In the second pet first aid class I taught, someone suggested we bring a live dog. With that thought, Ricky, my golden retriever, joined the crew. Ricky loved coming with us to workshops and tradeshows. In fact, he would walk the trade show floor liked he owned it. Ricky knew everyone loved him and was usually greeted by his human friends well before I was even acknowledged.
“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.
Grooming Matters
May I ask you something? You take care of pets all day, and maybe a partner and/or children, or other family members. Who takes care of you? Often that job falls to us, too. Have you ever heard the expression, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it?”
In the Veterinary Hospital
The pet industry as a whole is one of the most steadily increasing markets in the country. While owners are showing increased value in the relationship they have with their pets, and the willingness they have to spend larger quantities of money on them, they are also doing more research to ensure their pets are receiving the best products and services available.
Ask the Grooming Tutor
“Hi Michell. I am considering asking my boss to add a teeth brushing service so that I can improve my income. I would like to feel confident that the service I am providing is healthy for the dogs and worth charging for. Do you have any suggestions?”
A Groomer’s Role in Spotting Signs of Kidney Disease
Did you know that more than 1 in 3 cats and 1 in 10 dogs will be impacted by kidney disease in their lifetimes? Recent studies suggest numbers might be even higher, with more than half of cats over 15 years old being afflicted.3 So, what does this mean for groomers? It’s another opportunity for you to add value to your clients and keep them coming back for the high-quality care and compassion you provide.
Check-in, wash, dry, clip, check-out. Seems like every work day can be a fast-paced and hectic experience for you and your grooming pets. Many times it can even be difficult to remember the exact interaction with each pet because you are in such a hurry. Trends have changed though, many of our grooming clients are expecting their pet to receive a full-on spa experience, the same as what they would get when visiting a human spa.
Keeping Them Current
Grooming Rosie (AKA The Vibrating Wonderdog) was always a challenge as she vibrated as if she was standing on a washing machine with an unbalanced load during the agitator cycle. Rosie suffered from a neurological disorder and I was always on guard when using any sharp tools around her.
In the 15 years I have been grooming, one thing I learned is that accidents can and do happen. We do not plan them, but we work with live animals. Being prepared to perform first aid promptly will reduce the pet’s pain and speed healing.
First aid is the prompt care of wounds prior to any necessary veterinary treatment.
When I attended grooming school, I was taught how to give a bath and fluff dry. I learned how to pluck and clean ears, clip nails, and give haircuts to the dogs or kitties on my grooming table. With time, I have learned that these are not the only tasks that are a part of our profession; there is an emotional and spiritual connection that comes with being a pet stylist.
Regular grooming goes a long way to help achieve that “healthy shine” pet parents like to see on their beloved pets, but grooming is just the beginning. Diet is actually the single most important factor affecting coat health.