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I find all the differences from one groomer to another really fascinating. I've never heard of a 'toe blade' for clipping pads before. I've always just used a regular ten blade, have never nicked a pad doing it that way. From the OP: quote:Hand stripping is a labor intensive job and expect to be hard pressed to find a groomer who can and will do it. Also expect to pay a lot more. I've only been grooming for a year, but I'm kind of smitten with my boss who taught me. She's kind of awesome. Unfortunately I've been out of work from being too sick from my pregnancy...not sure if I'll be able to go back there or not, since a close relative of hers is taking my place after I leave for baby. I really miss it though. Also, we never do anal glands. Too much can go wrong with dogs that have anal gland issues, my boss has always felt it's a vet's job, and I tend to agree. Big whoop, did you go to grooming school? apprentice? Do you live in the states, if so does your state require any sort of licensing/schooling? My state doesn't require anything for someone to be a groomer, but I apprenticed under an instructor for a grooming school, which was pretty cool!
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Nov 29, 2012 04:14
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SchrodingersFish posted:different poodle cuts It's all what the person wants. The topknot/puppy head (big head) and big ears is more standard, but some people get the ears taken right down and such. Especially people who have dogs with chronic ear infections, which seems to be a big issue in standards. I like the short ears. But sometimes there are dogs with such nice coats I hate taking them so short just because they'd be such a dream to scissor! (likewise there are some dogs who are always tangled and gross and I just wish I could clip them down)
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Nov 29, 2012 04:17
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The Big Whoop posted:Yeah for beginning groomers it's always recommended that you start with a 10 blade. I'm currently doing paw pads in a 15 because I don't have a toe blade.  I figure I'd end up having to go to a petsmart/petco, which I don't know if I could tolerate. I was lucky and had a super smart and awesome boss. I've been spoiled. I don't think I could handle the stupidity at one of the chain places. I've thought about going to grooming school but it's fairly pricey, and I'm not sure I want to deal with people and pets long term. I can deal with people, and I can deal with pets, but sometimes the two put together just irritates me too much due to people being idiots about their animals. Have never clipped a lab, would never clip a lab, don't want to clip down labs at dumb chain stores  On the bow/bandana thing, we almost always put a bow on a female dog's collar, sometimes we'll do bandanas with dogs we really like, or if the owner has requested them because we put them on from previous grooms.We don't charge extra.
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Nov 30, 2012 00:14
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I have to say the term "shave" tweaks me out because I've had it ingrained in me to say clip instead.The Big Whoop posted:Eh, the stupidity and skill level of the chains depends store to store. I lucked out and got a sort of slow salon that only had one part time groomer, so I'm sort of using it as an "externship" to improve my overall skill level (I am very self conscious about my clips). Also, sometimes at chain stores you'll meet a private shop owner who wants you in their salon instead when they've seen your work. I'd do it for the experience, because there's an hourly if you don't have any dogs that come in as well, and the insurance kind of kicks rear end (if you can get it, I can't currently) Greylicious, think about it as an opportunity to educate people who want to do right by their pet but don't have the knowledge base. I wouldn't waste your money on grooming school, I'd just find a job a stick to it to get the experience. I've met groomers that are completely self taught that are AMAZING and I've met groomers who went to fancy pants grooming schools and suck balls. It's about having the talent and the ability to practice. Besides, you pretty much already went to grooming school by learning under a master groomer. Eventually I'll move onto something better, but for now, I'm learning more about the business side of things. Yeah the benefits are a huge thing, I did see one of the stores near me was hiring some time ago and it looked pretty tempting. I certainly have a lot of experience hour and breed wise at least, as the shop I was in was super busy and it was only my boss and I. We would groom anywhere from 8-12 dogs a day, depending on breeds. I usually never even took time for lunch (no time to stop grooming). I understand that there are both good and crappy groomers that still pass grooming school, but still it's nice to have the certification. It'd at least get me a little more confidence about certain breed patterns. And doing eyebrows on brow'ed breeds. I've always hated trying to do them and usually had my boss do them.  Really going to miss where I was. Especially certain dogs and certain owners. And holy crap the stories and things that went on. It was always an...interesting job. And my boss and I had lots of fun together.
