A dog’s grooming needs vary based on their coat type, skin condition, style of life and age. For example,  a dog with a longer coat will require a lot more maintenance and upkeep than a dog with a short coat. But a good rule of thumb is to bring them in every 4-6 weeks.

Puppies experience an important socialization period up until they are about 12-16 weeks old, and how they experience the world during this time can influence them for the rest of their lives.

We would recommend having your puppy professionally groomed at least once a month to help them become accustomed to the grooming process, such as the noise of dryers and being handled by people outside of their immediate family. Additionally, it is important to help them get used to regular maintenance at home by frequently touching their paws and ears, brushing them, and teaching them they don’t have to be afraid of baths!

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a dog is matted just by looking at them, especially if you brush them often. The tricky part about brushing thick or curly coated breeds is if you don’t reach all the way to the skin, while the topcoat may look brushed out the undercoat becomes compacted. An easy trick to check if your dog is matted to take a metal comb and comb it through your dog’s fur – make sure it reaches the skin! A comb will should glide through a mat-free coat but will become stuck in a coat that is matted.

Many vets and groomers believe that shaving a double coated dog can result in shave shock, a phenomenon where your dog’s coat grows back patchy, a different texture/color, or maybe even not at all. Others believe that shave shock only presents itself in dogs with preexisting health conditions that prevent the hair from being able to grow back correctly and shaving a healthy double coated dog is fine. If you would rather not take the risk, the very best (and safest!) thing you can do for your double coated pups is take them to the groomers to get their undercoat blown and brushed out. This will help thin out their fur to provide air flow and relieve extra weight, and greatly decreases shedding in your home!

Your dog should be brushed at least once a week (more for higher maintenance breeds, such as dogs with long, silky, or curly coats), have their nails trimmed once a month, and be bathed at least about once every 4-6 weeks but you can do it every time he or she gets dirty, don’t worry about doing it too soon.