Growing up, the now 25–year–old Macie Pisa was no stranger to competitive dog grooming. Looking back, she remembers the hard work and excitement that filled her home in the days leading up to a grooming competition.
The longer you work as a groomer, the more interesting the requests seem to get. Groomers who have been at it for years have the best stories about odd and unique requests, involving everything from bizarre grooming styles to unexpected species.
Grooming professionally wasn’t always what the now 28–year–old, Nadia Bongelli had in mind. But since her grooming career began nearly seven years ago, she has become completely immersed in grooming, competing, and dog shows. Bongelli is the sole proprietor of The Purple Dog Groomer, out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“Before I was grooming, I was attending York University in Toronto,” says Bongelli. Although she enjoyed her studies, Bongelli could not clearly see a future goal for herself that would make all of her hard work feel purposeful, leading to feeling unhappy as a student.
Every family is unique. An outsider could flip through the pages of a family’s scrapbook and only imagine the feelings attached to old ticket stubs, pressed flowers, scraps of paper, and photos. For the family that created those memories, every piece gives them the chance to live the memory again.
If you are a groomer, you know how oddly satisfying it is to scrub a dog clean, noticing the dirty water going down the drain as you do so. You know you are doing your job when you see clumps of coat flying out while drying a golden retriever, or when a thick nail flings to the floor after you clip it.
When you step inside Plush Paws Pet Salon, an Orlando–based dog and cat grooming salon, you will immediately begin to understand why the popular salon has become a favorite amongst locals—even winning the title of “Best Groomer,” in 2015 by Orlando Weekly and Orlando Sentinel.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.