Just like humans, dogs are offered a variety of haircut styles and finding the right look can make all the difference. Some breeds require more regular grooming than others like my Pomeranian/Chihuahua cross (Pomchi), Simba. Dog owners with longer haired pups are faced with both the challenge and opportunity to re-shape their furry friends every four to six weeks — and having the right groomer is the key to success when it comes to your dog’s haircut.
One of my very good friends and casual co-owner of my Pomchi introduced me to Japanese style doggy haircuts a couple years back. After scrolling through many Asian dog accounts, the two of us manifested our pre-loved, re-homed small doggie who we could bless with one of the looks we’ve come to love so much. Simba has been in our lives for a year and has had multiple haircuts since his arrival. While I am an experienced dog owner and former volunteer of the Toronto Humane Society, having previous canine pets like my beagle and caring regularly for my boxador nephew, having a dog that required regular grooming has been a new thing.
Related: Why the best sleep of your life happens with your dog and not your boyfriend.
This is what a Japanese style dog haircut looks like
The Japanese style dog haircut is also sometimes known as “Asian Freestyle” or “Japanese Grooming” and it transforms dogs into these adorable, kawaii doe-eyed puppies. Some say it makes dogs look like a plush teddy bear, some describe the aesthetic to be that of a toy lamb while my pal and I know it best as makes our dog round.
So, when Simba’s hair started to become overgrown and it started to look like his human was simply letting him go, we knew we needed to find a local groomer who could make our boy round. Because I am terrible at life admin, the pomchi’s platonic co-owner was in charge of sniffing out the exact right groomer to make Simba spicy.
Finding the best dog groomer in Toronto who could give us a Japanese style dog haircut
The search was real. Eventually, Simba’s other human discovered Konnichipaw, an Asian-owned dog grooming shop in Toronto’s west end. Owner and head groomer, Ami Yamazaki, was previously both a vet technician and dog trainer, worked in cities such as Tokyo and Sydney, before bringing her 15 years of experience to Toronto. She creates a safe and superior emotional environment for your pup, putting in extra effort to make sure the grooming experience is a good one for your furry best friend. The very best part? She offers Japanese style haircuts for your dog.
We were pleased with the results. The promise of a healthy emotional environment for his grooming was an important one as this little dog has big anxiety. Lucky for us, Ami is a real pro and handled our loaf-like dog with such love and care. She made his beautiful Japanese cut match the dog we knew was on the inside — our sweet, dental-stick lovin’ little chi.
One of our favourite things about the Konnichipaw experience in addition to Simba’s roundness is the cute accessory they finish him off with. His most recent trip had him coming home to us with a lil bowtie and let’s be real, this was the perfect way to finish our handsome round boy’s look!
Related: All the zodiac signs as dog breeds.
