Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
Learn how to groom a dog from an experienced do-it-yourself dog groomer. Grooming your own dog is a fun way to save money and build a closer bond with your pet.
(Q Spirit is hosting this article as a way to support dogs and dog lovers.)
“You’ll save a lot of money in the long-run,” says amateur dog groomer Craig Cherry. “It’s also very rewarding to see the end results and share them with your family and friends. Believe me, they will be impressed to learn that you did the grooming yourself!”
Craig became an expert with dog clippers through years of direct experience with his standard poodle Ellie. Here he reveals all the tools and techniques he uses to groom his dog.
He saves about $500 a year with DIY dog grooming. Craig also gets many compliments (plus dog kisses) every time he gives his dog a haircut.
Please tell us about you and your dog.
I have a 75-pound white Standard Poodle named Ellie. We adopted her as a puppy, and she is about to turn 8 years old. She has lived up to her namesake Elly May Clampett of “The Beverly Hillbillies” in that she looks like a prize-winning show dog, but all she really wants to do is romp around in the woods and prairie fields, chasing after rabbits and squirrels to her heart’s content. Ellie is a very happy, energetic dog who I have developed a very strong bond with over the years. Note that having a good relationship with your pet is very important if you’re going to attempt home grooming. Most dogs do not enjoy the grooming process, but they’ll settle into it much better if they know and trust the person doing the grooming.
Before and after photos show that dog grooming makes a big difference for Craig and Ellie.
What motivated you to start cutting your poodle’s hair yourself instead of going to a professional groomer?
It was a combination of factors. Ellie never liked going to the grooming salon, and it was pretty expensive to have a large poodle groomed every 6 weeks or so. It was also challenging to find a good groomer who I trusted. Some of them were inexperienced and Ellie would come back with nicks on her snout from careless trimming or just a mediocre-looking trim. I did find a few very capable groomers through trial and error, but they were always booked solid, making it difficult to get on their schedule less than 6 weeks in advance. But what was really frustrating was their tendency to move on after a year or two, leaving me to start all over looking for a suitable replacement. The final straw was when my last groomer (who I felt did a really good job) was abruptly fired from the Petsmart salon just days before Ellie’s appointment (I never did find out why). So rather than scramble to find yet another groomer, I decided to do it myself.
Can you estimate about how much money you are saving by doing it yourself instead of paying a professional groomer?
I was spending about $100 per grooming session every 6 weeks, which adds up to about $800 annually. I initially spent around $600 to $800 on grooming tools and supplies, so the first year I basically just broke even. But after that initial expense, I’m only buying shampoo, conditioner and replacement trimmer blades, which is less than $100 annually. I’m also still paying $20 a month to have Ellie’s anal glands expressed, so I figure I’m saving around $450 to $500 a year doing this myself. It’s also much easier for me to do her regular weekly brushing now that I have more tools and a grooming table, so that also helps with her general maintenance outside of the primary grooming task.
Craig’s dog grooming supplies include dog clippers, scissors, brushes and other tools.
Recommended dog grooming supplies: Basic tools
What dog grooming supplies do you recommend to get started?
If you’re really going to do home-grooming, I would recommend buying good quality items that will work effectively and last a long time. The specific tools will depend in part on what breed of dog you have, as different coats require different types of tools. It also depends on what range of grooming tasks you are willing and able to take on. Many people don’t want to mess with nail trimming or ear cleaning, so you could skip those tools if you want.
Most of this equipment is available at a local pet store, but personally I would recommend buying the majority of the tools on Amazon. They have a much larger selection and better prices than most retail outlets can carry, along with helpful user reviews that can help steer a novice groomer towards the right products. And most of these items can be ordered with free Amazon Prime shipping if you have that, which is great for heavy items like grooming tables. They also have a very liberal return policy. I sent back about a half-dozen items that I bought and either didn’t like or didn’t end up needing and got full refunds for each, so it’s nice to know you won’t be stuck with some expensive tool that doesn’t work for you.
