Meet Dakota Amos, Grooming Manager - Everything You Need To Know About Grooming Your Pet

Tell Us About Pet Grooming

Ever wonder why some dogs practically sprint into the grooming salon while others panic at the door? We dive into the simple truth that makes the difference: consistency. With grooming manager Dakota Amos from Abingdon Animal Medical Center, we explore how routine care turns a stressful chore into a calm wellness habit—and why it can be the first line of defense for your pet’s health.

We break down the real daily maintenance long and double coats need, from brushing and combing to the signs that mats are forming before they become a crisis. Dakota explains why a 4–6 week cadence works for most breeds, even when a full haircut isn’t on the schedule, and how a bath-and-blowout can reset skin, lift undercoat, and cut down on itching and odors. You’ll hear practical tips to spot trouble early: resistance when the comb hits problem areas, tufts that won’t lay flat, or subtle changes around ears and armpits.

Beyond the brush, we talk health. Regular grooming helps prevent infections, reduces the risk of severe matting, and keeps nails, skin, and sanitary areas in safe shape. Just as crucial, a skilled groomer often notices ear infections, lumps, and small abrasions long before they’re visible at home—and can coordinate with your vet right away. Dakota shares what to ask when choosing a groomer, how ongoing education and a low-stress, single-room setup improve safety, and why a quiet, consistent environment helps dogs relax instead of react.

If you want a calmer, cleaner, healthier routine for your dog—doodle, husky, or anything in between—this conversation delivers clear steps and confidence. Subscribe, share with a fellow pet parent, and leave a review to tell us your biggest grooming challenge so we can cover it next.

To learn more about Abingdon Animal Medical Center visit:
https://www.MyAbingdonVet.com
Abingdon Animal Medical Center
19586 Dennison Drive
Abingdon, VA 24211
276-628-9655

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:04):
Welcome to Tales Talk with Dr.
O'Hara.
Southwest Virginia is thespotlight they deserve.
Combining small pound jar withthe art veterinary care.
Whether you're free friend fur,art, or just field your stock.

(00:24):
This is the place for tips,tails, and a whole lot of
tailwaging.

SPEAKER_02 (00:30):
From table fur to nail trims, we're diving into
grooming essentials every petowner should know.
Straight from the expert behindthe grooming table.
Welcome back, everybody.
Skip Monty, co-host slashproducer.
Back in the studio with Dr.
O'Hara and with a very specialguest, Miss Dakota Amos,
grooming manager at AbingtonAnimal Medical Center.

SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
Hi, how are you?

SPEAKER_02 (00:51):
Doc, how are you guys doing?

SPEAKER_01 (00:53):
Good.

SPEAKER_02 (00:55):
Awesome.
Awesome.
I'm I'm uh doing well and readyto learn all about Dakota, what
you do, and and what what allthe important things we should
know as pet owners.
So tell us what's everything weneed to know about grooming our
pets?

SPEAKER_01 (01:10):
The biggest thing that I always stress when people
ask me just like that open-endedquestion, like that, is um
probably the most importantthing is just routine, right?
The reference that I always useis just it's like going to the
dentist.
You know, if you go to thedentist on a normal routine,

(01:30):
it's not a big deal.
You go in, you get a cleaning,and it's it's over with.
If you wait months in between,years in between, it can be a
little intimidating.
Same thing with your pets.
If you bring them in, we kind ofform a bond and it becomes to
where it's just a another day tocome hang out with Miss Dakota.

(01:53):
It's not intimidating, it's it'snot a big process.
We just hang out.
So to start off, that's what Ialways try to tell people is try
to find a groomer that you canform a relationship with and
your pets can form a bond withto where it is a relaxing, fun

(02:14):
day for your pet.

SPEAKER_02 (02:16):
Very good.
Well, what are some common, uhmost common grooming mistakes
that pet owners make at home?
Can you think of anything?

SPEAKER_01 (02:25):
Probably neglecting daily maintenance.
If you have a dog that has um along coat, you know, doodles are
really popular right now, goldendoodles, laperdoodles, all the
doodles, um, you know, thesmaller dogs like York's and
Maltese, anything with like alonger coat or even a

(02:46):
double-coated dog, like a huskyor a golden retriever.
Um, you you have to do dailymaintenance just like with
yourself.
You have to brush and combdaily.
And that helps keep a healthycoat that prevents them from
matting up to where um it getsreal tight on their skin and
it's uncomfortable.
So I'd say that's probably thebiggest thing is just um not

(03:10):
knowing that you have to dodaily maintenance.
You have to do the brushing andcombing at home.

SPEAKER_02 (03:15):
Nice to know.
Now what signs are there?
Are there are there signs that apet may be overdue for grooming?
I guess, you know, if they kindof smell bad, it might have
something to do with it.

SPEAKER_01 (03:27):
Yeah, or you'll notice um that they'll start
getting like kind of tufts ontheir fur, or you can even like
visibly see the the knots andthe mats starting to form.
And at that point, you know,they are pretty overdue for a
groom.
Um if you're at home and you aredoing the daily maintenance and

(03:47):
you're and you're brushing andyou're combing and you're
noticing some resistance whenyou're doing that, then it's
probably time.

SPEAKER_02 (03:54):
And can grooming properly impact a pet's overall
health and behavior?

SPEAKER_01 (04:00):
Yeah, I would say so, wouldn't you?

