Pantops Pet Salon & Spa
Charlottesville's Professional Dog Grooming

Basics:
Country of Origin:  Shetland islands off Scotland
Group:  Herding
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Height:  13-16 inches
Weight:  15-25 lbs
Color:  Sable and white, tricolor and blue merle
AKC Rank 2006:  20

The Shetland Sheepdog
This breed was developed in the rough terrain of the Shetland islands where the climate is quite harsh.  Early members of the breed were quite small and not nearly as elegant of coat.  They were excellent herding dogs of not only sheep but horses as well.  Since fencing was not used at the time, their herding skills were highly sought after.  Adjectives describing this breed are “sensitive, bright, obedient, gentle, playful, and extremely willing to please.”  They are good with children too—sounds like the perfect combination of dog and pet! 

They are initially shy of strangers so we as groomers usually use their first visit to work slowly and earn their confidence.  They may otherwise nip.  The coat is double with a fine dense undercoat and a coarse long primary coat.  The undercoat can be a shedding machine so frequent brushing is necessary (twice a week) and professional grooming should happen every 6 weeks.  The breed groom calls for a thorough brushing and light trimming of hair around the ears and neck to maintain the shape.  Most of our customers want us to trim leg and chest feathers some and also remove hair on the hind quarters under the tail.  Shaping the rear end makes relieving themselves a cleaner process.  While we have some customers who have their Shelties clipped short all over, with such a beautiful coat like that, keeping them brushed out is our preference.

This is a breed that our thinning tools can really do a good job with, allowing us to remove a lot of undercoat while maintaining the bulk of the primary coat—you experience less shedding and your dog feels more comfortable in hot weather.

Basics:

Country of Origin:  France
Group:  Working
Lifespan: 10 years
Height:  30 inches
Weight:  +/- 100 lbs
Color:  White with black eyebrows
AKC Rank 2006:  58

The Great Pyrenees
I haven’t met an aggressive Pyrenees since I started this business in ’75—truly a gentle giant.  This ancient breed (10,000 years B.C.) is thought to have migrated from Asia Minor around 3,000 B.C. to the Pyrenees mountains.  Nomadic shepherds used them to guard flocks of sheep.  They were extremely popular around the time of Louis XIV and were even declared the “Royal Dog of France.”

Today’s Pyrenees is described as “calm and well mannered when not provoked, devoted to family but wary of strangers.”  They can be bull-headed for training and would require an alpha owner and fenced in yard.

Pyrenees are double-coated and will matt easily with neglect.  Because they are a giant breed with a very dense coat we are often called upon to cut them short for the summer so they won’t suffer in the heat and humidity.  My experience has been that this isn’t necessary to keep your dog cooler—regular serious brushing and thinning can accomplish that by removing a bulk of the undercoat and still maintain a beautiful secondary coat.  This grooming should take place weekly at home and every 8 weeks professionally.  However, a short clip in the spring should last through the summer and make a farm dog easier to keep and more comfortable as well.

Basics: 

Country of Origin:  Scotland
Group:  Terrier
Lifespan: 12-14 years
Height:  10 inches
Weight:  18-22 lbs
Color:  Black, wheaten, brindle
AKC Rank 2006:  42

The Scottish Terrier aka “The Diehard”
If you didn’t see much of Scottish terriers as a kid, then your first introduction to one was probably Jock in “Lady and the Tramp”—accent and all.  One of the dogs we owned was a Scottie—Margaret.  A customer of mine was trying to place her–she was one of three that he owned and he felt that he had too many.  Margaret was such a good little dog—calm, friendly, and very quiet.  Not really the description of most Scotties as they are typical terriers-“fearless, feisty, reserved but friendly, independent, and stubborn with a tendency to dig and bark.”  Margaret was just the opposite and most of the Scotties we groom are as well.  Some of the males are holding on to their terrier heritage, but the females don’t seem to be nearly as feisty as they once were.  This change is probably an example of how dogs are being bred for the temperament suited to a companion dog as opposed to the working dog of the 1800s.

It was really difficult to figure out how to do Scottie heads and ears when I first started grooming.  It wasn’t until I sent a groomer to a terrier workshop in PA that I was able to get it right.  The tuft in front of the ear wraps around the back halfway and the rest of the ear is shaved to 1/8 of an inch.  The top of the head and cheeks are about 1/4 of an inch—the eyebrows scissored long and the beard long and natural.  The back is taken down 1/4 to 1/2 an inch and tapered at the sides.  While the standard is that the tail is scissored tight (carrot tail) we prefer to leave a little length on the bottom (short flag tail).  Most of our customers prefer to have the beards scissored some to make it less of a mess at dinner time.  We also scissor the leg and chest feathers to please for ease of maintenance. 

Scotties have a coarse primary coat and plenty of under coat as well.  They have a tendency to matt on their legs and chest if not brushed weekly.  Occasionally we have customers ask for a short cut all over with the head and tail scissored in the Scottie fashion.