Here is a list of everything I am currently using to groom my dog:
• Electric Clipper
Andis 23320 Professional UltraEdge Super 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper
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• Grooming Table
Pingkay Heavy Duty Pet Professional Dog Show Foldable Grooming Table
with Adjustable Arm & Noose & Mesh Tray
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• Trimmer Blade #10 (face and groin area)
Andis CeramicEdge Carbon-Infused Steel Detachable Pet Clipper Blade #10: 1/16″ (1.5 mm)
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• Trimmer Blade #-3-3/4 (body)
Andis CeramicEdge Carbon-Infused Steel Detachable Pet Clipper Blade #3-3/4: 1/2″ (13 mm)
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• Blade Care Cleaning Solution
Andis Blade Care Plus Spray, 16-Ounce
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• 8.5” Grooming Scissors Curved
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• 5” Safety Grooming Scissors
CONAIRPRO Dog & Cat Round-Tip Grooming Shears
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• Straight Hair Puller (hair removal from ears)
Straight Non-Locking Hairmostat Hair-Puller
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• Nail Trimmer
Safari 770045 Professional Nail Trimmer
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• Dematting Comb
Hertzko Undercoat Dematting Comb/Rake Long Blades with Safety Edges
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• Slicker Brush
Safari Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Dogs
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• Metal Comb
Cafhelp 2 Pack Dog Combs with Rounded Ends Stainless Steel Teeth
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• 3 Pack Tick Remover Tool Set
3 Pack Tick Remover Tool Set Stainless Steel Tick Remover Kit for Cats and Dogs
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• Syptic Powder
(stops bleeding if nails are trimmed to close to the quick)
Cardinal Laboratories Remedy and Recovery Professional Groomer’s Styptic Powder for Pets
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• Spray Nozzle (attaches to your shower head)
Rinse Ace Snap ‘N Spray 6-Foot Quick-Connect and Detachable Hose with On/Off Sprayer
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• Pet Hair Dryer
(You can use a standard human blow dryer, but they don’t work well on poodles)
SHELANDY Groomer Partner Pet Hair Force Dryer Dog Grooming Blower with Heater
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Recommended dog grooming supplies: Shampoo etc
• Natural Dog Shampoo
Pet Pleasant Lavender Oatmeal Natural Dog Shampoo
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• Dog Toothbrush and Toothpaste
(can be bought together in a package)
Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Dental Kit
How to groom a dog: Set up and methods
Where do you set everything up for your dog haircut?
I use my home office space as a grooming area. It does scatter a lot of fur all over the floor and furniture, but it’s very close to the tub where I bathe Ellie and has lots of light and a ceiling fan to keep her cool. In general, it’s helpful to be in an enclosed space where your dog won’t be distracted by other people or pets during the grooming session.
Craig grooming his poodle Ellie
What method do you use during the haircut? Do you work from head to tail? Do you refer to a photo of how you want your dog to look?
When I first started, I printed out photos of Ellie with her better cuts from the various groomers and tried to emulate that look. After the first few cuts, I pretty much knew what I was after and no longer needed the photos. My method is to give Ellie a bath first (it’s always better for your cutting tools to cut clean fur). Then I trim her full body, her face and her groin area and feet with and electric trimmer. After that, I trim her top knot, ears and tail with scissors. I do the nail trimming last.
For my home grooming, I only use #10 blades for close trimming. There are other blades like the #40 that will trim closer to the skin that professional groomers prefer to use for the “clean feet” trim, but there is a greater risk of damaging the skin with those blades. So for people who are attempting to learn how to groom at home, I would recommend sticking with the #10 for the safety of your pet.
How do you get your dog to hold still while you use the clippers?
When I first started, I used a head harness that was attached to the grooming table from a steel arm to try and keep Ellie still. But I found that it was difficult to work around and I was constantly having to remove it to work around her head, so I eventually stopped using it. Without that, I have to try to keep her in place with one hand and cut with the other. Most of the time she doesn’t move around much from the clippers, so it hasn’t been a big problem. She tends to be more squirmy when I’m trying to work on her top knot, but I don’t use clippers for that anyway.
