Pantops Pet Salon & Spa
Charlottesville's Professional Dog Grooming

For years now there has been an ongoing controversy involving the Pit Bull breed. Our local SPCA and some Pit Bull owners claim that the breed is misunderstood so they are working to change the public’s negative perception of these dogs. Well, if it were only so simple. Perhaps in this case, “where there is smoke, there is fire.” The Pit Bull’s reputation has a basis in reality so if you are looking to own one, take extra care with your research so you know exactly what you are in for and whether you can handle it.

We know that most of our dog breeds were developed to suit their working relationships with man from herding and retrieving to rescuing. The Pit Bull, however, was bred to be a fighter. The breed originated in England in the 1800s with the Black and Tan Terrier. This breed was used to entertain humans by killing rats in a pit–not my idea of a good time, but there you have it. Evidently, this wasn’t enough excitement for the audience so they crossed the terrier with the Bulldog to create what we know today as the Staffordshire terrier or Pit Bull. Instead of fighting rats, these dogs were set against each other in the pit, hence their name. When you look into getting a Pit Bull, understand that they were originally bred to fight one another to the death for human entertainment. In the pit, only the strongest survived and subsequently were bred to pass on the traits which had ensured that they killed their opponents.

Read our “Nature vs. Nurture” article in the Library section of our website and you’ll see that both play an important role in your dog’s character. Training and socialization, although essential, aren’t going to give a Pit Bull the manners of a Golden Retriever. Pit lovers that want their dogs accepted by society must work to clean up the breeding in addition to being responsible owners. Just as we can breed dogs to increase their sense of smell for hunting, we can also breed them to adjust their character. There were originally strains of aggression in the Great Dane, but breeders have selectively matched the most docile members of the breed to eventually produce a more gentle dog. Aggressive tendencies can be bred out of the Pit Bull but potential owners should be aware that this is a process–after years of selectively breeding Pits to fight, it’s going to take some time to change them.

While breeders work to change the Pit, there will be some differing genetic lines. This is common for working dogs including the Labrador Retriever. You have one line of dogs that have been bred for their game retrieving instincts while others are bred as companion dogs or show dogs who would make lousy hunters. With the Pit Bull, you still have the lines that go back to their fighting roots. Although dog fighting is outlawed, there are plenty of backyard breeders who still fight dogs (hello, Michael Vick) and of course people who just want to be seen with a “bad ass dog.” But there are other breeders who are working to civilize the breed by breeding out that violence.

It’s not quite time to throw caution to the wind. The most recent available statistics we could find show that violence from Pit Bulls is still at the top of the charts. In 2000, the Center for Disease Control published the following study; between 1979 and 1998, one third of all fatal dog attacks were caused by Pit Bull types. The highest (118) were by Pit Bulls, the second highest (67) by Rottweillers. The Pits we see at the Pet Salon have been friendly but often stubborn and sometimes untrained and aggressive toward other dogs. My son Michael, who owns the Pet Salon, stopped boarding them because they were destructive to the kennels and impervious to pain–they would chew on the chain link until their mouths bled.

Be aware that owning a Pit will limit your choices if you need to move. Based on the dog’s violent history, many apartments will not allow Pits in order to protect the safety of other tenants. The following countries have created laws restricting or outlawing Pit Bull ownership: Ontario, Winnipeg and Manitoba Canada, Australia, France, Norway, Singapore, United Kingdom, Denmark, New Zealand, Serbia and Italy. In the United States, 16 cities have active laws governing Pit Bull ownership. 7 cities are currently studying proposals. Insurance companies like Allstate are reluctant to insure homeowners who have Pit Bulls which isn’t a surprise when the Insurance Information Institute reports that dog bites accounted for one-quarter of all claims on homeowner’s insurance.

When looking to get a Pit, be aware of their history and their current character. Every dog breed involves some research before you make a final decision but even more caution should be taken when a breed has a track record of violence. Be sure to see the parents and know which stock your dog is coming from–you want to look for a long line of conscientious breeding. You should be prepared to offer a good home and some serious training. Also keep in mind that caution needs to be exercised when the Pit is around other breeds. Pits adopted from the SPCA should be on a trial basis and only if you are willing and able to spend the time necessary to train and socialize them.

What is it about our profession that there was a need to make a reality show of it? The television channel Animal Planet has been running a program called “Groomer Has It” which I could not stand after only a couple of episodes.

There are plenty of professional grooming competitions conducted by certified groomers which test the skills used in this profession. But that’s not what this show is about. “Groomer Has It” takes a skillful and difficult profession and puts it on display for entertainment purposes. Don’t watch it and think you can learn much about dog grooming! What you could learn is overshadowed by the Paris Hilton mentality of treating your dog like a doll.