Basics: 

Country of Origin:  Newfoundland Island
Group:  Working
Lifespan: 10 years
Height:  26-28 inches
Weight:  +/- 140 lbs
Color:  Black, black and white
AKC Rank 2006:  44

The Newfoundland
Newfoundlands are thought to have originated from the Tibetan Mastiff by way of the Great Pyrenees.  As their name suggests, they came from the island of Newfoundland.    Their webbed feet, oily coat and broad chest make Newfies natural swimmers.  Rather than herding sheep, they mainly pulled nets for fisherman and performed water rescue work.   

The Newfies we’ve worked on have been exceptionally friendly—quick to give you a slobbery lick on the face if you get too close.  Since they don’t have an aggressive bone in their body, they make an excellent family dog for children and adults alike.  Some of the words describing the Newfoundland are “calm, patient, easy-going, gentle, and amiable—a friend to all.” 

When it comes to grooming they require a LOT of brushing—and due to their size it would be wise to do half of the dog one day and the other half the next day—and this should be done on a weekly basis!  They have a dense undercoat that will matt quickly with neglect, and if you take them swimming a lot that dense undercoat really needs to be thinned out for ease of maintenance.  If you bring your Newfie to us on a 6 week basis—especially during the summer months, we can keep their coat thinned, allowing it to breathe and provide as much cooling as possible.  Because the maintenance of their coat is time consuming, we do give them short utility clips—blending the head and scissoring the tail.  Due to their stocky builds, Newfies look nice in short clips and this certainly is preferable if the coat isn’t going to be brushed and maintained properly.  We can also do a summer cut—trim the feathers to the body and thoroughly brush out the undercoat.  Due to their lack of heat tolerance, grooming is a number one priority for ownership when it comes to this breed.

Country of Origin:  Canary Islands
Group:  Non-sporting
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Height:  12 inches
Weight:  10-15 lbs
Color:  White
AKC Rank 2006:  29

The Bichon Frise
The Bichon has historically gone from being a favorite of the well to do (Frances I and Henry III) to near extinction around WWI.  It was brought to the states in the 1950s but didn’t really gain popularity until 1971 when it received AKC recognition.  This companion dog is good with children, sensitive, responsive and affectionate.  Our experience in the shop has been very good—they are generally calm and friendly.  This is a blessing because their haircut involves a lot of scissoring as well as brushing.  The time it takes demands patience on their part.

Most pictures of Bichons show a very dense, long white coat.  If this is the case, the haircut calls for a full round head with thinning at the top of the nose.  The top of the head to the front of the eyes is scissored so the hair does not fall into the eyes.  The neck is scissored and blended to the head.  The body is scissored anywhere from 1-2 inches in length and the legs are scissored into full cylinders.  The tail is left full and long.

Yet we see very few Bichons that truly have the coat or are the size that the breed calls for.  If the hair tends to be silky in texture and lays flat, then the full round head appearance is impossible—many of our Bichons just don’t have the coat.

The full breed groom would require monthly visits to maintain, while scissoring the same style, but shorter, lasts longer.  Most of our Bichons have their bodies clipped from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in length with tighter legs and head as well.  We do have a few Bichons that get a 1/2 inch clip all over with a short, round head and scissored tail.

Our recommended grooming appointment would be 4 to 6 weeks if once a week your dog is thoroughly brushed at home

Basics:
Country of Origin:  China
Group:  Toy
Lifespan: 12 years
Height:  3 long to 5 high ratio
Weight:  less than 14 lbs
Color:  All colors and combinations
AKC Rank 2006:  49 

The Pekingese

The lion is an exalted symbol of Buddha so the dogs of China who showed some resemblance were carefully bred to accentuate that similarity.  With extensive breeding under the auspices of palace eunuchs with no expense spared, we have the foundation of today’s Peke.  No history of work for these lap dogs!  Their history is one of pampering—complete with personal servants!  They can be aloof, independent and not overly demonstrative.  They are better with adults than children.

Most of the Pekes we get in take a little patience at first, but get used to grooming after a time or two.  We have some that come in that are exceptionally friendly and affectionate and making generalities about the breed personality is hard to do. One of my favorite customers, Benji Wyant, is a pretty little boy—very friendly, easy to groom, and yet has lots of spunk.

This is a breed that I have yet to see come in with truly a show coat-hair down to the floor.  While the hair on the face and muzzle is fairly short, that of the neck is truly a profuse mane and can have corresponding length on the body, legs and tail.

Most owners want us to scissor the feathers on the chest and leg, well off the floor-making weekly grooming an easier chore.  Pekes have a dense undercoat and will matt without weekly brushing.  As I said earlier, very few of our Pekes come in with show coats—most are much shorter and quite a bit thinner as well.  While we do give some short utility haircuts all over, a good thinning with some scissoring of the feathers seems all that’s necessary for most of our pets.

Recommended grooming by us is every 5-6 weeks depending on the coat.

