When were dogs domesticated?
The get out of jail free card would be to state that the origins of dog grooming have been lost in the sands of time. However, that wouldn’t make for a very interesting read would it? Furthermore, as stated in my last blog about ‘Dog Bathing’, the Search Engine Optimisation is improving, but there is still work to do 😉. So let us give our take on the history of dog grooming.
Seriously though, the history is interesting, and it only heightened my love of our domesticated companions. Literature disputes the approximate domestication of dogs as far back as 40,000 years. In the early stages of social evolution, they were used for hunting and as guard dogs. We then saw the evolution of farming dogs and mixed breed domestication. In our society today, we see the amazing companionship they provide as house pets, as service dogs assisting the emergency services or by assisting an individual with a visual impairment. Proof is in the pudding, or should I say statistics? As shown in our previous blog, millions of UK residents own a dog, and it is clear to see why…they are all amazing 🥰.
Why do dogs make good companions?
We can look through history to see why dogs are so revered by humans. Whether it was in ancient Egypt, where the jackal god, Anubis, escorted deceased souls to be judged by Osiris. They were so respected that all household dogs were given the best burial the family could afford 🥲. The owners would then shave off their eyebrows. Go on, I dare you 🤣🙈.
The Chinese dynasties took their love for some breeds quite far too. The Shih Tzu was regarded as royal property. Therefore, any commoner caught with one would be put to death. Thankfully, times have changed, but we can all agree that our love for dogs has not changed. Most of us respect, care and appreciate the joy and companionship all pets bring to our homes.
When did dogs start getting groomed?
Roman coins dated as far back as 112 BC, showcase dogs that were used for hunting. However archaeologists believe these dogs were clipped to what closely resembles the Lion Trim. Most believe the necessity to groom a dog came about naturally, based on what the dog was required to do.
The French Poodle was bred as a water retriever in the early 1600’s. The breed has a very thick coat which does not shed. Therefore, to stop the coat getting bogged with mud, the owner would have the dog clipped so only the major organs and joints were protected from the cold water. Overall, this made it lighter and safer for the poodle to swim when retrieving on a hunt.
Grooming then moved from practicality to fashionable personalisation during the reign of Louis XV in the 1700’s. The rest of Europe and England caught up with this trend shortly after. However, the practice was normally conducted by the owner. The dog grooming business did not come in to fruition until the early 1900’s, as highlighted by an article in The Royal Magazine, titled ‘A Dogs’ Toilet Club‘. Interestingly, the grooming trade didn’t take off fully in the USA until the 1950’s, when the Baby Boom started and family pets became more popular.
How did GOOCHI POOCHI Start?
Simple! It was either train as a vet, meaning years and years of training and massive student debt, or find another animal related field I can work in. There is quite a lot of assumption, that I was even smart enough to train as a vet 🤔😂. My passion for animals, especially dogs, has always resonated positively in my life. So the fact that I can contribute to an animals wellbeing everyday, while getting my nose licked off is an absolute dream. Yes, sometimes it is hard and sometimes I have been put in a really uncomfortable welfare scenario. However, I can categorically say it is my dream job and I look forward to every appointment that is booked. I genuinely hope everybody that uses our service feels that passion?
As always, I hope you enjoyed the article? My next one might be about skin conditions, but do not worry, it won’t be too gross 😜.
See you again soon.
Louisa
On behalf of GOOCHI POOCHI