The problem I see most often in the dog profession is that folks are just too devoted to dogs and don’t have a life outside that. I see this reflected in the behavior of the groomers shown in this program. The groomers in “Groomer Has It” wouldn’t work for me–they’re too weird. They are pretty eccentric which makes for good TV but not necessarily good grooming. This profession requires people skills–you need to relate to your customers just as much as you relate to the dogs. You must also be able to focus on the needs of the dog–not just what you want from the dog. You should be knowledgeable about training, breeds, and behavior.

While I think dogs are unique in the animal kingdom, I don’t like this trend of making them substitutes for human relationships. I don’t think it’s healthy to make a dog take the place of a mother or wife or children for that matter and it’s not fair to the dog. Humanized dogs are socialized with human psychology which can have an effect of spoiling them so much that they become a nusance. Here I agree with Ceasar Milan (“The Dog Whisperer”) and feel it’s unfair to humanize our dogs. A normal dog of any breed that is on it’s best behavior can’t be beat and that’s fine, but playing “dolls” with them is going too far.

Making pretty cookies and little raincoats is no substitute for a good brushout. I feel my job is to provide you professional grooming and by that I mean a thorough bath, brushing and haircut. That’s what you’re paying for. While I insist this is done in a friendly atmosphere, I’m not happy when one of my groomers spends more time petting the dogs than brushing–unless you want me to raise prices to include this service! Reminds me of the time when I still owned “The Pet Motel” that is currently run by my son. I had hired a young man to clean the kennel. He loved dogs and thought the job would be a lot of “fun.” I caught him petting a dog in the run but there was still a pile of poop on the floor–and he wasn’t in there with a scoop. I quickly let him know that our top priority was to insure that dog had a clean environment first and foremost. Can he and should he pet the dog? Of course, but not in lieu of clean water, proper diet, and sanitary quarters. A love of dogs does not necessarily equate to being a good groomer or kennel assistant, but a groomer and kennel assistant surely should love dogs.

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 traits taken to the extreme require more intense training to overcome or at least control. I have seen dogs that are lazy – just as soon sit around and get fat as anything else. Here in the shop we call them “sit down dogs.” During the grooming process they are constantly trying to sit down, making brushing and clipping almost impossible. And wouldn’t you know it, along with being lazy, they are fat. Some are so fat it’s no wonder they want to sit down. Which came first, a dog that had a voracious appetite that due to lack of exercise became fat or slow metabolism and laziness that led to being fat? You know, that vicious cycle. Then there’s the hyper dog that won’t sit still – and forget about leash training. He is the one that’s prone to nonstop barking as well. And at what? Nothing in particular, just for attention.

When I was growing up, I never imagined we would label a behavior on the part of dogs as “separation anxiety.” Yet I think these personality traits can usually be dealt with by spending a lot more time in training and controlling the environment than would be normally required. But what I really want to know is if dogs can be handicapped as my son Carl is – with cerebral palsy or mental retardation. The kind of “special need” that can’t be overcome regardless of the amount of time, training, or love spent.

You see, Carl operates on a 3-5 year old level, and we organize his world and ours around that. The range of mental retardation can range from faintly detectable to something far more serious and dramatic.

For the past two years, we have had a Cardinal at our window feeder that bangs his beak on the window – loud and hard. He works himself into a frenzy and actually stares in wildly and pants. Now understand, we have lots of birds of all stripes and colors use that feeder — to include many other Cardinals — and it is only this bird that behaves that way. We think he looks and behaves a bit deranged.

I wonder if we see more frequent “special needs” behavior in dogs and humans because we take care of them. They aren’t left to “survival of the fittest” as in the early stages of their evolution.

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 who have overcrowded or misaligned teeth which are more difficult to keep clean. The symptoms of dental disease include bad breath, sore mouth, dribbling, yellow or brown tartar, bleeding gums, pawing the mouth, loose teeth, tooth loss, and difficulty eating.

Usually the cause of these symptoms is a buildup of hardened plaque which can lead to gingivitis (inflamed gums) and further progress to periodontal disease. Oral health is not just about teeth—poor oral health actually can affect organs in the body. The toxins are transferred through the blood stream to cause infections in the liver, kidneys and brain.

Talk to your veterinarian about preventive care for your pet’s teeth. Care may include specially designed toys, large kibble (wet foods build plaque more rapidly), and even tooth brushing! Maggie, my Springer Spaniel, had awfully bad breath so we would frequently try to brush her teeth but she would squeeze her lips shut to get away from the brush!

Click here for more details about oral health for dogs as well as a chart including pictures of dog teeth with varying degrees of dental disease.

Also keep an eye out for the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal of acceptance for products that have met their standards.

