"No really? I thought I was just at the groomers a few weeks ago"

  Frequents Spa Questions and Answers


 Why we don’t brush out a badly matted coat:


  • Imagine your own head of hair is full of long, tight dreadlocks. Now try to comb through that to get rid of the knots. It’s going to hurt. Your scalp will turn red and swollen from the terrible inflammation, your skin will suffer from microscopic breaks that are now prone to infection. (Many grooming salons will rip through knots with little regard to your dog’s discomfort in order to save time, teaching them to bite and retaliate during the groom). You would never want to repeat this traumatic experience, and neither would your dog. If your dog has just a few knots, we can apply special products to loosen the knots, or if necessary we can often shave these mats out strategically to blend in with the rest of the coat. But we cannot brush out tight mats. It’s painful for your dog. It puts their health at risk.
  • The experience is often traumatizing and they will forever associate a visit to the grooming salon with terrible pain. If you want to keep your dog’s coat long, we want to partner with you in the maintenance of his/her coat.
  • We’ll happily show you the correct brushing techniques, and recommend and/or order correct brushes etc., at very reasonable prices, so when paired with the quality spa shampoos and conditioners, you can keep on top of this at home. And we’ll recommend when your dog should come in for its next appointment.
  • If brushing time is an issue, we recommend a Bath & Dry Only (Please view Bath & Dry Only Includes), to be scheduled in between a Full Spa Grooms.



  How often can I shampoo my dog?


  • Some dog owners worry if their dog is being shampooed too often. It’s true that commercially available pet shampoos can strip a dog’s skin of its natural oils. These oils regulate the coat’s cleanliness ‘naturally’, and provides a natural protection for their skin. All shampoos used at Manhattan Canine, Inc. are paraben-free and ph-balanced for a dog’s sensitive skin. Human shampoos are ph-balanced for human skin. There is a difference – so we don’t recommend using human shampoo on your dog.
  •  Provided you use an all-natural dog shampoo, it’s okay to shampoo between grooms. About six in ten dog owners will allow their dog to sleep in or on the bed with them – so you can shampoo your dog, for example, as often as you change your linen (for most clients, this is about every seven to ten days). We do not recommend shampooing more often.
  •  This doesn’t apply to dogs with pre-existing skin conditions – which may be on a medicated shampoo prescribed by the vet – nor to dogs that are being treated for fleas or other parasites and may require special treatments.
  • We never recommend washing a matted coat, this will cause the knots to set in, and become very tight. A matted dog should be scheduled for a Full Spa Groom, (shaving the dog may be necessary), to prevent or assess underlying skin breakdown hidden beneath the mats, and to avoid undo pain, possible skin injury and discomfort to your dog.



 
Does my dog’s diet affect its skin and coat?

  • When a dog comes to us for grooming, we can see immediately the quality of its diet. Mass-manufactured dry dog food that you can pick up at the corner shop or the grocery store is often high in sugar and artificial coloring and ingredients. The packages might say ‘meaty’ and ‘moist’ and look wonderfully colorful – and your dog might love the food. But look at your dog’s coat and skin. Part the hair in various places, the skin should have a pink to bluish tinge, depending on breed, should be free of dry flakes – but it shouldn’t be greasy to the touch either. Your dog’s coat should be full and even – there shouldn’t be any hairless patches, skin eruptions, scabs, redness or draining sores.
  • If your dog scratches a lot, this could also be a sign that it is uncomfortable, that the skin is dry or irritated, or he developing a skin issue such as an allergy to food or to something in his environment that has changed. In a lot of cases, it may simply come down to your dog’s diet.
  • Ideally, we recommend foods high in Omega oils or with a high meat to grain ratio (or even grain-free). In the near future we will be carrying high grade foods that we feel confident in recommending, at the lowest prices possible. For our client’s convenience, they will be able to order ahead on our website, and be picked up at the time of their regular groom. Sometimes a change in quality of diet can alleviate numerous vet bills for unsightly skin issues, that cause stress and discomfort to your pet.
  • We always recommend getting your pet examined by a veterinarian upon any sudden changes to coat and skin, as this can also be indicative of underlying health concern.



 
The importance of regular grooming

  • Basically, it comes down to your dog’s coat type and how much you are able to do at home. Regular grooming to a professional groomer means every four to eight weeks, depending on breed, chosen style of groom, and condition of skin. If your dog’s coat is prone to matting (forming knots) but you’d like to keep the coat long, then you need to brush every day (or so) at home. We’ll show you the correct brushing techniques.
  • If your schedule does not permit regular brushing in between grooms, then we suggest scheduling more frequent Full Spa Grooms combined with a Bath Only in between.
  • Another alternative, our Professional Groomer can assist you in the viewing of our portfolio for a different style of groom that will allow you and your pet to go longer in between grooms without as much worry of matting.
  • We are confident in helping client’s find a style of groom that is just as cute, and is a much better fit with their lifestyle. Regular grooming encourages a happy, healthy dog. An easily taken care of coat can eliminate stress for a client. Many styles available to suit most everyone's preferences.


  

canineinfluenza.com

Please, we must all do our part in protecting the ones we love. If your dog is displaying the above symptoms, or has a sudden change in his/her health norm, we will be glad to reschedule so that you can take your pet to the veterinarian. This is the main way, we as a community, can protect our pets from deadly outbreaks of diseases such as Canine Influenza and Bordatella. Thank You


          Manhattan Canine Dog Grooming Spa & Daycare

Certified Professional Dog Grooming Services in Cape Coral



Safety Policies & Rules of Spa

   **All Mandatory Shots Up to Date and copy on file at   

     Manhattan Canine, Inc. Your Pet must be up to date on the

     following Core Vaccines to insure they have a safe stay with us:

  •  Rabies, (DHLPP) Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus, Bordatella (kennel cough)
  • Must be on a flea and tick preventative medication or topical
  • **All vaccinations should be given at least (5) days prior to arrival
  • Minimum age is 4 months with puppy shots up to date
  • We are happy to accept older ( more than 12 years) or disabled pets. In some cases, vet clearance may be requested and Geriatric/Disabled Grooming waiver will apply.

                         (**Aged or infirmed pets will be given some                           

                             latitude in  regards to requirements)

  • ** All Dogs Must be on Lead upon entering and leaving the Spa (For Safety Reasons, No pet should be ever be allowed to go nose-to nose with any other unfamiliar pet while awaiting check in or check out).
  • We reserve the right to refuse services to any dog that presents a safety issue to other dogs in our care or our staff, for any reason. 
  • Due to safety issues, we ask that youplease wait to be called before picking up, as your pet will not cooperate for remaining part of groom  once they know you are present.
  • Please be sure to advise groomer of any pre-existing medical conditions or psychological problems for example: Diabetes, Seizures, Allergies, Sensitivities, Warts, Moles, Recent Surgery or Injury, Fear of Thunder, Biting for Nail Trim, etc.  
  • Please keep in mind that a matted coat can cause numerous health issues including itching, irritation and skin infections.  Removing a heavily matted coat runs the risk of nicks, cuts or abrasions.  Matting can also trap moisture near the pet's skin allowing fungus and bacteria to grow, which may cause skin breakdown hidden beneath the matt. Standard Grooming Waiver required. 
  • Please, Must Call for Reschedule at least 24 hours in advance, (we will work with our clients to accommodate convenient/reasonable reschedules) two NO SHOWS without reschedule call, will result in the refusal to provide future services, Thank You. 

 $35 fee for returned checks.