Please don’t get any more rocks for our garden,” I pleaded with my husband. We moved to a new home and had beautiful landscaping and brownstone rock walls installed by professionals. Tom’s selections of local rocks to his liking was certainly filling some inner need of his, but it messing up our front yard.
On Tom’s daily walks around our development, he would come upon some new stone, unearthed by the contractors, that spoke to him somehow. And he would drag it home. At first, they had a practical need, like keeping the hose from running over the new bushes. But now, too many gray stones dotted the garden.
“There is a turtle-shaped stone I want,” he notified me. “It is really nice and it will look good in the front yard.”
“Please don’t get anymore,” I begged. “We already have too many and it is trashing up all the landscaping.”
“But it looks like a big turtle,” he said, “Go look at it… it’s right down the street. You’ll like it.” No more, I said emphatically. But Tom didn’t listen to me. He fretted about this turtle over the next several days. Finally, his desire to own the turtle-rock overcame his fear of my wrath and he went after it.
That evening when I returned from work, he was dejected. “The turtle is gone,” he said. “The neighbor got it.” Good, I said to myself. Enough with the turtle rock. They can have it. But Tom still lamented his loss.
“Do you want to see it?” he asked as we were driving near their house. Sure, I would give it a passing glance. It was the least I could do for Tom.
“There it is,” he exclaimed as we drove past. The rock sat proudly in the middle of our neighbor’s yard. I slowed the car to see this monument to animal rockdom.
I tilted my head. It did look like a big turtle! It’s gray smooth head tipped quizzically to the side. It’s two smooth lumps looked like arched eyebrows over a narrow turtle-like beak. It’s wrinkly neck tapered down to a well rounded and arched turtle back. It probably even had a tail. It was a one in a million rock. I loved it.
I WANTED THE TURTLE!!!!
“How could you let it get away?” I moaned. “It is so cute. It would have looked so great in our yard. Go get it. Tell them it was ours first,” I wined to Tom.
But it was not to be. The rock belongs to others. I must forever view it from afar… in the yard of another.
To almost everything there is a moral. And this is it. When opportunity comes, move on it. If you snooze, you lose! Or, a more fitting moral is… a good turtle rock only comes your way once in a lifetime. Pick up that turtle and drag it into your own yard before your neighbor gets it.
God bless you.
Sails ‘Ship of the Desert’ to Victory
Groom and Kennel Expo 2007
“One Hump or Two”
When you look at a dog with mounds of fluffy hair, do you think about dragons, snails, peacocks, roosters or even a camel? You might if your name were Sandy Hartness, of Sandy Paws Grooming in Yucca Valley, California.
Sandy has the uncanny ability to see what is, visualize what can be, and then, actually make it
happen. Sandy Hartness is one of the world’s foremost creative groomers. One of the most fascinating events of our industry is the Creative Styling competition. If you have ever watched one, you have had the rare privilege of seeing these transformations take place right before your eyes.
You have seen Sandy on the cover of Groomer To Groomer magazine with her winning entries. Sandy transformed a Standard Poodle into a strutting barnyard rooster in her entry titled Cock-a-Poodle-Doo, and appeared on the cover a second time when she changed a Poodle into an amazing snail surrounded by fabulous flowers in a garden.
Sandy Hartness brings excitement to the ring with designs that are colorful and unique. This amazing gal has the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire competition as she works her magic.
Sandy has a special way that she chooses the themes for her grooms. She has a sketchbook with the outline of a Poodle on each page, and when Sandy gets an idea for a new design she draws it in her book.
As the time for a competition draws near, Sandy goes through her book of ideas and selects what she feels will work for her. She bases her decisions on which dog she will compete with and how much hair it has to work with – and of course, she has to be excited about the theme she has chosen.
At the 2007 Groom and Kennel Expo in Burbank, California, Sandy pulled out all the stops and did a groom that she had been thinking about for some time. She titled her entry, One Hump or Two?
“I have been in love with camels for about three years,” said Sandy. “In fact, I hope to have one someday. Also, I have been taking belly dancing lessons for about a year, and I incorporated that into my presentation.”
Sandy had carefully planned how she was going to transform her Standard Poodle, Cindy, into a camel. She had a unique idea of what she was going to use to make the Camel’s hump.
“I shaved a Persian cat and I saved a giant mat to make the hump,” Sandy recalls. “But, in the ring during the competition, I changed my mind. Instead, I scooped up all of Cindy’s hair off the stage floor, and with hairspray and glue, I made Cindy’s Camel hump out of her own hair.”
That kind of ingenuity – and the courage to attempt the untried – is a prime example of just how creative groomers are. First, to envision the mat as the camel’s hump, and then to be daring enough to try something else on the spur-of–the-moment. Wow!
Kennel Gear (www.kennel gear.com) is a proud sponsor of the Creative Styling Competition. Christina Bukovac, Sales Executive of RPM Enterprises shares why Kennel Gear is especially excited to sponsor this wildly popular event.
Ms. Bukovac says, “Everyone looks forward to seeing what these talented groomers have created for each show and to watch them perform their magic. Creative grooming is like building something. There is a plan, an idea, and a ‘how the heck will I do this?’ These types of creative thoughts are what we live with daily with our Kennel Gear product development. We feel a kinship with these groomers.”
Sometimes doing something spontaneously turns out even better than what you had so carefully planned before the competition. That’s what happened to Sandy. She had another brainstorm during the contest and changed her plans once more.
“I was going to do Poodle legs on Cindy, but I decided I wouldn’t like it,” Sandy said. “I started scooping and shaping and soon the knobby camel knees appeared.” A snip here and there – and soon, Cindy the Poodle became Cindy the camel.
