I used to hate grooming, now I am starting to enjoy it. I also am feeling more motivated to do it the more I learn how important it is.
However, I shaved both dogs probably a month ago, closest to winter I have ever done. I have read that letting the hair grow out doesn't really make much of a difference. I think that may be true for some breeds or something, otherwise it's just plain false. Chloe has been cold and has been shivering and really seeking cuddles from me, or angel if I won't give her cuddles and then she stops shaking.
(Since she also loves playing in the snow, I have ordered her a hurtta winter jacket, should arrive tomorrow!)
I really don't shave the dogs that often... Maybe 4 times a year or so, I'm not really sure.. It doesn't seem very frequent. I brush them at the same time. Other than that I don't brush that much, I prefer to cut mats out than combing them out, and the dogs, especially angel, prefer it that way as well. However, I got a bunch of new brushes and such this year and they have made a big difference when brushing them making it more enjoyable for me and the dogs.
Chloe always takes longer to groom because her hair is so much worse than angels as far as collecting little mats and such. For example, when I was really lazy not motivated to groom them and I didn't brush them at all between shaves, angel would have maybe 5 mats. Where Chloe would have 50.. Ok maybe I'm over exaggerating but way more than angel.
Their nails were getting pretty long, so I have been cutting them pretty frequently to attempt to recede the quicks. They are getting a lot better now and are almost to where I would want them. But the quicks seem to not really be going back much.. I wonder if there is a point where the quicks will not recede any further?
Either way, nail trims done every week or so now, will be less often when the nails are where I want them, takes maybe 10 minutes per dog.
Shaving them and brushing them in between while we wait for the clippers to cool down, takes probably anywhere between 1/2 an hour to an hour per dog. Depending on how much brushing/cutting/and if nail trims are needed.