Every year I make a note on my calendar two months before any anticipated seasonal rush. The memo reminds me to take a little time to get things in good order before the hectic days arrive. So here are some ideas that might make your busy times easier:
As I write this, the leaves outside my window are turning shades of gold and red, which signals me to give my workspace a stern look and a deep clean.
Groomers work too hard, too long, and without paying attention to care for themselves. Overall, this can lead to emotional burnout or even affect physical health. As a busy stylist, your most important tool is yourself. You deserve to take good care of yourself, so you can continue to take good care of the pets you love. Here are some simple steps to consider incorporating into your daily routine to support oh-so-important YOU.
A creative, novel, or unusual approach to solving a problem, or a tool used in an unexpected way, is often called a “hack.” Here is a list of some of my favorite grooming hacks.
When pets feel threatened or discomfort, their natural tendency may be to bite. Some animals have higher bite inhibition than others, but all of them are capable of biting in certain circumstances. Pet groomers are in harm’s way because we handle dogs and cats in an up-close and personal manner and sometimes inadvertently cause them pain merely by doing something as innocent as flexing a joint that we have no way of knowing is sore.
If a bite happens, knowing the proper way to treat the wound and having first aid essentials on hand is crucial. Here are step-by-step instructions for what to do if you are bitten by a pet.
To groom cats, or not to groom cats – that is the question.
Are you considering adding cat grooming to your services offered? That’s great as most people are willing to pay what it’s worth so it can be an excellent source of income. Cats tend to be fairly quick to groom, increasing their financial value to the salon...
I am a self-confessed tool junkie. If I see a grooming tool that I don’t own and think would be useful, I’ll buy it. Sometimes the purchase is a win, other times a dud. Then there is the grey zone, a great tool for a few specific tasks but not something I will use on most pets. It turns out I have quite a few of those grey zone tools...
Picture this scenario… you are clipping a pet Spaniel with a thick coat, and you realize that you have unwittingly created what looks for all the world like a corduroy jacket on that pup. Usually, it’s not the fault of the blade, the clipper, or even your clipping technique. The problem is that the dog has a thick undercoat.
So, what’s a groomer to do? One choice is to clip the dog shorter, but that is not the best plan. Instead, spend a little time removing that undercoat. This will enable you to achieve a lovely, smooth clip while improving the dog’s skin health at the same time.
I once worked as a dishwasher and still remember being told to make my job easier; let the tough pots and pans soak in soapy water. I didn’t understand why at the time.
Imagine you have just finished grooming a small, fluffy dog. You take it to greet its waiting owner, and they "ooh" and "ah" appreciatively to see their freshly trimmed pet. Do you know what they are looking at first when their dancing dog greets them? It's their precious little face. There are ways to step up your game to make those canine faces exclaim worthy. Of course, it all starts in the tub. We all know that prep work is the basis of an excellent groom. However, perfecting prep work on faces can take some extra steps.