DOG SHOWS 101
June 25, 2011 
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this one teaches you how to SHOW your dog successfully besides being an altogether useful and informative training book!
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Tag Archives: American Kennel Club
Category: Dog Product News
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Best small family dogs – Part 3
February 22, 2011 0 Comments
Small breed dogs have become highly sought after in these days of condominium living. While the American Kennel Club still recognizes a strict adherence to height and weight for the “Toy Breed” class, cross breeding has now become the norm. You can find almost any breed categorized as “toy” or “tiny” these days.
The reasons for wanting a small breed puppy are vast; “I want a dog, but have no space”, “I want a dog I can carry around and dress up”, ” I want a puppy that won’t knock down my children”. You should remember that smaller dogs sometimes have big needs. For instance, small dogs tend to have very long life spans, fifteen to twenty years is not unheard of. Should your teenager fall in love with that Yorkshire Terrier at the pet shop, remember that the pup is probably only three or four months old. Your teen has college, career, family, and friends in his or her future; where does the older dog fit in? If you buy your fifteen a puppy now, where will it be when your child is thirty-five? You may need to be prepared to take the dog back to your home at some point. Also be prepared to pay for geriatric veterinary care.
Many small breed puppies are of the “fluffy” variety! Which means you will have to invest in grooming appointments, or in grooming tools and time. There are a few small breeds with short coats, including; Chihuahua, Rat Terrier, Miniature Dauschund, and Miniature Pinscher. Others are starting to show up, again with the aid of cross breeding.
All of the short coated breeds above fit nicely into the family unit, with the Rat Terrier being the “busiest” personality (of course, all puppy personalities are different and distinct.) The Mini Dachshund is a wonderful pup for older children; due to possible back problems, small children should be monitored around them. Miniature Pinscher and Chihuahua puppies often get a bad rap. Usually owned by adults, and treated like children themselves, they are often not very social. How ever, they can be a wonderful addition when properly socialized, and guaranteed not to knock down the toddlers!
Most small breed puppies are going to require some professional grooming. Non-shedding breeds have become the most popular, allowing many people with allergies to now own dogs. The poodle is the “original” non-shedding breed, though there are many other purebred dogs that do not shed. Poodles are a wonderful dog that grow to literally every size, so be careful
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How to create a successful home business
October 7, 2010 0 Comments
The dog grooming business is in a transitional state right now. With “big box” stores trying to take on most of the major markets, many groomers are taking their business to their basements or garages. Proper space and USDA licensing is still required, but a clean space does not have to be huge.
Location, location, location, cannot be said enough about the dog grooming business. A grooming shop must be easy to get in and out of from both directions. Many dogs do not enjoy car rides, so make it as easy on your potential customers as possible. Have ample off street parking, so customers loading/unloading more than one dog are not dealing with traffic. Busy streets are great for business, but remember collars are looser after a groom and puppies are excited. This is why many clients prefer residential groomers.
The tools needed to open your own grooming shop are the true investment. Do not skimp on equipment; it is usually more expensive to fix cheap equipment, and often times there is no fix. A new groom shop Must Have: a tall tub, Drying Kennels, Cage Dryer (more than 1), At least 1 table dryer, At least 2 working dog clippers, clipper blades from #10-#3 (several of EACH), clipper blade clip on combs, dog nail clippers, grooming shears, brushes and combs of every variety, matt breakers of all sizes, eye wash, ear cleanser, dog shampoo/conditioner of all varieties, and flea treatments.
Once the location has been picked, and a clientele established, there are many niche markets to expand into. Pet clothing and apparel have seen a surge, along with: pet carriers, pet jewelry, pet booties, dog hats, dog sunglasses. All of this merchandise is easy to display and relatively small.
Dog grooming has evolved by light years since the days of strict show cuts set forth by the American Kennel Club. The show dogs look gorgeous, prancing around with every hair on full poof! It is not, however, physically possible for the average pet owner to sustain hair styles meant for the show ring. If you are not a professional, you will need to employ a professional groomer to keep your pup in “show quality”.
The most recent trend in dog grooming is the “puppy cut”. This is usually slightly more affordable than a “style clip” (trimmed to the recommended breed style). A “puppy cut” involves clipping the entire pup (head/body/legs) to the same length; short, medium, or long. These types of clips are much easier and faster for the groomer because there is
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Shih Tzu Grooming Is Art, Skill, Trade And A Profession
May 13, 2010 0 Comments
Shih Tzu grooming can be compared to human beauty culture because it is the beautification of the Shih Tzu breed. The art of Shih Tzu grooming is aimed at creating a reasonable facsimile of a normal specimen of the Shih Tzu breed. The attendance of Shih Tzu American Kennel Club dog shows is an excellent place to observe first hand the best specimens of the Shih Tzu breed.