“I was extremely happy with how my groom turned out,” said Sandy. “I used to get incredibly nervous before a competition, but now I find competing fun and relaxing. If you are having fun and are learning stuff – and you are happy with your groom – that’s what really matters. That’s what’s important to me.”
Although winning the Creative Styling competition is a tremendous accomplishment and an absolute thrill, it is not the only reason Sandy participates.
“My biggest goal is trying to get others interested in creative,” said Sandy. “I don’t hide my techniques – I share them. I want to see more people involved. It would make me ecstatic to see a stage filled with fifteen or twenty creative groomers!”
Getting more groomers involved in creative grooming is also a goal of Kennel Gear. “We feel that it is important to sponsor these competitions because it not only helps the groomers competing, but it also helps the others who are out there watching,” states Christina Bukovac. “Being a groomer myself, I have learned so many new techniques by watching these gifted groomers as they compete. It is also important because it creates a ‘chat room’
atmosphere, so the spectators as well as the competitors can communicate about their experiences and ideas.”
Another benefit of participating in creative grooming is the recognition you will undoubtedly receive from your clients. Cindy, the Poodle that Sandy regularly competes with, has become a celebrity in the Yucca Valley area, and is known as The Pink Poodle. That type of free advertising can be of immense benefit to your business, creating interest from your existing clients as well as the community in general.
You can visit Sandy’s website at www.sandypawsgrooming.com to see pictures of her salon and many of her creative grooms.
Her website also has hints about different types of coloring and the techniques that work best for applying each one. Sandy welcomes any questions you may have about creative grooming and encourages you to email her.
One very important piece of advice Sandy gives to anyone interested in competing is, “You’ve got to know your subject. Plan your entry around your interests.”
Sandy Hartness is a perfect example of someone who lives by that advice. Her handiwork reflects her interests, demonstrates her many skills, and showcases her creativity. It’s a winning combination!
One very good reason for going to grooming shows is to save money. Who doesn’t want to do that?! Almost every vendor listed in this magazine is at a grooming show/seminar (especially at Groom Expo where more vendors want to be). Most give free (yes, free) samples. Not only can you get product at great prices, but you also get to put them in your hands and you can actually talk to the manufacturers about how the products work. Best of all, you don’t have to pay postage and handling fees. I love going through the grooming catalogs, then going to the seminars to buy and save.
Groom Expo returns to the Hershey Lodge September 6 – 9, 2006.
Attendees can select from multiple tracks of educational seminars covering grooming, pet health, holistics, boarding and daycare, animal behavior, business, marketing, retail and training.
Groomers, veterinarians, boarding and day care operators, mobile groomers, trainers, breeders, handlers, vet technicians, pet retailers, animal behaviorists, shelter personnel and anyone else in the pet care industry will find topics that enhance their business.
There are many popular speakers this year. The Animal Behavior Conference will feature trainer Pia Silvani, whose many accomplishments in the pet care industry include: being a member of the American Humane Association Task Force for Humane Dog Training, past Vice President of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, telecourse instructor for Animal Behavior Associates and past Vice President of the National Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers. This two-day program showcases solutions to understanding how dogs think, feel and learn.
The “Queen of Color” Dawn Omboy will be sharing her winning creative grooming tips. Dawn has graced the covers of Groomer to Groomer magazine with her richly colored creations. She will be sharing from her winning bag of tricks that may put you up on stage at the Creative Styling Competition!
Other notable speakers are Shirlee Kalstone (new Director of Judges Education for IJA), Jarbas Godoy, Teri DiMarino, Dr. Michael Fleck and Monique Van DeVen, to name just a few.
Another feature in the four-day Expo is the Oster Grooming Theater, where attendees see every snip and clip of different breeds on a giant screen.
The Mobile Round-up gives mobile groomers a chance to showcase their vehicles. Participants get a free Basic package when they enter their van.
One of the most popular events at Groom Expo is Dancing with Dogs. This venue provides trainers and their talented dogs with a format to showcase their special talent of coordinated dancing.
A large pet services trade show enables vendors to show their newest items and attendees to take advantage of trade show specials. If you are new to Groom Expo, you can join Debbie and the Newbies. Debbie will take you on a special tour of the show where several exhibitors greet you with coupons to return to their booth for a gift.
Multiple grooming contests take place on the trade show floor. Prize money is offered in all levels of competition. Contestants from beginner to expert test their skills in the grooming arena. All this competition leads up to PetSmart’s Groom Olympics Best In Show Awards. PetSmart will be offering $10,000.00 in award money to top groomers!
Multiple bus tours will be offered for attendees to enjoy local tourist attractions. Visit surrounding kennels, enjoy the Amish Fling or learn about the local history of Hershey.
Along with housing several restaurants and lounges, the Hershey Lodge is located near ChocolateWorld, HersheyPark, the famous Rose Garden and ZooAmerica.
For more information about the show, call Barkleigh Productions, Inc. at (717) 691-3388 or e-mail at info@barkleigh.com. Visit our website at www.groomexpo.com.
The first things to think about would be: Do you have the necessary training to do as good a groom if not better than anyone else in your area?? Do you have the patience to deal with late, demanding and forgetful clients? Are you willing to be the first one there in the morning and the last one to leave at night? Have you the patience to deal with badly behaved animals? Do you have the health and physical stamina that grooming requires? Do you LOVE grooming dogs?
