http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog Charlottesville's Professional Dog Grooming Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:40:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #18, December. In the nature vs. nurture debate, I often wonder if dogs can be born with some of the same “special needs” that humans are. We all know from experience that they are born with certain personality traits; shy, over-friendly, dominant, lazy, etc. These ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/12/19/the-tough-side-of-nature/ Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #18, December. We don’t usually think about our pets needing a visit to the dentist, but maybe we should. By age 3 about 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease. It is more common in older pets and small dogs ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/12/19/oral-health/ Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #18, December.  I remember one Christmas when a friend of mine asked me to keep his new Bernese Mountain Dog puppy for a few days – he would pick up late on the 24th as a surprise for his children. It was fun to do, ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/12/19/the-christmas-puppy/ As of 11/10/07, I need to make a minimum of $35.00 an hour to operate the business.  The profit after labor, rent, utilities, etc is not enough for me to be employed solely as an owner—I have to groom as well.  Not as much as when the kids were at ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/11/16/factors-that-determine-cost/ I would estimate that 60% of our customers are women and they are comfortable with what they want.  They can discuss bows, cologne, conditioner, and spa treatments quite freely and with enthusiasm.  The men that come in are usually more of a challenge.  They often don't know much more than ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/11/16/men-and-dogs/ Archived from "The Paw Report:" Issue #17 In the last issue we discussed what type of breeders to avoid, but how do you know if you have found a good one? The key is personal attention. A reputable breeder is focused on doing their best by their breed in every ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/11/16/reputable-breeders/ http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/11/06/a-welcome-tour-of-the-pet-salon/ Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #16. If you've ever experienced skunk spray up close, you know it is powerful to the point of being nauseating. Skunks are omnivores, eating both plant and animals, but mostly animals -- insects, worms, rodents, snakes, frogs, etc. They burrow and live in dens, often ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/10/26/de-skunking/ Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #16. We've used this term before--backyard breeders.  It is estimated that 2/3s of the 50 million dogs in the US have come from backyard breeders.  It is a term that is typically derogatory because it denotes careless breeding.  A professional breeder will put quite a ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/10/26/backyard-breeders/ Archived from "The Paw Report:"  Issue #16. I had a customer pick up his Cocker after we gave him a short hair cut all over. The customer remarked to his dog, “Boy, you really are getting fat, just like the vet said.” He then asked me what I suggested. I asked ... http://www.pantopspetsalon.com/blog/2007/10/26/calories-in-calories-out/