Snobby Dog Spaw in Tyler, Texas: my four dogs’ groomer!

By Maya on November 5, 2011

Dog Groomer Tyler, Texas Snobby Dog Spaw

Miss Nicole

Snobby Dog Spaw
4007 S Broadway Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 581-2834

When I moved back to Tyler, Texas, I was back on the market for a good grooming option.  I almost always groom the Papillons myself because they are so easy to put in the tub, but to thoroughly wash and groom my big dogs is another story.  I took Lizzie once to PetSmart, but I really disliked the impersonal, big-box grooming assembly-line feel.  I want the place I trust with my dogs to actually know my dogs.

I started looking for smaller shop options, but found the prices for a wash to be a little too high.  So, I was very excited to find Miss Nicole’s shop, Snobby Dog Spaw!  Going into her shop, you feel like you are taking your dogs to your friend’s house for a play date.  She is friendly; she gets to know your dog, and she really goes out of her way to do the best job she can.

Miss Nicole has been a groomer for 10 years and just opened her shop this year.  I wouldn’t have known her shop was there if I didn’t help part time at the Small Business Administration office. Her little shop is located next to Hastings on South Broadway, right between a Donut Shop and a Gun Shop. :-) Gotta love East Texas.

Groom Shop Tyler, Texas

Clean Lizzie modeling at the shop!

Miss Nicole really won me over with how kind and patient she was with my senior dog, Carmina.  She took a lot of care to make sure she was not only clean, but comfortable too.  She also handles my German Shepherd Lizzie wonderfully.  Clipping and grinding Lizzie’s nails can be a challenge, but Miss Nicole gets them done!  Unlike PetSmart, she doesn’t charge an extra fee for grinding the nails.  Bath, brush, nails, glands, ears, cologne and a pretty bandana are all included!

If you live in the Tyler area, try her out, you’ll love her.  If you don’t, and you take your dog to a big-box shop, try finding a small, individually-owned shop where the groomer takes the time to get to know your dog.  It’s less stressful for the dog, a better atmosphere, and just a much better experience for your dogs.


Snobby Dog Spaw
4007 S Broadway Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 581-2834

Snobby Dog Basic Rates

Tell her the Four Dogs sent you and get $5 off your first visit! :-)

Size Toy Small Medium Large Giant
Groom $35.00 $40.00+ $50.00+ $60.00+ $70.00+
Bath $18.00 $20.00+ $25.00+ $28.00+ $50.00+

**Senior discounts available on request!

* * * * * * * *

If you come by, say hi to Lizzie if she’s there too!

Snobby Dog Groom Shop Tyler, Texas

Lizzie watching the door!

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Does your dog have sensitive skin? Try sharing your shampoo!

By Maya on September 24, 2011

No, I have not lost my mind!  It’s true….

It’s been ingrained in our minds that human shampoo is not for dogs (and not to bathe them often), and this is completely true for your average shampoo as you never want to strip a dog’s coat of it’s protective oils.  But why do our shampoos strip our hair? Why these rules?  What is in shampoo that is so harsh?

Now that I am so familiar with ingredients, I see why.  Shampoos are full of all kinds of harsh ingredients that not only damage and dry your hair, but they are toxic too.  Looking at ingredients in your average dog shampoo, it’s no better!  The reason people always say you can’t wash your dog too often is because these harsh shampoos just kill a dog’s skin and coat  (and your skin too!).

The truth is, natural ingredients are simply better for you AND your dog.  If you use gentle, natural shampoos, you can wash your dogs once a week without any ill effects.  To the contrary, you can reduce shedding, smell, and dander and your dog’s coat will shine!

The other funny thing I found is YOU CAN SHARE YOUR SHAMPOO WITH YOUR DOG!  With the very big caveat that you are using a quality natural shampoo.

My little Papillon Riyo has very sensitive skin and if he gets one flea, it’s all over.  His poor tummy was all dry, flaky and scabbed in spots.  I was trying everything to keep any creepy crawly from touching his skin, but his skin just wasn’t recovering.  His poor fur was thinning too.  Even after getting the flea issue under control, his skin was still in really bad shape.

Neem and Shea Body WashThen it occurred to me; my body wash (Allafia Everyday Shea Bodywash) that I also use on my hair contains both Neem and Shea Butter.  Neem is a natural anti-inflammatory/anti-bacterial ingredient, and unrefined Shea Butter is soothing and moisturizing.  Even better, Neem is also an excellent blood sucking insect repeller!  There was no ingredient in the body wash that would harm him.  So, I washed him with it.  And guess what?!  His skin started clearing up the next day, and he was back to normal after the second wash.

Another HUGE plus is that body wash retails at $13.95 for a huge 32oz bottle that would last my little Papillon 4 years.  Even sharing with my other Papillon Mr. Darcy and me, we are still on our first bottle two months later.

So do yourself and your sensitive-skinned pup a huge favor and start using natural shampoos, conditioners, and body washes.  The one I, and my dogs, are using is unscented Everyday Shea Body Wash and Conditioner (both unscented for sensitive skin).  There is a pricier, non-sudsing line that expressly suggests sharing their line with your dog called Morrocco Method too.

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Vellus Shampoo…It’s bath time!

By Maya on March 13, 2011

When I got Riyo back in 2007, the lady I got him from recommended Vellus shampoos and brushes for him as that is what she uses on her show dogs.  I followed her recommendation and went on the Vellus website and ordered one gallon of shampoo and one gallon of conditioner.  Conditioner is a must for Papillons.  Their silky hair needs conditioner to keep it from breaking when brushed.  I decided to buy a gallon of each so I wouldn’t run out in a couple of months and have to buy again.Vellus Dog Shampoo

It is now 2011 and I am still using the same two gallons that I bought back in 2007!  It’s like the never ending bottle.  And it’s not like I try to be conservative when I use it!  I got Darcy in 2008 and I have used the same shampoo on the both of them this whole time.  I think the shampoo and conditioner is concentrated, so it goes a long way.  If it ever runs out, I will buy Vellus again undoubtedly, but I plan on trying out smaller bottles of different products for a little variety!

The brushes are also worth the money.  I bought two pin brushes and one small slicker brush at the same time that I got the shampoo.  They are high quality wood brushes with rounded pins that don’t scratch the dogs’ skin.  The brushes are definitely more pricey than what you find at PetsMart, but they work better, last longer, and are better on your dog’s fur and skin.  I bought a slicker brush for the big girls at PetsMart a few months ago and the plastic handle cracked within a couple months.  I think it is time I invest in a Vellus brush or a Chris Christiansen brush for them as well.  In the end, it is more economical as the wood brushes last for years.

The pin brushes are recommended for the Papillons’ long silky hair, but are useless for short haired dogs like Lizzie and Carmina.  As I mentioned before, for them I use the FURminator as a deshedding tool (invaluable), but I also like to use a big slicker brush to brush out debris from their coat by brushing against and with the grain.

Also, if you have a silky haired dog like the Papillons, we aren’t supposed to brush their coats dry.  You should mist it with water or with a grooming spray (Vellus has one as well) to get it just damp enough to brush without breakage!

 

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Borghese Royal Treatment Pet Spa – French bath for dogs

By Maya on February 19, 2011

A friend of mine gave me a bottle of the Borghese spritz sometime back and I’ve been hooked ever since. They’ve got shampoo, conditioner, and a spritz, but I’ve only tried the spritz so far. I plan on trying the shampoo and conditioner next on the Papillons and have high hopes that it will make them smell like a million bucks!  I’ll report back when I do.

The spritz I use on the two big girls because I just can’t wash them all the time and, you know, dogs can really stink! This spritz is the dog version of the french bath. You spray it on, brush it in, towel them off a little bit and VOILA! Roses!…or Coconut Vanilla. Other spritzes I have tried just mix weird smells into doggy funk. What I like about this product is that it really seems to neutralize the funk and replace it with fine Italian fragrance! There are limits to its powers of course. If it’s been that long since a dog’s last bath, I don’t think anything can kill that smell, but for between baths it really is great.

I found it online at the ASPCA shop and there is a full product description there, and it benefits the ASPCA as well so that’s good.

Another thing that works really well is the foaming waterless bath.  I like to use it in conjunction with the spritz.  The one I like was the John Paul Pet Waterless Foaming Shampoo.  It has that lovely coconut smell, it lasted a long time, and really does a good job getting the dirt off.  I just pumped it out across the dogs’ back, the took a towel and rubbed her down.  You end up with a dirty towel and a clean dog.  Since it does smell good, Lizzie tries to lick it off her back to no ill effect.  I noticed when I rubbed the dogs down with a towel without the shampoo, the towel still seemed really clean which made me assume the dogs weren’t that dirty.  When I used the foaming shampoo and rubbed them down, the white towel turned brown.  So it really gets the dirt off.  I have shorter haired dogs, so I don’t know how this would work on a really fluffy dog like a chow, but it should work on most.

When I ran out, I went down to PetsMart to buy another bottle and they didn’t carry it anymore, at least at that store, so I bought the TopPaw version.  I don’t like it at all.  The pump is hard, the foam doesn’t come out nicely, it has no good smell, and doesn’t seem to take the dirt off quite as well.  I’m probably just going to give up on that bottle and buy another one of the John Paul waterless.

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The FURminator: Can’t live without it….

By Maya on February 16, 2011

Or I can, but will loads of dog hair.  Old dog 4, Carmina, has this thick double coat that sheds and sheds, all year long.  Coming soon in spring it likes to just come out in handfuls.  I really don’t understand how it is even possible.  I mean, if I lost that much hair, I would be completely bald.  Anyway, the ironic part is when I got her my thought was, “Oh, she’s short haired, so that will be better with shedding.”  That’s a rookie mistake!  Shorter haired dogs, especially the double coated ones can shed like superstars.
My only weapon in the battle against the hair, which I discovered a few years ago, is the FURminator!  If you have a dog that sheds and you don’t have one of these, there is nothing better.  When I brush Carmina with this thing there is literally a pile of hair the size of a small dog.  If I do it every day or every other day, it makes a significant dent in hair balls in my house.  Other brushes just skimmed the surface, but never got ahead of the problem.  That furminator really just strips the coat of loose hair.  It is the greatest thing ever!

I am thinking of this now because I can’t find mine and this is a serious problem!  As long as Lizzie hasn’t buried it in the yard, it has to be here somewhere, but I am defenseless in the battle of the hair without it.  It must be found.

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