Tagged with 'Grooming Tips'

So, there you are, washing a dog as you have a bazillion times before; when the dog zigs, you zag and plop! Shampoo right in the pup's eye. Now what?

If you are a long-time pet professional, you’ve probably mastered this topic. If you are fresh to the industry, you are probably struggling with it.
How do you handle the dog that does not want to cooperate with the grooming procedure?

Sometimes it’s a good thing to brush up on basics. Maybe a fundamental grooming skill that you were never taught or one you were taught but sort of forgot about. Sometimes it is something you know about, but it is so ingrained that you do it without thinking, so you can’t teach someone else about it. In this case, the topic is about letting the force of water and air help you create the look you desire when grooming pets.

This is the time of year the big shedding breeds come in. They’re often the ones that haven’t been groomed in FOREVER. You know the ones – Goldens…arctic-type breeds…Saint Bernards. They have that coat that totally trashes your salon. Call me crazy – but we just love the transformation in this type of job. Here are my tips for de-shedding:

Pet grooming towels have a “ruff” life. Not only do they dry dogs and cats, but in a pinch, they are sometimes used to clean up bodily fluids that stink. Then they get tossed into a hamper to stew a while before they get washed. So it’s no wonder they sometimes don’t smell all that great, even after a spin through the washing machine.

Here are some tips to keep your grooming towels fresh, despite their stinky job.

Introducing puppies to the experience of being groomed can be lots of fun but can also be challenging.

Show me a pet groomer, and I’ll show you someone who knows about dry hands.

True confession time. When I was a brand-new groomer, we used many products on pets that were NOT designed with that purpose in mind. “Like what?” you may ask. Like, Downy fabric softener for conditioner, believe it or not. Mind you, this was back when Downy was its original scent, it smelled like sunshine and your favorite denim and happiness, but I digress. So why did we do this?

A long-time customer with two busy West Highland White Terriers recently asked me, “How do they make Westie heads so round on the show dogs?” He was clearly hoping I could make his dog’s heads look just the ones he saw on Westminster. I explained to him how chalk is applied to show coats and that those round heads are washed after the show. He gave me a grin and said, “Just do your usual.”

Modern technology has changed the way we groom. Here is an example. In past years, many groomers brushed and clipped pets before bathing them. Once some of the hair was removed, the pet got washed, dried, and finished. The advent of more effective pet hair care products and, perhaps more importantly, bathing systems helped turn the tide. Now, most contemporary stylists put almost all the dogs they groom in the tub before doing anything else. There are many benefits to pre-washing pets.