SPEAKER_03 (04:02):
Yeah, it's it's it's it's really important for
hygiene and health.
I mean, you know, I've had youknow dogs in here that aren't
groomed very often.
And one of the grossest thingsI've ever found is like maggots
and stuff, if they're, you know,and things like that.
So, you know, if they can getcaught up in the mats and stuff

(04:23):
like that, and if there's likefecal material in there and
stuff like that, that's that youknow, flies with legs and then
you get nasty, nasty stuff.
But and there and there's otherlighter stuff too, but the
grooming is essential for healthand hygiene.

SPEAKER_02 (04:36):
Wow.
Well, um, how often should you?
I mean, I guess does it dependon the the breed or how often
should you groom your dog?

SPEAKER_01 (04:44):
Yes and no, but my rule of thumb is always every
four to six weeks.
Even if um your dog doesn't needa full haircut, uh, you know,
every in that four to six weekperiod, even a good bath and
blowout makes a world of adifference.
Um, you know, like we weretalking about with the health,

(05:05):
you have to think, you know,that you can look into skin
infections and you know,irritation.
Um, they might have cuts orabrasions on their skin that you
you can't see.
But if I have my hands and myeyes on every single part of
your pet's body, that a lot oftimes I'm kind of like the first

(05:31):
one to notice, you know, anissue that might arise.
I'll see if your dog might bestarting to get a little bit of
an ear infection, if your doghas a lump or a growth.
A lot of times my hands go inplaces and my eyes go in places
that you know, when you'repetting your dog on the couch,
your hands might not feel thatlump in their armpit or feel or

(05:52):
see that their ears are startingto get infected.
And I can notify Dr.
O'Hara while your pet's here andwe can get it taken care of
before it becomes a real issue.

SPEAKER_03 (06:02):
Yeah, me and Dakota have worked together for like
eight years now.
I can't tell you hundreds oftimes she's pointed out to me
when she's grooming it on thatwe've been able to came to and
call and you know solve theproblem.

SPEAKER_01 (06:16):
So yeah, I call it the one spot shop.
You know, come get your haircut,your nails done, get your
vaccines, and go home.

SPEAKER_02 (06:24):
When um pet parents like me are are looking for uh a
groomer, what should we uh whatshould we look for when we're
we're choosing someone?

SPEAKER_01 (06:34):
I think experience is really big.
I I think somebody who, youknow, never feels shy to ask
about somebody's background, howlong they've been grooming, um,
where they've been trained.
Um I also think it's importantto ask if they are um continuing
to educate themselves.

(06:55):
There is no requirement forlicensing or certification in
the grooming industry, uh,unfortunately, because anybody
can open up their own groomingsalon and start and they've just
learned off YouTube.
But I think it's important toknow somebody who continues to
educate themselves, continues toum start to learn like the

(07:17):
newest safety protocols and thenewest trends.
But then I also think it'simportant for you to feel
comfortable with them.
Um, it's just as important forthe pet owner to create a
relationship and a bond withthat person just as much as it
is with the dog.

SPEAKER_02 (07:33):
Well, how does your approach at Abingdon Animal
Medical Center, how does itstand out from other grinding
services?

SPEAKER_01 (07:39):
You know, I've done this for over a decade and I've
tried many different ways tomake a stress-free environment
for for the animals that I'mworking.
And I really do think that uh mysalon, it is in one room,
basically.
My bathtub, my dryers, mykennels, my table, everything is

(08:02):
within the eye line of me.
As well as I don't have a lot ofin and out.
There's not a lot of hustle andbustle.
And I think that helps keep thepets calmer.
Um, it is just me.
So I do think that makes adifference as well because I do
connect and bond with thesedogs.
I think of these dogs likethey're mine.

(08:24):
But I think just the fact thateverybody's kind of in one room.
When I say everybody, I mean meand the dogs.
Um, when we're all in one room,we can kind of all see what
we're doing.
I can keep an eye on everybody.
They can all keep an eye on me.
I don't do anything tooexciting, so they usually nap.
And I just think it makes for areally stress-free, relaxing

(08:44):
service.
I I do know of several placesthat there's a lot of in and out
and hustle and bustle, and itcan get everybody a little riled
up, but we're pretty slow, slowand go downstairs in the salon.

SPEAKER_03 (08:57):
Yeah, I've seen the mother work with dogs and groom
dogs, and I'm like, no way.
Like she doesn't by herself,which is crazy.
That's my experience and justhaving that kind of natural way
with the dog is importantbecause I'm like, how does she
grow that?
It's crazy.
There's some dogs that just likeher, you know.

SPEAKER_01 (09:14):
I know how to butter them up.

SPEAKER_02 (09:17):
There you go.
There you go.
I think that's that's the key,huh?

SPEAKER_01 (09:20):
Yeah, oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 (09:22):
Absolutely.
Well, Dakota, thank you so muchfor your insights.
Um, very, very helpful.
And for our listeners andviewers, you heard it here.
Very laid-back environment, andyou heard why Abington Animal
Medical Center is the place togo for both health care and and
uh grooming.
So, Doc, Dakota, thank you somuch for being here.

SPEAKER_01 (09:42):
Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 (09:43):
We'll we'll see you sometime in the next episode.

SPEAKER_01 (09:46):
Okay, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 (09:51):
Thanks for joining us on Tale Talk with Dr.
O'Hara.
If your four-legged familymember needs to check up a
stylish groom or just a cozyplace to stay, give us a call or
text at 276-628-9655, or visitmyappingdonvets.com to book your
appointment.
Abingdon Animal Medical Center,a small town field with

(10:13):
state-of-the-art chair andplenty of belly rubber.