Dog grooming questions from Inland Empire dog owners.

A Basic Groom starts at $65+ for small dogs, $75+ for medium dogs, $85+ for large dogs and $135+ for doodles. The Royal Groom starts at $70+, $80+, $90+ and $140+. Breed-specific clips start at $75+.

Baths start lower: a Basic Bath is $35+ small, $45+ medium, $55+ large and $80+ for a husky or shepherd; a Royal Bath is $40+, $50+, $60+ and $85+. The full list, including add-ons, is on the pricing page.

Yes. Animal Kingdom calls itself the home of the $5 nail trim. The published price for a nail trim on its own is $5-$10.

Call or text the shop to ask what puts a trim at the top of that range, and whether you need an appointment for one.

Both include a haircut, bath, blueberry facial, brush, nail trim and ear cleaning. The Royal Groom adds sensitive skin shampoo and a paw and nose moisturizer, for $5 more at each size.

The Royal is a good fit for dogs with itchy or sensitive skin, and for dry noses and cracked pads after an Inland Empire summer of hot sidewalks or a windy, dry winter.

It means “starting at.” The listed price is where that size begins, and the final price can be higher.

At most grooming shops, coat length and thickness, matting, a dog’s size within its category, and how long the dog needs to stay calm all affect the final price. Ask the shop for a quote when you book, especially if your dog is matted.

Doodle coats are curly, dense and quick to mat, so a full groom takes much longer than a short-coated dog of the same size. That is why Animal Kingdom lists doodles separately: $135+ for a Basic Groom and $140+ for a Royal Groom.

Regular brushing at home and grooms every four to six weeks keep doodle coats manageable and help avoid dematting charges.

Many people tip a groomer 15 to 20 percent of the service price, more for a difficult, matted or nervous dog. Tipping is a personal choice, not a requirement.

If your groomer handled a nervous dog with patience or worked through heavy mats, a little extra is a kind way to say thanks.

Most dogs with hair that keeps growing, like doodles, poodles, Shih Tzus, Yorkies and Bichons, need a full groom every four to six weeks. Short-coated dogs usually do well with a bath and nail trim every four to eight weeks.

Double-coated breeds such as huskies, shepherds and golden retrievers benefit from a bath and deshedding every six to eight weeks, and more often during heavy shedding in spring and fall.

Usually no. A double coat insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can expose the skin to sunburn and may cause the coat to grow back patchy or slowly.

A better plan for an Inland Empire summer is a thorough bath and deshedding to clear out the loose undercoat so air can move through the coat, plus shade, water and walks in the cool early morning. If a double-coated dog is badly matted, a groomer may have to clip the mats out; that is a decision for a professional, not for clippers at home.

Deshedding removes the loose undercoat that would otherwise end up on your couch. It usually combines a bath, conditioning and a thorough blow-out and brush-out. At Animal Kingdom it is an upgrade or stand-alone service priced $10-$60.

It is most useful for huskies, shepherds, labs, goldens, corgis and other double coats, especially when they “blow” their coat in spring and fall.

Yes. Short coats still shed, collect dust and need nail trims and ear cleaning. A bath every month or two keeps the skin and coat healthy.

A Basic Bath at Animal Kingdom includes the bath, blueberry facial, brush, nail trim and ear cleaning, starting at $35+ for small dogs.

A breed-specific clip is the traditional haircut for a breed, such as a Schnauzer’s beard and leg furnishings or a Bichon’s rounded head. Animal Kingdom offers breed-specific clips from $75+.

If you want something different from the breed standard, a shorter “puppy cut” for example, say so when you book and bring a photo.

A blueberry facial is a gentle face wash made for dogs, often scented with blueberry, used to clean around the eyes, muzzle and beard. It is part of every groom and bath on Animal Kingdom’s menu.

It helps freshen a dirty beard or face. It does not treat tear-stain infections or eye problems; for red, swollen or goopy eyes, see your vet.

For dogs with hair that keeps growing, like doodles, poodles and Shih Tzus, a shorter all-over trim is easier to keep clean and mat-free through a hot summer. For double-coated dogs, a deshedding bath is better than a shave.

Whatever the cut, leave enough coat to protect the skin from sun. Inland Empire summer afternoons regularly pass 100°F, so keep walks to early morning and evening.

Avoid tall dry grass in late spring and summer, and check your dog’s paws, ears, armpits and nose after every walk. A neat trim around the feet and ears gives foxtails fewer places to hide.

Foxtails can work their way into ears, noses, eyes and between toes. If your dog is shaking its head, sneezing hard, squinting or licking a paw nonstop after a walk, call your vet. Do not dig for one yourself.

Yes. On a sunny Inland Empire afternoon, asphalt and concrete can get hot enough to burn paw pads. If you can’t hold the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds, it is too hot to walk on.

Walk early or late, stay on grass or shade, and treat dry pads with a dog-safe moisturizer. The Royal Groom and Royal Bath include a paw and nose moisturizer. Blistered or raw pads need a vet.

They can. Santa Ana winds are hot or dry and dusty, which can leave skin flaky and coats full of dust and static. A bath with a gentle, moisturizing shampoo and regular brushing help.

