – you always wake up with a sore neck the next day.

The longer that your dogs coat is the more likely it is to create knots and matt up with the friction of movement from harnesses and coats (a groomers worse nightmare!). 

Regular grooming appointments

Some people prefer to push their appointments to 8 or 10 weeks instead of 6 in the winter as they like their dogs to have a little more coat in the winter.  We always advise against this as it causes more harm than good especially for our curly heads.  A lot can happen two a coat in 2 weeks of muddy walks and it can go from a few knots to fully matted which then requires a shave down and you’re worse off than when you started!

Matts can’t just be brushed out they need to be re-moved carefully and safely at the groomers.  It’s not just the coat length that is affected by moving your grooming appointments it’s also their eye hair that becomes longer, their sanitary area becomes knotty and smelly (think willy’s, fu fu’s and bottoms!) and can become painful.  We also give your dog a full and thorough check over an each appointment, from nose to tail to we can pick up on an abnormalities, skin or ear conditions or anything that has altered since their last appointment.

Regular grooming appointment can also keep paws free of hair and of course it’s a common place where mud and matts can compact.  Our Pawdicure will also help to cleanse the pads and paw balm will help to sooth and moisturise to avoid cracked or split pads.  We are also able to take a look at your dogs nails, make sure they’re healthy and trim them.  This should be done regularly for your dogs comfort.  Wow look at how much our Pawdicure does – much better value that a nail trim at the vets.  Just let us know and we can add it to your groom!

If you would like your dogs coat to be long in the winter we can alter the length through the winter however the long your dog’s coat is the mor regularly you need come to us.  So if you’re usually 6 weeks in the summer and want to grow your dogs out for the winter we’d recommend you coming 4 weekly.

Snow days!

As much fun as they are – we nearly always have to shave down dogs after snow days, almost as often as beach holidays in the summer!

They play, they do zoomies they roll and they chase snowballs.  Hairy dogs quickly turn into snowballs themselves as the snow gets into the coats and hangs off every strand of hair!

The best course of action with your giant snow balls dog is to stand them in a bath and shower them off just warm water to help melt the snow.  Then blot them dry – absolutely no rubbing of the coat!  Spritz with a detangling or conditioning spray and then dry with a hair dryer, brushing as you go.

The same technique goes for after a muddy walk too – try not to let your dog dry themselves by running on your carpets and furniture, just follow the steps above.

The best was to avoid getting snow compacted feet is to rub coconut oil or paw balm on and in between their pads.

There’s nothing left to say other than enjoy your walks!  We also have some of our favourite Leicestershire Walks here for you.

Let us know if you have been out and about and where your favourite hikes are!

If you’d like to book an appointment with us then please call 07467 394567.