2010 Readers Choice Awards

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TQ6XHN7


Click on the above link to cast your vote for Best Friends Prairie View! 

Prevention of Summer Ear Infections

Most dogs just love being scratched behind the ears. But -- short or long, soft or bristly - bacteria, mites and wax could be lurking inside those ears, resulting in painful ear infections.   Left untreated, ear infections could lead to deafness. So maintaining healthy ears should be part of every pet's grooming routine.  "Bacteria thrive in moist, warm places such as the ear canal," explains Val Penstone, Director of Grooming for Best Friends Pet Resorts and Salons. "Professional groomers will routinely examine a pet's ears for odor, tenderness, inflammation and appearance. Part of the grooming process may include swabbing the ears with an ear cleaning product made specifically for that purpose. If there is excessive dirt or discharge that may require more attention, or even warrant a visit to the veterinarian, the dog groomer will inform the pet owner."

Detecting ear problems
Most dogs will let you know when an ear problem is developing. If your pet is suddenly not responding to audible cues, trouble may be brewing inside his ears. He may be scratching at his ears or rubbing them on the floor. Since the ears contain a dog's balance control center, the dog may frequently shake or tilt her head, or may even appear dizzy.  An unhealthy ear will often have an unpleasant odor as well. You should know the normal, healthy scent of your pet's ears. A reddish-brown, waxy discharge may indicate a problem. Ear mites, a crab-like parasite that feeds on wax, will cause intense itching and a brown crusty discharge. If you suspect your pet may be suffering from these nasty creatures, see your vet immediately.

To pluck or not to pluck
Breeds such as hounds with big, floppy ears are especially prone to problems because air can't circulate properly. Other breeds actually grow hair inside the ear canal. Keeping the hair short on and around the ear allows more air to reach the ear canal and keeps the internal ear drier, says Penstone.   Veterinary opinions differ on whether the hair inside the ear should be plucked. "Certainly making sure that the air is not blocked by excessive hair growth may promote better ear hygiene," says Penstone, "but some modern thinking is that plucking of ear hair by the roots can trigger irritation and scratching, and actually creates an entry point for bacteria." The best course is to gently remove overgrowth, but refrain from extensive pulling and plucking.

An ounce of prevention
Hearing is one of the most highly-developed senses in dogs: they can hear sounds at frequencies up to three times higher than humans. Taking care of those sensitive ears means including ear cleaning as part of a pet's regular grooming routine, Penstone recommends. Your Best Friends professional groomer can help you decide which products are best for your pet - so you can be sure your pet is hearing all the praise you give him.

Call today to schedule your pets bath and our haircut at any of our fabulous locations.  While your there be sure to check out all other fun things Best Friends has to offer.  From Training classes to a cool new dog park and even doggie camp, we have everything your pet needs to be happy!  (Besides you of course!)

National Hairball Awareness Day

April 30th is National Hairball Awareness Day! 

Check out this site for some helpful hints on how you can help the problem.

petside.com

Best Friends offers Shedicure treatments with a bath at their salons.  The shedicure is a great way to reduce your dog or cat's shedding by up to 80%!  Schedule your appointment today with one of our professional stylists.  All new clients receive $10 off their first service! 

Flea Season!

Schedule your pets bath today, and we can get you started and apply the first dose of Frontline for you!

Best Friends sells every size of Frontline. 

Pet Boarding and Grooming Discounts

By now you have all seen the many discounts we offer to our Best Friends that stay with us. Our furry friends are always well worth every dollar we spend on them, however saving money is always nice! As Toby would say (think) the more money I save, the more money I have to spend on him! Below is a brief description of our Loyalty Program we offer here at Best Friends. This program currently just allows the discount in pet boarding and grooming. These are the two areas we see our Best Friends use on a regular basis, so it is easier to get the rewards!

You earn one free night of boarding after 20 paid nights of boarding. This free night can be redeemed at a later boarding stay.

After 7 paid grooming appointments you receive 50 percent off your 8Th visit.

Please visit the Best Friends site directly for more specific details.

For all of our new friends your first night of boarding is FREE! You also receive $10 off your first grooming service with us. Stop in today for a tour and to see why we should be your new best friend!

Dogs In Need Of A Foster Home

Please help these two adorable goldendoodles find a foster home! The beige one is Trixie she is 6, the black one is Shaggy he is 4. Their Mom has to go out of the state temporarily for a work assignment and is unable to take the dogs with her. They are both very well behaved, they are regular grooming clients with us here at Best Friends. Mom would prefer to keep them in the same home. For more information on these two you can contact Kristin via email at kmccabe501@comcast.net

January Camp Calendar

Watch the blog for upcoming camp projects and prizes. You can help vote for the winners!