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Nov 30, 2012 17:23
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I think most of the Biogroom products are pretty decent. Other groomers and people who want to spoil the hell out of your dog, try the Mink oil. Spray a little on after a groom  Makes their coat super shiny and soft. Especially black smooth coated dogs look amazing. I don't know much about flea dips other than they are pretty out dated. I've never used a dip, and really don't know anything about them. I'm gussing you're just talking about a flea and tick shampoo. I used Delrex a lot where I worked. Almost any flea and tick shampoo from PetEdge is probably good. We always did a flea bath on any dog with fleas because we didn't want live fleas in the shop. We didn't charge more but always informed the owner and suggest they put them on a topical solution from the vet, and to wash the dogs beds and blankets etc. I always would give the dogs a finishing spritz after their groom, we did have a baby powder scented one but only usually used that on puppies  We had a whole collection of awesome different scents. My favorite was a lily apple scent I liked to put on the girl dogs. We did have some owners who didn't like sprays so we just would mark it on their card not to put any on. Just nicely ask your groomer for no scented sprays! Nicely, don't tell them that your dog smelled like a Paris whore house. (someone told us this before) Because then we will laugh and wonder how you know what that smells like.
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Dec 1, 2012 21:17
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jizzsock posted:I just got a rescue dog on Sunday, and his first bath didn't go well. How can I keep him smelling nice without traumatizing him? The hose can be pretty scary for a lot of dogs, and the water is cold. Try giving him a bath in the tub next time, get in your bathing suit if it's a big dog to make things easier so you can just stand in there too and use a cup to pour water over them. If it's a big dog and you don't want to try it that way I'd look for a do-it-yourself dog bathing place. In-between bathes (and dogs shouldn't be bathed more than every 4-6 weeks) you can use a waterless shampoo or scented sprays to keep him fresh and from being stinky.
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Dec 5, 2012 00:56
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Pile of Kittens posted:Your body hair is longer unless you're in the military My 13lb smooth coated terrier use to leave a pile of little white hairs all over the grooming table at work when I brought him in, it was incredible. And yes, even lots of little white hairs in the drain stopper thing too.
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Dec 6, 2012 04:46
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Poor Teddy. His face is pretty choppy and yeah, clipping the top of his nose like that looks crappy. They should have only scissored and shaped his face, not clip it. If you plan on going back there (and seriously, $75? The place I worked at would charge about $35-$40 for that dog..then again, my boss was always very reasonably priced compared to other places.) definitely bring the picture of him looking his best, so they get a better idea of what you want. They shouldn't get offended. And yes, tipping is good. Especially if you have a difficult dog, it's extra appreciated.
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Dec 8, 2012 05:14
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I was thinking the same thing, that they look like scars. Very strange they'd be showing that dog like that.
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Dec 15, 2012 00:50
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Eegah posted:What do you recommend as an anti-itch shampoo for a dog? Tater has been scratching like mad for a couple weeks and a trip to the groomer's Monday did not help. Nowhere in particular, and he's been licking his underside a good deal as well. He's a small long-hair fluffball -- for reference: Bathing the dog isn't going to make persistent itching to go away, and can make it worse by over-drying the skin and coat. How often is the dog being bathed? I would suggest not bathing the dog anymore than every 5-6 weeks. A flea bath is pretty harsh and can dry the coat and skin worse than other shampoos, so I wouldn't waste money on a flea bath if you already have the dog on a flea regimen and haven't seen any fleas. As for more gentle soaps, one of my favorites is Soothing Suds by top performance: http://amzn.com/B005N2A672 It's one of the only shampoos I've used that doesn't dry the poo poo out of my hands. You could also try tar shampoos. I don't see any small sizes of brands I've used before on amazon. Also, if you haven't already ruled out allergies you might want to start keeping a close eye on him for chewing his feet etc. It could be something in his food or in the environment.
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Dec 26, 2012 17:29
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Eegah posted:Monday was his first bath since Thanksgiving, and his first flea bath ever as far as I know. I use this for his regular bath but I'm not married to it by any means. Pretty much all Hartz products are complete poo poo.  I'd definitely try the soothing suds and see if you like it/if it helps a little. Also oatmeal shampoos might help. http://amzn.com/B0002DH20Q http://amzn.com/B005N2FL9K Biogroom is another brand I really like. Since that food is listed as a premium food in the nutrition thread, and you already have switched to something non-chicken to try that I'd stick with it for now personally. Switching food for a few days wouldn't be long enough to see if there is a change anyways. e; also make sure when you give your dog a bath to completely rinse out all shampoo. Leaving traces of shampoo in the coat can make a dog itch worse.
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Dec 26, 2012 18:12
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Lol  I didn't notice that. what the hell amazon indeed.
