Snow in April
It’s spring, and while it warms up outside, here at Underdogs that means every day it is “snowing” hair as dogs shed their winter coats. If you’re noticing large tufts of hair around your house or seeing the fur fly as you pet them, it’s time to give us a call! When all that undercoat isn’t removed, it can be uncomfortable for your pup and lessens their ability to properly regulate their body temperature, making them more prone to overheating. Routine maintenance brushing at home certainly helps, but we use a multistep process and professional grade tools that carefully remove just the undercoat without damaging the protective guard hairs. Keep an eye on our social media this month for more information on proper brushing techniques and safe tools to use at home! (Spoiler: Get rid of that Furminator!)
In other news, Samantha’s surgery went exactly as planned. She is back in the building, recovering quickly and looking forward to getting back to grooming later this month. Once again, thank you for the outpouring of support, kindness and understanding during this time.
Speaking of gratitude, thanks to your votes, we have made it to the Finalist round in Valley Breeze’s Voices of The Valley List! We are so happy to have just made it this far, but we need your help to make it to the top Pet Groomers in Blackstone Valley! You can help support us and other local businesses by voting every day. All you need to provide is your email address, and you’ll also be entered to win The Valley Breeze Sweepstakes for $500 every time you vote!
Click HERE to vote for us! Voting Ends May 22nd
Once again, thank you! We are so happy to be a part of this community and want to stay here with you for a very long time!
Join our new Bark-Day Club!
One of our favorite things is having the privilege to be a part of your dog’s life and we love celebrating their milestones with you, be it a Birthday or an Adopt-a-versary! If your dog gets groomed during their Bark-Day Month, they will receive an extra special accessory to wear on their big day, and a special little treat from us! All you have to do is shoot us a text at 401-259-2559 to make sure we have the correct date on file. Don’t worry, if you’re not sure about the exact day, that’s alright, month and year is sufficient! Thanks in advance for including us in the paw-ty!
Potential Traffic Delays
The Lincoln Water Commission began a project in April to clean and/or replace the water mains on Front St. Our water supply should remain unaffected, but there have been sections of Front St under construction. This may impact your travel times so please allow a few extra minutes just in case, and we just ask that you communicate with us if you’re going to be more than a few minutes late.
As an additional reminder, Memorial Day is May 25th. We will be open and looking forward to seeing those of you who have appointments that day. Just be aware that The Town of Lincoln’s parade route ends at Chase Farm for their post-parade celebrations, so plan travel routes accordingly.
Local Events:
This Sunday, May 3rd , Jordan’s Jungle (Samantha’s favorite plant store) in Pawtucket is partnering with local vendors to benefit multiple local rescues and non-profits. Stop by to meet some adoptable pets and buy yourself a nice (pet friendly) plant, you deserve it!
The Potter Pet Food Pantry urgently needs dog food (top priority) and cat food. Requests for help keep rising, and we’re working to make sure pets stay fed and with the people who love them. We’re also helping supply nearly a dozen human food pantries across Rhode Island with pet food, extending that support to even more families and animals in need — and help is needed urgently now.
We will have a box in our lobby throughout the month of May to collect your donations, or you can donate items that are on their wishlist!
They do accept opened bags in original packaging.
Every donation helps fill bowls, ease stress, and keep families together. If you can help today, please do!
May is Allergies Awareness Month!
Did you know that dogs can be affected by seasonal allergies too? As the pollen count rises you may see some signs that your dog is one of many that experience seasonal allergies. Be on the lookout for excessive brown staining around their eyes, as inhaled waste is expelled through their tear ducts. You may also see brown staining on their feet; a telltale sign they’re licking those toe beans when you’re not looking. Some easy ways to manage mild allergies are things like wiping their feet down with grooming wipes (We like Earth’s Best Unscented) when they come in from outside so they don’t track dust and pollen indoors. Make sure all bedding and furniture where they hang out is washed/vacuumed a little more frequently to mitigate further exposure. Frequent grooming is helpful, both at home and professionally. A good brushing goes a long way towards knocking dust, pollen and other allergens off, and helps distribute the natural oils in their skin that work to repel said allergens. Samantha is a Certified Canine Esthetician, which means she has completed specialized education studying skin and coat issues and is here to help you keep the itch at bay. We offer a myriad of soothing solutions like specialty shampoos and therapeutic soaks that can help keep your pup comfortable. However, if you see any raw, open skin, hives, rashes, raised bumps, or facial swelling, it’s time to call your vet.
Speaking of allergies, it’s time to introduce our
Employee of the Month
Reina
Underdogs Mascot
Chief of Product Testing
First things first, we must confess that Reina is in fact, a nepo baby. Samantha adopted her in 2018 and she has been at her side ever since. However, her credentials are legitimate, and she never clocks out.
Reina is a 9 year old pit bull who had to be rehomed because as she matured, she started to find other dogs more and more problematic. (It’s very important to research a breed thoroughly before bringing a dog home.) True to her name, which means “Queen” she needs to be the only dog in the house. This actually makes her a perfect fit for someone like Samantha who would probably have a full house otherwise!
She is the perfect spokesdog for Allergy Awareness Month, as her allergen list is long and her histamine response is strong. When we say she is allergic to everything, it’s not an exaggeration. She was definitely a factor in Samantha's decision to pursue that Esthetician certification.
Whenever we are considering a new product to use here at Underdogs, Reina is always the first to try it out. If it doesn’t pass the Reina Rubric, we don’t use it. This is why we are so confident in the quality of every product we use, not just shampoos, colognes and color, but our cleaning products and laundry detergents as well! It’s all been tested and approved by our very own in-house hippo.
Let us know when booking if you’d like to add color services to your next appointment!
She really demonstrated her versatility this month; after working overtime as Samantha’s home health nurse, she was eager to get back to work. All of our color products are designed specifically for pets, but she isn’t satisfied with labels. She insisted that Kayle try out our new airbrush color on her to “ensure quality and safety”. She has also tested and approved our temporary color chalk our semi-permanent color and all of our nail polishes too! So if you’ve been considering adding a little extra to your next groom, rest assured Reina not only approves, but encourages you to do so. We suspect she just really loves the extra attention the color gets her and enjoys her extra spa time with Kayle, but who are we to question the boss’ daughter on her motives?
In 2024, Reina broke off a toenail. What should have been a pretty easy fix was complicated by her allergies, leading to a severe bone infection that resulted in a toe amputation, inspiring our 3-toed pawprint logo.