Do you reward your dog with treats during or after the grooming process? If so, what kind do you recommend?
That’s probably a good idea, but I have not been doing that. If you did want to give treats, I would recommend using the small kibble-sized treats that are used for training. That way your dog can easily chew it without having pieces of a milk bone fall on the table that they then want to pick up. The training treats I like to use with Ellie are Bil-Jac Liver Dog Treats.
Do you play soothing music? What’s the best music for clipping poodles?
I do usually play music during the grooming, though it’s more for my benefit than Ellie’s. I usually play light jazz or mellow electronic instrumental music, which provides a low-key sonic environment for the session. The background music will also help mask out environmental sounds from other dogs or people that may agitate your pet while grooming.
How do you avoid cutting the dog’s skin when there are mats?
One of the tools I bought is a dematting comb, which is basically a rake with sharp blades that will pull through any mats from the skin outward. I use this on her entire coat before I trim her, so I have not had any issues with cutting her skin due to mats. Ellie of course doesn’t like it when I use this tool, as it pulls on her fur as it untangles the mats. But as long as I keep up with her regular brushing, I don’t have a lot of mats to contend with.
How often do you give your dog a haircut?
About every 6 weeks – a bit more often in the summer to help keep her cool.
Can bathing and grooming your dog affect their flea treatment? What type of flea treatment do you recommend?
For flea and tick treatment, I use what my vet recommends, a topical treatment called “FirstShield.” It’s a liquid Forthat you are supposed to apply to the dog’s back once a month. It’s absorbed through the skin and makes the dog’s skin and blood toxic to fleas and ticks when they try to make a home on your pet. I have a heard good reports about K9 Advantix II, which is available on Amazon and at pet stores.
In terms of grooming, it would be ideal if you could apply this about a week before they get groomed. By then, it will have been absorbed into the dog’s system, so the properly timed bath would wash out any residual material in their fur. As far as I know, the medication is not dangerous for humans if you come in contact with it, but I like to get any traces of it washed out of their fur as soon as possible after it’s had time to be effective.
Ellie is happy with her new haircut
Do you finish your grooming session with fragrance, bandanna or bows like a pro?
No, I’ve never been fond of adding accessories to Ellie. She’s pretty spectacular looking all by herself, and I never felt that her personality lent itself to her being accessorized. She’s really a hunter/explorer at heart, and I always cringed when the groomers would put little ribbons on her ears, making her look like a frilly show-dog rather than the proud, confident, independent spirit that I have come to know over the years.
Learning how to groom a dog
How did you learn how to groom a dog?
I read a couple of books on poodle grooming such as Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference, but I got the most help from YouTube videos. There was a whole series of them on poodles by a professional groomer, with each one focused on a different area of the poodle’s body. So I would watch the video, try things out myself, and then rewatch it to try and pick up more of the details. There was some general experimentation as well, but after a few cuts I felt confident I knew what I was doing overall.
What was it like first time you tried giving your dog a haircut?
I was quite nervous, particularly trimming around Ellie’s face and other sensitive areas. But I’ve always been very good with my hands and was very comfortable with the tools, so it came pretty easily to me. And it was such a feeling of accomplishment when I finished! After years of dealing with expensive groomers, it felt great to be able to own this task myself.
How long did it take the first time? How fast can you complete a haircut now?
The first couple of times it took me about 6 hours total (including the bath). Now I can get it done in a bit under 4 hours.
How long is the bath/blow dry and how long is the haircut phase?
The bath and drying phase takes about an hour. The grooming takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on how much work there is to do. I should note that in addition to these full grooming sessions, I try to get Ellie up on the table for good brushing and general touch-up every weekend. If I’ve kept up with that, the full grooming goes faster. But if I miss a week or more, it takes longer as there’s more time spent dematting the fur and cleaning out her ears.
Rewards of grooming your own dog
What is the most rewarding part of grooming your dog yourself?
