Daryl Conner

Someone recently asked on a grooming social media site, “What are the folds on a dog’s lower lips called?” Several people answered that they are called “flews.” Other people said the flews are the upper lips. I wasn’t sure who was right, so I looked…

What is it that makes a groomer good at what they do? I pondered this question recently when I was referring a customer whom we could not help to another stylist in our area—someone I considered good at what they do. My curiosity led me…

Have you ever stopped to think about how many claws you have trimmed throughout your career? Even if you’ve only been grooming for a few years, the number is probably impressive. The job is pretty straightforward, but there are a variety of tools and products…

Day in and day out, we become so accustomed to our work environment that sometimes we miss seeing things we should be paying attention to. It can be easy to “turn a blind eye” to our surroundings, ignoring things that need our attention. However, this…

Pet groomers tap into many areas of talent to perform their work. Good groomers understand the differences between nearly 200 recognized dog breeds in the United States; they must have good customer service skills, an artist’s eye, business sense, and the ability to understand and…

Most pet groomers I know spend 40 hours a week or more at work. And since we invest such a sizeable chunk of time in our workspace, it is a kindness to ourselves to create a work environment that is as pleasant as possible. Working…

When it comes to continuing education, sometimes branching out from the typical ways of learning can yield amazing results. For example, an excellent way to learn new skills or polish up a specific technique is to tap into your local grooming community. Learning from other…

Photos by Daryl Conner There was a time when I would groom dogs with my infant daughter in a backpack. […]