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How to be an Indispensable Groomer’s Assistant

This always shocks me. A competitor or a workshop participant presents me with a DIRTY DOG for evaluation. A dirty dog?! No joke – it happens all the time.

Nails are not trimmed correctly… coats are not dried properly or completely… or worse yet, there are still mats and tangles left in the coat. These are all constant problems I see all the time. Not only at in the ring or at hands-on events, but in salons with every day grooming too.

To me, bathing and drying are the most critical parts of any groom. One bather can make or break your entire grooming department.

Here are 7 skills I look for in an indispensable groomers’ assistant (AKA the bather!) All 7 of these skills must be MASTERED in if you want to be highly valued in your grooming salon, if you want to move ahead in your career, or before you can you gather loads of glowing clients.

1. Be able to identify popular breeds

Anybody working professionally with pets needs to be able to identify the top 15 or 20 breeds that regularly come into your salon. It’s the fastest way for groomers to be able to communicate to one another.

2. Be able to handle pets safely and compassionately

How many times have you heard others (or maybe even yourself) say, “This dog is driving me nuts!” Impatient treatment of a pet is never acceptable. If you lose control, you can bet that you won’t have clients for long. Being able to understand canine body language is job requirement #1. If you are going to win the pet’s trust and cooperation, you must be able to speak its language. It will keep you and the pet safe. It will also make the entire experience much more enjoyable for all parties.

3. Understand the many different coat types found on individual pets

Each coat type has special needs that need to be addressed in the bathing and drying process to get the best results. A Beagle has different bathing and drying needs than a Standard Poodle. The same holds true with a coat on a Golden Retriever or an Airedale Terrier. A talented bather will instantly be able to identify dogs that possess simple coats or dogs that are going to be time-consuming and a challenge.

4. Bathe the dogs until their coats squeak

If they don’t squeak, they are not clean.

Period.

This is absolutely the foundation of every fabulous grooming job. I cannot stress its importance enough. There are many products on the market to help achieve superior results in only one or two baths. Even if you use the best shampoos on the market, the dog will not get squeaky clean unless they are rinsed thoroughly. Rinse until the water runs clear and you hear the ‘squeak’ when you push the water through the coat. And not just the easy to see or reach parts. Get soap and water to the undercarriage, under the ears, and the special parts. If the whole dog isn’t clean – it’s still dirty. Nothing wastes time or money more than having to re-bathe a dog because you didn’t do the job right the first time. There’s an old saying: if you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? Get it right the first time.

5. Dry the coat to perfection

Most of the time, this will mean utilizing a form of active drying. There are several drying methods and combinations to choose from, based on the coat type, trim, and the pets’ tolerance. Incorrect techniques or careless attention to drying will waste more time than almost anything else in the grooming process. In most cases, high velocity and stretch (or fluff) drying techniques will need to be used to get superior results. Oh, and the pet needs to be bone dry too!

6. Learn efficient and SAFE brushing techniques

Systematic brushing is the only way to effectively work through a coat and get right down to the skin. Selecting the correct tool for the coat type will be important. Knowing how to hold the tool along with how much pressure to exert is also important. Not enough pressure and you will not be efficient. Too much pressure and you’re going to make the pet uncomfortable and could cause injury. The key is to work methodically and gently over the entire dog – right down to the skin until a wide tooth comb can easily be pulled through the fur.

7. Nails, ears, and glands

Trimming nails and cleaning ears is just an automatic process when it comes to grooming pets. If it is not done – or not done well – it’s considered sloppy. Clients don’t want to spend their hard-earned money on sloppy work. Stylists executing haircuts should not have to go back and double-check this type of preliminary pre-work. Some salons routinely check and/or express anal glands. Whatever your salon option is, you should follow their guidelines.

Being a bather – or being a groomers’ assistant – can be extremely rewarding. However, it does carry a lot of responsibility. Many of these skills are considered the foundation of all grooming.

If you need detailed information in how to do any of these skills, become a member of Learn2GroomDogs.com and watch the Core Grooming Skills & Techniques Skill video lessons (click here for a complete video list) or review the front section of my book, Notes From the Grooming Table. Learning the skills does take time. They take dedication and focus to master them. You should never underestimate the value of strong foundation skills. They will form the building blocks of a long and successful career. Mastering these core skills to an absolute fault will ultimately determine how successful you will be in your career. (For more tips on how you can be more efficient and make more money, read my blog, The Need for Speed.)

Remember: every owner faces a choice when it comes to grooming. They can come to you, do the job themselves, not have the pet groomed all… or go down the road to someone else. Make sure they make the right choice by sticking with you.

Happy trimming,

Melissa

Don’t Let Your Salon Become a Doggie Day Care (for Free, Anyway)

A salon owner recently asked me how I would handle a situation we all face.

