Johnny Ray Gearhart had some rough times in his early years. “My father put me on the street when I was 12 … I was an addict. Then I started to attend a 12 Step program. I still go to this day. Someone put me in their house, set some rules on me, taught me a new way to live. He had me look for a job, and he wanted me to take an HIV test.
The grooming industry is filled with kind, patient, generous people. Todd Shelly knows this better than most. He has been involved in the grooming industry much of his life. Shelly, however, recently became discouraged when he found that a handful of strident, negative voices on Internet grooming sites were drowning out what he knew was the real spirit of our industry.
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.
“It began when I saw my friend Patrick Lakosh Marceau creating designs on both people and dogs with a clipper.
“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.
“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,
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
When I lived in Memphis, I operated a house call pet grooming business for many years. One of my favorite customers did a good bit of community volunteer work, including delivering Meals on Wheels.
“I have a grooming industry hero. She is also a mentor, someone who goes above and beyond for other groomers. She is a woman of many talents, always busy with some new project designed to make things easier and better for pets and groomers. I wish I had her energy and drive. She writes books, sells wonderful shears, and knows so much about skin and coat care. Yet with all she does, she does not think herself so high that she can’t take the time to write a long email answering a grooming question or even drop a note to say, “Hello, how are you doing?”
Sue Seivertson tests her mettle as a dog groomer and a Tough Mudder contestant. Convincing large, strong, often untrained dogs that getting into the confined space of a bathtub and enduring a shampoo is a good idea is something that requires strength, stamina, and a sense of humor. Groomers have to be tenacious and resilient characters.