RESCUE #101
By Donna Owens, ICMG
The only thing more rewarding than grooming a client, scruffy, messy beast into a fluffy, beautiful, civilized pet again is grooming a pound puppy or rescue dog.
Many of you may already offer tremendous discounts or even free first grooms for any recently adopted pet, for which I applaud you. As professional groomers, I feel we all have a responsibility to be advocates of spaying/neutering and of adoption before purchase with pet owners. I believe most of you do so, as well.
What I found to be even more rewarding than offering discounts or free first time grooms is to go to the actual, front lines. What do I mean by that? As a former instructor of one of the most successful grooming programs on the West Coast, I networked with the ASPCA and non-profit rescues that directly rescued dogs on, death row. We groomed the dogs that no one had adopted and were on the last leg of life. This was beneficial for the dogs, for me, and for the students, as well. Not only did they get to learn excellent handling, behavior, and grooming skills, but they also got the wonderful reward of knowing that they were instrumental in saving a dog's life.
How can a groom save a dog's life? For those of you who like statistics, most rescues and the ASPCA reported several years ago that when these dogs were groomed, it raised the adoption rate 30%. In other words, it changed the animal, odds from 70% to 90% after the groom. It doesn't seem possible, but as a matter of fact, many dogs get passed by because they are so hairy or matted. The prospective adopters can't see the potential of what, beneath the coat. These poor, little dogs not only look ugly, but some people might even be frightened by their disheveled looks. I have witnessed many folks backing away from dogs and cats, because they mistook the felt mats for a possibly contagious disease! I know that some of you may think that someone that ignorant shouldn't adopt a dog. Just because people may not be as knowledgeable as we are, and while it is common sense to us that those mats are not tumors, it doesn't mean that these same people wouldn't make dedicated, loving pet owners.
That brings me to share my story, Rescue #101. This sweet girl had ringworm and other health issues. However, with veterinarian care and treatment combined with a weekly shampoo therapy in chlorhexidine shampoo, she was finally ready for adoption. Because of her bald spot from healed ringworm lesions, as well as her mats, no visitors were interested in her. I knew I could help this wonderful little girl with a simple groom. Normally, when a client walks in, we may decide to talk the client into a short utility clip to even up the longer hair with the shorter hair so that everything eventually grows out more evenly. In cases like, Ambrosia (I usually name the dogs I work on), I knew that if I could leave her a little bit fluffier, she would get adopted much faster. Her time was running out, because she had already spent four weeks at the shelter. Unfortunately, she only had one week left before she would be destroyed due to overcrowding.
Step #1 was to get to know her a bit better. Step #2: I clipped her sanitation and some of the very tight mats on the inner thigh, armpits, and undercarriage. In cases like this, I don't want to traumatize the dog with unnecessary de-matting; any de-matting would be done on the outer or dorsal of the dog, tail, ears, etc. Step #3: pre-brush. During her pre-brushing, I could evaluate how well her skin had healed and see exactly how many bald spots I would need to camouflage. Step #4: I clipped her nails and cleaned her ears. Step #5 is the bath. I decided to clean her first in bluing to bring out a brighter cream and then continued with the chlorahexidine for 10 minutes, followed by a no-color, no-fragrance conditioner. Recently healed skin is sensitive, so I don't like to use a conditioner with fragrance or dyes.
Step #6: blow dry. For the most part, Ambrosia was fantastic considering her background, but the high force dryer was something that she wouldn't tolerate. I had to use the dryer on low with no restricter, which was much more acceptable to her. Finally prepped, she was ready for a style.
I decided just to do a, puppy style, which some may refer to as a teddy style. At any rate, I wanted her to look irresistible! With the exception of the high force dryer, she handled everything else like a pro.
I used a #15 on her pads. Always try to hold them firmly, always supporting the stifle as you clip. It is also important to try to keep their legs close to their body so that they feel more comfortable and balanced.
Carefully clip around the anus using the #10 blade. Using a lighted clipper can help with visibility.
I used a #10 blade to clean the, stop. However, you can also use thinning shears. Remember, making the eyes visible is very important for adoptability. The eyes can reveal the sweet personality of the dog, which makes them more irresistible!
