What if something horrible happened to your grooming space? A fire, smoke damage, a flood, heavy storm damage, or a robbery. Imagine trying to explain to your insurance agent every lost or damaged item. It would be overwhelming. How many clipper blades did you actually have? How many sets of expensive shears?
Last week, a regular customer with an adorable Pomeranian arrived for her appointment. "Let me tell you what has been going on with my dog," she said. "She was limping, and it turned out she had Lyme disease. She's been treated and is better now, but I want to be able to find ticks on her. I want her to have a nice short haircut. I don't want her shaved, but much shorter all over." This dog is well-bred, with lovely conformation and a thick, correct coat. In the past, her grooming with us consisted of what I call a "tidy-up."
Some people buy shoes. Some people buy jewelry. Me? I buy grooming tools. I am a total sucker for any new whiz-bang gadget that might make my job better, easier, or even more fun. But here is the truth: day in and day out, there are specific core tools that I reach for over and over on almost every pet. No matter your workspace, I bet you have limited space to keep your hand tools. From where you sit or stand to work, there is most likely a relatively small radius of available surfaces for you to keep your combs, brushes, clippers, trimmers, and scissors.
During the warm months, many groomers find that they are using a #7 blade more frequently. In some cases, this is because pet owners want smooth, easy trims for summer; in other instances, it is to remove heavy matting from dogs that have not been groomed in too long. No matter the reason, many of us struggle with making the feet of closely clipped dogs look nice. Here are a few tips to help you create neat feet when the trim is short.
Recently, a groomer related a story about a customer complaining about her poodle/retriever mix looking "too poodlely" after her last groom. The groomer was frustrated because the pet owner could not describe what she meant. This story or similar scenarios are familiar in our industry. During an era where poodles make up part of many mixed breeds, it is confusing to us that people intentionally purchase a dog that is part poodle but steadfastly demand that their dog not look like a poodle.
Picture the following scenario. You have just washed, dried, and brushed the long-coated poodle mix on your table. You have thirty minutes to finish up the groom when suddenly the dog releases its anal sacs. A few moments ago, the pet on the table smelled like a rose, but now it smells very different. In an ideal world, you’d pop that pup back in the tub for a wash, but there is certainly no time for that. What can you do?
Opal is a pug we bathe monthly. Her coat is short and smooth, and to be honest, she always looks pretty good when she comes in for her appointment. Even though we groom dogs for a living, we still often comment on what a dramatic change good grooming can make on even smooth-coated pets. When her grooming is completed, she looks shinier; her coat looks smoother, and, of course, she smells terrific.
It's a maddening conversation and happens far too often. It goes something like this, "Hello, Pet Owner! What did you have in mind for Mr. Fuzzypant's haircut today?" Pet Owner responds, "I want him short. But not too short." Or (a variation on the theme) "As short as you can make him, but not shaved."
Clear communication can make or break the relationship between groomers and customers. As a professional groomer, it pays to learn to read between the lines and ask questions to clarify the pet owners' desires. Developing this ability can be achieved through active listening.
Imagine yourself drying a dog you have groomed regularly for many years. Let's call him Gizmo. He is in his senior years now, perfectly comfortable and familiar with the grooming process. On this day, as you work the high-velocity dryer over the coat, Gizmo suddenly begins barking in a high-pitched tone. He is obviously in distress. He urinates on the table, and when you look at his face, there is no recognition of you or awareness of his surroundings