What do you do when pet owners drop their dogs off for grooming that should only take 2 to 3 hours and expect you to keep them all day – at no additional cost?

Here’s what you do…

CHARGE FOR IT!!

Let’s face it – you’re never going to get away from this problem, so flip it into a positive.

Add a policy on pet pickup to your service menu: “We pride ourselves in getting your pet back to you as quickly as possible.“ Then briefly explain what your typical timeframe is for most grooming services. It might be something like, “Most grooming services take 1-3 hours depending on the size, condition, and the type of service.” Add something pleasant along the lines that you appreciate prompt pickup upon completion of the groom.

Next, add half-day daycare for select clients. Be bold! Proudly display this in your service menu. Place tasteful signs around your reception area announcing this new service – for “their convenience.” Set a price that establishes the excellent value of this service. Be strong. Be positive. If you’re feeling hesitant about this tactic, remember that this is something you’re doing to help them – you’re giving them the gift of time! They can now be pet free for a little while so they can get their shopping done, clean the house, or just take a little quiet time to themselves (because after all, don’t they deserve it?). You just also happen to earn back some cash for the time and effort you used to spend caring for their pet – for free. If you’re going to end up doing this for them anyway, why not charge fairly for it -because after all, don’t you deserve it?

If you don’t mind acting as canine daycare service – make it a reasonable rate. If you don’t want to do it or basically want to discourage it, set the price at a point that very much makes it WORTH your effort.

Maybe you charge $10 for it… or $25… or MORE. Whatever you choose, make sure people understand it’s by the half-day. If people have been abusing you in this area, you have to be strong. Be pleasant but do not let the clients walk all over you. Remember that this is a mutually beneficial thing you’re doing – you have the upper hand. Be consistent and follow through.

To enhance that positive spin, I would make it sound appealing on the service menu. Make it fun. Tell the client that their pet will be offered water, a mid-day snack, a potty break, and a cozy place to stay.

Then there’s another area we definitely need to talk about: the fine print on your service menu. This is where you state “your rules.” You don’t have to go overboard but you certainly need to set some boundaries for your clients.

One of the rules I would certainly encourage would be a late pickup policy. For example, if the pet is not picked up within an hour of its completed groom, you reserve the right to charge $XX per 15 minutes the pet is left in your care. You get the idea. You need to have something written and posted along those lines to help them remember. And you must follow through. The guests that take advantage of you will need consistent enforcement if you are to make any headway with them.

A late fee is different from a daycare expense. The Paragon School of Pet Grooming doesn’t charge for “daycare.” As a school, Paragon has the space to keep the pets – a luxury you may not have. Because we need high pet volume for our students, we don’t charge clients extra if they need to leave their pet all day due to work situations – we need the dogs more than we need the space!!

However, there are a few clients who just can’t seem to get there by closing time. We found that charging the late pick-up fee to clients that don’t respect our closing time works well to help re-train their thinking about lateness.

Basically, the client is charged $15 for each 15 minutes that they are late. Remember, it’s not just a late pick up – while this might seem a minor inconvenience from the client’s perspective, the staff member has likely made repeated phone calls, has delayed all closing activities (counting the register, closing out credit cards, etc.), and has sacrificed personal time. If you pay your staff by the hour, this may also result in paying out overtime, which adds to YOUR bottom line.

The staff member will wait up to half an hour. After that, the dog is taken out to go potty and is bedded down for the night. A note is left on the door and a message is left on their phone that lets the client know their pet is safe, it’s been made as comfortable as possible, and that it can be picked it up at opening time the following morning. Luckily we’ve never had anyone leave their pet on a Friday night! We let whoever waited for the client collect every penny of the late pickup fee. I just feel that is fair.

All of our front desk team is salaried. If they need to stay late, they don’t get paid extra for it. It’s totally their call whether they charge the fee or waive it, depending on the situation.

Needless to say, people don’t forget their dogs very often. And if somebody has had a true emergency – we’ve totally waived the fee.

Every shop is a little bit different. Find a solution that works for you. You don’t have to be ugly about it. You don’t even have to get frustrated about it. Put a positive spin on it and turn it into a newfound revenue generator! And make sure you smile when you’re talking to your customers about your new service!

Happy Trimming,

~Melissa

The Importance of Systems

My husband and I were just at the hospital for a scheduled surgery. Luckily, it was a non-emergency situation – just to get his nose repaired so he could actually breathe out of BOTH nostrils. Still, it was surgery and as much as he wanted to have it done, the anticipation levels were running high. We were a bit nervous.