Seeing how pretty Ellie is when she’s all done. Poodles are among the most beautiful dog breeds due to their unique physique and fur type, so she looks pretty amazing when she’s freshly groomed. People really notice her when she’s freshly groomed, so it’s always fun to take her on a walk and have the neighbors comment on how good she looks.
Ellie is a show-stopper with her new haircut
How do people respond when they see your dog after you cut her hair?
Most people are pretty wowed by Ellie. You don’t see many Standard Poodles around here (and not that many Poodle mixes either), so she’s quite a show-stopper when groomed. Many are confused by her full tail though – they assume she’s a doodle because it wasn’t docked.
What is the most challenging part of grooming your dog yourself?
While some of the specific tasks are harder than others, probably the biggest challenge is the sustained physical and mental effort required for a full bath and grooming session. I prefer to do the groom right after the bath when possible, so the whole session requires about 4 hours of constant standing and manipulating tools with a lot of focus and care. And because Ellie is so heavy, just getting her into and out of the tub and onto the grooming table is physically difficult. She refuses to cooperate when she realizes it’s bath time, so the pet stairs I initially bought for her to walk up to the grooming table turned out to be useless (thank goodness for Amazon Prime returns!)
Do you have any plans to develop your dog grooming skills?
I would really like to take a class on dog grooming, just to see if I could pick up some new techniques or improve on the ones I’m currently using. But I haven’t been able to find any kind of continuing education courses on pet grooming, so at this point I’m just trying to refine my own methods through trial and error.
What have you learned from dog grooming that you can use in other parts of your life?
Learning a new skill can be both challenging and frustrating. But with a bit of perseverance and focus, you may surprise yourself at what you can achieve!
What advice do you have for first-time dog groomers?
Don’t give up! It takes a lot of practice to become proficient at all the different aspects of grooming a dog, but it’s not really that difficult once you figure out how to use the tools and negotiate the process with your dog. And even if you make some mistakes as you’re learning, your pet’s fur will always grow back and you’ll have more chances to refine your technique. Also, don’t be afraid to outsource some of the tasks. If you are not comfortable trimming nails, cleaning ears or expressing anal glands, you can still take your dog to a salon or vet for those specific procedures. Even if you’re paying for one or more of those treatments, you’ll still save a lot of money in the long-run. It’s also very rewarding to see the end results and share them with your family and friends. Believe me, they will be impressed to learn that you did the grooming yourself!
Does your dog have any advice for first-time groomers?
Even though I may seem uncomfortable with some of the things you’re doing, I know that this process is for my own health and well-being. I trust you completely and would much rather have a bath and trim at home with you than by myself in a noisy salon with strange smells and lots of people and dogs I don’t know. Just remember to be patient with me when I squirm and keep talking to me during the process and I’ll be fine!
Related book
Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference
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In addition to his life as an amateur dog groomer, Craig is an industrial designer at Hallmark in Kansas City.
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Related links:
Best leash and collar for a big dog
Top 13 ways to stop puppy biting
Hello Lynne. Thank you for sharing this article. Grooming a dog is fun and enjoyable, but grooming is not effective only for a dog’s body but also effective for a dog’s behavior and I think this is a complete guide to grooming a pet.
well as a professional groomer I am glad to see you are using good equipment. But the difference between a professional and novice is I can get the same haircut done with bathing and drying in 2 hours. As long as your dog is well behaved I am fine with owners trying but it’s not easy on most dogs. Standard poodles have a great temperament as a breed for being calm while grooming most pets don’t behave this well and then they get knocked by their owners who don’t know what they are doing then expect us to fix their mistakes. If you have time patience, money and a well behaved dog then sure try it.