There are basic steps applicable to grooming the Shih Tzu as well as all breeds of dogs. Anyone interested in becoming a complete dog grooming artist, should know how to make all breeds beautiful. A Shih Tzu grooming artist professional should know how best to enhance the appearance of each breed of dog. However, if the Shih Tzu is your favorite breed, one can become known as an “expert” in grooming the Shih Tzu.
A professional Shih Tzu groomer understands that certain breeds, like Poodles, most Terriers and Spaniels, and the Shih Tzu require far more time and skill to groom than smooth-haired breeds, in which only a knowledge of the fundamentals is required.
History of dog grooming:
The dog, including the Shih Tzu, has been the closest animal to the human family. Grooming dogs was the fashion of the aristocracy during the 19th Century. The art flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France. The Poodle, however, and not the Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed. Grooming was largely confined to the Poodle. The first recorded grooming parlors were established in France about this same time.
The Shih Tzu has become so much an integral part of the family that going to the canine beautician is as much a ritual for the family Shih Tzu as going to the hairdresser is for the lady of the house. Shih Tzu and dog styling in general has also become so professional and sophisticated that Shih Tzu owners have become as selective about their Shih Tzu’s groomer as they are about their own hair stylist.
Origin of the clips:
Since the art of dog grooming flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France and the Poodle, instead of our beloved Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed in France, the Poodle breed became known as the French Poodle. The first Poodles were water dogs and retrievers. The clip most suitable to them resembled what is known today as the “Continental clip.” A mane of hair was left on the foreparts while the back and hindquarters were shaven. This clip made the Poodle resemble a lion, and therefore the clip became known in England as the “Lion clip.”
The American fancy made some variations in the “Lion clip” and began to call it the “Saddle clip.” The English Saddle clip calls for the greatest skill in the art of dog grooming.
It is not clear from historical records just when the “pet clips” originated. Often now we hear of a “Puppy Cut” for our Shih Tzu, which is a very popular style for a family pet Shih Tzu. However, for the show ring, there is much, much more to grooming our beloved Shih Tzu.
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Introduction To Shih Tzu Grooming
November 11, 2009 0 Comments
Shih Tzu Grooming Is Art, Skill, Trade and a Profession
Shih Tzu grooming can be compared to human beauty culture because it is the beautification of the Shih Tzu breed. The art of Shih Tzu grooming is aimed at creating a reasonable facsimile of a normal specimen of the Shih Tzu breed. The attendance of Shih Tzu American Kennel Club dog shows is an excellent place to observe first hand the best specimens of the Shih Tzu breed.
There are basic steps applicable to grooming the Shih Tzu as well as all breeds of dogs. Anyone interested in becoming a complete dog grooming artist, should know how to make all breeds beautiful. A Shih Tzu grooming artist professional should know how best to enhance the appearance of each breed of dog. However, if the Shih Tzu is your favorite breed, one can become known as an expert in grooming the Shih Tzu.
A professional Shih Tzu groomer understands that certain breeds, like Poodles, most Terriers and Spaniels, and the Shih Tzu require far more time and skill to groom than smooth-haired breeds, in which only a knowledge of the fundamentals is required.
History of dog grooming:
The dog, including the Shih Tzu, has been the closest animal to the human family. Grooming dogs was the fashion of the aristocracy during the 19th Century. The art flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France. The Poodle, however, and not the Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed. Grooming was largely confined to the Poodle. The first recorded grooming parlors were established in France about this same time.
The Shih Tzu has become so much an integral part of the family that going to the canine beautician is as much a ritual for the family Shih Tzu as going to the hairdresser is for the lady of the house. Shih Tzu and dog styling in general has also become so professional and sophisticated that Shih Tzu owners have become as selective about their Shih Tzus groomer as they are about their own hair stylist.
Origin of the clips:
Since the art of dog grooming flourished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI of France and the Poodle, instead of our beloved Shih Tzu, was the favorite breed in France, the Poodle breed became known as the French Poodle. The first Poodles were water dogs and retrievers. The clip most suitable to them resembled what is known today as the Continental clip. A mane of hair was left on the foreparts while the back and hindquarters were shaven. This clip made the Poodle resemble a lion, and therefore the clip became known in England as the Lion clip.
The American fancy made some variations in the Lion clip and began to call it the Saddle clip. The English Saddle clip calls for the greatest skill in the art of dog grooming.
It is not clear from historical records just when the pet clips originated. Often now we hear of a Puppy Cut for our Shih Tzu, which is a very popular style for a family pet Shih Tzu. However, for the show ring, there is much, much more to grooming our beloved Shih Tzu.
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