Basics:

Country of Origin:  Scotland
Group:  Herding
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Height:  22-26 inches
Weight:  50-75 lbs
Color:  Sable and white, blue merle and tricolor
AKC Rank 2006:  37

The Collie (rough)
The heavy coat of the Collie was certainly desirable in the cold, rugged weather conditions of Scotland, especially when they were left outside herding sheep.  When I operated the Pet Motel on route 29 in the late 1970s, I boarded a beautiful Collie named Brandy who lived behind the kennel on Dominion Drive.  The owners boarded Brandy frequently and he soon learned the way to the kennel on his own.  I would be at work and here he would come, looking for attention and happy to see me.  After months of phone calls, having him picked up by the owners every time he wandered out to see me, they offered him to me.  I jumped at the opportunity.  He was so handsome, had a great disposition, and was show quality in appearance.  I have never met a Collie that could match his good looks or disposition.  Great dogs!  Of course, I grew up with Lassie on T.V. so I’m sure I looked at him in the same light

This dog is a case of the double-coat to the max.  I kept Brandy’s undercoat as thin as possible—no trimming at all and very few baths.  His primary coat seemed to stay clean with brushing and he always smelled good and fresh.  If you aren’t into brushing, I recommend 6-8 week visits where we can really thin out that undercoat and keep it from matting.  Neglect will certainly lead to matts in short order—especially at the chest, rear end and behind the ears.  Can and should they get haircuts?  Oddly enough, yes.  As a matter of fact, short-coated collies exist naturally and are called Smooth Coated Collies.  My personal preference is to keep them well brushed out, but sometimes they are so thick from neglect that clipping is the only recourse.

Basics:
Country of Origin:  Portugal
Group:  Working (water rescue)
Lifespan:  10-14 years
Height:  20-23 inches
Weight:  42-60 lbs
Color:  Black, black with white, shades of brown
AKC Rank 2006:  69

The Portuguese Water Dog
This dog was used primarily by fishermen in the seaports of the Iberian Peninsula where they worked as members of a boat crew.  They retrieved fish and fishing gear but also acted as guards and rescuers.  They were introduced to the United States in the late 1960s and current numbers here are higher than they are in Portugal.

The adjectives describing the PWD are “fun-loving, family-loving, loyal and good with children.”  Keep in mind that they come from a working background so plenty of exercise is high on the agenda.

We currently have several PWDs coming in for grooming.  This breed can either have a medium-length curly coat or a long wavy coat—both of which should be brushed and combed several times a week.  There are two standard clips for the PWD.  The retriever clip is about an inch long all over except for the last 3-4 inches of tail.  We have also done the lion clip.  The lion clip calls for a short muzzle, full head, ears, front legs and chest.  From the loin back, including hind legs and tail except for the last 3-4 inches, we clip the hair to 1/4 an inch.  The lion clip is definitely a show stopper and will undeniably be a topic of conversation with friends and neighbors.

Basics:
Country of Origin: United States
Group: Herding
Lifespan: 14-16 years
Height: 20-22 inches
Weight: 40-60 lbs
Color: Red, black, blue and red merle
AKC Rank 2006: 34

The Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shepherd is not really an Australian breed but came to America by way of Australia. It is believed they originated in the Barque region of Europe in the 1800s. As shepherds, they were used primarily in the rugged areas of Australia and the western United States. Selective breeding has developed a dog known to have “a great deal of stamina [who] is loving, bold, alert, confident, independent, smart, and responsive.”

The Aussies we’ve met certainly have that look of intelligence in their eyes. They tend to be wary of strangers and thus take a few minutes to get to know us before we can go to work. They are double-coated and require a lot of brushing–at least once a week. We occasionally clip them down to 1/4-1/2 of an inch all over, usually in hot weather and/or for ease of maintenance. They really are gorgeous if kept brushed out and thinned. We prefer to see them come in for a good brushing and bath every 4-6 weeks so that we can thin out the hair before it gets thick enough to require an uncomfortable amount of brushing. They often become fussy for prolonged brushing and can occasionally be snappy.

Karma Knaus sports a summer cut. The feathers on the chest, legs and rear are scissored short and blended to the sides.

Basics:
Country of Origin:  Italy
Group:  Toy
Lifespan: 12-14 years
Height:  No standard
Weight:  4-7 lbs
Color:  White
AKC Rank 2006:  18

The Maltese
This is one of our favorite companion dogs.  With proper breeding, they are highly affectionate, well-mannered and adjust well to a family environment.  Due to their petite size and gentle nature, they are perfect for adults and older children but handling by young children (below 10 years) should be monitored.  Minimal exercise and quiet are fine for this easy-going dog.

While the breed standard calls for a long coat well to the floor, all of our customers like some scissoring to minimize brushing and combing and to maintain cleanliness.  The hair on the top of the head, if allowed to grow, is tied up into either one or two top knots (pony tails).  Most of our Maltese owners prefer not to deal with tying up the hair and choose bangs instead.
The most popular cut is our summer cut with bangs.  We scissor the legs, chest, and tail to between 1.5 inches to 2 inches.  In addition to bangs, muzzles are trimmed to 1.5 inches as well.  We also do a lot of “personality cuts” where the body and legs are clipped all over from 1/4 of an inch to 1 inch all over with bangs and a short beard.

When it comes to grooming, this is a gentle natured dog.  Keep in mind that the longer the coat, the more frequent your combing and brushing should be at home as they can matt up quickly.