You Need These Top 5 Winter Grooming Salon Essentials
When it comes to winter grooming, the dogs visiting your salon may present you with more problems than a dirty coat.
With central heating contributing to drying out dogs’ skin, matted fur from long, muddy walks and sometimes long, overgrown nails from shorter walks on softer ground, winter grooming can be challenging for all groomers.
At Groomers, we want you to be prepared for every eventuality, so we’ve pulled together our guide on the top 5 products we think your grooming salon can’t be without this winter. With tips on advising your client’s on the best care for their dogs included, it’s never been easier to ensure that the dogs you deal with stay happy and healthy this season.
Table of contents:
- What are the main problems that dogs face during the winter months?
- The top 5 products to have in your salon this winter
- A good selection of brushes
- Nail clippers
- Gentle conditioner
- Nose and paw balm
- Cleaning and sterilising products
What are the main problems that dogs face during the winter season?
Winter wreaks havoc on our skin and hair, which is no different for our four-legged friends.
Problems with dry skin
Dogs will generally spend more time indoors during the winter, so their hair and skin become dry due to constant central heating exposure. Dry skin can lead to further problems such as dandruff, itchiness and irritation, causing them to bite and scratch if their skin isn’t cared for properly.
Problems with matted and tangled hair
Alongside this, a dog’s fur is more likely to become matted and tangled in winter, particularly if it doesn’t have a well-established at-home grooming routine. Mud and moisture from wintery walks can exacerbate mats and tangles, particularly in double-coated dogs whose undercoats haven’t been correctly groomed and cared for.
Mats prevent a dog’s coat from insulating it properly and stop its skin from being able to breathe or moisture from passing through its coat. This can lead to bacteria developing and skin problems if these mats aren’t broken up or removed. In severe cases, a dog may need to be shaved by a professional groomer to give it the best chance for its coat to start again, mat-free. For more information on dealing with mats and tangles, read our Top Tips To Help Save A Matted Dog Coat.
Problems with overgrown nails
In the winter, the ground softens, so even if a dog walks just as regularly, its nails won’t benefit from the same natural wear they get in the warmer months. Overgrown nails are prone to chipping and cracking, so it’s important to clip them regularly in the winter to prevent further problems.
The top 5 products to have in your salon this winter
With the above points considered, there are certain grooming products that you will need at your disposal to help you conquer these winter-related problems. Here are our top tips on keeping your client’s dogs looking and feeling healthy and amazing!
- A good selection of brushes
One of the main ways for a dog to maintain a healthy coat during the winter months is with regular brushing, and it’s important to educate your clients on the value of establishing a daily, at-home grooming routine to prevent difficult mats and tangles from forming.
- Slicker brushes in various sizes are a great choice for a host of dog breeds. Use a slicker brush to maintain the top coat and remove loose hair.
- Bristle brushes are good for single-coated breeds as they help to penetrate the coat, spreading natural, moisturising oils around the skin. They are also a good choice for the prevention of mats and tangles if used regularly.
- De-shedding brushes or undercoat rakes are great for dealing with double-coated dogs to maintain their soft undercoat. Use the rake to remove the loose undercoat to prevent it from matting.
Encourage your clients to brush their dogs regularly during the winter months, as this will make them much easier to groom when their appointments come around. Regular brushing helps keep dogs feeling healthy, and their coats functioning properly and spreads their natural, moisturising oils around the skin.
- Nail clippers
The winter weather, cold temperatures and low humidity can cause a dog’s nails to become brittle and prone to breaking. Broken nails can bleed and be incredibly painful for a dog so staying on top of their nail care is important. And because the ground is softer and their walks are often cut shorter, it becomes more difficult for a dog’s nails to wear down naturally.
Keeping on top of nail growth is important, as if a dog’s nails get too long, it can upset the structure of its feet, forcing it to walk differently, which could lead to early-onset arthritis. Its pads can also become infected if the nails grow into the nail beds.
Encourage your clients to keep up their grooming appointments throughout the winter months so you can keep a close eye on their dog’s nails, monitoring them for signs of splitting and cracks. You may even want to offer a nail clinic where your clients can book smaller appointments to get their dog’s nails clipped between its main grooming appointments.
Make sure your salon is stocked with a range of good nail clippers catered to different breed sizes ahead of your next set of appointments.
- A gentle, moisturising conditioner
If the dogs you groom suffer from dry skin caused by dry air from central heating, regular grooming appointments should improve their skin’s moisture.
Bathing with a gentle or medicated dog shampoo will help remove irritants, but following with a gentle conditioner will help replenish oils and ease any itchiness.
Opt for Evening Primrose Oil conditioner, perfect for sensitive skin, moisturising and coat deeply, soothing and softening it.
Keep your conditioners stocked up throughout the winter so you can be ready to care for an abundance of dry coats. Encourage your clients to brush their dogs regularly between appointments to help spread the natural, moisturising oils in their coats.
- Nose and paw balm
The skin on a dog’s nose and paw pads aren’t always at the forefront of everyone’s grooming routine. However, with constant exposure to the cold, both areas can become chapped and painful during winter.
Regarding paw pads, educate your clients on caring for their dogs’ feet during the wintertime. Not all dogs want to wear booties, so the best way to protect their paws from salt and antifreeze is to wash them with warm water after every walk to remove unwanted chemicals and debris from the toes and prevent skin irritation.
If the bottom of the paw pads are dry or chapped, a paw balm can help add back some necessary moisture to soothe them, whilst a paw protector will add a shield to protect the pads from salt, grit and chemicals (this will still need washing off once the walk is over to remove any nasty unwanted chemicals and debris).
It’s worth stocking up on paw balm in the salon, so you can offer some TLC to those dogs whose feet may have become a little chapped.
Why not double up and invest in paw and nose balm? It’s the perfect choice for dealing with dry and uncomfortable skin on the nose, which can impact a dog’s sense of smell.
- Cleaning and sterilising products
It’s important to keep your salon clean and tidy, whatever the season, but you might find it a tougher task in winter as many muddy dogs walk into your salon.
As winter, particularly in the build-up to Christmas, tends to be a busy period for grooming salons, now’s the time to get stocked up on your cleaning products to keep your salon or mobile grooming space safe and clean throughout the winter months.
From disinfectant to kill germs and bacteria on your surfaces, worktops and floors to Barbicide to keep your equipment completely sterile, invest in your essential cleaning products to prevent the spread of bacteria between dogs and to protect yourself and your staff.
Winter grooming salon essentials – The highlights
You can never be too prepared when stocking your salon for the winter season. By ensuring you’re well stocked up on the essential tools such as brushes and nail clippers and that your scissors and clippers are cleaned and sterilised every day and ready to go, you’ll provide an excellent service throughout the winter period.
Then by adding in some other essentials, such as paw and nose balm and ordering extra moisturising shampoos and conditioners, your client’s dogs will leave the salon feeling happy and healthy after every appointment.
Shop salon essentials at Groomers
Whatever you’re looking for for your mobile grooming area or the grooming salon, you’ll find it at Groomers, irrespective of the season. Shop winter essentials via the links above, or browse our professional grooming range for more staple salon pieces such as scissors, clippers, and grooming tables.
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