Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why is my pet's skin so itchy/ dry and full of dandruff/oily?
    Just like us humans, dogs and cats have allergies. Florida has a high allergy count most of the year, from pollen to grass, and most of us humans are allergic to those. Some pets are equally affected by these allergens just as you are. Pets are more prone to these allergies because they are directly affected with the grass that touches their bodies as they play or go out, and sometimes spores will stick to their fur and lead to skin irritations. The best way to treat this type of reaction is by toweling your pet off when they retire to the indoors after being exposed to grass or foliage. Most pets will require a type of skin bath to soothe their dry, irritated skin. We offer two types of skin baths at Diamond Nails to Tails, Inc. for these instances. Another reason your pet may have skin issues may be due to their food or water. Some pets may react to tap water because of some of the harsh minerals found in it. We suggest using filtered water, either from your fridge, Brita system, or your installed sink purifier. Many pets also suffer from hot spots, rashes, and yeasty smelling skin from certain foods. Try to avoid foods that have dyes in them. This can be irritating to their skin and immune system. Also, corn and wheat are not processed well by pets. Stick to all natural foods like venison and rice, lamb and rice, and other products that contain omega-3's and fish oils to maintain your pets coat. Mats (knotted hair), also cause hot spots from being too tight around the skin and locking in moisture. Many pets that come in matted and leave shaved have red spots or sometimes missing hair from the tight, irritating hair.
  2. Why is my pet overweight?
    Feeding your pet table scraps is one of the most plausible reasons your pet may be overweight. Instead of feeding your pet harmful people food, choose an all natural treat that is healthy for your pet. There are even treats that help with your pets' dental care. If table scraps is not the issue, it may be the food you are feeding your pet. Feeding dogs canned food can result in an overweight dog. Canned food is ok once in awhile, especially for hiding medicine, but it shouldn't be fed to your dog every day. Mixing canned food in with dry food will help wean your pet off of canned food. Do NOT suddenly change your pets' food. This will cause your pet to become sick with diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Mix food together for about a week, making each portion smaller of the old food and adding more of the new product. Overweight cats have the opposite feeding structure of dogs. Cats may become overweight if all they eat is dry food. The best diet for your cat is ½ a can of canned food in the morning, ½ at night, and some dry food left out all day. If your cat is on straight dry food, just give them 1 can of canned food a day for about a week, and then put dry food out. Make sure the cat doesn't scarf down all the dry food at once. All pets need exercise, as do humans, to keep their weight maintained. Take dogs on walks with you, or play catch. Buy your cat some catnip or a feather toy. Enjoy spending time with your pet.
  3. Why does my pets' groom take a few hours?
    We let your pet become acclimated with its surroundings so it may become calm enough to groom. The grooming process is elaborated for you on the Operations page of this website. Washing and drying your pet may take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours. This depends on your pets' size, and coat. Pets with a double coat take longer to brush out and dry. Breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Cocker and Springer Spaniels, Sheltie's, and Samoyeds take an hour to two hours to just dry. That does not including bathing time. Pet's such as those are nearly impossible to groom for express grooming or within a three hour limit. Actual cutting or trimming of your pets' hair depends on their size, coat, and behavior. Pets that are matted take more time because we work to keep your pet comfortable as we shave or de-matt them, and we do not want to upset your pet. You also have to factor in time for walks, playtime, and other clients.
  4. Why does my small dog cost this much to groom?
    Though some small dogs do not take much time to bathe and dry, their grooming process may take longer and be more complicated. We understand that some of your pets may be anywhere from 2-10 lbs, and $43+ may seem expensive for a full groom, but smaller pets can be more difficult and time consuming for the groomer. Breeds such as Yorkie's, Shih-tzu's, Bichon's, and Lhasa Apso's are some of our more hyper and behaviorally difficult dogs. These breeds are certainly a challenge when it comes to staying somewhat still on the grooming table. Their groom time may be longer than a Schnauzer or even a Golden Retriever because they are harder to restrain and some of their cuts are more intricate and harder to achieve as they are happily bouncing around the table and fixating on every thing imaginable that occurs around them. These breeds take a lot of coaxing and time to keep them calm and capable of getting through the grooming process.
  5. Why does the shop raise its prices $1-$2 every year?
    Just like the prices of other products, our grooming products increase in price every year. Anything from our towels, shampoos, ear care products, scissor and blade sharpening, accessories, rent, and services to our shop are increased every year. We do not raise prices to get more money out of our customers, it is to stay even with the economy and so we don't take a loss in the end. We want to be able to afford the best grooming products available for your pet and keep the shop running the way it has been for the past 11 years.
If you have any more questions related to your pet and grooming, or the way we run our shop, don't be afraid to e-mail us and we will update our FAQ's page so other's may be able to observe and relate to your question and understand our answer. diamondnailstotails@hotmail.com