At Hawthorne Kennel, we offer a complete grooming service. The only groomer, Alexandra Bradley, has professionally groomed dogs since the early 1980's. Before moving to New York, Alexandra owned and operated a dog grooming shop in New Jersey, and a mobile grooming business. Early in her career, she competed in several grooming contest. Alexandra once placed 4th at the National Dog Grooming Contest held in Cherry Hill New Jersey. She groomed and showed a Bedlington Terrier, an Old English Sheepdog, and a Welsh Springer Spaniel, and show groomed a Bichon Friese. Alexandra has worked as a Veterinarian assistant, and thus is able to recognize potential health problems a dog may have and an owner may overlook.

Full grooming includes a bath, nail clipping, anal gland cleaning, brushing, drying, and a hair cut suited to the dog and its life style. If you like to keep your dogs hair long, it will need regular grooming every 4 to 6 weeks. Dogs that go without grooming much longer than that usually can not maintain long hair unless the owner is religious about brushing the dog thoroughly between treatments. An owner not able to keep the dog in shape between grooming promotes sheer torture for the dog and the groomer! There is no magic, or painless way to remove matted coats- it requires the cooperation of owner and groomer.

Grooming time is limited, and is scheduled by appointment only- please call for availability.

•Hawthorne's Grooming Tips•

Some steps to follow if your dog has dry skin:

 •Don't underestimate the problem...
First, and very important, you should have a veterinarian examine the dog to rule out any unseen problems. Thyroid disorders can cause skin problems, and there are other diseases that can exhibit a skin problems as symptoms. Common dry-skin-culprits are, of course, fleas and skin mites. But, did you know that internal parasites can also be a cause a dry skin and coat. In all of the aforementioned, a veterinarian can best diagnose these situations and provide needed treatment.

•A quality diet is very important...
Some dogs don't get adequate nutrition from their food. The usual case with dog foods is you get what you pay for. As a general rule, the more you pay, the better the food quality. Read the labeled ingredients used in the food that the dog eats now. Note the first ingredient in the list, because it is the one of greatest quantity used in the blend. It should be beef, lamb or chicken, not corn or other cereals or "fillers".

•Make changes slowly...
Some dogs do better on a lamb based food, others with chicken or beef. So, if the quality is not in question, try changing to a food with a different main ingredient. For example, change from lamb to chicken or visa versa. When making dietary changes, be patient; the dog may need to be on the new food for at least a month to see an improvement in skin condition. When you find the right food, stick with it–stability, not variety is important to your dog's health. Some dogs can benefit from a good EFA fatty acid supplement. Again, as a rule, the more expensive the preparation, the better the ingredients. The more money you spend on a high quality diet, the less time and money will be spent at the vet's office.

A.B.