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, and she turned out to be the perfect pet. However, don’t get caught up in the gift-giving excitement—a dog is a large responsibility. Below are several points to keep in mind before you get that cute puppy:
1) Never buy a dog just for the children. While they may show interest at first, more often than not that interest will wane. Feeding, cleaning the backyard, exercising, and grooming are more like work – petting and playing are the fun part and guess who the work will fall to when the kids get bored?

2) If you’re single or a couple that works, training and housebreaking can be very difficult – maybe impossible. Once a dog is an adult and can stay in a nice backyard that’s fenced in with shelter to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, you might get by 9 to 5. But a puppy needs socializing, training, and frequent outings for housebreaking.

3) While the upfront cost of the purchase is easily known, the costs of food, shelter, and veterinary care need to be budgeted for as well.

If you’ve got the time and money, I can’t think of a better present for the whole family than a brand new puppy – red ribbon and all!

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 home, but I can’t sit and just supervise—yet.

Our top groomer salary is $16 an hour—add benefits, medicare and vacation to that and I need to budget $18 an hour.  Labor for our industry should be around 50% of cost—that’s where the $35 an hour comes from—the remaining $17.50 per hour goes to rent, utilities, insurance, supplies, equipment, etc

Our groomers can do 5-6 dogs a piece per day by themselves and that’s it.  They can’t do more and maintain quality.  I can increase that production by hiring a bather-dryer and I do.  When she is employed, the groomers can do between 7 and 8 dogs (but then I have an extra salary to meet).

So, the first consideration in determining the cost of a haircut is the per hour fee.  The second consideration is the skill required—full coated dogs that are scissored by hand require much more skill than a clipper cut.  Take a Bichon Frise for example.  A scissor cut between 1.5 and 2 inches costs $68 and that’s if there are no tangles.  A clipper cut to ½ an inch is $48 and takes almost an hour less time.  If you bring in a Collie and it takes 2 and a half hours to brush, bathe, and dry him, expect a charge of $87.  Add trimming of the feet, tail, and feathers—it’ll be closer to $100.

A third consideration is the density of the coat (whether it is matted or packed with undercoat).  Dogs that come in once a year to be clipped short for the summer cost more than those dogs who get the same clip but come in every 6-8 weeks.  For example, a 6-8 week short cut on a cocker is $48.  It will be more like $55 if the Cocker has a full coat.

Another very important cost factor is pet behavior.  Puppies and seniors generally require more time and patience, thus cost more.  Some customers expect that since their puppy is smaller that it will cost less, but it usually takes as much time or more to get them acclimated to the grooming process.

So, there you have it—time, skill, condition and behavior are factors considered in price.  Clients can get the best value for their buck by keeping the coat in a matt-free condition to reduce the labor charge.  Our posted price is based on a good condition—if we have to brush your dog an extra 15 minutes, expect a corresponding increase in your bill.

This is one of the best bargains going when I consider costs per hour of other service industries—called a plumber lately?

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 the dog’s name.  The conversation goes like this:  “What kind of haircut do you want?” — “I don’t know, it’s my wife’s dog.”  Oh boy, here we go.  He stands there in his jeans, baseball cap, unshaven and with a chew in his cheek.  As far as he is concerned, you could shave the dog bald–it means more to his wife than he does anyway!

I know that when I was younger, my dogs had to reflect my machismo.  I had a German Shepherd, Irish Setter, and Collie–see a pattern?  When we owned our Scottie Margaret, I found her to be too small to romp around the way I like:  “Want to jump in the car and go to Lowes?”  Probably not.  She became more my wife’s dog.  After a lot of complaining, I got my first of three Great Danes.  Now I could grunt, spit, and be thoroughly disgusting with my bad-ass dog.

Reminds me of the time I was admiring my granddaughter when she was born.  We were having a family dinner and I held her in my arms and said, “She is just precious!”  My son Michael looked at me in disbelief:  “…Precious?”  He said, “Dad, what is that, your feminine side?” 

You have to understand that having been raised as an Army brat and then putting in 5 years myself, my personality reflects an atmosphere of male dominance and discipline.  Real men don’t say “precious,” and I think working in a female dominated industry for 32 years was having its effect on me!  The first three years of business I operated only a boarding kennel, and that certainly was manly enough.  But then I needed to expand my ability to make money so I added grooming.  It took me a long time to adjust to putting bows on poodles and spraying them with perfume.

One of my favorite customers is a guy who weighs about 300 lbs., shaves his head and has tattooed arms the size of my waist.  Occupation?  Tow truck driver.  Pet?  Toy Poodle named Midnight.  His hands are the size of a baseball mitt — much larger than his poodle.  I couldn’t help but ask him what he was doing with such a little dog.  He just smiled and grunted that it was his wife’s dog.  “Got a problem with that?”  I took another look at his arms and said, “Nope, how do you want him cut?”  His answer?  You got it.  “Shave him down all over and no foo-foo stuff.”

