FAQ

Please browse our frequently asked questions, and feel free to call us if your question is not answered here. We are always here to help!

Boarding

Do you offer discounts for extended stays?

Generally, we do not give discounts unless there are extenuating circumstances. These are handled on a case by case basis decided by the business owner.

Are free baths given at the end of boarding?

No, we do not offer free baths at the end of boarding stays. Paws and Claws takes a number of measures to prevent the kennels, and therefore the dogs, from becoming smelly, with heated floors to ensure they stay dry, and frequent potty times to prevent accidents. We find that this keeps them from smelling like "the kennel,” limiting the need for baths.

What do you do if a dog becomes injured or sick while staying with you?

If a dog becomes sick or injured while staying with us, we contact an owner, manager, or lead as soon as possible. They will assess the severity of an injury or illness and will decide how to proceed from there. If it is obviously something more urgent, we call Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital about being seen as soon as possible (and notify an owner, manager, or lead as well).

You're all booked up! Can you recommend another place for me to board my pet?

No, we can't guarantee the quality of other places, and are unable to ensure you would be happy elsewhere.

Grooming & Baths

Should I leave my dog’s hair longer in the winter?

In the winter, we do not generally recommend leaving the hair longer. As longer hair gets damp from going out in the snow, it tangles very easily. If the owner is not diligent about combing the dog after every time it gets damp, mats can become severe, creating the necessity to shave the dog, and defeating the whole purpose of leaving the hair long to start with. As long as they are an inside dog, they should be able to handle winter with their normal grooming. Additionally, if a dog wears a sweater on a regular basis, this can create a lot of matting as well.

Can you brush out my matted dog?

Dog’s hair tends to form mats at the skin, and the only way to fix this type of matting is to cut very close to the skin. It is generally easier on the dog to shave these mats than to try and comb them out, which can be very painful. Once your matted dog has been shaved, they still need to be brought in within the recommended number of weeks in order to prevent further matting and maintain what the dog has. Shaving them is really just putting them back to square one, giving the dog and owner a good starting point.

Can you shave my golden retriever/husky/shepherd?

It is our policy not to shave Double Coated Dogs (i.e. golden retrievers, huskies, labs, Australian shepherds, etc). The top-coat (coarser hair) actually protects the dog from the heat and sun; the fuzzy undercoat acts as a layer of insulation keeping them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The best remedy is to brush out as much undercoat as we can.

When you shave a double coat, you take the risk of the hair growing back patchy, or not at all. When the hair does grow back, it is usually thicker and fuzzier, so the groomer will need to shave shorter and shorter each time, which can cause clipper burn.

Help! My dog got sprayed by a skunk!

If your dog gets sprayed by a skunk, here are our recommendations for the best way to handle it.

1. Using COLD water (warm water will make the skunk oil stick to your pets fur more) rinse the affected areas
2. Using a solution of 16 oz Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/3 cup Baking Soda and a good squirt of Dawn Dishwashing liquid, saturate the affected areas using a washcloth or sponge (be careful not to get any of the solution in your pet's eyes)
3. Let the mixture sit on your dog for a minimum of 10 minutes.
4. Rinse with COLD water (again, being careful of your pet's eyes)
5. Repeat steps 2–4

We do not take in pets for bathing or grooming that have been freshly sprayed by skunks as we don't want to send everyone else's pets home smelling the same way. If you follow the procedure above it will help a great deal, but unfortunately there is no real magic solution.

How often should I have my dog groomed?

A good rule of thumb is the longer you want the dog's hair to be, the more often they should come in to maintain it. If you are looking for a number of weeks (to set up the next appointment in advance), 4-8 weeks is a good standard. Obviously there are exceptions to this. Consult our groomers if you have further questions on this!

Why does grooming take so long?

We groom each dog individually, from the roughing in and bathing, to hand drying the dog and then the finishing touches. Time tends to vary depending on the breed, size of dog, as well as the condition of the coat.

Do you remove ear hair while grooming?

Unless specifically requested by the customer, we do not pull hair out of the dog's ears. This is because we have seen that dogs that have the hair pulled out are often much more susceptible to ear infections. Pulling out the hair leaves the hair follicles open, and more susceptible to infection-causing bacteria. Our recommendation, instead of pulling the hair out, is to make sure it is trimmed very short to allow for air circulation.

Regarding my dog's toenails.. How do you get "The Quick" to recede?

"The Quick" grows continually, and left unchecked, will grow longer than desired and make it impossible to get the dog's nails comfortably short. Regular toenail trimming (every 2-4 weeks) can prevent this. The only way to truly get the quick to recede is to cut the nails very short (effectively cutting all of the nails until they bleed), which is generally not recommended.

Do you express anal glands?

We do not. Dogs should be able to express the anal glands naturally. They have small muscles and the tiny sacks can tear and weaken if they are squeezed too often, which can cause leaking. A veterinarian can express them internally if there is an issue.

Can I watch my pet be groomed?

We prefer that pet parents drop their pets and go as pets tend to behave better for us without their owner present.

General

Is your pool available for use?

Yes, our swimming pool is available, even if you do not board with us! We offer two packages, as well as individual sessions.
Pool Rehab Packages: 10 visits of 10 minute sessions for $110.
Recreational Use Packages: 10 visits of 20 minute sessions for $165.
If you would like to purchase individual sessions, we offer 10 minute sessions for $17 and 20 minute sessions for $22. Please contact us for additional information.

What is your flea policy?

If we discover fleas on a pet that is already checked in, we will call the owner and inform them that the pet has fleas and tell them that they can either come pick up their pet immediately or we will give it a Capgard. If Capgard is chosen, we will wait 30 minutes until all the fleas are dead and follow up with a bath in a natural flea shampoo. Please note that additional fees will apply if we have to give the Capgard and a flea bath. The client will need to follow up with a flea treatment (preferably an oral treatment like NexGard). We do not recommend a topical flea treatment, since those are spread through the oils in the coat, which were stripped by the flea bath.

If a client calls and says their dog has fleas, we cannot accept them here until two weeks after flea treatment has been started. They will also want to treat their other pets and possibly their house (depending on the extent of the fleas). A veterinarian will have the most effective treatments for the pets; flea bombs for their house can be purchased at Pet Food Plus.