Expecting Holiday Guests? Be Sure the Family Dog is Company-Ready with these Tips

When guests arrive for holiday celebrations, they expect to be greeted by seasonal décor and tempting aromas from the kitchen. It’s important that the family dog be company-ready too.

“We put so much effort into holiday preparations to make our homes festive and fresh,” says Traci Simo, head of at-home services for pet care provider Canine Company. “A thorough pre-holiday grooming will ensure that we don’t waste all that hard work.”

To get the family pet guest-ready – and eliminate the need for last-minute dog hair clean up -- she recommends the following:

• Start with a thorough brushing – preferably outdoors -- to get rid of loose or shedding hair. For longer haired dogs, it’s important to work out any knots. A steel-pinned comb will help with removal and an untangling spray can make the process more comfortable for the pet.
• Follow with a bath. Using pet shampoo, massage well to remove remaining loose hair. Rinse, then massage in a moisturizing treatment and rinse again. Towel dry. For safety, it’s best to let the dog air-dry. You can comb or brush the coat to speed drying.
• Don’t forget the nail trim. You don’t want your pet scratching guests, so be sure to clip nails. To prevent bleeding, take off a small amount at a time and stay well away from the “quick.” Be prepared with a styptic product in case you do clip into the blood vessel.

To reduce last-minute stress on yourself, Simo suggests scheduling the grooming for the week before and then doing a quick touch up with pet grooming wipes on the big day. Add a holiday collar or ruff and your pet is company-ready!

If you’d rather put the job in the hands of a professional, make an appointment soon because quality groomers book up quickly at this time of year,” says Simo. “You can save time and reduce the stress on your pet by using a mobile dog groomer, like our Mobile Pet Spa, which comes right to your driveway.”

About Canine Company

Canine Company offers products and services to help pet parents in New England, New York and New Jersey keep their dogs and cats healthy, safe and happy at home, including the Invisible Fence® pet containment systems, Manners® dog obedience training, and mobile dog grooming and pet sitting services in select markets including Norfolk county.