Life

Honoring a Grooming Legend: Shirlee Kalstone

September 2, 1931 – May 21, 2020 “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing […]
Groomers Go the Distance: Learning in the Time of Social Distancing

The dark cloud of the worldwide pandemic has not been without its silver lining. New opportunities for continuing education—already on […]
Surviving the Extreme Client

We all have them. That client who comes in with demands, or a picture of a dog that looks nothing […]
Diamond in the Ruff Creates a Culture of Caring and Commitment

“We’re going to someone’s home to provide a one–on–one service. That’s special,” shares Maggie Springer of Diamond in the Ruff. […]

Fear of Trying Something New

Did you know there is a word for the fear of trying something new? It is neophobia. In our industry, […]

Owner Advice for Puppy Pre-Grooming Socialization

It’s as clear as day for groomers when they meet a dog who has been well prepared for the grooming […]

10 Tips for Keeping Your Cool This Summer

Take a career that is physically strenuous and is often conducted in confined, humid spaces, add in the warm air […]

Ruff & Tumble Dog Salon: It’s a Team Effort

When Stephanie Pietri saw the availability sign on a 100-year-old building in her town, her imagination ignited. “I told my husband, […]

Do You Have a Plan?

Libby and Carol each owned successful salons that had been in business for over 10 years. They had large client […]

Cultivating Strength: Keeping Your Crew Together

Forming a group of strangers into a cohesive staff can be like juggling hedgehogs—with the health and productivity of the […]

7 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Dogs

Who serves the dog that no one wants to groom? The dog that has been turned away from all other […]

Mucky Pups: Customer Care Is at the Hear of This Family Affair

“We focus on relationships,” says Jackie Boulton, co-owner of Calgary’s Mucky Pups. For 24 years, along with her sister Debbie […]

Daryl’s Top Six: Try Something New

As I look around my grooming studio, I see several items that we have recently tried—and now don’t know how […]

Are You Allowing Your True Self to Shine Through?

We all want to fit in, it’s human nature. The truth is that most of us don’t always feel “liked” […]

For the Love of It

One of the joys in my life is the fact that I am still excited to go to work every […]

Willow’s Groomer: Where Customers Are Treated Like Family

When Ashley White, a former veterinarian tech and recent university graduate, decided to open a dog grooming salon in her […]

Intergroom Sponsored by Groomers Helper 2020 Show Preview

Mark your calendar and make time to attend this year’s “Intergroom” sponsored by Groomers Helper on April 2nd–5th in Secaucus […]

The Competition World Is Calling Are You Ready?

Groomers, You may begin. If you have ever watched or participated in a grooming contest, you know that these words […]

What I Learned in Working with Difficult Dogs

If you can earn a dog’s trust, even the most wildly behaving pups become infinitely easier to handle on the […]

Groom Expo: Bringing Groomers Together for 30 Years

For thirty years Groom Expo has been bringing groomers together. From the moment you enter the welcoming lobby at the […]

You are a Groomer: Be Thankful

Like many groomers, I watch the calendar approach November and December with mixed emotions. The closer we get to “holiday […]

Peopling for the Introvert: How to Handle Difficult Client Interactions

I’ve seen grown veterinarians, technicians and groomers break down and cry, have to leave for the day or, astonishingly, quit […]

“Speaking” Dog

If you were approached by someone speaking Tamil, Russian or Swedish, would you easily understand them? Would their attempts at […]