Dog Grooming Service

November 23, 2020

One thing that Lou Walter, owner of Lou’s Doggy Doos in Ellsworth, wants dog owners to understand is that bringing their dogs in for grooming is a health issue.

“It’s super important,” said Walter who opened her store at 335 Main St. on June 15. “It’s like you brushing your hair or brushing your teeth.”

She said many people want to bring their dogs in for grooming once or twice a year. That’s not enough, she warned. “You should actually be coming in every six to eight weeks,” she said. “Longer than that and the hair gets matted, and that is horrible for the dogs. If the hair gets tangled, it pulls on their skin and can create a hematoma. That can bleed and be very painful for the dog.” Grooming a dog can take as long as two hours, according to Walter, depending on the size and behavior of the animal and what kind of haircut.

“I work so much dependent on the animal,” Walter said. “I will not push them. Not every dog is OK with getting groomed. I want to take my time and work with the animal. They have to be comfortable. No dog is going to behave if they aren’t comfortable.”

In addition to grooming a dog’s fur, Walter provides many other services such as trimming nails, bathing, dental care, and ear cleaning.

“Their nails need to be trimmed regularly,” Walter said. “When the nails touch the ground, it actually pushes the paw up and puts pressure on the joints of the lower leg. If they are walking weird, their back is going to get messed up.” Walter attended the Rio Grooming School and Salon in Hastings to learn how to trim different breeds of dogs and how to care for them. There she had over 400 hours of training in dog behavior and grooming techniques.