How Often Should You Groom Your Dog? A San Bruno Guide

Whether you live up near Skyline Boulevard or down by Tanforan, the question we hear most from San Bruno dog owners is the simplest one: how often should my dog be groomed? The honest answer is that it depends on the coat. A Labrador and a doodle can live on the same street and need completely different schedules.

A Rule-of-Thumb Schedule by Coat Type

• Short, smooth coats (Labradors, Boxers, French Bulldogs): a bath, nail trim and ear check every two to three months, with a quick brush once a week.
• Double coats (Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Pomeranians, Samoyeds): a groom with de-shedding every six to eight weeks, and brushing a few times a week, more when they blow their coat.
• Curly and wool coats (Poodles, doodles, Bichons): a full groom every four to six weeks. These coats keep growing and mat quickly if they are left too long.
• Long, silky coats (Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkies): every four to six weeks, plus daily or every-other-day brushing at home.
• Nails, for every dog: roughly every three to four weeks. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they are due.

Signs Your Dog Is Overdue

Calendars are a guide, not a rule. Book sooner if you notice tangles behind the ears or under the legs, a smell that comes back soon after a bath, hair growing over the eyes, scooting, or nails that touch the ground when your dog stands still.

What to Do Between Grooms

A few minutes of brushing a week does more than any single groom. Brush all the way down to the skin, not just over the top layer, and pay extra attention to friction spots: behind the ears, the collar line, the armpits and the back of the legs. Wipe paws after muddy walks and keep an eye on the ears, especially in floppy-eared breeds.

Mobile Grooming in San Bruno

Sky Pet Grooming's van comes to homes in San Bruno, with a full bathtub, a grooming table and professional dryers on board, so your pet is groomed right outside your door. We offer full dog grooming, cat grooming, de-shedding, detangling, nail trimming and anal gland expression. Book online any time, or call (415) 754-0813.