When listening to Barbara Shirk speak about her business and life with dogs, one gets a clear feeling she is among the fortunate few who have turned their passion into a successful business.
The owner of Barbara’s Dog Grooming on Wellington Road 7 between Rothsay and Parker, Shirk has always been involved with dogs; first with pets and then with breeding and showing Great Danes.
Shirk’s grooming career began 11 years ago. She trained for three years at a busy shop in Guelph, then went on to fine tune her skills with specialist courses, including canine first aid.
After finishing her training and working in some different styles of shops, she and her father, a retired civil engineer from Niagara, planned and oversaw the building of a well-equipped dog grooming shop of her own.
The building is perfectly suited for the business, with radiant heat for the winter, air conditioning for the summer and a massage-style system for the bath – all in a bright, fresh grooming space.
Some of the advantages at Barbara’s Dog Grooming are early drop-offs, late pick-ups and all-day stays if required and pre-arranged. Shirk also does small but much-needed “in-between tidies” for her regular customers for free.
Some of the other interesting facets to her canine career are roles as a director for the Kitchener Waterloo Kennel Club and director for the Great Dane Club of Canada, and teaching the dog grooming course for continuing education.
“All dogs are precious; they deserve to be cherished and just as important as a bath and a great grooming, they are guaranteed to be treated with kindness and respect in my shop,” Shirk said.
The hours at Barbara’s Dog Grooming are flexible and prices start at $45. And Shirk stands behind her advertising motto of “quality work at country prices.”
Tips for dog owners
Proper and regular grooming is important, so Shirk offers the following easy and cost effective tips for caring for pets between visits to the groomer.
All breeds should have their ears checked regularly by the owner, says Shirk. For non-shedding breeds (Shih Tzu, Bichon, Poodles, etc.), be sure to encourage the hair to grow out of the ear canal, she notes. The hair in the ear is unlike the regular body hair and needs to be gently pulled out or it will ball up, thus creating a prime environment for infection.
Oddly enough, pulling this hair out does not hurt your pet, but even encouraging the hair to grow out of the ear is really helpful. Remember to clean the ears regularly with a good commercial ear cleaner (always following the instruction on the bottle).
For shedding breeds (golden retrievers, labs and cross breeds), and also non-shedding ones, Shirk advises owners to check for dirt, redness, hearing or foul smells. Always take care of an ear problem immediately, she advises, as delaying treatment will cause more discomfort for the pet and can increase costs.
Dog nails need trimming every four weeks. If you take the time to trim the tips off, you will be able to keep the “quick” (the soft centre of the nail that has nerve endings and blood) from getting too long. If bleeding does occur after trimming nails, simple apply a bit of corn starch to stop the bleeding, Shirk suggests. In winter you will find the nails don’t seem to shorten on their own, as in the summer. This is because pets aren’t walking on pavement (a natural trimmer), but rather on snow and ice.
A majority of dogs deal with hair tangling, which can be very uncomfortable. A proper brushing involves brushing right down to the skin. A surface brushing is ineffective when dealing with mats, tangles or thick undercoat. Special attention should also be paid to the legs, neck area, ears and tail. It can be a lot of work, but can save your pet much discomfort.
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is leaving too much time between visits to the groomer or a thorough grooming at home. The more often a dog is groomed, the greater the odds of maintaining their hair length and avoiding a shave.
Finally, a proper inspection of the teeth for all breeds is important. Dogs that have long hair on the muzzle tend to carry bacteria in the hair, which can cause problems with their gums and teeth down the road. Scale build-up causes the gums to become red and tender, and leads to discomfort when they chew. This is why pets should chew raw beef marrow or soup-type bones, since the abrasive action acts like a toothbrush. You can also brush your pet’s teeth using a toothbrush and commercial toothpaste intended for pets only.
Many people mistakenly assume that if their pet is eating, their teeth are fine. But pets will continue to eat regardless of oral discomfort, since they instinctively know they won’t survive without food.
In addition, dogs by nature avoid showing weakness, so owners really need to stay in tune with their pet’s health. Shirk encourages all dog owners to do as much personal home grooming as possible.
“Your pet will love the extra attention,” she says.
Shirk welcomes inquiries, so prospective clients are encouraged to call 519-638-3904.