Larry Sipe and his poodle, Midnight

A reputable breeder is focused on doing their best by their breed in every way. Your relationship with them does not end when you buy the puppy. They will maintain contact with you and offer you any information and assistance that you may want from diet questions to training. They will give you a written guarantee of your puppy’s genetic health and temperament. They will take back the dog at any point in its life for any reason. They will specialize in one or two breeds and be thoroughly knowledgeable about the history and medical conditions of each.

They will not sell their dogs to pet shops but rather will keep them as house pets. In fact, the Code of Ethics of AKC affiliated breed clubs specifies that members should not sell to pet shops. These breeders will not sell their puppies before 8 weeks of age and they may even insist on visiting your home–they will certainly interview you. They will deny owners that they believe do not suit their puppies.

Because they keep their puppies in their home, the puppies are well socialized and are not exposed to poor health conditions. Reputable breeders may charge a lot of money–Susan Giles’ pet quality lhasa apsos may be $1000-1500. However, these breeders may actually be losing money on their breeding because of the cost of properly evaluating the health of their puppies. Typical tests include the OFA (hip x-ray certification), CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation), Penn-Hipp (hip joint laxity), and SAS (subaortic stenosis check). Research the common defects in your preferred breed and ask your breeder what he is doing to prevent and detect those issues.

Reputable breeders will have at least the dame on site for you to see and interact with. They will have a limited number of litters per year. They rarely need to advertise and usually have buyers lined up before a litter is born. They will be experienced and confident in their reputation as a reputable breeder and will be happy to offer you references.

I spoke with a breeder named Susan Giles because one of our customers is a very stand-out lhasa apso named Oliver. Due to backyard breeding and the breed’s natural inclinations, lhasas can come with a myriad of issues. They are typically supposed to be “chary of strangers” but poorly bred lhasas can be kennel shy, unpredictable, and aggressive toward strangers. They are susceptible to physical defects such as cherry eye, renal failure, and hip dysplasia. Oliver is a very healthy boy who is cautious toward strangers but friendly once he gets to know you–exactly what the breed standard calls for. Susan is a show breeder so the puppies she raises come with a thick, luxurious coat as well. She is very aware of the problem of backyard breeders and because of this she insists on a spay/neuter contract when she sells her puppies.

The most important thing to remember when looking to buy a puppy is Do Your Research. Know what health exams your breeder should be doing, what temperament problems you should watch out for, and find a breeder you trust who is first and foremost concerned with what is best for their dogs.

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 in wood or junk piles. Skunks have extremely poor vision — 50% of their deaths are due to cars and hunting. They have earned the respect of most wildlife and are not bothered by predatory animals. Leave it to dogs’ curiosity to get them in trouble. Skunks can spray between 7 and 15 feet, causing burning of the eyes and a runny nose. Since a dog’s face is usually toward the skunk, that’s the area that gets hit worst.

There are a number of home remedies for de-skunking your dog. The following is one that claims to really work:

1 quart hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1-2 teaspoons dish soap
(add warm water if it is a large dog)
Sponge on this solution and let it sit.

I’ve never tried this in the shop, so we have no recommendations or comments on its effectiveness.

The Salon Process

First, we let you know ahead of time that we don’t guarantee 100% removal of the smell. We can make your dog hospitable and mostly odor free, but if you put your nose to his face, you’ll still smell a faint skunk odor.  Also, water will bring out the smell so if it starts raining you will get a whiff.

Since dogs go at skunks face first, that’s usually where they get hit the worst.  Of course, we can’t get any soap or chemicals in their eyes, so we have to be very cautious in that area. We start by washing with Dawn detergent first.  This will remove a lot of the spray by stripping oils from the coat. We then bathe the dog again using Triclosan deodorizing shampoo.  Before we rinse the dog, we let this shampoo soak in for 5 minutes.  Our final step consists of spraying on “Odor Destroyer.” It is made by Davis Manufacturing and their description of their product is that it is an “exothermic reaction synthesis” that “attacks the molecular structure of offensive odors and completely removes them.” It does seem to do a great job, but I’m no so sure about the “completely removes” part. I think fresh air, sunshine, and time have to get that last little bit of odor.

When we have a skunked dog in the Salon, everybody knows it. The smell will linger for hours after the dog has gone home, despite our cleaning and airing out. We’re usually good to go the next day.

Keep a severely skunked dog out of your house and car until he has been treated. Car seats, carpet, and couches will absorb the odor. Often dogs will try to wipe their muzzles clean, getting the skunk’s spray on whatever they use. You’ll need to borrow a crate for transport and this should clean up easily.

One last request. Wash your dog’s collar or have us do it ($5) — it stinks too!