From the comfort of her grooming van, Gemma Sanders, owner of Shampoochies based out of Leicester, UK, grooms with confidence. With every groom, she strives for perfection, working hard to make her work stand out.
When you first walked in, you were just a fluffy, soft little thing with bright, new eyes, puppy breath kisses—so excited for anything that came your way. You wiggled your way through the whole ordeal, me with my scissors and tools working quickly and carefully. Your feet were ticklish for the clippers and you moved away and into closing, sharp scissors, but we worked through it all and you left—still wiggling—with all body parts intact.
United We Groom, Divided We Fall
I’ve lived in the greater Orlando area most of my life. Like many, while having compassion and sympathy for the tragedies aired daily on our media, I found it far too convenient to rationalize that such horror couldn’t possibly unfold in my own backyard.
Ask the Grooming Tutor
As you mature in your career, you look for ways to work smarter, not harder. Certification is a simple way to do that.
Even When No One is Watching
There are few words that can sum up the connection between humans and animals. Try to tell someone who has never experienced the human–animal bond what it’s like to connect with an animal and you will be left standing there unable to explain.
Grooming is a demanding craft. A professional groomer must be knowledgeable in many facets from animal handling to customer service. He/she must be proficient in hundreds of different breed styles, profiles, and handling various coat types.
Over twenty-five years ago I met my best friend and wife, Tracy. Those of you who know us understand how I owe my passion for the pet industry and career to her. That’s because behind every good man is a loving woman, and in my case, talented pet groomer. She introduced me to the joys of dog companionship, pet grooming as a profession, and ultimately my job in pet products sales.
Groomer Stories
Every groomer’s story had to start somewhere. Even the top groomers had to awkwardly hold shears for the first time; practicing holding their hand steady. Before we become great at anything, there are many hours spent practicing and studying. It doesn’t happen in one moment, but over time,
Grooming Matters
May I ask you something? You take care of pets all day, and maybe a partner and/or children, or other family members. Who takes care of you? Often that job falls to us, too. Have you ever heard the expression, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it?”
This past June saw another record setting year for PetQuest. Total attendance was up 13% for a total of 1,469 attending groomers. This year also saw 76 different groomers competing, making it the most contest participants in the show’s history. PetQuest took place June 23rd-26th at the Roberts Center in central Ohio. The Roberts Center is known to be a very dog friendly hotel / convention facility.
As people who work in the service industry, we’ve all been there. Times when you have to be the adult and deal with things that you really don’t want to deal with. I’ve heard the phrases, “Suck it up,” “Gird your loins,” “Pull the Band-aid Off”, or “Draw a Line In The Sand.” But, no other phrase seems to empower me more than “Putting my Big Girl Panties On.”
1949 – 2016
On Saturday, April 23rd 2016 Gary lost his battle with cancer. As the Service and Repair Manger at Ryan’s Pet Supplies, and an industry fixture for over 30 years, he offered his “Tips” and knowledge in the way of videos, seminars and articles in Groomer to Groomer.