January 4Th: Mai Tai Monday! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 5Th: New Year New Beginning! Tell us your resolutions, prizes for those that follow them!

January 6Th: Celebrate Me Day! Tell is your birthday so we can celebrate on that day. $3.00 Bakery Treat

January 7Th: Winter Wonders! Snowflake project. $3.00 Ice Cream Treat

January 8Th: Buried Treasures Day! Find the hidden treats in camp.

January 11Th: Mai Tai Mondays! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 12Th: Snow Bunny Day! Cutest pose wins a prize. Skiing dog project

January 13Th: Paws For A Cause! Donate your unwanted dog toys and beds to Young At Heart and Tails Of Hope Rescues. $3.00 Treat Surprise

January 14Th: Will You Be Ours? Invitation Project

January 15Th: Super Star Day! Show us your talent.....you may be the next camper of the month! $3.00 Turkey Treat


January 18Th: Mai Tai Monday! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 19Th: Resolutions Rewarded! Did you stick to your resolutions? Prizes awarded. $3.00 Party Treat

January 20Th: Think Spring! flower power project

January 21st: Wild and Wacky Day! paw print mural. $3.00 crazy dog dessert

January 22nd: Rubber Ducky Your My Friend! Bubbles in group. 20% off grooming booked today

January 25Th: Mai Tai Mondays! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 26Th: Teddy Bear Tuesday! Bear project. $3.00 Bear treats

January 27Th: Retail Therapy! shopping spree in the store. small group trips.

January 28Th: Toy Day Thursday! What is Your favorite toy? If yours is picked you can be a winner, and pose on the blog for the next Fun Stuff Fridays post!

January 29Th: Chicken Dance! Best trick contest. $3.00 chicken lunch

Holiday Pampering For Your Pet

Let the kids have the holidays off this year!

Bring your furry friend to Best Friends grooming salon for a holiday makeover. From a relaxing bath to a remoisture treatment to help with that winter dryness. We even offer the shedicure which will help reduce your holiday stress. You won't have to vacuum as much hair, the shedicure if done regularly helps reduce shedding. If your friend has never been to us before you get $10 off your first salon service with us. We also offer grooming discounts to those who come every month! With the holidays around the corner, space is booking up fast, call today to schedule an appointment. (847) 634-9444

Skunked....

We are not the only ones that have been enjoying that wonderful Indian Summer! The SKUNKS have been also! While they are cute to look at, and are even great at eating the grubs and mosquito's in the lawn, they are not so cute when they come face to face with our dogs. A skunk will give a warning when it is alarmed by stamping their front feet. While you or I would take heed and leave, our dogs would take that as a sure sign of wanting to play. I know Toby does. "Look Mom he is black and white and cute like me, he must want to play!" I must admit watching Toby chase the skunk around the yard a few weeks ago was funny. You would have thought it was another puppy, the skunk literally ran in circles until I called Toby in. I lucked out with that one, I and Toby have not been so lucky in the past. I love Tomato Juice in my chili not on my dog!

The American Kennel Club (Fetch Magazine August 09) says the most important thing to do if your dog gets skunked is to check their eyes, nose, and mouth. If he was sprayed in the face, which is where skunks tend to aim, the chemicals in the spray could cause irritation and inflammation, even in the lining of the throat and lungs if inhaled. After rinsing with plenty of water if they are still rubbing at their face, or their eyes look red, they should
probably be seen by a vet.
Obviously after their encounter with a skunk you are going to want to give them a bath. A full service grooming salon, like Best Friends, will be able to offer a "skunk bath" We use a specially formulated soap. Prior to putting your friend in your car though you might want to try this home remedy to rid the house and your dog of some of the smell.

1 Quart 3 percent hydrogen Peroxide

1/4 cup baking soda

1 teaspoon Dawn liquid dish soap

After thoroughly soaking your dog in this mixture rinse him well in clean tap water. For the face some people recommend using a towel and soaking areas on their face with tomato juice. Keep in mind that it might take several baths to completely rid your dog of the skunk smell.

Your Special Day

Just when you thought the day you have been dreaming of could not get any better. Along comes your other best friend, your dog!

Best Friends offers pick up and delivery services for all sorts of reasons! Whether you simply need us to deliver a bag of food to your home, or bring the dogs in for grooming or boarding, we can help with it all! We can even bring your best friends to your special event! Thanks to the wonderful staff at Best Friends I was able to have Toby in my wedding pictures! We have a wide range of carriers to comfortably fit any size dog, and cat. We also have a large cargo van, many of you might have seen it in our lot. We have it specifically to be able to offer such a service. Call for pricing (847) 634-9444. Advanced notice required.