The medical team was great. Their thorough procedures helped squelch our anticipation jitters. Everything, from the pre-screening call days before… check in… pre-surgery… waiting room… recovery… home… and follow-up, was explained to us. At every step along the way there were systems in place to ensure that the surgery went off without a hitch, which put our minds at ease. There weren’t any hiccups in the communication process or the surgery itself.

Checks and balances were firmly in place. Everyone in the medical team clearly knew their job. They understood how important their roles were, no matter how large or small. If even one of them made a mistake, it could have a devastating effect on the outcome of the surgery. We’ve all heard the horror stories.

If you stop and think about it, a grooming salon client has the same kinds of anticipation levels. They are entrusting you with one of their most precious possessions – their pet. Most clients are not that familiar with the grooming process and have no idea what truly goes on behind closed doors.

Is you grooming salon set up like a well-oiled medical team? We may not be doctors but our “pet clients” are extremely important to their owners. There are many steps within the grooming service procedure that could turn into shining moments – or go horribly wrong:

They get the wrong haircut.
The pet isn’t done when promised.
They’re charged the wrong amount.
They get the wrong collar or lead – maybe even the wrong pet!
A pet is injured – or worse.

This list could go on and on. The larger the team that works together, the more processes you need in place for a smooth running operation.

Every grooming salon needs:

a customer service team (even if that team is YOU)
a bathing department
a drying department
a grooming/styling department
someone in charge of client records/data entry
client education
marketing
proper cleaning and sanitation

To be successful in the long-term, you need to spend time in the short-term setting up processes. Systems are your routines – the way you do things every time. Here is a short list of items that need to be in place for systems to work:

Every procedure needs to be broken down, step by step.
Each process needs to be written down and reviewed regularly.
Every person participating in the activity needs to know and understand how to correctly perform the procedure.
Every person then needs training and follow-up supervision until the task is perfected.

Accountability is the key to success. Positive and negative consequences need to be in place and consistently enforced.

If you don’t have any systems in place at the moment, don’t fret. Take one procedure at a time and break it down into smaller chunks. Figure out what needs to be done or happen for each piece. Then move to the next one – and the next one.

Remember the story book fable about the tortoise and the hare? You don’t need to be a jack rabbit straight out of the gate. Slow and steady will win this race. It all starts with the first step. It might take you a month to get your systems in place – it might take a year. If you are in a state of growth, creating systems for your business might be an ongoing process. The trick is not to be overwhelmed by looking at the big picture. Keep it small so you don’t give up – and keep going.

At the end of the day, you always need to focus on your overall goal: to offer outstanding, consistent customer service – just like my husband and I received with his recent operation.

… As for those horror stories? Don’t be one of them. The salons that have the right systems in place will be prepared. Their staff will offer better service and the guests (furry and human) will feel better knowing that they are in good hands. it’s never too late to start. Do it now! Take that first step.

Happy Trimming,

-Melissa

The Jennifer Hecker Story

It was May, 1996. Star pupil Jennifer Hecker was three days away from graduating from grooming school and I was still very much a hands-on Director of The Paragon School of Pet Grooming.

I remember walking into the lobby during check-in. The front staff was just greeting a new client with a very large Bouvier des Flandres. I looked at the dog and immediately sensed something was off. The dog came in willingly enough, but its body language and eyes were telling me to be very, very careful with this dog.

Once the owner was gone, I told the front staff to attach the dog to a wall tether. I sensed we could have a real problem if we tried to place that dog in a kennel. Being out on the practical skills floor where we could closely observe this dog without the housing restriction was much safer. I suggested that the instructors place a muzzle on the dog before they attempted to do any grooming, just in case.

Because we didn’t see that many Bouvier’s at the Paragon Training Center, it was assigned to Jennifer, one of our most advanced students. At that time, Jennifer had shown Giant Schnauzers and had advanced one of them through the highest levels of French Ring Sport. She was not intimidated by the size or the potential attitude of this dog.

Not 15 minutes into the class, someone raced into my office and told me I’d better get out to the practical skills floor – fast. Someone had been hurt. Seconds later, I was on the practical skills floor. The first thing I noticed was how empty and quiet the room was.

The second was the blood trail.

It led diagonally across the space towards the bathing room. There was a crowd of people around a small prep sink. One person in particular was obviously in great distress – Jennifer.

Our general manager was holding her hand under cold water and asking her series of questions. One of the questions still haunts me today…

“Can you feel your fingers?”

I got a glimpse of Jennifer’s hand. Place a quarter on the meatiest part of the heel of your hand. Now imagine that area… gone.

The Bouvier had done exactly what I had feared. The instructor and Jennifer had done what I had requested. They had muzzled the dog before team-lifting it onto the table. That’s when it struck. Unbelievably, it bit Jennifer through a muzzle. It was a nylon muzzle that was open at the end of the mouth so the dog could breathe freely. This type of muzzle can be effective as long as it fits snugly. In this case, they had selected a muzzle that was slightly too large. Even though the dog was muzzled, it could still open its mouth just enough to grab the heel of her hand to chew through her flesh…

…and it did.