If so, you would need to survey the area in which you plan to work to determine if there was a need for another groomer. You would have to consider the population, average income of residents, how busy the other groomers are in your area, and if you have or can borrow the money to fund your business for the first 18 months. (All monies received during the first 18 months should be plowed back into the business or banked so you can stay on solid ground.) You need a Business Plan, which becomes a road map for you to follow. For FREE help with this, contact www.sba.gov. This great organization of retired executives will help you with pricing your services and every other business aspect. You can also contact Barkleigh Commercial Funding at www.barkleighcommercialfunding.com.
To determine if you will have enough money, find out what the rent or mobile van payment would be, the cost of all your equipment and supplies, electricity, gas, phone – including a yellow page ad, liability insurance, maintenance, professional fees for vet, tax accountant, lawyer, health insurance, vacation and retirement.
If you’re chuckling over vacation and retirement, remember that many employers give at least two weeks paid vacation a year and offer a retirement plan. If your business cannot support such things maybe you’re better off working for someone else rather than yourself.
Regarding equipment and supplies, I would buy the best you can afford because in the long term better equipment will way out last the less expensive stuff and give you better results. You can’t open a business with one clipper, three blades, one brush and comb and a hand held dryer, grooming on a picnic table in the back yard or laundry room. To be successful, YOU HAVE TO LOOK SUCCESSFUL!
Rent in a nice area and if mobile, look for affluent communities so all your customers will be close together. The nicer your shop or van looks, the more customers will think how successful you must be. Make sure your place is CLEAN and bright with some soft music, scented candles and/or store bought bouquet of flowers. Don’t forget the outside of stationary shops. Make sure the landscaping is up to snuff.
You need a hydraulic table, a waist high bathtub with a platform for small dogs, at least three clippers, at least three of each blade, (one to use now, one at the sharpener or repair center and one for back up). If you lose a day’s work because the only clipper you own just stopped working or the blade won’t cut, it will cost you much more than having enough equipment on hand in the first place.
I would suggest at least two pairs of 7” or 8” shears, one for cutting through mats and ribbons and one for scissoring clean dogs. You will need at least one pair of thinning shears, one curved shear and one 9” or 10” shear if you will be grooming large breeds. One pair of short scissors is very useful for trimming around the ears and Poodle nails.
A high velocity dryer for the tub gets most if not all water off the animals. A cage dryer is useful for large breeds if you don’t have time to dry them fully while in the tub, a powerful five leg stand force dryer for fluff drying small dogs and straightening their coats, and a hand held dryer for damp spots should be enough to get you started.
There is obviously much more equipment and supplies needed to open a shop and assuming you are already a groomer you know what they are. So you don’t forget anything and to get a bottom line dollar figure, open up one of the big pet industry catalogs and start making a list.
Visit an office supply store and purchase a bookkeeping journal where you can enter each day’s receipts and expenditures if you don’t have a program on your computer. Barkleigh has a complete appointment and record keeping system called Groomer System.
Keep all receipts for the taxman at the end of the year and put small receipts for cash pasted on
an 8 x 11 sheet of paper for better organization.
You will need a petty cash box so you’re not reaching into your pocket for change. A petty cash box can be purchased at an office supply store and should be stocked with $20, $10, $5, and $1.00 bills along with quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. A separate business account is also a must so it will be much easier to identify business income and expenses from personal transactions come tax time.
See you on the road,
Marea
Email me at mareatully@yahoo.com with column suggestions, ideas or comments.
Model Dogs
Barkleigh Productions, Inc.introduces two new
contests, the Super BLING BLING Creative Grooming Tournament and Super Model Dog Tournament, to SuperGroom! Barkleigh reunites with WWPSA’s SuperZoo Pet Industry Trade Show on September 18th – 20th, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
Come see grooming stars compete for some of the industry’s biggest purses! You can be a grooming star, too. Take a chance and enter in any of these big contests!
Super BLING BLING Creative Tournament pulls in creative competitors from the past and new competitors… like you… for a battle of the artists! First place takes home $5000.00, second place $2500.00 and third place $1000.00. Sponsors for the event are Ryan’s Pet Supplies, Wahl Clipper Corporation and Metropolitan Vacuum Cleaner Company, Incorporated.
The International Model Dog Tournament draws in top contestants from around the world to groom supplied life-like yarn dogs. Total prize money in this contest is $8500.00, with $5000.00 going to first prize. Sponsors include Nash Academy of Animal Arts, Isle of Dogs and Pet Boutique & Spa. Over 40 groomers are expected to participate in this event!
Barkleigh will also coordinate IJA and GroomTeam grooming tournaments worth over $12,000
in prize money! Three big classes will compete, sponsored by Andis Company, Petco Animal Supplies, Incorporated, Grooming Business magazine and Lambert Kay.
Make sure to attend educational seminars featuring topics on grooming, retail and business! Learn from the pet care industry’s finest speakers!
Our Animal Behavior Conference featuring renowned animal behaviorist Stephen Rafe covers the topics of Canine Leadership: A New Look At Dominance; Dog “Zones” – How Distance Influences A Dog’s Behavior; The Five Critical Learning Periods In Dogs; Reading The Dog: Gaining The Non-Verbal Advantage; Dealing With The Overly Bold, Or The Overly Timid Dog; And Problem-Solving For Pet Pros.
The popular Oster Grooming Theater, featured at Groom Expo, will be debuting at this year’s SuperGroom! Attend breed seminars by Oster ambassadors, Chris Pawlosky and 2006 Oster International Invitational winner, Julie Ostoski.
Visit the huge trade show of over 900 booths. Buy all the product you need, including shears, dryers and combs. Take advantage of the show specials offered by many of your favorite vendors. Edemco will offer contest tables at reduced prices.