I enjoyed the article very informative. I am a novice groomer who completed a dog grooming course at the age of 63. I like Craig had a hard time finding a groomer, so decided to do it myself. Nearing retirement, I have transferrable skills that I can apply to pet grooming. I find it very satisfying to be able to help a dog in need
28 year professional groomer and business owner. One thing I didn’t see if a 40blade for the pads of the feet or to do clean feet on the poodle. Plus I’m like some of the other groomers. I have seen at home jobs ppl thinking they can do it themselves and have nothing but a mess wanting us to fix it. And sometimes it just isn’t fixable. Grooming takes alot of time and patience. And if you don’t have those plz bring your baby to a professional one.
You raise an important issue about how to trim a poodle’s feet. I asked Craig about this and he provided the following answer, which I also inserted into the interview. Craig says:
For my home grooming, I only use #10 blades for close trimming. There are other blades like the #40 that will trim closer to the skin that professional groomers prefer to use for the “clean feet” trim, but there is a greater risk of damaging the skin with those blades. So for people who are attempting to learn how to groom at home, I would recommend sticking with the #10 for the safety of your pet.
You just took the words out of my mouth. I’ve been a dog groomer for over 16 years. This article makes it seem like dog grooming is so easy. Yet mentally and physically he has to prepare himself, because it can take around four hours and is a lot of work.Hummm, read between the lines people. It is very exhausting to be a groomer. Very demanding profession. Pet parents expect a miracle. When they drop off a very matted, neglected, most of the time bad dog. I don’t want it shaved. I brush my dog daily..The dog is matted from head to toe. I’m doing what is best for your dog. Hair grows back.. Oh try shaving that yourself too. If it’s difficult for an experienced groomer. I can only imagine a DIY er trying to do it. You will probably cut off a dew claw or cut your dog up. I’ve had many clients tell me. How much they appreciate me after trying to groom their dog at home.. Almost always hair was all chopped up and they cut their dogs skin. Everything this groomer just mentioned is correct.. When we shave through a matted dog. It dulls our blades down. Blades are not cheap. Depending on where you get them or if they are on sale, $20,$30 on up.Or we also have to pay for upkeep on our tools. Professional blade and shear sharpeners aren’t cheap either. Dog groomers time is valuable. We shave butts,pads, clean the anal glands, shave other private parts.also a lot of times. There is poop stuck on the butt. While the dog is moving around, biting, barking at people or other dogs. If you are lucky you get some good dogs. That remind you why you became a dog groomer.So much to mention. People please educate yourself more on proper maintenance of your dog. Maybe go talk to your local groomer. So they can talk to you about grooming your dog. Everything you should be doing. If the condition of your dogs coat is good. No tangle’s or matt’s. It is a little less to groom.
I get it when groomers get upset at owners grooming their dogs and having to deal with the mistakes but I’m fed up with not being able to find reliable groomers. I have a standard poodle that is my service dog and he’s been trained to be a good dog being groomed. When I first started taking him to groomers he was fine. When I started picking him up and he was shaking all the time I started staying and watched the groomers . One groomer had about 6 dogs running loose when I stayed. There was a toy poodle in the corner cowering. In the beginning when I picked him up it was just her dog and mine running in an enclosed area. Her mother whom was her baby sitter left early, brought her 4 year old and baby into her and left. The baby started fussing and I held him and took care of him so my dog could get done. It was total chaos.I took him to someone else & thought I had the perfect groomer when I seen her drag my dog 5 feet across the floor with his lease while he was in the sitting position. She didn’t give him a chance to get up. The next I stayed while she was grooming and heard him yelp and peeked around the corner and she was working on his feet. When he came out he was shaking his head really bad and I asked if he yelped because of his ears being done and she said yes. She lied and that was the final straw. If she would of been honest there would of been more trust but my dog shouldn’t have to be hurt while being groomed. It took me about 3 hours to groom him myself the first time. He loved it and looks pretty good. I’m taking him to the vet to have his ears plucked and nails cut till I’m comfortable with it but he was a happy dog having me do it. Plus it was a great bonding experience for us even though we are already close with him being my service dog. I watched tons of videos on grooming poodles before I did do it myself. Just a thought: Groomers should have cameras on them while they groom your dog like nanny cams on children.
