Posts tagged "groomer"

When you live in New York City and your owners are an executive creative director and a makeup artist/ model, being a cute, sweet pup isn't quite big enough. Especially when you're named after one of the best-known designers in the world.

Just ask Karl Lagerfeld, a glamorous two-and-a-half-year-old shih tzu. One of the dog's owners, Peter von Klueger, lived just a couple of blocks away from where Lagerfeld, the fashion designer grew up in Germany, so the decision to name the cream-colored little pooch Karl was easy.

The choice to ask the folks at New York Dog Spa & Hotel to give his fluffy dog a red mohawk was also pretty simple. "Karl is a friendly little huff puff," von Klueger tells us. "He needs to look tough! It's all about respect!" Also, according to Naresh Jessani, owner of New York Dog Spa & Hotel, it gave the pooch a festive look for the holiday cards that von Klueger and Karl's other owner, Amy Parlow, will be sending out.

Cats are meticulous creatures but that doesn't mean your pet can't use help in keeping up its coat. Certain long haired breeds -- such as the Persian, Himalayan, Maine coon, for example -- are especially vulnerable to mats and need to be groomed daily. If you fall behind, your cat can develop knots in its fur that not only detract from the animal's natural beauty but can also be painful to the cat.

The Right Grooming Tools Make a Difference
According to B.J. Fox, a prominent breeder of Persians and Himalayans in Greenbriar, Ark., one should use a professional steel comb on long matted hair, not a brush. Fox, who worked for many years as a pet groomer, prefers using a 7.5" steel fine/medium comb. A different grade may be better suited to your cat's coat.

Combing Techniques
As a pioneering breeder of chocolate and lilac Persians, Fox has seen her share of mats in her cats' hair. She offers this tip: "The end tines of the comb will be your friend if you use them properly. Start at the end of the hair shaft at the mat and hold the base of the mat so that it does not pull the skin of the kitty. Gently use the end tine of the comb to separate the mat and dislodge it so that you can begin to work it loose, little by little, until you can get to the skin."

"Groomer Has It" put down its shears in June, but just because the cameras no longer are rolling on pet 'dos (and don'ts) doesn't mean you have to find another obsession. The marketing wizards behind the Animal Planet show decided to take to the Internets with a silly (albeit ridiculously satisfying) idea that lets you custom-design a stylish new look for your canine.

Upload a photo of your pooch's visage -- or choose from the dozen provided -- and let out your inner fashionista (or, y'know, groomer) by placing on your pooch a brand-spankin'-new 'do inspired by (among others) Whoopi Goldberg, Donald Trump, or Jennifer Aniston.

Doesn't Paw Nation's own in-house guinea pig dog, Atticus, look ready for prime time with "The Jay?"

If you've ever owned a dog, it's likely you've experienced some sort of fur-related disaster -- a horrible smell, a sticky substance, an accidental dye job, the list goes on and on. It's one thing if said disaster makes your furry friend a little less cuddly for a day or so, but a whole other issue if your job is to make a pet look and smell perfect.

The American Kennel Club, which hosts next month's Meet the Breeds event in New York City, put us in touch with two top groomers -- Shirlee Kalstone and Jonathon David (of "Groomer Has It" fame). They told us about some of the stickiest situations they've ever faced, and shared some tricks of the trade that you can try at home!

David, who travels the country participating in grooming competitions, relies on his contacts living near the events to lend him stunning dogs. For one such occasion, he was referred to a woman who owned two Kerry Blue Terriers (a competition favorite).