   
Grooming
We are open for grooming Monday thru Saturday - give us a call & we will make time for your pooch.
Our Groomers:
Crystal has been K9HQ groomer for over five years now and is a certified professional groomer. She specializes in precission scissor cuts - Puppy cut, Bichon, Poodle, Schnauzer, breed kennel cuts and more. People are amazed at the lovely job she does, often commenting that their dog has never looked so good.
Ashley has been with K9HQ for three years then went to Calgary for a grooming apprenticeship. She has now returned to join the K9HQ team as both a Care giver and Groomer. Ashley can do a variety of breeds & pet cuts but loves to do the big breeds including Bernese Mountain Dogs, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers to mention a few. Check out the Collie in the header picture (before & after).
Holistic Grooming
Holistic grooming involves more than just the bathing, brushing and clipping. It most importantly involves your dogs emotional well being during the grooming session. We do this by creating a calm and relaxing environment for the dog by using aromatherapy in the grooming area, and with your consent, may occasionally use Bach flower essences (100% safe and natural– not a medicine or tranquilizer) to help ease your pet’s anxieties during the grooming process.
We accept one dog or one family of dogs at a time. This means no assembly line grooming! You drop your dog off at the scheduled time and pick them up in a couple of hours (depending on coat condition, temperament and size of dog). This reduces their stress levels tremendously. Your dog gets the individual attention it deserves.
We only use eco friendly and all natural products! For shampoos, please let us know if your dog requires a hypo-allergenic shampoo (that contains no fragrances). If your dog has fleas we will use a all natural flea shampoo and even for their ear cleaning we use a gentle all natural product to reduce the risk of allergic reactions in your pet. Regular grooming is important for all dogs to maintain a healthy lifestyle, if maintenance at home is a problem, we also offer other in-between groom options under services.
No Hurt Policy: Your dog's well being is our top priority and that is why we offer pain free grooming. Dogs who are de-matted on a regular basis learn to associate grooming with discomfort if not pain. So if your dog is badly matted, we will have to shear it off. If you want a longer coat they need to be brushed to the skin on a regular basis or come in for an in-between groom. We will be open and honest about the interests of your pet, their needs and comfort comes first.
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Services
We offer dog grooming for all breeds of dogs small to large by appointment only.
For dogs with hair that require clipping we recommend a 6-8 week schedule to maintain its look, but for some breeds you may need to come more often.
The amount of brushing you do at home will affect how often your dog will need to come in, so we are happy to set up a schedule that meets you and your dog's needs. We also find that if you bring your dog in for a bath and tidy between full grooms, you will be able to grow your dog's coat longer.
Brush & Tidy: This includes ear cleaning (with a natural cleanser), nail trimming, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal and tidying (clipping/cutting hair) of sanitary area, feet and face.
Bath & Tidy: This includes ear cleaning (with a natural cleanser), nail trimming, bath (with natural shampoos), hand drying, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal and tidying (clipping/cutting hair) of sanitary area, feet and face.
Full Groom: This includes ear cleaning (with a natural cleanser), nail trimming, bath (with natural shampoos), hand drying, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal, full shaping of the body, legs, feet, face, ears & tail (optional), and sanitary area with clippers and scissors.
Puppy Packages
Our puppy packages are exclusively for puppies starting at 9 weeks to a maximum of 5 months of age. This is a special training session to introduce your new puppy to the grooming experience. We want them to grow up enjoying their grooming sessions. After their groom we will show you helpful tips to keep up their training and to also keep them in in tip top shape.
Puppy Brush & Tidy: This includes ear cleaning (with natural a cleanser), nail trimming, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal and tidying of sanitary area, feet and face.
Puppy Bath & Tidy: This includes ear cleaning (with a natural cleanser), nail trimming, bath (with natural shampoos), hand dried, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal and tidying of sanitary area, feet and face.
Puppy Full Groom: This includes ear cleaning (with a natural cleanser), nail trimming, bath (with natural shampoos), hand dried, thorough brushing (if not fully matted), de-shedding/loose hair removal, clipping the body and tidying of sanitary area, feet and face.
Grooming Rates range depending on breed type and size, coat condition, and temperament. Rates range from $45 & up for a small breed full groom. Please contact us as early as possible to book an appointment, we book up fast!
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please give 24 hours notice on cancellations, or a $25.00 charge maybe added to your following grooming appointment!
Note: We do not do anal gland expression, that is best suited for the vets. Also, we rarely do ear plucking as there is controvercy of any benefit versus the discomfort level and interference with the natural balance of the ear.
Healthy skin and coat starts from the inside out. Your dogs coat reflects their general health, so help maintain it!
Changes in texture or apprerance of a dog's coat are an indicator of something going amiss within, but haircoat changes are not specific for any one disease or condition. Dull or brittle hair can be a dietart imbalance, or it may be due to disease of digestive, hepatic, renal, thyroidal, immune or parasitic origin. Alterations of hair typically appear later in the course of the disease, as air growth is rather slow; it takes at least four weeks before a dietary supplement will have any positive effects on the quality of the hair.
More to come...
Matts Or Knots
Important: Dogs with coats that are significantly matted will often need to be shaved in order to remove the coat.
Mattes and knots are not the same thing. A knot is a small clump of fur which has become tightly tangled away from the skin. Knots can often be combed or brushed out or if needed, cut out safely. Mattes are knots that have become so tightly clumped that the fur is bound
right down to the skin. Mattes cannot be brushed out – they are a solid mass of fur. The only way to safely and humanely remove a matte is to shave the area. In the case of extensive mattes, this can mean shaving the whole dog. This is done for the sake of the dog. Owners are made aware as soon as possible of the extent of the matting and, if necessary, they will be advised that the dog will be shaved. Owners should note that an additional fee is charged for severely matted dogs. It is a painstaking procedure to shave a badly matted dog safely and properly, a dog’s skin is thin like tissue paper. The skin is constantly being pulled can become more loose making the skin more sensitive. If left unattended this can cause major skin irritation and skin disorders. Mattes hold moisture underneath causing the skin to be sometimes red and raw underneath, this may need some cream or solution to help the area to heal quickly. Mattes can make the clipping process even more difficult for the dog, then a normal groom. They are in pain or discomfort from the mattes, then trying to shave them out can tug and pull making them hate the grooming process even more. If you wash a matted dog this only makes the matting worse. The groomer must use a short enough blade to go under the matt (as clippers cannot cut threw them). Dirty thick matted hair causes the blades/scissors to dull faster.
TO SHAVE OR NOT TO SHAVE
Many clients ask us to "shave" down their Husky, Golden Retriever, chow, etc. These are dogs that typically do NOT get haircuts because their double coats can be irreparably damaged in the process. So why do clients come in requesting a haircut for these types of breeds? They feel this is an easy way to reduce shedding and keep the dog cool. This is a MYTH! A dog's coat provides insulation from the heat and sun. Dogs do not "sweat" like humans do. They cool themselves by panting, will perspire from the pads of their feet but their cooling process is done by panting from the mouth, sweating at the paws and cooling the blood in their ears. When you shave a double coated dog, this takes away their protection to the elements. Their fur is no longer protecting their skin from the sun, and this can easily cause sun burn. They also cannot regulate their body temperature which can easily result in heat stroke. Another reason to NOT shave is that the fur acts as a protection against insects and parasites. You remove that protection the dog is exposed to even more insect problems than he would have had if he had been allowed to keep their protective coat. Shaving double coated breeds is also hard on the clippers to cut this type of fur, causing the blades to dull out faster. From all the risks associated there is an additional fee that is charged for shaving a double coated breed, and the owner MUST take proper precautions to insure the dog will be protected from the sun and heat. Matted coats or coats with packed-in dead undercoat will restrict the airflow underneath creating moisture and causing hot spots or raw skin. The only reason a dog should get their double coat shaved is if they have mattes and cannot be brushed out. Owners are made aware as soon as possible of the extent of the matting and if necessary, they will be advised that the dog will be shaved. Owners should note that an additional fee is charged for severely matted dogs. If your double coated breed does have mattes, read the mattes section to learn about it. What you are doing when you shave your double-coated dogs is actually interrupting the natural shedding process. You are cutting into the top coat, possibly damaging it, and causing the undercoat to grow uninhibited, as the undercoat grows much more quickly than the top coat, or "guard" coat. The guard coat is the coarser hair that separates the finer undercoat hairs, preventing it from matting. When this coat is clipped, the hair will appear to grow back softer because you are seeing only undercoat as it grows back. This hair is thick and will matt easily and possibly result in patchy, uneven growth until the guard hairs eventually re-grow. By then the coat may be so damaged that it may not grow back at all. This interrupts the natural shedding cycle, you can actually be producing MORE shedding. The exact opposite of what you want!
What is the answer?
Keep your double-coated breeds thoroughly brushed & combed out. Keep them well groomed & they will be comfortable even in the hot summer sun. Or think about a “tight trim”. They can keep most of their length we just trim the back end, belly, legs and chest tighter to their body. Also getting regular grooming helps removes all their undercoat. Remember... regular professional grooming + brushing at home = healthy, happy, and beautiful pets!
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U-Bath - Not offered at this time. Feb/2011
Yes, you can bath your own dog. After our groomers have gone home, you can come in and bath your own dog on Monday, Friday, & Saturday.
We supply the shampoo, blaster (it blows the water off), and towels. With clean up quick and easy - no laundry, leave it for us.
Raised tubs (no bending), and help from our staff has you in and out in about 30 minutes for half of what it costs to have the groomer do it. Take your dog home for the last of the drying (laying in the sun or warm house will do it).
Reservations are required as space is limited to one dog per day and a couple on Saturday. U-bath is closed on Saturdays through the summer months.
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K9HQ doggy daycare plus inc.
102 - 721 Station Ave.
Victoria , BC V9B 2S1
Phone: 250 478-2273
Fax: 250 474-2209
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