Sometimes, customers arrive for their grooming appointment with a bottle of shampoo in hand. It is often a medicated product prescribed by their veterinarian, but sometimes it is an off-the-shelf pet shampoo or even something not intended for animal use. What is a groomer to do?
Most pet groomers put some time, energy, and research into choosing which products they use on the pets they groom. For instance, so much depends on the hardness or softness of the water where you work. Beyond that, educated groomers know how to choose products that work well for the types of pets they groom. Lots of double-coated heavy shedders? There's a shampoo for that. Mostly drop-coated breeds? There's a product for that. If harsh-coated terriers are your bread and butter, you will choose products that work best for that type of coat. So, it can be problematic when Mrs. Persnickety arrives with a bottle of something she bought at the grocery store that she wants you to use.
For example, we groom a small doodle with wavy, limp fur. His owner prefers we use the shampoo and conditioner that she supplies. This stuff smells so good I wish I had a similarly scented perfume for myself. The problem is that it leaves his coat looking oily and limp, makinggetting a smooth finish almost impossible. I completely understand why she wants her dog to smell the way this product makes him smell, but when I use it, his groom looks dreadful. Here are some suggestions for how to deal with this particular dilemma:
- Veterinary-prescribed products - Since this has been recommended to help soothe a particular problem, of course, we should use it. Read the label and use the product as directed. Wash the pet in your regular shampoo first to remove dirt and natural oils for best results. Rinse, then apply the medicated shampoo and allow it to sit for the prescribed time (usually 5-10 minutes.) Rinse well and continue as usual. An additional fee should apply because of the soak time.
- Off-the-shelf pet shampoo - People will have various reasons for bringing a specific product. Often, it is based on the scent, sometimes because the shampoo is labeled as "all-natural" or something else that appeals to the customer. You have a few choices here. I always assure people that I have researched and chosen the products I use to give specific results, as well as for the health and safety of their pets. I tell them how much it costs per gallon, which generally impresses them! You can ask what it is about the shampoo that they prefer. If they dislike the scent of your regular shampoo, you can try the brand they brought and see how it works with their pet's coat. Or you can decide that you don't want to risk using an unknown product on their pet in the event there is an adverse reaction. In the case of my doodle owner with the deliciously scented products, I bathe him in my regular shampoo but do a second wash on his head and tail with the brand she supplies. I do the same with the conditioner, using my preferred type on this body and legs but using hers on the head and tail. He smells like the heavily perfumed stuff she brought, but I can still turn out a groom I am proud of because my products work better on his coat type.
- Off-labeled products - Examples of these might be human products, dish soap, or products designed for livestock. Experienced groomers would find using these products alarming because if the pet has an adverse reaction, they could be blamed even though the owner supplied the shampoo. After educating the person about why using what they brought could be a bad idea if they still insist, you can offer to use it if they supply written documentation from their veterinarian saying it is safe.
Being an expert in our field requires more than turning out nice haircuts; we also need to be knowledgeable about the shampoos and conditioners we use on the pets we care for.
