Dog Grooming Guide: What Every Calgary Dog Owner Should Know

Breeds: Labrador Retriever, Beagle, Boxer, Dachshund (smooth), Weimaraner, Vizsla

Short-coated dogs are the lowest-maintenance coat type in terms of professional grooming. Their coats lie flat, dry quickly, and rarely mat. They do shed, however — sometimes heavily — so weekly brushing with a rubber grooming mitt or bristle brush is useful for keeping loose hair under control and distributing natural oils. A professional bath every 8–12 weeks keeps the coat clean and the skin healthy.

Breeds: Siberian Husky, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, Border Collie, Shih Tzu, Pomeranian, Corgi, Samoyed

Double-coated dogs have a dense, insulating undercoat beneath a longer outer “guard” coat. This combination regulates body temperature in both heat and cold. Most double-coated breeds should never be shaved — doing so disrupts the coat’s natural structure, increases sunburn risk, and can cause a condition called post-clipping alopecia where the coat grows back patchy or changed in texture. The correct approach is regular brushing and professional deshedding to remove the dead undercoat.

Double-coated dogs “blow” their coat twice a year — typically in spring and fall. During these periods, daily brushing is necessary to manage the volume of loose undercoat. Outside of shedding season, brushing two to three times per week is adequate.

Breeds: Afghan Hound, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu (long trim), Cocker Spaniel

Long-coated dogs have continuous hair growth that requires regular trimming to prevent it from dragging on the ground, covering the eyes, or collecting debris. Daily brushing is not optional with a long coat — even one or two missed days can allow tangles to form, especially in high-friction areas like behind the ears, under the armpits, and around the collar. Professional grooming every 6–8 weeks keeps the coat at a manageable length and catches mats before they become a welfare issue.

Breeds: Poodle, Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, Bernedoodle, Bichon Frise, Portuguese Water Dog, Cockapoo

Curly and wavy coats are low-shedding but extremely mat-prone. The curls trap shed hair instead of releasing it, which means the coat can mat from the inside out with no visible warning. Owners of Doodles in particular are often surprised how quickly mats develop — waiting 10 or 12 weeks between grooms is a reliable path to a full shave-down. Professional grooming every 4–6 weeks is not optional for this coat type; it is maintenance.

Between professional grooms, brushing with a slicker brush followed by a metal comb (not just a slicker brush alone — the comb reaches the undercoat) three to four times per week is the minimum to stay ahead of matting.

Breeds: Wire Fox Terrier, Airedale Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Border Terrier, West Highland White Terrier

Wire coats have a harsh, bristly texture that is maintained through a technique called hand-stripping, which involves pulling dead hair out by the root rather than cutting it. This preserves the coat’s characteristic texture. Clipping a wire coat rather than stripping it will soften the texture permanently. Many owners choose to clip for convenience, which is perfectly fine; just understand that the look and feel will change. Professional grooming every 6–8 weeks is appropriate.

Breeds: Irish Setter, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Papillon, Spaniel breeds, Australian Shepherd (some lines)

Silky coats are fine and smooth but can tangle around the ears, chest, legs, and tail feathering. They do not mat as aggressively as curly coats, but regular brushing — two to three times weekly — prevents tangles from becoming mats. Professional grooming every 6–8 weeks to trim the feathering and keep the coat shaped is typical.

Brushing

Brushing is the most impactful thing you can do for your dog’s coat between grooms. It removes loose hair before it mats, distributes natural oils through the coat, keeps skin clean and ventilated, and gives you a regular opportunity to check for lumps, parasites, and skin changes. The right tool depends on your dog’s coat type:

Always brush before bathing, not after. Bathing a matted coat causes the mats to tighten significantly.

Bathing at Home

Home bathing is useful for freshening your dog between professional appointments — especially for active dogs that swim, hike, or come home covered in park mud. A few rules:

Nail Trimming

Long nails are not just cosmetic — they change how your dog distributes weight through their paws and can cause long-term joint issues. The general rule is that nails should not click audibly on a hard floor. If you can hear your dog walking across the kitchen, the nails are overdue.

Home trimming with a quality nail clipper is practical for most dogs, provided you take small amounts at a time and avoid the quick (the blood vessel inside the nail). Dogs with black nails are harder to assess — trim a little at a time and stop when you see a dark dot appear at the center of the cut surface. If you are not comfortable with nails, every professional groom includes a nail trim. You can also book a standalone nail appointment at most grooming facilities.

Ear Cleaning

Dogs with floppy ears (Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, Poodles) are prone to ear infections because the ear flap restricts airflow and traps moisture. Regular ear checks are important regardless of breed. Signs of a problem include a yeasty or musty odour, dark or waxy discharge, head shaking, or your dog scratching at one ear persistently.

For routine cleaning of healthy ears, dampen a cotton ball with a dog-specific ear cleaner and wipe the visible folds from inside outward. Do not use cotton swabs inside the ear canal, and do not pour liquid into the canal without veterinary direction. If you see significant debris, redness, or a strong odour, that is a veterinary visit — not a home cleaning situation. Ear cleaning is included in every professional dog grooming in Calgary at PAWS.

Teeth Brushing

Dental disease is one of the most common health issues in dogs, and the most preventable through at-home care. Plaque begins accumulating within 24–48 hours, which is why daily teeth brushing is the veterinary gold standard — though a few times per week is far better than nothing. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste formulated for dogs; human toothpaste contains ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Introduce brushing gradually with young dogs to build positive associations before it becomes a battle.

Winter: Extreme Dryness and Static

Calgary winters regularly drop to −20°C and below, and the city’s inland location means humidity can fall below 20% — sometimes closer to 10% during extended cold snaps. This extreme dryness is hard on your dog’s skin and coat. Indoor heating compounds the effect. Signs of winter coat stress include visible dandruff, increased scratching, a dull or brittle coat texture, and fly-away static that makes the coat spark during brushing.

Chinook Season: Rapid Temperature Swings

Calgary’s chinooks can swing temperatures by 20°C or more in a matter of hours. A dog wearing a full winter undercoat can find itself uncomfortably warm during a mid-January chinook. This is often when well-meaning owners consider shaving double-coated breeds — which, as discussed above, is the wrong call. The right response to a chinook is a good brush-out to remove loose undercoat and better airflow through the coat, not a shave.

The warm-dry-cold cycle of chinook season also accelerates static buildup in the coat, so this is a good time to apply a conditioning spray and check for mats in the friction areas (behind the ears, armpits, groin) more frequently.

Spring: Shedding Season and Mud

Spring in Calgary is a double challenge. Double-coated and heavy-shedding breeds begin blowing their winter undercoat in March and April — the volume of loose fur during this period can be extraordinary. At the same time, the thaw creates mud season, which means dogs are coming inside caked in wet clay that dries into the coat and sets mats.

Summer: Heat, Swimming, and the No-Shave Rule

Calgary summers are warm but short, often topping 30°C for stretches in July and August. Dogs that swim in the Bow River, Glenmore Reservoir, or any of the regional lakes during summer need to be thoroughly dried and brushed after every swim — wet coat dries into mats far faster than people expect, particularly for Doodle-type coats.

For double-coated breeds, the answer to the summer heat is regular brushing and a good spring deshed — not a shave. A well-maintained double coat is naturally thermoregulating. If your Husky or Golden seems uncomfortably hot in summer, they need more airflow through the coat (meaning more brushing), not less coat overall.