Mechanicsburg Dog Bathing & Spa
You know how much better you feel after a day at the spa, or even a relaxing shower at home. Your pet deserves to feel that improvement, too. Regular bathing and grooming benefit your dog’s health and help reduce difficulties like shedding and overgrown nails. In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of professional bathing and grooming services, and how the Greenlin Pet Resorts’ dog bathing and spa in Mechanicsburg can help your pet feel their best.
Dog Bathing: Let Our Professional Team Meet the Challenge
You love your dog, but they may not love getting a bath. If you’ve tried bathing them a few times, you may have some stories. We’ve heard it all:
“I ended up getting soaked and I’m pretty sure I got more of a bath than Fluffy!”
“Shampoo? I think I managed to get the dog wet but couldn’t quite manage to get the shampoo on the dog. Maybe I shampooed the carpet?”
“I had no idea my dog had that many claws until I tried to bathe her.”
“He got out of the tub after three seconds and shook himself off all over the living room couch while I tried to mop up all the water on the bathroom floor.”
We get it - dog bathing can be challenging. But there’s no reason for you to continue struggling with your little buddy’s bath time. Our experts at Greenlin Pet Resorts work with your four-legged friend, helping them relax and enjoy their dog bath as much as possible. Afterward, we gently dry them and brush their fur, removing mats. While at the dog bathing station, we also look over their hair, skin, and nails for any issues that may need to be addressed. The best part? You won’t have to get soaked trying to bathe the dog, and they won’t be giving you dirty looks all day because you put them in the dreaded bathtub!
How is the Dog Spa at Greenlin Pet Resorts Different?
At Greenlin West, we take our time getting to know your pet and making them comfortable. Our premium grooming products are gentle on your dog’s hair and skin and leave them smelling fresh and clean. Dogs enjoy treats, gentle drying techniques, and the one-on-one attention they deserve. Meanwhile, you can run other errands while we take care of cleaning and grooming your dog.
Can You Trim a Dog’s Nails at the Dog Retreat and Spa?
Absolutely. This is an often overlooked but very important part of grooming. Many people put off trimming a dog’s nails because it can be difficult and stressful. Others simply can’t do it because their pet becomes too frightened and runs away. Your dog may not enjoy the process any more than they initially liked bathing, but letting their nails get too long can cause them pain and difficulty walking. It’s important to help them get used to nail-trimming so they can remain healthy.
At Greenlin Pet Resort in Mechanicsburg, we make the process pain-free and simple for your dog. By keeping them calm and occupied, we’re able to quickly trim their nails so they can get back to running around and playing. Most dogs become used to having their nails clipped after a few times, and are much more relaxed on subsequent visits.
How Do Regular Dog Baths and Grooming Help Your Pet’s Health?
Your dog’s health and hygiene are closely tied together, and it’s important to understand how regular grooming contributes to keeping your dog healthy and active. Here are several health benefits your dog receives from bathing and grooming services at our Mechanicsburg location:
- Regular dog baths help your dog maintain a healthy coat and skin. Hair mats can be painful for your dog, and in some cases may cause odors or lead to other skin problems. Fortunately, they are easy to remove when a professional bathes your four-legged friend. We don’t simply pour some shampoo on your dog and spray them down. Our pet care specialists gently massage the shampoo into your dog’s coat, then rinse it out and brush the coat. If we find mats in the dog’s fur, we carefully remove them, then comb through any tangles to prevent future mats from forming.
- Good grooming reduces the “shedding problem.” Most dogs shed, even those with short coats. Dogs with longer coats may shed even more, especially in the warm months. You may have resigned yourself to living with these little pieces of your dog’s hair floating around, but you can still reduce shedding by caring for the dog’s coat health. It’s helpful to understand that most dogs have several layers to their fur, and often when pet owners brush a dog, they only reach the top layer. At Greenlin Pet Resorts, our groomers use professional brushes and other tools that extract loose hairs from the deepest coat layer. As a result, your canine friend will have a healthier, thinner coat with less hair to shed.
- Trimming those nails makes your dog healthier and more comfortable. When a dog’s nails grow too long, this can cause your pet a lot of pain when all they’re doing is walking around. Worse, it can affect their posture and balance as they try to stand on long, wobbly nails. After a little more time goes by, your dog could even experience changes to the bones in their feet and joint pain. Some dogs’ nails grow faster and longer than others, but most dogs benefit from getting a trim whenever their nails just about touch the ground as they walk. Puppies often need more frequent nail-cutting as they’re experiencing all-over growth spurts. One hint is if you hear your dog “clicking” as they walk on hard surfaces - that’s a sign that their nails are too long and they need a trim soon.
- Grooming is an opportunity to look out for your dog’s health. Our pet specialists are trained to examine your dog’s hair, nails, and skin as they work. This allows us to observe any changes in the hair or skin that you may want to see your vet about, such as skin rashes or irritation, patches of hair loss, or other issues. Often these conditions may cause your dog discomfort but can be easily treated once your veterinarian diagnoses the problem.
What If Your Dog’s Nails Are a Little Out of Control?
Sometimes people come in with a newly-adopted rescue dog that may not have had the care they needed in the past, and as a result, their nails are very long. If your dog’s nails have been growing for a while, the quick may also have been growing for that long. We don’t want to hurt the dog by cutting their nails into the quick, so we may start with small weekly trims at first, and slowly work your dog’s nails down to a manageable length.
How Often Does Your Dog Need a Bath?
The best schedule for dog bathing varies from one canine to the next. Some breeds with very long hair and heavy coats actually need less frequent baths than shorter-haired dogs. Dogs with skin or coat conditions may need more frequent baths to keep them healthy. Your dog’s activities should also be taken into account - if you take your canine companion to the dog park or for a hike in the woods often, they may get dirty a lot faster. On the other hand, dogs that spend more time indoors with less access to mud puddles may not need to bathe quite as frequently.
For many dogs, bathing every 3-4 months is enough, but others do better with a bath every month, or a few times a year. Once we give your dog their initial bath, we’ll advise you on when we think they might need another one based on their hair type. If they frequently have mats in their coat, or outdoor debris caught in their fur, we may recommend more frequent baths to suit their needs. Or, if they seem relatively clean but their skin looks a little dry, we may recommend waiting longer periods between baths.
When Should You Start Grooming for a Puppy?
As soon as possible. If your dog was old enough to be adopted, they’re old enough to get started with bathing, brushing, and nail trimming as needed. When puppies get used to being in water or having their paws handled at a young age, they find these activities less stressful as they get older. We always start slowly with puppies and give them lots of treats, so we can help them form a positive association with grooming from a young age.
How Can You Schedule a Dog Bath, Nail Trim, or Other Grooming Service for Your Dog?
Please call us at our Mechanicsburg location, or send us a message through our online contact form. We’ll be happy to schedule a grooming appointment for your dog.