We raced Jennifer to the medical treatment center. The local med-station felt that they could handle this wound despite the fact that she had lost sensation in her little finger – or maybe the pain was so great – she couldn’t be sure. They stitched her up, bandaged her, pumped her up with antibiotics, and sent her home.

The following day she was she was back at the doctor, but this time to see a hand specialist. They ripped out all the stitches from the night before and started over. Jennifer was looking at a long recovery period.

Jennifer had such a great attitude towards this whole thing – it was hard to believe. Even though she missed the last three days of class, she still graduated with very high grades. However, finding a grooming job was certainly out of the question for her – at least for a while. We ended up hiring Jennifer for our front office at Paragon while she healed.

As Jennifer’s medical bills mounted, we collected everything and turned them into our insurance company. However, our carrier did not feel the situation warranted a payout on their behalf.

What??

That’s when we learned that in the state of Michigan a pet owner is ultimately responsible for their dog – even if they are not with it. The insurance company went after the pet owner. They were able to collect from their homeowner’s policy. That was news to me and served as a lesson to all of us.

As the story unfolded, we got more information that was unnerving. My initial gut reaction was well-founded. This was the third reported bite case for this dog – and the third owner. Of course the owner never bothered to share that information with us upon check-in. The dog was destroyed after this third incident with Jennifer.

We learned 5 lessons through this unfortunate event.

Trust your gut. Never do a dog that you feel is dangerous to you, your team, or itself.
Use muzzles when necessary and make sure they fit properly (we changed to full basket-style muzzles).
The pet owner is ultimately responsible for their pet regardless of whether they are with them or not.
In the state of Michigan, if the dog creates an insurance situation, the pet owner’s homeowner’s policy will be responsible for paying any damages or claims.
Love and passion for dogs can still shine through despite severe injuries inflicted by them and long recovery periods.

Jennifer has been grooming with us for over 18 years. I’m fortunate that she is still on my team. She has become one of our most talented and productive pet stylists. She grooms every day at our luxury kennel, Whiskers Resort & Pet Spa. Plus, Jennifer has been one of our talented Training Partners on Learn2GroomDogs.com since the beginning.

We just filmed her for Learn2GroomDogs.com. We had been looking for someone to do a traditional style grooming lesson on a Bouvier des Flandres for a very long time. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect Jennifer Hecker to step up to the grooming table for this lesson! I’m so glad she did. Her love and compassion for all dogs is clearly evident – even for the Bouvier des Flandres.

Happy trimming,

Melissa

Neutralizing Stench

I love being a professional pet groomer. It’s creative. It’s gratifying. There’s nothing better than having a dog leave your salon looking and smelling amazing.

Being a professional pet groomer means we are problem solvers. Our clients do not have the skills – nor the products – that can solve many coat problems. As pet professionals, we know which products and tools work.

My husband and I live on 160 acres. We have approximately 6 acres enclosed with Invisible Fence. All four of our 100+ pound dogs can roam unsupervised. This keeps our dogs safe – and out of trouble – while giving them the luxury of freedom. Most of the time it works.

Occasionally, it does not.

I was driving back from the farmers market when I got a call from my husband. He was headed out for an appointment and called the dogs into the house. All of the dogs came bounding up to the door like they typically do. However, two of the dogs seemed to be especially proud of themselves. As they got closer, my husband understood why. THEY STUNK TO HIGH HEAVEN!!!!! Especially one of them. Cache was absolutely covered in something very black – and very gooey. You could hardly get near them without wanting to vomit.

Because he was headed out the door, he simply called me and told me what to expect when I got home. I didn’t think much about it, our dogs are rolling in things all the time. He simply shut them back in their “dog room” towards the back of the house.

20 minutes later I stepped through the front door and was virtually attacked by the odor. This was as bad as a direct skunk hit – maybe worse. I made my way to the dog room and peered over the half-door. (By this time I was holding my breath.)

I had never seen a dog so successfully cover herself in a foul material. Heck, Cache even had it on her tail! I booted all the dogs out immediately and set to work steam-cleaning the back room before I tackled the dogs themselves.

I knew I had my work cut out for me. Not only are our dogs all over hundred pounds – they’re extremely heavily coated. At our home, we do not have standard professional grooming tubs or tables, but we DID have the products and tools to wash, clean, and neutralize the foul substance that was all over two of them.

Once I got the back room cleaned up, it was bath time for the pooches. Needless to say, they were not thrilled with me as I gingerly clipped leads to their collars. They were quite proud of their accomplishment. Down to the horse wash rack we went. It wasn’t the most sophisticated dog bathing station – but it worked.