Animal Kingdom’s Royal packages use sensitive skin shampoo, and the shop says its products are almost entirely human grade with no harsh chemicals or scents. Persistent itching, hair loss or red skin is a question for your vet.

Often, yes. Mild winters mean fleas can stay active for much of the year in Southern California, not just in summer.

A flea shampoo (an Animal Kingdom add-on, $15-$50) washes off fleas on the dog that day, but it does not prevent new ones. Ask your vet about ongoing flea prevention, and treat your home and yard too.

Heavy panting, drooling, bright red or pale gums, weakness, stumbling, vomiting or collapse can all signal heatstroke. It is an emergency.

Move the dog to shade or air conditioning, wet it with cool (not ice-cold) water, offer small sips of water and get to a veterinarian right away.

Many groomers suggest a puppy’s first short visit once the vet says its vaccinations are far enough along, often somewhere around three to four months old. Ask your vet when your puppy is ready, and ask the shop what it needs from you.

A first visit can be simple: a bath, nail trim and a chance to get used to the sounds of dryers and clippers. Short, positive early visits make for a calmer adult dog. Animal Kingdom grooms “from puppies to seniors.”

Yes. Owner Kyle Hinshaw is known for calming nervous dogs: he talks to them and shows them the brushes and dryers so they can see he is there to help. Tell the shop about your dog’s fears when you book.

Helpful details include past bad experiences, touchy feet or ears, and fear of dryers. Some anxious dogs do best with shorter visits or a bath before a full groom.

Be upfront about it when you call. Many groomers can work with a dog that has a bite history with extra care, but the shop needs to know first so it can decide how best to keep your dog and the groomer safe.

Some dogs with severe fear or pain do better with a vet-supervised groom. Your vet can also check whether pain is behind the behavior.

Yes, with some adjustments. Older dogs may need more breaks, extra support standing, gentler handling of stiff joints and a shorter appointment.

Tell the shop about arthritis, heart conditions, hearing or vision loss, or seizures. If your vet has concerns about your dog’s health, follow the vet’s advice first.

Light mats can often be brushed or worked out; this is the dematting service, priced $10-$60 at Animal Kingdom. Severe matting close to the skin usually has to be clipped short, because brushing it out would hurt the dog.

Mats pull the skin, trap moisture and can hide sores. Don’t cut mats off with scissors at home; it is one of the most common ways dogs get cut. Brushing down to the skin with a comb between grooms is the best prevention.

Most dogs need a nail trim every three to six weeks. If you can hear nails clicking on the floor, they are probably too long.

Long nails change how a dog stands and walks and can split or curl. With a $5 nail trim at Animal Kingdom, keeping up is easy.

The quick is the blood vessel and nerve inside the nail. Cutting into it hurts and bleeds, which is why trimming dark nails at home is risky.

If a nail bleeds, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze or styptic powder made for pets. If bleeding doesn’t stop within a few minutes, or the nail is torn or split, call your vet.

Yes. Ear cleaning is included in every groom and bath on Animal Kingdom’s menu.

Ear cleaning is routine care, not treatment. Redness, a bad smell, dark discharge, head shaking or pain are signs of an ear infection and need a vet.

No. Groomers can bathe dogs with gentle or sensitive skin shampoo, but hot spots, rashes, sores, lumps and hair loss need a veterinarian.

Groomers do often spot skin problems first, because they see every inch of the dog. If your groomer points something out, have your vet take a look.

A flea shampoo kills or washes away the adult fleas on your dog during the bath. At Animal Kingdom it is an upgrade or stand-alone service, $15-$50.

It doesn’t keep fleas from coming back. Pair it with a flea preventive your vet recommends, and wash bedding and vacuum at home.

Call or text 951-367-5200, or book online through the Colton online booking page. The Colton shop is at 937 S. Via Lata #300, Colton, CA 92324.

When you book, mention your dog’s breed, size, coat condition and any mats or nerves, so the shop can plan the right amount of time.

Call the Yucaipa shop at 909-954-1820.

Online booking on the current site is listed for the Colton location; for Yucaipa, a phone call is the way to book.

At Animal Kingdom, a full groom (the Basic Groom) includes a haircut, bath, blueberry facial, brush, nail trim and ear cleaning. The Royal Groom adds sensitive skin shampoo and a paw and nose moisturizer.

A bath package includes everything except the haircut.

Plan on a few hours for a full groom. Size, coat, matting and how relaxed your dog is all change the time; a nail trim on its own is much quicker.

Ask the shop for an estimate when you book, and for a call or text when your dog is ready.

Ask the shop when you book. Requirements are set by each grooming business, and Animal Kingdom’s current site doesn’t list them.

Keep a copy of your dog’s rabies certificate handy; it is the most commonly requested record, and California law requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies.

Yes. Animal Kingdom Self Dog Wash is at the Colton shop, 937 S. Via Lata #300. Its page lists it as open 8am to 8pm every day, with fully automated tubs and hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner.

It offers an unlimited membership. Call 951-367-5200 with questions.

Bring your dog on a secure leash or in a carrier, a photo of the haircut you want, and any notes about health, allergies or nerves.

If your dog has a medical condition or takes medication, tell the shop at drop-off.