Professional groomer here. Lol seems to be a theme on the comments. I love how well you take of your dog, one thing I did not see mentioned until the comments is that this dog had been professionally groomed the first five years of its life. Which means it has been trained by a professional on how to behave on the table and with the tools before the owner started grooming himself. Please remember to include that bit of information, dogs do not just behave, professional groomers take the time to nurture and train your pet in the grooming environment to make it so they understand how to behave on the table. That is an important key that I felt like was stepped over or I stepped over it in my reading. Tha tf is such a key ghaf the dog is trained to behave on the table.
This was a wonderful article. I am one of those people who couldn’t afford a groomer, but had my heart set on Golden Doodle from the day I saw one. I also have a Yorkie mix. I learned to groom out of necessity, but have recently become certified. You do beautiful work. I was glad to hear I am not the only one who gets nervous with the face, especially with my clients. So far everyone is happy. My main goal is a stress free groom for the dog and “comfort before vanity ALWAYS”. Great article. Thanks for the read.
]Hi. Professional pet groomer here. I think its fantastic that you groom your own dog. I wish more pet parents took care of their dogs grooming needs. That being said. If you think about how many hours you spend grooming your dog and that a groomer is only making 50% of that amount it will average out to about $12.50 per hour. Not a lot of money to be made. Most groomers I know do it because they love the animals and want to make them look and feel their best. If someone where to ask me what I wish more pet parents would do, I would say simply brush and comb your dog. Nothing is sadder than a dog who is matted that they don’t have full range of motion. I groomed a dog last week who was so matted he couldn’t open his mouth all the way. The look on his face when I finally shaved the matting of of him and he realized he could open his mouth wide had me weeping. He kept doing it like he couldn’t believe his misery was over. Then he gave me wonderful snobbery kisses and it made it all worth it.
Hello Kerri. Thank you for your comments on the home grooming interview I participated in. In hindsight, I do wish I’d put more emphasis on noting the value of having a top-quality dog groomer work with your pet – they are truly worth their weight in gold! It’s a really difficult profession, as professional dog groomers work long hours and have to deal with a wide array of pets (many of whom are frightened, poorly maintained or uncooperative). So kudos to you for providing a valuable service to your clients! In my case, I got into doing this at home largely because I had so much trouble finding a groomer I felt comfortable with for the long-term. In the first 5 years of my poodle’s life, we went through 4 different groomers. Two of them I didn’t really click with, and the other two both left my nearby grooming salon a year or so after I had started working with them. Had either of the groomers I liked continued to work there, I would have been perfectly willing to continue on with them. But when the last one bailed only a day before my appointment, I decided to try it myself (in part because I could not get in with anyone else on such short notice, and Ellie very badly needed a trim at that point). Anyway, I did not intend to diminish the value of your work, or anyone who does this professionally. It’s a lot of work, and requires a high level of patience, manual dexterity and rapport with your pet to be successful. So thank you for being one of those people who tends to our pets – I do truly value people like you who help them look and feel their best!
So true I have groomed my dog a few times myself and know my dog is just used to the routine and thankful he knows how to behave. There’s no way I could handle the grooming if he had not had the professional experience!
I understand you are confident in grooming your own dog. But in over 20 years of grooming, I have seen the results of home grooming jobs people have brought in expecting us to fix. Including deep lacerations that should have been seen by a vet before the groomer. Yes you are doing a good job with your dog. But it’s not for everyone. If most pet owner’s would learn to brush their dogs, a lot of work for the groomer would be easier. That’s part of the expense. Owner neglect. It takes time and care to shave a matted mess of a dog to help the dog so that they can walk normal again. Go to the bathroom normal again. Clean the eye goop dried around their eyes where they can’t see. Clean their ears so they can hear again. These are the things that don’t get talked about. The condition of how a dog truly comes into a grooming shop. No, it is not every dog. But, it becomes too many to count every week.
