Although cats and dogs may share people’s homes and hearts, their grooming requirements are as different as, well, cats and dogs. Approximately 40 million households have one or more pet cats in residence, making cat grooming a highly sought-after skill.
In the military, they have a saying, “Two is one, one is none.” I scratched my head the first time I heard this, but what it means is that if you have one of an item and it breaks, you have nothing. However, if you have a spare, you are back to having one. What does this have to do with pet grooming? For example, if you are clipping a dog and it kicks the clipper out of your hand, and the clipper hits the floor and is broken, you are out of business unless you have a spare clipper on hand.
There are a lot of things that groomers must be in order to succeed. Artistic, accurate, caring, competent, focused, fast, empathic, easy-going, knowledgeable, strong, multi-tasker, detail oriented, honest, enthusiastic…the list goes on and on. And no one can be all of those things, perfectly. We all have strong points and weak points and work to bolster our good attributes and correct what we see as weaknesses – but should we?
I’ve lost track of how many groomers have told me, “I hate clipping poodle feet.” Trimming poodle feet can be done quickly and safely with the right tools and techniques. With practice, a skilled groomer can clip four beautiful feet in around 5 minutes.
A grooming tool does not have to cost a lot to be extremely useful. Read on to learn about four helpful tools that will improve your grooming and won’t break the bank.
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.
Held again at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center right on a beautiful small pond, this show while not one of the biggest, may just be the one with the best atmosphere. People are friendly and smiling and competitors seem more relaxed. Vendors are ready to assist with general information as well as purchases. And the drive there will provide some spectacular fall foliage views. If you are near New England, plan to make the trip next year as it’s worth it.
Business people often talk about providing good customer service; making their clients feel valued, maintaining a reputation as honest and skilled tradespeople, and creating customer loyalty. And that’s incredibly valuable to a business.
Unless you started your grooming career with long haired show dogs, you probably use a slicker brush as your go-to brush. I’ve heard groomers scoff at pinbrushes saying they didn’t do anything but smooth the hair. Used incorrectly that may be true but in practiced hands it can be as useful a tool as any in your tool kit. And there’s one important thing that it tends NOT to do – break and damage coat.