A long time ago, I learned that the Coat Handler product line is my ‘go-to’ product of choice for all my bathing needs. One of the best odor neutralizing products on the market is Odor Handler. There are literally thousands of uses for this product. I personally use it so much (and not just on dogs) that I keep and 9 1/2 pound container of it in the laundry room! Down in the barn, we keep gallons of Coat Handler’s 15 to 1 Shampoo, Coat Handler Conditioner, plus a high velocity dryer for our horses.

My products and tools of choice for this project: Coat Handler 15 to 1 shampoo mixed in a squirt bottle with a generous scoop of Odor Handler and hot water, a long-handled scrub brush, a firm horse brush, a rubber curry, and a garden hose. (Luckily it was 80 degrees outside so no one minded a cool bath!)

I did my best to hose off the bulk of the offensive material clinging to their coats. Luckily it was water-soluble so with the water pressure from the garden hose, I was able to remove most of it. But the odor still remained.

I generously applied my hot soapy solution of shampoo and Odor Handler to the soiled areas. I worked it in with a rubber curry (there was no WAY I was going to touch that nasty stuff with my bare hands!) Then I went back with a horse brush to really work it into each strand of the hair. I finished with a smaller handled brush to deal with the hard to reach places. I let the solution sit for approximately 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing the dogs until their coats were squeaky clean.

It was time to use my gallon jug of Coat Handler Conditioner. I poured generous amounts into my hands and applied it to their coats, straight. I did not rinse out the conditioner.

I let them have a few generous shakes before I proceeded with towel drying. Then, I pulled out my trusty K-9 II high velocity dryer. I needed them to be dry so I could see if I had been successful with neutralizing the foul stench before I let them back into the house.

By that night, all of our dogs joined us in the living room, lounging at our feet. Everyone had a slight scent of baby powder which was much more appealing to my husband and me.

The reason I was so successful in neutralizing the odor was because I had the knowledge and the tools at my fingertips. As a pet grooming professional, it’s up to us to know the products and techniques that work the best. I’ve tested many products over the years, and the Coat Handler line of products (especially Odor Handler), beats everything else, hands down.

Just ask our noses – and Cache, of course!

Happy trimming!

~Melissa

The Aha! Moment

It’s no secret that I love learning new skills, ideas, and applications — it’s the main reason why I love the pet grooming industry so much. You can never learn it all. There is always something new, different, or enlightening to learn.

In 2010, I founded the Learn2GroomDogs.com (and cats) streaming video library. I have directed and produced over 400 educational grooming video shoots. Each one is both a lesson and a demonstration. Every video inspires and teaches me something new. I’m constantly having my own ‘Aha! Moments’ – even after 30 years in this business!

I’m proud to be able to bring the quality of training directly to you that will challenge, educate, and energize the student in you. All you need is access to the internet and you can have your own ‘Aha! Moments’ wherever you are. Our Training Partners have earned their right to be labeled “the best professional pet stylists in the country.” They are simply amazing.

I take detailed notes on every shoot. Heck, with some Training Partners, I can barely make my fingers fly across the keyboard fast enough! Those comprehensive notes eventually become the video descriptions. As I review the lesson during editing, I sift through the pages of my notes and highlight the key points that I feel would be worthwhile takeaways for you. Believe me, there are loads of them!

I truly believe you will only be as good as your teachers. Being a member of Learn2GroomDogs.com is like going to a massive pet grooming summit. There are over 400 lectures and demonstrations from over 40 training partners that are hand-picked as the best in the industry. We provide the information you want and need from people who know dogs – including a camera man who is also an accomplished pet stylist and a long time grooming instructor, so he knows what you need to see through the lens!

When you are fresh to the field – you are like a dry sponge. ‘Aha! Moments’ come fast and easily. As a seasoned pro, they become harder to come by — you must seek them out with dedication and apply them to your work.

But there are still plenty of golden nuggets to unearth.

Take notes as you watch the videos. Pause, rewind, and watch again. And again. You have unlimited access to every video lesson we offer with your membership, so wring every drop of learning gold you can from each one. If you can pick up even one of those per month of membership, it’s worth the price of admission and more.

There is a great saying that goes, ‘The more you learn, the more you earn.” I have always believed that the more educated you are in your craft, the more self-confidence you will have. That turns work into a joy no matter what you do. You have the power and the choice: keep learning and keep your passion for your career alive…

…or let it get stale and face burn out.

With Learn2GroomDogs.com (and cats too) we make it easy to learn at the touch of a keystroke. Wherever you have access to high speed internet, you can watch, listen and learn. In your home. At your shop. Traveling to a grooming event. By yourself or with your team. We have grooming video lessons for everyone. We can help you achieve more wherever you are in your grooming journey.