Next I used a 0 attachment and clipped the dog, body all over. Enough hair was left to cover the bald areas from previous ringworm lesions that she had in various places on her body.
Then, I combed the hair downward and scissored round paws.
When starting on the head, first brush the hair forward and give it a little shake so the hair falls into its natural place. From the corner of the eye, scissor a curved line around the eyes, first from the left and then repeat again on the right. You may notice that my curves are reversed; that is so it naturally blends into the beard.
After both sides of the brow were cut, I combed the hair forward one more time, gave it a little shake, and then held my curves correctly to create the curved rounded line that joins the curved lines of the sides.
Next, I styled the beard by combing the muzzle and cheek hair downward and scissoring a curved line from the muzzle, following the jaw line to the ear.
For the top skull, I used the, section cutting technique to achieve a round style head. When a dog has a dome-shaped skull, you can just use a snap-on comb to achieve a round style head. When they have a rather flat skull, as Ambrosia does, I prefer to use the old fashioned, section cutting technique. Comb all the top skull hair towards the center of the head and place it between your index and middle finger. Use your thumb and pinkie along the back side of the skull to control the dog, head and to keep your finger centered. You can then adjust the height and angle of your fingers to create a layered cut that will create a round shape on a flat skull.
For the final finish, stack the dog and scissor a clean, sharp profile. Use your thinning shears to blend any areas that need fixing. Now Ambrosia looks amazing, and I am thrilled to report that after her hair style, she was adopted just days later. She now lives with a loving family with their eight-year-old daughter who named her, Fluffy.
To me, there is nothing more rewarding than grooming the dogs that are not adopted yet. My many years of experience is beneficial not only for the grooming aspect but for the animals rehabilitation and adoptability aspects as well. As experienced groomers, many of us can tell by the end of the groom if the animal is head shy from possible abuse and can point out skin problems or other health problems that may have been missed. We can give valuable information to the shelter so they can add it to the animal, adoption information card (e.g. how often the pet will need grooming, etc.) for potential adopters. There, nothing worse than a dog getting adopted by the wrong fit and the dog ending up right back in the shelter again. Some of you already are involved and groom at your local ASPCA or shelter, and for that, I thank and applaud you.
For those of you who haven't worked with shelter animals but plan to this year, I have some tips and advice. You will first need to introduce yourself professionally to the shelter or rescue. A portfolio and three letters of recommendation are helpful. The shelter or rescue will need to know that you are competent with animals so you are not a liability. You might be asked to take an orientation class in order to be a volunteer groomer, which is very typical and necessary for both parties. When you start choosing which dogs you are going to groom, try to choose the ones that will make wonderful pets. Try not to use your limited time on animals that have aggression or biting issues, because your talents will be better used on grooming animals that are stable. When they are so matted that the only safe and humane thing to do is strip the dog, then do so, but just like in your salons, try to leave something on the head, ears, and tail if possible. Just like in your salon, if you can save the coat in these three areas and style them, then they will be more eye appealing and adoptable. If you can leave them a little longer, the teddy style or puppy clips seem to help the adoptability rates. If you can achieve this with a little de-matting, isn't it worth it when you consider that an estimated 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are being euthanized each year?
I challenge all of you to try to work the front lines if you haven't, because the rewards are immeasurable. I know in these hard economic times, this might be challenging for many of you. If you can only afford to donate time one day a year, every six months, quarterly, or once a month, every little bit helps. To those of you that have the time and the physical ability to donate once a week to groom at a shelter, bravo!
Here are some other ways that you can help: donate money, food, blankets, etc. or have a food drive, towel/blanket drive, or cat litter drive at your salon or grooming school for the shelter. You can contact the ASPCA at www.aspca.com to find out more ways to help and to locate the ASPCA near you. Google non-profit rescues to find a rescue near you. Thank you!
Donna Owens has been a professional groomer for over 30 years. She is also a Red Cross Pet First Aid and CPR Certified Instructor and a Certified Animal Hygienist. Donna was a 1993 USA GroomTeam member and gold medalist. Donna remains active in the pet industry as a respected industry speaker and consultant, salon design consultant, grooming demonstrator and contest judge. Donna has an Associate Science Degree and a California Teaching Credential from USD. She is an I.P.G. Master Groomer and I.P.G. Certifying Judge.