Frequently asked questions
Should I shave my double coated dog to keep him cool?
Double-coated breeds have two layers to protect against arctic weather. The long guard hairs form the outer layer and protect against snow or ice and even shed water. The soft undercoat lies close to the skin and keeps your dog warm and dry. In winter this undercoat can be so thick you may have trouble finding your dog’s skin.
In summer, your dog should shed his soft undercoat, leaving just the guard hairs. The job of the guard hairs in warm weather is to protect your dog from sunburn and insulate him against the heat. Without the undercoat, air can circulate through the guard hairs, cooling the skin. Think of the guard hairs as leaves on a tree providing shade for the skin below.
Unlike single coated breeds, who have hair that just keeps growing, double coats grow to a certain length and don’t get any longer. So you can shave a single-coated breed down and the coat will grow back again without really changing it. But that’s not true for double coats.
Shaving a double-coated breed can really ruin the coat.
Shaving Changes the Coat Texture
If you shave your double-coated dog, you’ll probably notice new hair starting to grow in pretty quickly. Unfortunately what happens is that the undercoat grows first … that soft fuzzy stuff that stays next to the skin and keeps your dog warm. The guard hairs are slower growing and you’ll soon start to see them mixed in with the fluffy undercoat.
At this stage you’ll probably also notice that the texture of the new double coat coming in doesn’t feel the same as it did before. It tends to be “sticky” and Velcro-like. Your dog will come in from the yard with burrs, seeds, grass, twigs and whatever other plant life he passes, stuck to his coat.
This combination of soft undercoat growing with the guard hairs will also make your dog hot in summer, because the undercoat stops the air from getting to his skin and prevents the natural cooling process. The texture of the undercoat also absorbs the sun’s rays and contributes to overheating.
And in winter, the new sticky texture of his regrown coat means the undercoat will be more likely to mat, which can cause skin irritations like hot spots.
How long has Rufus DuMonde Pet Salon been in business?
Laura opened the business is the Fall of 2006. Laura retired in 2020 and the salon is now affiliated with Dog Haus University daycare. The business has been growing each and every year. We have all of our great clients to thank for keeping this business going strong!
How does a grooming appointment work at Rufus DuMonde?
We have a scheduled time for your pets appointment, please arrive at that time and we will be ready for you. Plan to spend a few minutes talking with your groomer. If this is your first appointment with us your we will need a little information from you for our client information card; address, phone number, pets age, veterinarians name etc. If you have been with us before your groomer will want to know how your dog or cat is doing that day and find out if there is anything new that they need to know about; matts or tangles in the fur, cuts or scrapes or bumps, upset stomach or if you are packing vacation bags, all of these things will affect how your dog acts for his groom.
Then, very importantly, your groomer will want to know what style haircut you want for your pet that day. Some clients want the exact same haircut and style each time. Other people change it up, they may go longer in the winter than in the summer or may want a mohawk one time just for fun!
The next thing that happens is that your groomer will send you on your way and she will have one-on-one time with your dog or cat for the entire grooming session.
The groom usually begins with a bath. We use natural pet shampoos and conditioners. We will choose products that will benefit your pets specific coat type. If the coat is especially dirty because he has been running in the mud, we use a deep cleaning shampoo followed by a moisturizing conditioner. If the skin is itchy we use an aloe or a specific itch soothing shampoo. If you have taken your pooch camping and are concerned there may be bugs on him we have citrus shampoos or a flea and tick shampoo may work the trick.
The next step is to dry the coat. We use high powered hand held dryers to do this. The high power dryers are real cool in that they separate the hair allowing us to see all the way to the skin. So as we dry we look at the skin of the dog and we can sometimes find cuts or moles or bugs or dry skin. The high power drying will also straighten and fluff the coat allowing for a smoother hair cut. Some dogs do not like the noise of the high power dryer, so we have ‘hoodies’ that we put on their heads to cover their ears. If they still do not like it we can then put them in a kennel with a timed dryer blowing on them. This kennel drying is in an open kennel and is in the same room as all the groomers.
After the dog’s coat is totally dry we begin the next step which includes the little details like shaving the pads of the feet, shaving the ‘sanitary’ areas, plucking the ear hairs and cleaning the ears and trimming and filing the toe nails.
The last step is to work with the coat and style it! We brush and comb the entire coat to be sure that is is free of any matts or tangles. Then clipper or scissor the body, legs, head, muzzle and ears. Matching the description we talked with you about when you talked with the groomer at the beginning of the grooming appointment.
About 15 minutes before your pets’ groom is finished, your groomer will give you a call so that you can be at the salon to pick up your pet as soon as he is ready.
The next step is to pay for the groom and to set up your next appointment. Most dogs benefit from a grooming every 6-8 weeks. This depends on the breed of dog and the length you like to keep the coat of your dog. The longer the coat the more often it should be washed and brushed. Your groomer can talk to you about a proper schedule to keep your dog looking dapper!
How often should I bring my dog in for grooming?
Most dogs do well with grooms every 8 weeks. This of course depends on the coat type of your dog and how long you want to keep the fur. The longer the fur the more often it needs to be brushed and combed in order to keep matts and tangles from forming. your groomer can talk to you about the specific grooming needs of your dog.
Do you accept tips?
Yes! We all love tips! Our groomers work very hard to keep your dog or cat safe and happy while during the groom. They also try their best to style the coat in the specific way that you and your family like it. Tipping your groomer is a very nice way to let her know that you appreciate the 2-3 hours that she spends with your little buddy.
Testimonials
Today was my first time having our 2 Portuguese Water Dogs groomed at Rufus DuMonde Pet Salon and I can’t help but to keep smiling at the work that was done. The work our 2 PWDs needed seemed extensive, especially since one is a 5 month old puppy. It’s tough to find a place that will cut our dogs the way we like and this was perfect. The consult before the grooming was great and I’m just thrilled. I will no longer be searching for a place to get our dogs groomed, because I have officially found it! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Our goldendoodle, Beazy, is very shy and we were worried about leaving her with the groomer. It turns out, she loves Kaity, and is always excited to see her. I can tell Kaity treats her like she would her own dog. She always gives her great cuts and she looks great every time! I highly recommend Rufus DuMonde!
6/30/2016
Falkor always looks so gosh darn handsome after his groom appointments!! A super special shout out to Laura at Rufus DuMonde Pet Salon!! Since his very first visit, and many band aids to Laura’s arms, she has always shown him sincere love and compassion. Seriously, without her total understanding and loving heart, Falkor would literally be a matty-mess!! It’s people like her, who go out of their way to show love and kindness even to animals who are sometimes not always the kindest in return, but letting that animal (in this case, my little Falkor…) know they deserve love regardless of their fears and anxieties… It makes me so thankful that I’ve been able to have such an amazing groomer who is literally willing to sit with Falkor before, in the middle of, and after his grooming; just to let him know it’s okay, and that he’s very much loved!! Thank you again and again for everything you do that proves you’re the best fit for Falkor, and never turning is away!!!
I absolutely loved this place. The people there were so friendly and took great care of my dog. It was the best haircut he has ever had and he came back softer than I ever thought was possible. I highly recommend this place but they are busy so book ahead!
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