The key is to invest in you, whether that is time, money, or both. You have to make an effort – a commitment to put in the work to get better and seize any opportunity to do so. Once you open your mind to education, you will be amazed at how many ‘Aha! Moments’ you will have.

Enjoy the ride. The educational voyage is a blast.

Happy Trimming

Melissa

The Need for Speed

Time is the most common concern for professionals in this industry. New groomers worry that they’ll never be able to do more than 4 dogs a day. Salon owners need employees who can hit the ground running. They need people who can groom 6-8 dogs per day. Or you’ve been at the table for a while but still struggle to get beyond 5 dogs per day.

Seasoned pros are knocking out 8… 10… 12… 14 or more pets every day.

So what are you doing wrong? What are the common areas that seem to be the sticky spots? What areas in your day are robbing you of precious minutes?

Top 10 Areas Where Pet Pros Can Improve

1. Always start with the end result etched firmly in your mind

The better you know where you are headed – the easier it will be to get there. Know what a high-quality trim looks like – even if it’s a shave off or a close body trim. Know what balance and style is. Know what a beautifully brushed out dog looks and feels like. If you’re working on a purebred, know what a beautiful specimen should look like.

2. Don’t start with elbow grease – always let products and tools do the work first

In the past 30 years, there have been great developments in products and tools that make our jobs easier. Go to trade shows and test them for yourself. Ask others on social media outlets what they like to use. Find out what products and tools the top pros use at their grooming tables. They likely have a very solid reason why they use what they do. They did not get to be top stylists by using inferior products and tools!

3. If water can penetrate the coat, wash the pet first

Don’t waste time pre-clipping a dog that comes then every six weeks or less. Get it straight to the tub. You’re wasting time clipping off that small amount of coat. The same thing goes with a dog that is matted or is shedding. If the water can penetrate the coat, get them right into the tub. A clean coat is going to be more pleasant to work on. Plus, a large majority of mats and tangles are held together by dirt. Remove the dirt and the job just got easier.

4. A powerful high velocity dryer is the professional stylist’s greatest asset in time management

In my opinion, the development of the high velocity dryer is one of the greatest advancements the grooming industry has ever seen! Put simply, (if used correctly) this tool produces the fastest results with the highest quality on any given coat type.

it dries the coat with lightning speed
it can straighten the coat for a beautiful fluff dry
when used prior to the bath it will loosening dirt next to the skin
it effectively removes most mats or tangles
it is extremely efficient with the removal of shedding fur

5. Towel Dry – Towel Dry – Towel Dry

It never ceases to amaze me how many people miss this step. Incomplete towel drying costs precious minutes in the drying process. Multiply that by six or eight dogs and you’ve lost 30 to 60 minutes out of your day. Here’s my goal: towel dry thoroughly enough so that spray does not come off the dog once I start working with a high velocity dryer.

6. Three clipper passes or less!

If your dog is bathed and blown out properly, the goal is to make three clipper passes – or less – to get it absolutely smooth. The first pass knocks out the longest coat (at this point I’m not going for smoothness). The second pass smooth’s it out. The third pass eliminates high spots that I’ve missed. Three times around the dog with the clippers – period. If you can get done quicker than that – bonus!

7. Create a routine for everything you do

This is a bit like the waitress listing off the salad dressing choices at a restaurant. She has a routine that she follows. If you stop her mid-list, she often has to start all over again. She never misses a choice because she sticks to her routine. You should have a routine for every dog that comes into your salon. Stick to your routine so you never miss a step.

8. Cheat like crazy with attach on combs

If there was ever a cheat tool in your toolbox, this is it! For many pet stylists, attach on guard combs have replaced a lot of the hand scissoring work. They come in a wide array of sizes. They let you establish a depth of coat just by following the dog’s body. For most people, this is much simpler than to master exquisite hand scissoring. It allows you to mold and sculpt the fur quickly and efficiently. With knowledge of proper canine structure and creative use of your guard combs, you can create a highly stylized trim in no time.

9. Never, ever work on a pet that you feel is dangerous to itself or to you

With so many cooperative pets to work on, there is no reason for you to tackle a highly aggressive dog. Your hands are your livelihood. You need to protect them at all costs. No one needs the aggravation, frustration, or anxiety of having to deal with a dangerous dog. I’d rather have a client who is upset with me for refusing to do their dog than have a groom result in injury. Or to be bitten. It’s just not worth it.

10. Love What You Do

Being a professional pet groomer or stylist has huge rewards. For many, it’s one of the most gratifying and creative jobs they have ever held. However, it has is down sides, too. It’s a far cry from playing with puppies all day. If you’ve crossed that line and grooming pets is no longer enjoyable, do yourself and your clients a favor – step away from the grooming table. Love your career or leave it.