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Dec 26, 2012 18:54
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Eegah posted:Good lord, not even a week after going to the groomer Tater can't take a crap without getting poopbutt Is he having loose stools? Even my brother's fluff-butt aussies don't get crap in their butt fur unless their poop is soft.
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Jan 1, 2013 15:19
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Eegah posted:Some yes. Comes and goes. Doesn't help that he's basically a cottontail rabbit from behind. Well I'd say try to do things to combat the soft stool, try and find out what might be causing it if you feed treats or table scraps. Other than that, the only solution to cleaning his rear end less might be to take the fur shorter back there. Despite what I said about the aussies, when I was a teenager I did have a pom that always got poo poo on his rear end, but then again he ate poo poo for food so I don't know what's to blame there.
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Jan 2, 2013 16:25
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Oh god oh god no no no don't use scissors near your male dog's dick!  If you really want to tackle that fur yourself you should get a pair of clippers. I only have this full-size one I use http://amzn.com/B0018KVI5M Which would work, but I've seen a bunch of smaller trimmer clippers that might work well for you, maybe another groomer who has tried them before can chime in and suggest one that might work well for just doing what you need. It'd probably cost half the price or less of the full blown professional clippers. Do you bring him to the groomers at all? I'm guessing so since he's a mini schnauzer. If you do, the groomer should be giving him a sanitary and clipping that hair, if they aren't ask them to start doing that with his usual groom. Or if his hair is just growing too fast between visits you can see if you can bring him in between grooms just for a sanitary trim.
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Jan 3, 2013 22:51
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The Big Whoop posted:But more grooming related stuff, I find poodles (with clean faces) the most rewarding to cut. It's pretty fantastic to going from a scruffy looking bearddog to a fine and handsome poodle with a clean face. I love doing clean faces, and clean feet too although not a single poodle at the shop I worked at really liked having clean feet done. We had one that was so bad he would brace his other paws against your back and try to shove away. He was also somewhat unpredictable and would sometimes try to bite when you do clean face- I didn't like that dog much, finally had my boss do him all the time. I don't know we've had a good share of crazy owners. There is this one lady that had this shih tzu which every single time she came in, despite being okay with the groom the last time she left, would find something to complain about. Or she'd just said "This really wasn't your best work" and even if we'd do the same exact clip, just like in Cpt. foxy's story, the lady would at first like it, and then later say she didn't like it. I think the craziest thing was the elderly lady that would sit in her car in our parking lot and drink beer while waiting for her dog to be groomed.
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Jan 6, 2013 16:00
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notsowelp posted:Who is liable if a dog seriously bites/injures one of the groomers? Are there ever lawsuits against owners? On a smaller scale, how often do you have to refuse a client because their dog is too fearful or aggressive? In the year I worked at the place I was at we had only turned down one dog for being too aggressive/biting. The thing was so bad there was no way to restrain it to get anything done, freaked out over muzzles, and just threw itself into a whirlwind anytime you got near it with scissors or clippers or anything- was way too risky to end up hurting the dog, or get badly bit. It was some little lhasa mix or something. The owner did not believe us when they came to pick up the dog and she tried to hold the dog and got bit herself. It was very frustrating, because the dog really needed some mats removed especially around its privates. We tried so hard to clean the poor thing up, but it really needed to go to a vet and get sedated for grooming. It was hard not to feel like a bit of a failure and feel bad we couldn't get the dog cleaned up. We just wanted to help him  I hope the owner did take our advice and have a vet clip him down.
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Jan 12, 2013 19:49
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I did that once to a dog too, not that badly though. Didn't need a vet visit, it didn't even really bleed, but it did have a little piece of skin that half off. I had never groomed this dog because my boss always did her, she came in with another dog that I always groomed. But my boss had to leave the room for a few minutes and had me work on her while she was gone. She meant to warn me that she always jumps up off the table when you try to do that part of her sanitary, but forgot to. I felt really bad, but the dog was fine.
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Jan 14, 2013 00:28
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We've done that joke before too. Or we joke that the owner will ask us to do it for them, since we've had owners ask if we could just snip off skin tags and moles and dewclaws and poo poo  Yeah we're just going to cut things off them and let them bleed all over and risk getting infected and..what the hell are some people thinking. The other thing that annoys me is when you do a dog with super long nails and get them down to the quick and the person complains they aren't short enough. They look at us like we're crazy when we explain to them they will bleed and hurt if we take them any shorter. Still. I miss my job.
