The All Breed Dog Grooming Guide 4th Edition
By Sam Kohl
Sam Kohl has been an industry legend since before I was even old enough to hold a dog brush. Earlier editions of his All Breed Grooming Guide were the standard “bible” for groomers for a great many years. Not one to leave well enough alone, he completely revamped and updated the guide in 2012.
Let me tell you a little secret. I don’t like drying pets. After over thirty years of grooming, I can still honestly say that I love my work, but that drying part? It blows. I know perfectly well how important a properly dried coat is. It looks better, is easier to style, and stays looking nice longer than an improperly dried coat. Since I don’t enjoy this aspect of the styling process, but want it done right, I have learned to get dogs and cats dried well, and quickly. Here are the tips and tricks I have learned over the years to help this process speed along.
Groomer Stories
Grooming celebrity dogs is a lot of work. After all, celebrity groomers play one of the most important roles in getting their furry clients ready for the world to see in magazines and on TV.
After getting groomed by Michael Rogers, dogs are left with a style that shows off all of their best features so they are ready for anything.
Ask the Grooming Tutor
“Dear Michell, I am overworked and underpaid. I am a commission paid employee. I feel like I need to cut back but I can’t afford to cut back. My days feel frantic and the quality of my work is suffering. I am short with my co-workers and even my clients on some days. I am exhausted when I do have time off. I talk to other groomers and it seems many others feel the same. What can we do?” – Leslie K.
The Groomer Behind the June Cover
Over the past few months, The Instagram account of Southern California dog groomer Jess Rona has blown up (pun intended). Her slow-motion videos of dogs being dried to music have gone viral. She has been mentioned in everything from Huffington Post and Dailymail.com, to Marie Claire, and featured on the cover of the June issue of Groomer to Groomer magazine, just to name a few.
A Groomer with a Sense of Humor
There is one thing that is almost guaranteed to make you feel lighter and make your day flow a little more smoothly. You don’t buy it from a commercial you see on TV, and it doesn’t take much time or effort to use. When your cheeks are pinned up, your eyes are all squinted, and something so funny just hit you that you could fall to the floor
When you speak to a prospective client for the very first time, you are already beginning to build a relationship with them. Clients might find you through an ad in the local paper, a few words typed into a search engine, or the recommendation of a friend. Whatever it is that brings clients to your door, the relationship you build with them can be a major reason why they keep coming back.
I skip lunch” is a comment I’ve heard repeated over and over in the grooming industry. I’m sad to report that pet stylists do skip lunch. Many make unhealthy choices, don’t eat lunch, eat on the fly, or pick up take-out or fast food.
One thing is a given, and this is groomers need to take better care of themselves. Susan Sarris states, “Our eating habits are terrible.” I agree.
Why Do Groomers Skip Lunch?
Choosing an Adjustable Table or Tub
The majority of a groomer’s workday is spent leaning over a bathing tub or standing at the grooming table. All day long, your body is contorted into uncomfortable and possibly unhealthy positions; bending, twisting, stretching, lifting, etc. It’s no wonder that you say, “Oh, my aching back!”
Aubrey Bird’s Story
Everyday heroes don’t dress up or write the word “hero” after their name, but even in their everyday-person-disguises, heroes are making a difference in the lives of the people – and animals – that they meet. A hero (or heroine) is a person with courage. We think of heroes as people with strong, brave qualities that we want to emulate, but those traits come in many forms.
The 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
I remember the first time I went to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I was a baby groomer and the school took us on a field trip. I was absolutely floored by the grooming. And I had never seen so many well-behaved dogs at one time. That is until the min pins entered the ring. It was, in two words, awe inspiring.
Having a career that is fulfilling, and that allows her to be creative is a dream come true for Genesis Cuen. An animal lover since childhood, the now 25-year-old groomer has found a career that she is passionate about after being unhappy with previous pursuits. In 2012, Cuen was working in a bank while studying dance at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona.