Listening to Barbara Shirk talk about her business and her life with dogs, one gets a clear picture that 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. For many years with pets, and then through breeding and showing Great Danes.
Shirk’s grooming career began 13 years ago. She trained for three years at a shop in Guelph and then fine tuned her skills by attending specialty courses, including canine first aid.
After completion of her courses and employment in a numerous shops, Shirk and her father, a retired civil engineer from the Niagara area, planned to build a shop. A well-equipped dog grooming shop, perfectly suited for her business was built at its current location. The bright, fresh grooming space is equipped with radiant heat in winter, air conditioning in summer and a massage-style system for the bath.
Extra services that Barbara’s Dog Grooming provides are prearranged early drop-offs, late pickups and all-day stays if necessary. Shirk does small but much needed in-between tidies for her regular customers, free of charge. Regular clients also receive a free PlaqClnz teeth cleaning treatment. A $25 value, PlaqClnz is an excellent product and an effective way of keeping pet’s teeth clean.
The hours at Barbara’s Dog Grooming are flexible, with prices starting at $45. Shirk stands behind her motto, “quality work at country prices.”
Shirk’s dedication to her career working with canines extends beyond her shop. She currently is a director with the Kitchener-Waterloo Kennel Club and the Great Dane Club of Canada. Shirk also instructs continuing education courses in dog grooming.
“All dogs are precious and they deserve to be cherished. During a bath and a grooming at my shop, the dog is guaranteed to be treated with kindness and respect,” Shirk said.
Tips for dog owners
Proper and regular grooming are important to a dog’s well being. Shirk offers easy and cost-effective tips on caring for pets between visits to the groomer.
All breeds of dogs should have their ears checked regularly by their owner. For non-shedding breeds like Shih Tzu, Bichon and Poodles, encourage hair growth out of the ear canal. The ear hair is different than body hair and needs to be gently pulled out. Hair that is not removed will ball up, creating an environment for infection. Pulling that hair out does not hurt the pet but encouraging the hair to grow out of the ear is helpful. Clean ears regularly with a good commercial ear cleaner, always following instructions on the bottle.
For shedding breeds including golden retrievers, labs and cross breeds, and non shedding breeds, Shirk advises owners to check for dirt, redness, foul smells and hearing. Ear problems should be taken care of immediately. Delaying treatment may cause more discomfort for the dog and increase costs for treatments.
Every four weeks, dog nails should be trimmed. Trimming off the tips prevents the quick, which is the soft centre of the nail that contains nerve endings and blood, from getting too long. If bleeding does occur after nail trimming, apply cornstarch to stop the bleeding. In winter, nails do not shorten on their own, as in summer. Pets are not walking on pavement which is a natural trimmer, but are walking on snow and ice.
Hair tangling is a concern in all breeds of dogs. A surface brushing of dog’s hair is ineffective when dealing with matting and tangles in thick undercoats. The proper procedure involves brushing down to the skin. Special attention should be given to the legs, neck, ears and tail. It may be a time consuming task but can save the pet from a lot of discomfort.
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is leaving too much time between visits to a groomer or a thorough grooming at home, says Shirk. Grooming a dog more often, increases the odds of maintaining hair length and avoiding a shave.
Inspection of teeth for all dog breeds is essential. Dogs that have long hair on the muzzle tend to carry bacteria in the hair, causing problems with the gums and teeth down the road. Scale build up causes gums to become red and tender, interfering with chewing. A bottle of PlaqClnz will keep dogs’ teeth clean. Other options are brushing the dog’s teeth using a toothbrush or finger brush, with a commercial toothpaste, made specifically for dogs.
The assumption that if a pet is eating, its teeth are fine, is incorrect. Pets will continue to eat regardless, as they instinctively know that they won’t survive without food. Dogs, by nature, avoid showing weakness, so owners need to stay in tune with their pet’s health. Shirk encourages all dog owners to do as much pet home grooming as possible.
“Your pet will love the extra attention,” Shirk says.
Barbara’s Dog Grooming welcomes inquiries and prospective clients are encouraged to call Shirk at 519-638-3904.