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Jan 20, 2013 03:35
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It is scary how some of them on the little dogs just kind of dangle there by a thread. I hate them Most any good breeder would have had them removed as a tiny puppy imho
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Jan 24, 2013 03:56
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Fat Dio posted:I was just hired as an assistant in a grooming salon (Friday's my first day This is the book I use to use as reference: http://amzn.com/0975412809 I really love it, and I don't yet have my own copy but plan on buying one because I just loved the book. The grooming school near me uses it for students. That sucks Riiseli.
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Jan 24, 2013 18:56
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), I have some experience in grooming but it was a few years ago so I've got a lot of re-learning to do. Can you recommend any books, websites, blogs, or anything else that would be useful to someone just starting?
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They are pretty useless on most dogs, and for smaller breeds, especially those that need frequent grooming they become an even greater risk to getting injured. It only takes a second to remove them when they are tiny pups, at least for toy breeds (I don't know if it is the same for large breeds) I personally don't see the reason not to do it as a preventative measure. But that's personal opinion and preference.
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Jan 25, 2013 05:49
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I'm mainly talking about rear ones, although I don't like front ones on small dogs either. Why can a dog not function normally without front dew claws exactly? I've never heard of a dog having pain and disability as it ages from lack of dew claws too...where are you getting this from? e; The only thing I could see it possibly of being any use is in very athletic or working dogs. I'm not talking about those, I'm just talking about primarily companion breeds. UltraGrey fucked around with this message at 20:14 on Jan 25, 2013 |
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Jan 25, 2013 20:06
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Test Pattern posted:We adopted a puli about two months ago (rescued breeder at a mill). When the shelter got her, she was so matted she had to be totally shaved down. Puli-specific sources say that a shaved puli can be back to a full corded coat in about two years. Any advice from groomers on making sure it comes in right and cords properly? Honestly I'm not sure anyone but a show groomer or puli/komendor breeder could give you much advice on corded breeds. We had a lot of diversity in the shop I worked in but still never had a dog with a corded coat. I don't think my boss would have done one anyways because of the time required to bathe those dogs, apparently you have to undo the cords, and then bathe it and dry it and re-cord the coat...somehow.  So I've heard at least.joyfulgirl129 posted:Big Whoop and others: I'm looking to start clipping my dogs nails, since we adopted them already overgrown. I know I have to start little by little, is a microtrim once a week too much? The groomers we took them to said that they aren't too long (they click on the floor) and that once a week is too often. Which is easier for a beginner, the scissors-style or guillotine? Any brand recommendations? If the dogs nails grow fast then no, a weekly small trim is going to be fine. Keep in mind just because a dog's nails 'click' against the floor doesn't mean their nails are too long. Plenty of dogs with beautifully groomed short nails will still make sound against a hard floor. I've always used the scissor style clippers personally. I'm sure either works fine though as long as they are a decent brand(not some store name petco/petsmart brand clippers) and sharp. You can always file a dog's nails too, some dogs are very sensitive to the pressure of the clippers and tolerate filing better. Normal human nail files, especially the heavy duty ones you find at drug stores and beauty supply places for acrylic nails work great....I use the same 99 cent coarse black file on my nails and my dogs nails.
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Feb 21, 2013 01:59
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Skizzles posted:I am clueless about grooming, but I'm wondering what you guys would recommend having done for a sheltie? It's my friend's dog, Toki, and he's due for another grooming soon. My friend is also pretty clueless, though. The dog is pretty darn fluffy, I'm wondering if there's a good, sleeker, low-maintenance cut for him or something? Yup, he's fluffy because that is the type of dog he is. Don't clip him. Just ask for a bath/brush, hopefully the place he's getting groomed is using a forced air dryer, as that will loosen up and blow out a lot of the undercoat that is stuck in there. A lot of sheltie owners ask for the rump fur/fluff around the butt to be thinned out so they don't get swamp rear end/poo poo stuck in their fur. If that is a problem that area could be trimmed down without clipping his whole coat down and making him look like a doofus.
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Mar 5, 2013 18:15
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My boss and I use to explain to them that just the bath + dry + brush out would get out all the loose undercoat and significantly help the dog keep cooler and more comfortable, and it would cost a lot less than getting them clipped. If you can explain it and let them know it will save them money, that usually helps!
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Apr 2, 2013 16:54
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3 & 3/4 were kind of my bane...mainly because it was always used on doodles, and most of them had some amount of tangles and matting, but the owners wanted them to be that length so it would mean constantly having to stop clipping to try and work out tangles and mats.
