Friday, September 10, 2010

How to Choose a Dog Groomer

Some people put more thought into things than others. This has been highlighted for me recently with a wedding coming up in our family. My wedding was very simple and small, and was still much bigger than I wanted. My dress was bought at the mall, invitations consisted of, “Hey, would you like to come to our wedding?”, our officiant was the first name on the list that happened to be free on the date we wanted, and said list was provided by the town hall where we had our very brief ceremony. We had a nice dinner afterwards at a restaurant with about twenty family and friends and then went home to collapse. First Chris helped me remove the approximately three hundred bobby pins impaling my skull. Our honeymoon was a day trip to Sudbury where we picked up a Schipperke puppy. We named him Vegas, which is where I wanted to get married.

In contrast, my beautiful sister-in-law-to-be has spent the last year fretting colour schemes, fabrics, wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, tuxedos, invitations, guest lists, venues, table linens, photographers, party buses, decorations, centerpieces, menus, dessert tables, wedding (not exactly) cakes, bonbonieres, hairdressers, makeup artists, DJs, flowers, wedding registries, accommodations and rings. So you see, people have different approaches to life.

This is apparently also true in choosing a dog groomer. People approach choosing a new groomer in many different ways. The most popular seems to be Price. The first question a groomer is usually asked on the phone is, “How much will it cost?” I can understand in this economy why the price of the groom might merit serious consideration. However, a groomer, shop, or corporation may set their prices using different criteria since they have different expenses or overhead. The cost of the groom may or may not include items like nail trimming, medicated shampoos, boarding fees (for all day stays), dematting, and taxes.

Perhaps the most unreliable ways to choose a groomer are what I like to call the three A’s: Alphabetical, Advertising, and Available. Some people just call the first name they see in the phone book. Others choose the prettiest ad or fanciest website. And every groomer gets desperate, last minute calls wanting to know if any appointment are available today, four o’clock on a Saturday.

Many clients also choose a groomer based on the shop’s proximity or the distance required to Travel. This can be very important for people with busy schedules, seniors, or those without cars. In the area I service some taxis will transport pets, but I have received a few panicked phone calls telling me that the taxi driver refused to allow the dog in the vehicle and the client needed to wait for another car to be dispatched. I also have few clients whose dogs and/or children get car-sick. The less time spent in the car, the better. Of course, this is where mobile groomers and in-home groomers are the most convenient choice.

Some people have special requirements for their pets that are important and for them, the Services available will help them make their choice. Certain breeds look their best when their coat is hand-stripped or plucked rather than clipped with clippers. Some people would prefer a show clip and require a breed specialist. Some would like colour applied to their pet. Others need to have their dog groomed and returned as quickly as possible; they need an express appointment. Not all grooming shops and services have these amenities available.

Experience and Qualifications would seem to be a good way to select a groomer. However, I must honestly tell you that I have met new groomers who are naturally talented and are educated in all the modern techniques and I have met older groomers who haven’t updated their skills in twenty-five years and have no interest in doing so. Currently in Canada there is no official licensing or educational requirement to become a groomer. Please, I repeat, there is no such thing as a licensed dog groomer in Canada. The qualifications of a groomer can be difficult to assess. Many of the grooming schools have been closed. There is no formal apprenticeship system. There are trade shows with seminars and workshops, voluntary certification programs available and occasional grooming contests. They can be used to assess how qualified a groomer may be, and also as to the Quality of their work. While different clients have differing standards, with one looking for a show style and another a clean and neat shave-down, both want to be pleased with the final clip.

We come finally to my personal preference when it comes to choosing a groomer. I consider Referrals to be one of the best ways to find any new service provider. You can ask your veterinarian, dog trainer, the gang at the dog park, or someone on the street whose dog is groomed particularly well. You can also check websites like www.Yelp.ca for online reviews. You should feel Comfortable and Confident in the groomer you have chosen. All groomers should be insured. Your groomer should be friendly and professional and you will feel like your requests and concerns have been heard. Hopefully using some of these criteria you will find the perfect groomer for your dog.

2 comments:

  1. Choosing a dog groomer can be a hard decision. We all love our pets and we want to give them the very best. The groomer will be a big part of your pets life so you want to find one that you can stick with for years to come.

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing on this very nice and interesting info with us for sure your idea is more useful for me.

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