In order to be a valuable member of a pet grooming team, you need to have to have a burning desire – the need for speed. The more pets you can get through safely, without sacrificing compassion and quality, the more valuable you are to your salon.

Do Your Clients Sleep with Their Pets?

There is no doubt about it, Americans love their pets! In 2013, American pet lovers spent $ 55.72 billion on their animals. That’s BILLION with a capital B! They spent $4.73 billion just on grooming and boarding services. The pet industry is definitely on a major growth trend. The growth started in 1994 and shows no sign of slowing down. That’s a fabulous trend for professional pet groomers and service care providers!

In this day and age, many owners treat their pets like children. They share their homes. They buy special clothes and gifts for their dogs and cats. Our best clients have a very close and personal bond with their pets. They share their lives, and even their beds with them.

So let me ask you something. Do you know how many of your clients sleep with their pet? There’s a great sales tactic buried in this – innocent – but loaded question.

Fellow groomers, we all know a clean pet is much more enjoyable than one that isn’t routinely groomed. The standard time frame between haircuts for most pets is about 4 to 6 weeks. Regular grooming appointments keep the coat manageable and the dog relatively well groomed.

Check this out. Joelle, one of our managers came up with this brilliant idea.

With a little strategic questioning, you can boost that frequency level tremendously. Gone are the harsh products that might do a good job cleaning but they leave the skin and coat dry and damaged. Today there is a wide variety of fabulous products to wash, condition, and style our furry friends.

When you’re doing a client consultation, you need to learn about the pet and the family. One of the key questions you need answered is to learn about the lifestyle of the pet. If you’re dealing with an outdoor farm dog, this tactic will not work. However, if this is a pampered pooch that shares the owners home, life and even their bed – this approach works great.

Here is the money question. Do they allow their pet to sleep with them or their children?

If the answer is yes, you have a perfect scenario to suggest weekly or biweekly bathing. It’s easy. Simply suggest the dog be washed as frequently as they change their sheets. For most people that’s weekly or biweekly.

This could be a two-way win. The client might opt to do it themselves. That’s okay. You can counsel them on the best products to use – and of course you have them on your shelves to sell. Or maybe the client doesn’t want to be bothered. You can offer a steeply discounted rate for in between haircut maintenance baths.

Of course, there are some special perks that go along with this weekly or biweekly bathing schedule when they bring the pet to you. You could do just the bath and blowout for your client. But what if you knock it up a few notches? Bathe the pet in a special shampoo and conditioning rinse. Toss in a complementary nail filing. Offer minor trimming around the eye, feet, and rear for FREE. And don’t forget to add fresh bows or bandanna.

Let’s look a little math on how this works out;

$50 full groom every 6 weeks = 9 groomings annually = $450
$20 maintenance bath every 2 weeks = 26 baths annually = $520
$15 maintenance bath every week = 52 baths annually = $780

Now keep in mind, the client would maintain their regular six-week $50 haircut. That price is higher than the maintenance bath. So instead of getting $520 annually you’d actually be getting $790. Or if you’re looking at the weekly maintenance it would work out to $1,095.

I love this scenario because it’s a win for the salon. It’s a win for the client. And it’s a win for the pet. If you have clients who sleep with their pets, you have the perfect opportunity to help the client keep their pet clean and fresh while enhancing your bottom line.

How to Make a Dog Look Like a Puppy Again

Women have known this for years – a great haircut can take years off their age. Did you know it works for dogs too?

Grooming by L2GD Training Partner, Suesan Watson

This styling technique works for almost any drop coated breed with ears that lay close to the cheeks such as: Shih Tzus, Lhasas, and Malteses. Typically, you use the ear style on dogs that get full body haircuts. This technique works or any purebred or mixed breed whose coat has a tendency to be straight. The common denominator for this trimming application is that the coat grows directly towards the ground as it grows. The size of the dog does not matter.

Heck, now that I think about it – it will work on many, many breed types. The most common coat types we see this ear style on are the drop coated breeds – but that they are not the only candidates. Any breed of dog that has fully feathered ears that drop close to the sides of their jowls will work. Straight coats. Wavy coats. Curly coats. It does not matter. It’s even super cute on some pricked eared dogs, too!

Grooming by L2GD Training Partner, Suesan Watson

The best part? The effect is instant. The years melt away. The pet walks into the salon looking its age and walks out appearing so much younger. It looks like a pup again!

What’s the secret? Short ears. Layered short ears.

As a bonus, this ear style has other benefits too:

It’s easy for the owner to care for
The ears will not drag through the food or water dish
They will not become matted or tangled

Here’s how you get the look.

