Pet Care Tips

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Expert tips and advice for keeping your furry friends happy, healthy, and looking their best.

A wet-coated dog after a freshwater swim being towel-dried before grooming
Seasonal Care

After a Lake Swim: Rinse, Dry, and What to Watch For

Swimming loads silt and water deep into the coat. How to rinse and dry it properly, what to check before your dog goes in, and when to call a vet instead of us.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A wet dog standing on grass after swimming, coat soaked and dripping.
Seasonal Care

After a Swim: How to Rinse and Dry a Dog's Coat Properly

Swimming is usually fine — drying is where it goes wrong. What to check before your dog goes in the water, and how to get a soaked coat dry to the skin.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A dog settling down to sleep in a large private boarding kennel
Behavior

Boarding a Dog Who Has Never Been Crated

Crate training is not something we require for boarding. Here is what we do ask, where dogs actually sleep, and how to trial a single night first.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A leashed dog waiting calmly with its owner at the front desk of Lillian Ruff Pet Spa in Ronkonkoma.
Behavior

Boarding a Dog With a Bite History: Tell Us First

Our published boarding standard rules out dogs with a bite history. Say it when you book, not at drop-off — here is what that means and what to do instead.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A Great Dane standing calmly on a leash beside a handler outside a Long Island pet boarding facility
Breed Specific

Boarding a Great Dane or Mastiff: What to Ask First

Kennel size in feet, feeding on your schedule, medication timing and hard floors — the questions giant-breed owners should ask any boarding facility.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A black and white Border Collie lying down calmly on a mat during a quiet rest period at doggy daycare
Breed Specific

Border Collies and Aussies: When Daycare Isn't Enough

A tired herding dog is not always a settled one. What actually helps is a day with rest built into it — and often a half day instead of a full one.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A Pembroke Welsh Corgi standing on a grooming table, thick pale undercoat visible through the coat along its back and hindquarters
Breed Specific

Corgi Shedding: Why Your Floors Look Like That

A Corgi is a short dog carrying a full double coat. Here is what actually comes out in a de-shedding bath, which brushes reach the undercoat, and when to book.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A dog resting calmly on its own in a quiet daycare space, watching other dogs from a distance
Behavior

Daycare for a Dog That Has Never Met Another Dog

Adult dogs with no dog friends are not a lost cause. They need a graduated introduction instead of a sink-or-swim first day, and an honest answer if group is wrong.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
A small dog on a leash at the entrance of Lillian Ruff Pet Spa on Portion Road in Ronkonkoma, New York.
Long Island

Daycare for Small Dogs: Size, Play Style, What to Ask

Why play style predicts a good daycare day better than breed, the three questions to ask before you hand over the leash, and what to watch for with little dogs.

Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
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