Have you ever experienced a moment (or more!) while grooming a pet when you felt completely overwhelmed? Here are some examples:
- You are working on a severely matted dog. The tangles are so incredibly tight you don’t know how you will ever get a blade between them and the skin without injuring the dog.
- There is a breed of dog on the table that you have rarely or never groomed before, and the customer wants it groomed to the correct breed standard. You have looked at your grooming guides and pictures, but you still feel uncertain about many aspects of the challenge.
- A customer requests a style you are not experienced with, like a Continental on a Poodle. You like a challenge, but as you begin the job, you are swamped with uncertainty.
- You are working on a big, double-coated dog. Let’s say a Great Pyrenees. It is overdue for grooming and has SO. MUCH. PACKED. COAT. You work and work, and it feels like you haven’t made a dent.
- The very young or very old dog you are working on is presenting such a challenge you begin to believe you will never be able to complete the job.
These are just a few circumstances that can leave even an experienced groomer wondering how in the world they will be able to rise to the challenge before them. It has happened to me more times than I can remember. You can try a few things to get you through the uncomfortable feelings and keep you on track.
- Take a moment to acknowledge how you are feeling and why. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed when taking on a challenge.
- A few deep breaths and shaking out your arms and legs to release tension before continuing can help.
- Because looking at the enormity of the task at hand before you can be daunting, try to break the job down into small, manageable pieces. For instance, on that first very matted dog, start by clipping the paw pads, sanitary area, and the corners of the eyes. Then, choose one body part to work on at a time.
- Prioritize what needs to be done first. For example, suppose you are grooming a very old, fragile dog. In that case, you might start with a bath and dry, then trim the claws, make sure fur from around the eyes and mouth is taken care of so it can see and eat more comfortably, and then take care of the sanitary area (for obvious reasons.) Once those jobs are completed, plan the next steps accordingly.
Focus on one section of the groom at a time if you are feeling the pressure of the challenge. In most cases, you will find that suddenly, the picture before you has changed, and you can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. The best part is how accomplished you will feel once you have successfully completed the job that had you worried.
