Four Steps to a Holiday Make-over for your Pet

It's holiday season and you want everything festive -- including the family pet. But with cooking, baking, decorating and shopping, it's hard to find time to give your pet a holiday make-over.

Dogs, in particular, are social animals and will want to participate in family gatherings. It's important to be sure that they are "nice to be near" -- especially if you are expecting holiday guests. Best Friends professional groomers offer the following tips for sprucing up your pet for the holidays:

• Begin with a good brushing to get rid of loose hair. If your pet has long hair, take time to carefully comb out any tangles. A conditioning and untangling spray can help make the process more comfortable for your pet. After systematically brushing through the coat, use a professional steel-pinned comb to make sure that all the knots and shedding hair have been removed.
•  Shampoo and condition. Your pet can't look and smell his or her best without a bath. Don't be tempted to use your own hair care products on your pet. Animal's skin has a different people from human's skin, so choose products specially formulated for pets. Always follow with a conditioning rinse or moisturizing treatment. Towel dry thoroughly, then separate the hair by brushing and combing to speed drying down to the skin. If you use a standard home hair dryer, be aware that it is very easy to burn your pet. Hold it well away from the skin and use a cool setting.
• Trim nails. No grooming is complete without a manicure. Use only a proper nail clipping tool specifically made for your pet, and take off a small amount at a time. Stay well away from the "quick", the point at which there is blood flow. Be prepared with a styptic product in case you do clip into the blood vessel.
• Add a special holiday collar and your pet is ready for company! Choose attire that doesn't restrict your pet's movement in any way and that won't cover his eyes. Best Friends Pet Resorts offer a selection of both fun and functional for holiday dress-up.

The entire process can take several hours, so you may want to turn you pet over to a professional groomer. However, don't wait to make an appointment; quality grooming salons book up quickly for the holiday period To find one near year, visit the Our Location section of this website.