Hi Juanita. Thank you for your reply to the dog grooming article. I do agree with you that there risks involved with grooming a dog, and that home-grooming does require a certain level of knowledge, patience and manual dexterity to be safe and successful. And not everyone is cut out for that type of work, in which case a professional groomer is the better option. And I also agree that there is a lot of value in the services that dog groomers provide, particularly if the pet’s coat is in poor condition. In those situations, I would definitely recommend taking the pet to a professional groomer, as that becomes a whole different set of skills to deal with deep matting and other issues. Hopefully anyone attempting to do home grooming is working exclusively with their own pet and maintaining the coat with regular brushing, so that the grooming process doesn’t present unexpected challenges. And for that reason, I would not suggest that a home-groomer take on another person’s pet, as there are too many unknowns about the condition of the coat and the temperament of the animal for that to be advisable. And I as I mentioned, I would not recommend doing any process that an individual is not comfortable with. The pet’s safety is the top priority, so it’ important to gauge your capabilities as you move forward and not put your pet at risk. In any case, I thank you for your efforts in working with the pets that come into your salon.
I’m so happy to hear that Ivan learn more, before I settle on a groomer. I have a cavapoo and his coat is a mess, now I’m ready to learn.THANK YOU!!!
Hi Suzy. Thanks for your comment. I do hope you are able to work with you pet as you are planning. But I would say that if your pet’s coat is heavily matted or otherwise in poor condition, it may be better to bring your pet to a professional groomer initially. That way, they can deal with any matting or other issues that require more expertise and safely restore your dog’s coat. Once your pet’s coat is back to good condition, that would be a better time to start any home grooming you may want to attempt. It’s safer for your pet, and less frustrating for you. Anyway, good luck on your grooming efforts!
Im a dog groomer myself that’s great you started doing yourself. Keep it up, I actually was in touch with my friends and family asking if they like to learn from me on a live video on FB how to maintain their dog during the covid and even practice on their new pup so they can be prepared to go to the groomers. Definitely check out YouTube videos for new ways to groom. At least you see and know why it does take time with grooming a dog and it’s worth the price to pay the groomer. Also imagine some of these groomers only get 50 percent commission unless its their own, either way they have to provide their own equipment. I encourage for pet owners to practice at least rubbing their dogs nails and paw pads or even use a nail filer so their dog is not so aggressive or stressed getting it done with a groomer, including brushing their coat.
Hi Brenda. Thanks for your comments. That’s great that you reached out to see if you could help some friends and family maintain their pet’s coat during the COVID19 shutdown. I know that many grooming salons were either closed or had reduced capacity, so it’s nice that you’re offering an alternative during this crunch. And I do agree that top quality groomers deserve every cent they make (and probably more!). Dealing with a wide array of pets for 6 to 8 hours a day would be truly exhausting. Having done my own pet’s grooming for about 5 years, I can truly appreciate how hard groomers have to work! So thanks for all your efforts to provide good care for everyone’s pets – it’s much needed and under-appreciated profession!
That was a veryinteresting read. I have two standard poodles and a toy poodle and was fortunate to live near a grooming school. The dogs were groomed there until we moved to France. I then decided that I had to clip myself. I watched grooming videos and bought all the equipment. I think I have now pretty much perfected the grooming. I do all dogs about once a month and I think they look pretty good. I have the legs a bit longer and cut with scissors, as is the head and tail. I use clippers on the body face and feet. The only challenge is cutting the nails as one dog will not let me do it… It is a hard job but a very satisfying one.
I have a miniature schnauzer Emma. One year old fuss budget. It is extremely difficult to trim the hairs inside the pads. Her nails? I take her to the vet. I started on my own became I believe they may have been a little rough with her. I noticed where I took her that they acquired more dogs over the COVID season. So I’ m doing it. I even gave her a triangular shaped face. But oh the feet. Help!
Craig, for more information about grooming shows and classes and for other grooming tips, find the Groomer to Groomer magazine online. Current issues can be downloaded.
Marice, Thanks for the information you posted – I will check out “Groomer To Groomer” as you suggested!