If you are interested in adding retail to your salon, you are in the right place! Talk to experienced retail vendors and find out the tricks of the trade for building your profits. Don’t forget to stop by the Barkleigh booth to pick up a copy of our new annual, Pet Boutique & Spa. This exciting magazine includes tons of useful information, including articles on how to make your retail area stand out!
For more information on SuperGroom, contact Barkleigh Productions, Inc. at (717) 691-3388, visit www.supergoom.net or e-mail info@barkleigh.com. For contest rules, visit www.ijaonline.com.
Selling quality home grooming products in your salon is a great way to extend the value of your services and, at the same time, earn some easy extra money. As you probably know by now, your salon waiting area is a natural showroom for all kinds of pet-related goodies. But, there’s one category you may not have considered for all the wrong reasons: professional-quality grooming tools...dryers to be more specific.
Your first thought will probably be…“Are you nuts? Why would I want to sell professional tools to my clients that might take business away from me?!” Not to worry! Just because you give someone a good hammer doesn’t make him or her a carpenter. Likewise, selling someone a professional quality pet dryer doesn’t make him or her a professional groomer. Look at it another way. How often do you have your hair cut and styled by a professional? Once a month?…Once every two weeks? Now, how often do you wash and dry your hair? Would having a better hair dryer make you go to your stylist any less often? Of course not! In fact it would probably make your haircut look better, you’d get more compliments and more people asking you where you had your hair done!
It’s the same with your business. Equipping your clients with a safe, high quality dryer (instead of that awful human hair dryer they’ve been using) and instructing them on how to use it properly after between-visit baths not only won’t hurt you, but it can vastly improve the perceived value and quality of your grooming services… “My goodness Sheryl, your Poopsie’s coat always looks so clean and fluffy. Where do you have her groomed?”… “Why, I take her over to…” You get the picture.
Happier clients and great public relations would be reason enough to want to sell these things, but the best reason of all is that you’ll make more money. You’d have to sell a lot of shampoo and gourmet dog cookies to clear the kind of profit you’d get from the sale of just one quality dryer!
So, how do you know which dryer(s) would be right for your clients? There are several on the market that offer the right combination of reasonable price, ease of operation and professional-quality performance.
First of all, you’ll want them to have a forced-air type dryer that puts out between 15,000 and 18,000 feet-per-minute of warm, dry, clean filtered air. 20-30 degrees above ambient temperature is just about perfect. Any warmer than that can be detrimental to the animal and or the condition of its coat.
And, I can’t emphasize this enough, be sure to warn your clients about the dangers of using a human hair dryer on their pets! In fact, that should be your number one selling point in favor of a good forced-air dryer.
Another thing to consider is how the dryer (dryers) will display in your retail area. You will obviously want to take one out of the box and display it. That means looks count, so choose a product that looks good! We make a great little dryer in the shape of an endearing doghouse that attracts a lot of attention at the consumer level. Other manufacturers offer affordable models in a range of designer colors. Whatever brand you choose, be sure to leave it plugged in and invite your clients to try it. When displayed and demo'd like this, with a professional endorsement from you, you’ll be amazed at how fast these units will fly out the door!
Although not a dryer, another easy-to-sell, high-profit product category that we’ve had a lot of retail success with is cage/crate-cooling fans. As you know, we animal lovers will spare no expense when it comes to the health and well being of our pets. You also know that one of the biggest threats to that health and well being is hyperthermia (over heating) that can lead to heat exhaustion or worse, heat stroke…especially in a closed motor vehicle. By offering your clients an effective crate-cooling fan, you’ll be providing them with a simple, inexpensive way to prevent this serious condition.
Once again, there are several brands and models available. You should choose one that is completely portable, easy for your client to use and easy for you to display. We have one that simply hooks on a cage or crate and works off two standard D cells that provide up to 100 hours of running time.
It should be equipped with multiple speed settings that allow your client to adjust airflow for maximum comfort of their pet under a range of temperature conditions. And last but not least, it should be quiet…really quiet…so as not to create anxiety in noise-sensitive animals that might cause additional overheating.
Even though you might have been afraid to sell these higher-ticket, higher-profit items because of the reasons we’ve hopefully laid to rest above, they can, in fact, add a new dimension of excitement to your retail sales area — excitement that you can quickly convert into…“Easy Money”!
David Stern is Vice President of Marketing for The Metropolitan Vacuum Cleaner Company headquartered in Suffern, NY. Metrovac manufactures a wide range of products for an equally wide range of market applications. They are best known within the grooming industry for producing the world’s best-selling line of professional-quality forced-air pet dryers. For more information, contact your distributor, call 1-800-822-1602 or visit www.dogdryer.com.
It's not like I am anti-kid or anything. In fact, I had two of them myself and they are in their late twenties so there is living proof that I didn't stash them under a rock. Not that there weren't times I wasn't tempted, believe me. However, there are some customer's kids that make me want to pull all my eyelashes out sometimes. Other times their candor just plain cracks me up.
Often, I find that the kid should be the one on the leash and the dog set free. Like just last week, when a lady brought her dog in for grooming and her six-year-old son was in tow. The shop door banged open and a Pekingese, kid and mother came, entered in that order. The dog was dragging in the kid.
Dennis the Menace would have had nothing on this kid, I tell you. After bursting through the front door the tyke headed straight for me with his head in the position of a linebacker during the Super Bowl. He plowed right into me, his head slamming into the front of my thighs.
I in turn nearly toppled into a set of huge wire baskets which hold cow ears. As I tried to maintain my balance, my head collided with a set of dowel rods that hold dog collars. As the domino effect took place, one of the rods ricocheted off my head and banged against a huge display of squeaky vinyl dog balls. The balls went tumbling all across the floor and the Pekingese was in doggy heaven. He faded left after some of the toys and I went south. I landed right smack in the middle of a pile of them and the noise was enough to set off the Richter scale.
