Before the autumn leaves hit the ground, smart grooming operations will be staffing up, stocking up, and fine-tuning their strategy for a gold-star Q4. Now’s the time to put pencil to paper (or mouse to screen) to make sure your holiday logistics support a smooth customer flow and stellar customer communications.
It is safe to say that I washed thousands of dogs and cats by hand early in my career. I was good at it. Then, I heard about bathing systems, and honestly, I was suspicious that a machine could replace my capable hands. Then one happy day, I tried a recirculating bathing system on my own dog, a sleek Doberman.
Many pet groomers have been surprised to be working on a pet and suddenly discover what looks for all the world like a claw growing out of the dog's skin. Sometimes the claw-like discovery is very thin; other times, it has a thicker base and tapers towards the tip, like a tiny horn. Most commonly found on the back, tail, and legs, these odd growths are widely called cutaneous horns.
Mr. and Mrs. Nobrush drop their dog, Snippy, off for his first grooming session with you. You greet everyone, gather the leash and take him back for his spa session. A little while later, you take him from his crate to put him in the tub. You notice a few things once you secure him and begin to work.
Even if you have never listened to one, you have undoubtedly heard about podcasts. A podcast is an audible program brought to you through a digital format over the internet. They are distributed by a hosting service that stores the episodes in one location. Podcasts can be downloaded to a personal device and listened to whenever and wherever you desire.
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.
