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.
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.
A customer who arrived a few minutes early to pick up their Yorkshire Terrier last week watched as I finished the dog’s haircut. “He acts a lot better for you than he does for me,” he said. “He seems so calm.”
When a new customer calls you for the first time, what happens next sets the tone for how they perceive your business. In an ideal world, they will reach out to you during business hours, and you will be free to answer the phone and help them personally.
Experienced groomers know that the time and skill put into preparing a dog for grooming is the cornerstone to good results. A great groom cannot happen on a pet that has not been cleaned and dried correctly.
Pet stylists often work in confined spaces. The nature of our work means the humidity level is high (I’m looking at you dogs that shake the bathwater everywhere!), and our jobs are strenuous. These three things can add to an uncomfortable work environment when the temperatures soar.
“Don’t forget to cut his nails this time” – I don’t know of a comment better designed to get the back hackles up on a good groomer. What, you don’t think I cut them last time?
As pet care professionals, we must use our senses and knowledge to note changes in the animals we care for and inform their owners of our observations. It may not help the pet in every instance, but often it will. Learn to trust your intuition. It is seldom wrong.
I'd like to buy a drink for the person who first introduced guide (also known as snap-on) combs to the pet grooming industry. These inexpensive tools give groomers a far wider range of options for leaving coats longer on the pets we groom.