In that instant, the kid was in the cage room and had opened the forbidden trash can that holds tightly sealed bags of "doggy doo" from the accidents of the day.
"Whew! What stinks?" the kid yelled loud enough to wake anyone in a coma. Before I could say anything, the next thing out of his mouth was "It smells like sh_t in here."
"BRADLEY!" his mother yelled. "What did I tell you about using that word?" she admonished him.
"So what's in here," he asked, looking at me.
"Dog poop," I tried to say gently.
"I told you it smelled like sh_t," he said proudly.
His mother just looked at me. "Sorry," she said.
"Kids are kids," I said understandingly.
"So how do you want the dog cut?" I asked her.
"Oh, geesh!" the kid said. "Don't you KNOW how to cut hair?" the kid piped up.
"Well, yes I do, but I need to know more about how your Mom wants it cut," I explained.
"You're dumb," he told me bluntly.
"BRADLEY!" the mom yelled. "You apologize right now. That wasn't nice at all," she said to him.
"Sorry," the kid said, looking up at me with all the sincerity of Wylie Coyote.
"You're forgiven," I told him.
"Wanna know a secret?" he asked me, beckoning me with his finger.
"Sure," I said, without the slightest bit of interest. I bent down and he whispered, "You're still dumb."
His mom was none the wiser and I didn't feel like hearing her yell at him again. I stood up and looked the other way.
As I talked to the lady about cutting the dog, the kid had disappeared somewhere in the shop. He was silent and we all know what that meant. I tried to concentrate on what the woman was telling me to do but I was only half listening as I couldn't help but wonder where her son was. Right about then I heard a "splat-thump" kind of sound come from the grooming room. I shot around the corner and saw the little demon in mid-flight jumping from my electric grooming table onto the hydraulic table several feet away from it. He narrowly missed hitting his head on the edge of the bathtub near the table.
"HEY!" I yelled as I jerked him off the table. "Don't climb on things," was all his mother said.
I was starting to become more than a little irritated with the kid by now. I plunked him down on the floor and pointed at him. "STAY." I told him. His mother looked a bit shocked.
"He's just a little excited," she defended. "He's never been to a place like this before," she said.
"Well, he could have really gotten hurt if he had fallen off the table," I told her factually.
I put her dog up on the table and gave the lady her cue to leave. "Come back in an hour and I'll be finished," I told her. "I thought we could stay and watch," she said.
"Well, I really don't have people stay because the dogs generally don't behave when they know their owners are here," I explained.
"I understand," she said agreeably. "Come on Bradley. We'll come back soon," she told her son.
"No. I'm staying," the kid said.
I knew what was coming next. As the lady reached down to take the boy's hand, he let out one of those blood curdling screams like a Schnauzer makes when you cut one of it's toenails. "AWWWWUGGGGG NOOOOOO!" he yelled. "IWANNASTAY!" he screeched all in one word. There were sounds coming out of this kid that anyone doing an exorcism would have appreciated.
At this point the dog was going ballistic on the table, barking and standing on it's hind legs pawing the air fast and furious with it's front legs. "You're scaring the dog," I told the kid. "I don't care!" he yelled. "I'm gonna stay!" he said emphatically. The lady looked at me. "Sorry," I told her. "I can't do the dog if he's not calm enough."
The woman nodded and picked up the kid around his waist and started out the grooming room door with him kicking and screaming. "YOU'RE DUMB AND I'M NOT SAYING SORRY!" he shouted at me.
"YEAH??? WELL SO ARE YOU!" I shouted right back at him. Well, ok. maybe I didn't say it out LOUD, but I WAS thinking it....
Forty two, the number of permanent teeth an adult dog has and forty two great reasons to be a part of canine oral care and owner education. Adult dog teeth may need to last 15 years or more and the best time to start caring for them is now. Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health issue for dogs over 2-1/2 to 3 years of age – over 80% will suffer from this preventable problem.
Bacteria and proteins from saliva stick to the tooth and form plaque, constantly coating the teeth. Plaque is soft, off white in color and can be easily wiped or brushed from the tooth surface. Within 48-72 hours calcium salts are deposited in this plaque film and the result is tartar, a hard yellow brown crust that can not be wiped or brushed off but must be carefully scraped off so as to not damage the tooth surface.
With time, these events advance under the gum line and start a process referred to as periodontal disease. Uncontrolled periodontal disease can cause thickening of the gum, receding gums, loss of bone from the socket of the tooth, weakening of the ligaments holding the tooth in the socket and results in bad breath, discomfort, infection and eventual loss of tooth. The bad breath is caused mostly by gases called volatile sulfur compounds (VSC’s) given off by bacteria and decaying gum tissue. VSC’s themselves add to the damage process through local immune reactions and by creating a toxic environment for dental tissue.
Some obvious signs of advanced canine dental disease include halitosis, discoloration caused by tartar, difficulty in chewing or swallowing, drooling, rapid jaw or tongue movements, loose teeth, loss of teeth, bleeding of the gums, thickening of the gums and nasal discharge. When these signs arise, veterinary assistance is needed. The time to prevent all of this is before the plaque can turn to tartar and damage oral tissue.
Most dog owners will visit their veterinarian once or twice per year and they may visit the groomer every 4-12 weeks. That means the groomer has many more opportunities to educate dog owners on the importance of a good home oral hygiene program. Setting a good example by offering brushing as a value added service is a great place to start. A tooth brushing service is an owner convenience, good for the patient’s health, adds to the salon’s bottom line and may encourage the owner to follow up at home. It is a win for the groomer, a win for the owner, and most importantly, a win for the dog.