Attach a long guard comb over your clipper blade. Choose the length that will best suits the size of dog you are working on. Smaller dogs will be look puppyish with shorter guard combs. Large Doodle dogs will look better with a longer guard comb.
Hold the ear leather flat across your hand to brace the ear. Gently guide the clipper over the outside of the ear. Imagine the ear leather like a leaf. A leaf has veins running through it. Run your clipper in the same direction as the veins in the leaf.
Keep working over the top of the ear leather until the coat is consistently the same length. It does not have to be perfect – just close.
With scissors or blenders, edge the ear for a neat appearance. Hold your fingers against the ear leather to ensure you do not cut the skin.
Double check for evenness on the outside of the ear by gently back-combing the fur. If there are uneven spots, blend them in with thinning shears for a very natural look.

If you want to give a pet a youthful look – try this ear style. You can instantly make a dog look like a puppy again.

Happy Trimming!

Melissa

P.S. If you’d like to catch a free demonstration of this ear style, click here. Suesan Watson is an award winning pet stylist and a Learn2GroomDogs.com Training Partner. This is an excerpt from her video lesson called: Using Style to Bring Out the Charm in a Lhasa/Poo.

What Are Your Doors of Opportunity?

I was one of those difficult kids for my parents. I had no focus. My grades in school were dismal. I was rebellious. I hung out with the ‘wrong crowd.’ Sound familiar? Maybe that was you. Or maybe you know someone like that right now.

I was so difficult for my mom and step-dad; a school counselor contacted my father. She told him she felt I was a suicide risk. I should be removed from my current living situation if at all possible. Luckily, it was possible. I was sent off to private boarding school.

I’m sure the small private school in Colorado saved my life. Much of their early education was founded around the principles of Outward Bound, both inside and outside the classroom. My love of animals and the outdoors gave me the focus I needed to turn my life around.

I got my start in the pet industry when I was 16 years old. My first job was scooping poop at a local kennel. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do ‘when I grew up.’ All I knew was I loved pets. For me, working at the kennel was exceptionally gratifying. I did that for three years while going to school.

Then one day the groomer got fired. I went from shoveling poop to grooming dogs overnight. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. But I had tools. I had a book. I had a ready-made clientele. And I had a boss that was willing to let me learn. My first day as a ‘professional groomer,’ I had 6 dogs to groom. That was 1980.

Fast forward to 2014. Thirty-four years later. The pet industry opened huge doors of opportunity for me. My education was not in the classroom. It was on the job. I was no longer rebellious. I was focused. I was able to turn my passion into a career. And I took it seriously. I may not have earned many A’s in school (I don’t think I ever saw one of those come across a report card!) but I didn’t let that stop me from achieving A’s in real life.

In the early years, I had no idea what I would set out to accomplish – but if I was going to do this – I was going to be the best dog groomer I could possibly be.

It has been a non-stop learning opportunity as I climbed the stairway of knowledge – and business. The pet industry is limitless with what you can achieve for yourself – and for others that may join you on your journey.

Over the years I’ve started many pet related businesses including: a fleet of mobile grooming vans, a grooming shop, a grooming school, a publishing company, a luxury pet report, and an internet based library of educational streaming videos. I’ve had the chance to travel the world with the pet grooming industry, first as a top rated pet stylist then as an award winning speaker. I’ve been able to share my quest of knowledge by creating top rated curriculums and by writing books. I’ve watched a couple of my companies hit the million dollar mark in annual sales. I’ve seen some of them grow at tremendous rates. I’ve been amazed at the staying power of others. We’ve weathered challenging times that would destroy most businesses – but we’ve faced the struggles and persevered.

As you look ahead to 2014, what do you plan on doing with your career? Are you happy with where you are? Are you making the type of money you are comfortable with? Are you satisfied with the quality of your work? Do you have a steady stream of regular clients? Are you booked in weeks in advanced or even a year out with repeat clients? Do you enjoy going to work each day?

Here are two quotes I love.

The first one is from Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi. He said, “If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.”

The second one is from Diana Ross. She stated, “You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream; you’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.”

The pet service business is an amazing field to be in. You – alone – are responsible for your destiny. Only YOU can change your career path. If you are not thrilled with where you currently are in life – change it! Only you hold the key.

Once I got through my difficult phase in life – I found a fabulous career path. One filled with challenges and rewards. With each step, new doors of opportunity appeared. If I chose to work hard – very hard at mastering each task, I had more doors open. It’s been an amazing journey that I wouldn’t trade for a million years.

What are you going to do to change your career path and make it the most rewarding year yet? 2014 holds many promises if you choose to open the doors. Your rewarding journey can start simply by taking the steps towards a new opportunity.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa