Many pet groomers are experiencing busier than usual schedules these days. It may be because so many people got new pets during the Covid lockdown, or it may be that there are just not as many groomers as the population needs, but whatever the cause, scheduling can be a tremendous challenge.
Dematting pets has been a controversial topic in the pet industry and with good reason. Dematting causes further damage to coats that are already in bad shape from being tangled, can cause irritation or even injury to the pet’s skin, and, most importantly, is painful to the pet.
The dog on your grooming table has been bathed, conditioned, dried, and brushed. Its nails have been trimmed, and if it was in for a haircut, you have done your best to make it look just the way the owners requested. Your work is done. Or is it?
What do most freshly groomed dogs do when they greet their owner? Jump up on them to offer a happy hello. If you have trimmed their claws but not buffed them, they will be sharp and may deliver a nasty scratch. When it comes to smoothing the sharp edges, groomers have various choices.
The dog you are grooming has been carefully bathed and dried and is now on the table, ready for the rest of the grooming process. Do you reach for some coat spray before you proceed? If not, you should consider doing so.
Picture this; you get a pile of clipper blades sharpened and are delighted to groom the day's dogs with them. You picture how the freshly maintained blades will slide through the dog's coats smoothly and cleanly, making your work easier, and the results will look so fine. While a dog dances on your table, you unwrap the first blade and snap it onto your clipper, happily anticipating how well your work will go. Then, to your horror, you find that the blade barely cuts.
Some dogs come in to be groomed, looking like their feet have not touched the ground since the last time we saw them. They are still clean. They are still fluffy. They look like they have not had a bit of fun. Most come in dirty. Like they have been having a doggy life. Playing at the dog park, walking down dusty roads, running through the pucker brush. And some come in not only very dirty but with serious grossness on specific body parts.
Dogs that require a medicated shampoo or a shampoo designed to kill fleas need to have the shampoo stay on them for a prescribed period of time. Read and follow the manufactures instructions. For most products, a soak of 5-10 minutes is recommended. The shampoo must remain in contact with the skin for the prescribed time in order to be effective.
It almost always seems to happen when you are taking just one last tiny snip as you are nearly finished with the groom. The dog's tongue pops out at the exact wrong moment and gets an unfortunate nick. Tongues are rich in blood vessels, so even a tiny "scissor kiss" will bleed a lot.
I was at a grooming trade show the first time Debi Hilley introduced her seminar on wet-clipping matted dogs. It was standing-room only, and groomers excitedly talked about what they had learned all weekend. Since then, many people have authored articles and taught about the topic, but still, not all groomers know about the magic of wet clipping.