Dispensing or recommending dental care products to dog owners is also a valuable groomer service and will help support your tooth brushing service. There are many tools to aid in keeping our best friend’s mouth healthy and fresh and may include:
• Pet toothpaste (Don’t use human paste, it foams too much and may irritate the stomach)
• Oral gels to wipe or brush on the teeth
• Special pet toothbrushes
• Special hard foods to aid in plaque and light tartar removal
• Solutions to be applied to the teeth
• Solution to be added to the pet’s drinking water that help neutralize VSC’s
• Dental chews
• Dental toys
Be proactive and a part of the pet’s overall health and wellness program. It’s good for them and it’s rewarding for you emotionally and financially.
The author is a practicing veterinarian in Florida and a Pet Consultant with Oxyfresh Worldwide, Inc. Dr Harrell may be reached by email at boydharrell@hotmail.com or by phone at 866-388-3578.
Catty Shack Creations
We live in a world where selfishness is king, a world where taking, rather than giving, is the way to personal happiness. And with each passing year, it seems the human race is less and less willing to extend a helping hand to a stranger in need for fear the hand will return empty or perhaps not return at all.
There is a smaller world that exists inside this big world of ours.
It is called the Groomer to Groomer Message Board. I have been a citizen there for the better part of a year now and have met many wonderful people, all of us having one thing in
common: we are pet groomers.
It was inside this land of pet care professionals that I caught a glimpse of what has been set aside and forgotten – a heart of compassion, generosity, and giving to a stranger in need.
I have never met Julie. I only know her by a screen name on a message board. I do not know much about Julie except for the fact that she is a fellow groomer like myself, struggling with many of the same things I struggle with on a day to day basis, and rejoicing in much the same delights that I experience.
Julie sort of fell into grooming nearly four years ago when the kennel she worked for ended up without a groomer. She learned the art of grooming as she went along and did well enough to not only keep the grooming part of the business going, but to also make it grow.
Several factors caused Julie to quit her job temporarily; returning again to make sure her customers were not left without the grooming and care that they were accustomed to.
Julie knew the job would not last long and was greatly concerned about where she could go to continue the profession she had grown to love.
The seed of a dream began to form in her mind. Maybe one day she could operate a shop of her own.Groomers from all over the world come together daily on Groomer to Groomer Message Board to talk shop. As with any message boards there are numerous conversations taking place simultaneously, but on this board grooming issues of any imaginable type are the constant topic.
On the day that Julie quit her job, she shared with her fellow message board members the state of her recent predicament.
Initially many on the board encouraged her to go out on her own. Surely there must be a place around with cheap rent and just enough space. “What about a shop from home?” one member suggested. There were many ideas that seemed plausible and combined with Julie’s dream of being a shop owner, it all sounded like just the thing to do. There was only one problem: Julie did not own a single piece of grooming equipment. Setting up a shop full of costly equipment was next to impossible in Julie’s mind.
In a matter of minutes, the message board thread took on a whole new turn. Members from around the world, from California to Australia to England and everywhere in between, stepped up to the plate. “I have some clippers I could send,” said one member. “I don't know what I have extra, but I too will look around and come up with something,” said another.
“I can’t believe it!” thought Julie.
So many groomers were offering to send so much. But would any of it ever actually make it to Julie’s new shop? Her husband had his doubts. After all, we live in world where taking rather than giving is the way things are done.
Still not sure of where this was all going to lead, Julie and her husband procured permission and the necessary things needed to begin the task of converting their garage into a grooming shop. Within a week, packages starting arriving from grooming shops scattered around the globe. Scissors, clippers, shampoos, grooming guides, client cards, and various other necessities began to collect amidst the construction materials being used to build the shop. To the average spectator Julie’s growing collection might look like a garage in need of some serious spring cleaning. But to Julie, it is a miracle, a living, growing miracle that is slowing taking shape. It might not look like much right now, but Julie knows, as do all the citizens of Groomer to Groomer, that this miracle pile in her garage is slowly being formed into the very shape of a dream she had so long ago.
Helping hands still do exist. I have seen them. They can reach quite far, too – almost around the globe. And these helping hands care not if they return empty or even return at all. They are instead full of kindness and generosity toward a stranger in need. We should not be surprised at this really. Because these helping hands are grooming hands, with kindness and generosity flowing through them each and every day.
Check in the next issue for an update on how Julie’s shop is doing. To join the Message Board, go to www.groomertogroomer.com and click Message Board.
Groomers often ask, “What is the best shear that I can purchase?” This is a very difficult question to answer. Shears come in a wide range of prices, from $30 – $300 and above. When evaluating how much to spend, a groomer should consider their specific needs. Just because a shear is the most expensive does not make it the best shear for your individual needs. The proper shear for any individual groomer is a matter of preference, comfort, budget and skill level.
There are hundreds of styles and sizes of shears to choose from. Most shears are made from carbon steel or stainless steel with different hardness levels. Stainless steel is a harder, more durable material. This hardness level in part determines how the cutting edge will wear. Most shears will have a hardness level ranging from 40 – 50. The higher-end, more expensive shears feature a convex blade, as opposed to a flat blade, made of stainless steel with Rockwell hardness ranging from 50 – 60+. (Rockwell refers to the common measurement for hardness). Picture #1Comfort has come a long way in shears. Special ergonomic design handles are now available to provide groomers with better control and less hand and wrist fatigue. Offset and bent shank handles are available that further enhance control and comfort. Newer style shears on today’s market feature double finger rings with swivel thumb ring for additional comfort and control. 
Picture #2
No matter what you spend on your shears, you will want to get the most out of them. Properly caring for and maintaining your shears will ensure they give you optimal performance for many years.
Adjusting Your Shears
Many shears require a scissor plier (Picture #3) to adjust the pivot screw in order to obtain the best free fall (Picture #4 & #5) of your shears. Pliers help prevent damage to screw heads. Some shears feature self-adjusting knobs that do not require any type of tools to adjust. Set free fall by holding one handle vertically and allow the other blade to fall freely from a fully opened position. The blades should stop to about an inch from the tip end of the shear. Adjust pivot screw accordingly (Picture #3). Shears that are adjusted too tight will cause hand fatigue very quickly. Shears that are too loose will cause hair to bend or fold and can cause possible damage to the cutting edge of the blade. This is especially critical with thinning shears where the cutting blade half can turn into the comb blade side and hang up on the teeth.
Cleaning and Storage:
To clean your shears, use an oil base cleaner or blade wash on a rag and wipe down blade halves as needed. Proper storage and care of shears is important in preventing damage to the cutting edge and rust from humidity. Shears should be stored in protective cases when not in use, especially in mobile vans where equipment can move and open up during transit.
SharpeningWhen shears need to be re-sharpened, a trained technician should do them with proper shear honing equipment. Most grooming shears can be re-sharpened on vertical grinding wheels and typically will cost between $5.00 to $7.00 per shear. Higher quality shears that feature a convex edge should be flat honed, which gives a sharper longer lasting edge. This method can range in price from $15.00 to $35.00 to re-sharpen.
Gary Hartwell has been the sharpening and repair manager for Ryan’s Pet Supplies since 1991. In addition to working at Ryan’s he has owned his own grooming shop in northwest Phoenix with his wife Janis since 1986. He has received factory training at Andis, Double K Industries, Oster, Stewart and Wahl. The Ryan’s Pet Supplies Sharpening and Repair Center is an authorized repair and warranty dealer for Andis, Conair, Double K, Dri Eaz, Oster, K9 Electric Cleaner, KleanKut, Paw Brothers, Value Groom and Wahl. Gary Hartwell can be reached directly at 1-800-525-7387 Ext. 231.
Many of you may have seen me use a clipper to cut in my bevel on Poodle legs or bracelets. Liz Paul showed me the trick years ago. It is really easy and I prefer using the technique now that I have almost perfected it. It is faster than scissoring around all four feet and has a prettier finish.
First, comb your entire coat down hard and tight to your foot clipper line. Then place your hand around the leg, with your thumb and pointing finger closest to bevel. I find that holds the coat down evenly and gives me the best finish. Then take a #40 blade and cut around your clipper line, which is set when clipping feet. The clipper blade can be at a slight angle but normally I try and cut straight in. I clip around the foot without moving my hand, holding the coat down. Make sure the clipper line is cleaned. Let go of coat and see what you get. It is that easy! The great thing is if you have an ugly foot, move your clipper line down on the foot and do the same thing. The bevel is still clean but the coat sits on top of the foot, making the flat foot less noticeable.
A few other helpful hits: Never clip to your hand, always use the clipper line. Try really hard to clipper straight around, which takes some practice. After using the clipper on bevels I rarely have any tweaking to do. Nice bevels in a flash. Give it a try!
Off Lead and Animal Behavior magazine is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Appelbaum to Editor.
“We are very excited to have Steven join the Off Lead team,” said publisher, Sally Liddick. “He will bring a focus to the magazine that we have not yet experienced. He has new and fresh ideas that should really enliven the publication.”
Appelbaum brings a long and varied list of experience to this publication. A professional trainer since 1980, he has seen the world of companion dog training undergo revolutionary changes. Steve’s track record of success in the pet business is noteworthy.
In a business field that is largely fragmented, Steve’s first company, Animal Behavior and Training Associates (ABTA), grew as a result of its connection to Petco into the largest training company in North America. At its peak, ABTA employed over 550 trainers in forty-four states. Although a negotiated buyout with Petco in 2004 ended this affiliation, ABTA still offers training through numerous independent sources including the entire Canadian Petcetera Limited chain in Canada. In 1998, Appelbaum also founded Animal Behavior College (ABC), a school for professional dog trainers. Today, ABC has students in all fifty states and every Canadian province.
Aside from his groundbreaking work in education and training, Appelbaum works as a freelance writer, consultant, and lecturer.
He has also written a column for this magazine for several years and is the author of The ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training. Steve also acts as an expert witness on dog related legal cases.
We welcome Steve to the Off Lead team and look forward to dynamic changes and growth
that have been his trademark.
If you would like a sample issue, go to www.off-lead.com.
Barkleigh Productions is taking a cruise to Baja, Mexico! Carnival Cruise Line’s
Paradise Cruise Ship departs from Los Angeles on February 11th, a day after Barkleigh Productions’ Groom and Kennel Expo show, which takes place in Burbank, California from February 7th to the 10th. Paradise Cruise Ship returns on February 15th to Los Angeles.
This exciting cruise is making stops at Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina Island. Ensenada has grown from a sleepy fishing village to become a popular beach resort and one of Mexico's most successful cities. This famous Baja destination is a jewel with many facets. Among its most popular locations are its pristine beaches, waterfront promenade, fashionable shops of Avenida Primera and a winery founded by the Dominicans in 1888. Not far away is La Bufadora, a sea geyser that puts on a highly dramatic show. After a fun day of sightseeing, you can stop in at the lively cantina to enjoy some local color and a frozen margarita.