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Apr 5, 2013 16:12
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WolfensteinBag posted:Yeah, my 3&3/4 never really worked right. I had a client drop off an old box of clipper blades she found cleaning out someone's house, and there happened to be a 4 and a 4F in there. They were old, but I cleaned them up anyway, and they're SERIOUSLY a godsend. They leave a little hair like the 3&3/4, but work WAY better for some reason. And they're seriously hardly any shorter. AND they were free! Yes, 4F is the best! We used that most where I worked and I would always kind of be like 'thank god!' when my boss would be like, "Welp, let's just do a 4F!" on new dogs or 3 &3/4 ones that were too tangled/matted. The Big Whoop posted:Greylicious, my 3 3/4ths has the same measurements on it as my 1/2 inch comb... 13 mms and yet the 3 ends up way shorter. It's something I've never quite figured out, but the 3s do indeed seem to get dull the fastest. I actually really enjoy grooming cats, just because it was something different. Granted, I've only done a total of 3, two being my own maine coons, and one being from a client. And yes, one of my Maine coons pissed in the tub at work, lol. I have no idea why, she was just nervous, glad it was the tub and not the table!! None of the cats I groomed tried to bite, at most they would try and get off the table. Just always need to work with one hand holding them in place, except my male maine coon who LOVES getting clipped. He just sits on the table when I do his back.
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Apr 6, 2013 16:15
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dustbin posted:You guys seemed to be discussing academies, do you mean grooming schools? I'm looking into getting into the industry but I don't want to get screwed by a program that's actually a scam if there's a more on-the-job way that is acceptable. Is grooming school a good idea? How else do I learn all the different cuts and how to use the tools? You either go to grooming school or get trained/mentored on the job. I did the latter, but it isn't always easy to find someone who is willing to do that or can do that. I just got very lucky, as the person I worked for was also a former instructor at a grooming school! Grooming schools will vary quite a bit by state, so I only know how things are in NY state. My state doesn't require licensing or even certification. Anyone off the street could be like 'i wanna groom!' and open a shop. The grooming schools in NY are official trade schools though, so they are accredited/handled by, I'm guessing, the department of education. So that is one way to find out if the school is legit or not. So, pretty much the starting point will be for you to find out how things work in your state.
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Apr 24, 2013 04:37
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dustbin posted:Thank you, that's good advice. Are there any known companies to stay away from in the event a grooming school is my answer? Well there are some online grooming schools apparently, which I just can't wrap my head around. They seem like they would be pretty pointless since grooming is a very much so hands-on skill. So I'd just say any of those are a waste of money. At that point you might as well buy grooming DVDs off amazon. :P Hopefully others will chime in with their experiences and maybe offer some more advice.
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Apr 24, 2013 05:05
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Obscurity posted:How often/what type would you need to get a cut done for a shih tzu if you wanted to avoid daily grooming? Let's say maybe 1-2 times a week brush. There are no real shih tzu specific clips, because in the show ring they are kept long although the majority of pet owners keep them clipped for their sanity. So as far as what type of clip to get them, most people generally call it a 'puppy cut' which honestly just means some sort of shorter cute cut...it isn't very specific. But you can ask a groomer to do that. I kind of like a 4F blade on shih tsuz going into puppy cuts because it seems to be a good length that leaves them a tiny bit of fuzz but short enough you can easily wait 8 weeks until it needs to be clipped again, and the care of the coat between visits will be minimal. Avoid big-box stores if you can, most of those places (like petco and pet smart) around me just clip a dog down to almost nothing, leave skin showing, etc...And are often way overpriced/charge way more than what they quote you.
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Apr 25, 2013 19:31
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I've had it hammered into my head that PetCo and PetSmart's grooming training is incredibly sub-par, but I really don't know anything about it first hand so If they send you away to an actual grooming school then maybe it is decent enough.
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Apr 26, 2013 03:20
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Fat Dio posted:I just barely missed seeing an actual Labrador shavedown, but he came in just as my shift was ending I don't think I could work at a place stupid enough to actually do stuff like that.
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May 1, 2013 02:59
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Kerfuffle posted:What kind of brush is best for a short haired cat? We have a furminator and it's great- but my mom is afraid of using it (kind of understandable I guess). So what's best for regular brushing to help decrease shedding? Options seem to be slicker brushes, zoom groom type things and metal combs. Slicker brushes work great, and some cats really love how they feel and get all lovey and rub on them. Shedding blades work really great as well. The only problem is they don't hold the fur they pull out, so be ready for a bit of a mess to clean up. I use to sometimes bring my cats outside to use the shedding blade, so I could just let the fur fly all over.
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May 10, 2013 14:13
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