New Hampshire groomer Sarah Comeau was getting her own hair “groomed” at her favorite salon when she overheard the stylists there talking about a fundraiser they were involved in. The salon was offering a shampoo and blow dry event to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Sarah found the idea to be an exciting one and took it back to discuss with her grooming friends.
This month’s column isn’t exactly about behavior. It’s about the broader effects of behavior and why I became a trainer and behaviorist. It all started about 35 years ago. I was out of college with no real desire to pursue my chosen profession: architecture.
The days are gone when we can assume that emergencies and disasters happen someplace else. Weather patterns have changed dramatically over the last several years. Large cities built on fault lines are growing. We are overdeveloping land, which reduces or even eliminates natural protective barriers.
Trade show season is opening soon! Just thinking about it puts a smile on my face. I adore going to trade shows: the people, the vendors, the classes, and the driving. Yes, the driving. I love to drive and think it’s a treat to travel two days to the Atlanta Pet Fair. In fact, I have been known to break out in song.
We have all heard the saying, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes,” and you may agree. If you make your living in the pet care industry, you can add one more thing to that list: dirty laundry. Towels, cage pads, pet beds, blankets, etc. You can’t get away from it.
“My mother was a public school teacher,” said Debi Hilley. “She taught first grade and Head Start. She instilled in me the importance of education and went over and above teaching her kids. Maybe her work has something to do with me wanting to help teach other groomers.”
“Kristie and I were initially kind of worried when we went to prison,” said pet stylist Emily Rupe. Kristie Kingsland, owner of As the Tail Wags Grooming in Oviedo, Florida, joined Emily in doing some time. But it wasn’t hard time.
“The USA wins the gold! The USA wins the gold! The USA wins the gold!” Those words rang across the grooming world as, once again, GroomTeam USA won first place in the World Team Grooming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, this past October.
“I’m still on cloud nine,” says an ecstatic Adriane Pope breathlessly. “It was the most amazing day of my entire life!”
What Adriane is referring to is the day she won the coveted Peoples Choice Award at the 2013 Creative Styling Competition at Groom Expo.
“It’s like a dream! I can’t believe it… I’ve wanted this so badly!” exclaimed an ecstatic Su Eld-Weaver as the huge first place trophy for the 2013 Creative Styling competition was presented to her. “What an amazing feeling!”
A determined Su Eld-Weaver and her Standard Poodle traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to Hershey, Pennsylvania, this past September.
Through the years, there have been many inventions and innovations that have contributed to the growth of our grooming profession: the A-5 clipper, detachable blades, rechargeable clippers, adjustable knob scissors, hydraulic tables and tubs, vacuum clipper systems, high-velocity dryers, mobile grooming vans, computer programs, and professional grooming books.
“I was 12, I can confidently say, when I really attached myself to dogs. I had a terrible adolescence: my family was broken with divorce, my brother beat my mother and me daily, and I took care of my baby brother while my mom went to work or was out partying. We were very poor,