Catalina Island has been long famous for its golden beaches and silver screen history. This California Island is still a favorite hideaway for movie stars and other Hollywood elite. Among the many adventures you can enjoy during your unforgettable day are a visit to the historic Avalon Ballroom, a glass-bottom boat ride and a thrilling cliffside tour.
Cabins for this cruise begin at $339 (double occupancy)! Make your reservations now. For more information, contact Barkleigh’s Global Travel Agent, Judy “Lucy” Wheeler at jwheeler@globaltravel.com or call (800) 715-4440.
Daryl Conner, Congeniality;
Chris Pawlosky, Judge;
Barbara Hoover accepting for Joyce Laughery
Front Row (left to right)
Barbara Bird, Journalist;
Vero Da Sylva, American Groomer;
Jackie Boulton, International Groomer
Cardinal Laboratories recently announced the winners of the Crystal Grooming Achievement Awards. Vero Da Sylva was named American Groomer of the Year 2006. This is her second year in a row winning this highly prestigious award. Presented by leading pet shampoo manufacturer Cardinal Laboratories, the Cardinal Crystal Grooming Achievement Awards were established in 1988 to promote excellence and professionalism in the grooming industry. Now celebrating their 20th anniversary, the Crystal Awards have come to be regarded as the benchmark of success in the grooming industry, recognizing the publicizing the outstanding achievements of dog groomers, grooming judges and grooming journalists.
American Groomer of the Year
Vero Da Sylva(Second year winning award)
Grooming Contest Judge of the Year
Christina Pawlosky
The David G. Salzberg Award
Joyce Laughery (In Memoriam)
Grooming Journalist of the Year
Barbara Bird
The Congeniality Award
Daryl Conner (Second year winning award)
International Groomer of the Year
Jackie Boulton (Second year winning award)
At the conclusion of the contestants’ meeting on Thursday at this year’s Groom Expo, there will be a Focus Group open to grooming contest competitors who would like to address the issues and contribute input for the IJA Judges Education Program that is about to be implemented. The meeting will be chaired by Shirlee Kalstone and John Nash. Also participating will be several internationally known grooming contest judges.
The new program – international in scope – is not just for IJA judges, but for anyone who has an interest in judging or earning IJA judging credentials, regardless of affiliation. It could also be invaluable to serious contestants. It will focus primarily on the 35 breeds of dogs most often entered in competitions around the world. “To be an effective judge, it is first necessary to know and understand both the correct standards and profiles of these breeds,” said John Nash.
“The IJA Judges Education Program will be conducted on an international level. The better training we provide to our judges and competitors, the more advanced our competitions will become,” Kalstone said.
“Long-range plans will help the grooming world become closer by training and collaborating with all judges and competitors around the world,” she added, “and judges will know exactly what to look for and competitors will be aware of how to improve their work in the competition ring. Our goal strictly concerns education, not whose
side we are or are not on!”
Pet Fashion Week NY is an exclusive lifestyle tradeshow and design platform that caters to the needs of sophisticated pet industry professionals. A wide variety of designer products are positioned at the fingertips of the buyers in one convenient, beautiful venue. This year the event takes place August 18th and 19th at The Metropolitan Pavilion in the heart of New York City.
Pet Fashion Week NY 2007 will be holding a kick-off party for an evening of fun and fundraising! All attendees are invited to show their support for forgotten pets while networking with important industry insiders. A portion of all proceeds will benefit The Mayor’s Alliance in New York City.
Over 120 exhibitors will display their new and existing pet accessory lines in a convenient and beautiful trade show. The buyer-specific runway show, Perspective, will unveil ready-to-wear fashions and accessories from fifteen designers from across the globe. Pet Fashion Week understands the importance of education in the rapidly growing pet industry. The Pet Business Industry Symposium will include three interactive sessions held by industry leaders and business experts.
Lynn Carver Memorial Award
The Lynne Carver Memorial Award and trophy are awarded to the competitive groomer that accumulates the highest number of Best All Around Groomer points in a given year. The winner for 2006 is Karen Tucker. GroomTeam USA tabulates the points for this award by counting the number of entries in each class at GroomTeam USA sanctioned shows throughout any given year. At each of these shows an award for Best All Around Groomer is awarded to the groomer with more and/or higher placements in classes entered. Points are then awarded for Best All Around Groomer based on the total number of entries at that show.
Wag’n Tails Lengthens Warranty
Wag’n Tails warranty in mobile grooming vans at three years/36,000 miles has now been lengthened to five years/60,000 miles beginning with 2007 Wag’n Tails models. According to Wag’n Tails President Dennis Gnetz, “Wag’n Tails quality has us seeing our groomers keeping our products in operation longer and longer as each year passes. To that end, we decided to lengthen our warranty on our conversions to more closely coincide with the long operational life of our vehicles.” Wag’n Tails will continue their Call Us First policy for all their groomers.
Natura Pet Products Adds Testing
To further ensure the safety of all of its pet foods, Natura Pet Products has announced that a new protocol will be added to its standard 120-point quality control program that will test for cyanuric acid. Cyanuric acid is an organic compound commonly used as a water treatment and is a metabolite of melamine. Natura is in the process of acquiring a canning plant so that it can exercise complete control over the production of all of its products.
1-800-PET-GROOM
Primary Wave Media, a vanity phone number licensing firm, is releasing a new program geared specially for the pet grooming industry. You can now have the instantly remembered phone number of 1-800-PET-GROOM. Sign on for one year and you will also receive a free business listing at www.1800petgroom.com, all phone calls coming into your choice of eight zip codes, various promotional offers for products, marketing tips newsletter and promotional start-up items featuring 1-800-PET-GROOM.