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Updated 10/9/13 Hi, I'm The Big Whoop and I have been in the grooming industry for four years. In this thread, we will discuss coat types, hair cuts as well as tools used in the industry. What does a groomer do/ what's in a groomer? A groomer is a professional in the pet industry who helps to keep your pups clean and healthy. Many owners of small breeds such as Shih-tzu chose to keep their dogs in a short cut for many reasons. One being they cannot deal with the maintenance of hair that continually grows. We're basically hair dressers for dogs, but we do so much more than just clip hair. A good groomer will be able to communicate with the owner to help decide which length and style is correct for their dog. A good groomer will also be able to "express" anal glands. They should also be experienced in handling 'difficult' clients, such as a dog who constantly pulls away or bites while having his hair cut. Often times, groomers will be the first people to notice a skin or coat issue and will be able to recommend a vet. A groomer also cuts nails, and cleans ears. Coat types: Long hair/drop coat: Breeds like the Maltese and Shih-tzu have "hair" type fur. It continually grows and needs to be maintained through brushing and combing. Most owners of these types of dogs chose to keep their hair in a short clip because it is easier to deal with. Sometimes owners will keep their pup in a longer cut, and chose to bring it into the groomer for a weekly brush-out. The hair, left natural is long and straight.  Curly Coat: This is hair that grows in curls, such as a Poodle or a Bichon. The hair is a bit more coarse than a silky coat and often stands up on its own. This coat type does not "shed". They are often recommended for people with allergies, which really makes no sense because it's the dander (the dead skin) of an animal that people are allergic to.  Smooth Coat: Your generic run of the mill dog hair. It grows to a point and then falls out. Rodesian Ridgebacks, Wiemerieners and Bloodhounds have this kind of coat. They are CONSTANTLY SHEDDING. Grab a curry comb and rub it all over the dog's body TIA  Short Coat: We're looking at dogs that have a short coat that outlines their body but also carries an undercoat. Labradors and Rottweilers have this kind of coat. They shed their undercoat twice a year and require a bath and brush-out.  Double Coated: Spitz type breeds like the Pomeranian, Samoyed, and Husky have this type of coat. There is a medium, smooth topcoat which can outline the dog's body. Like the short coated breeds, they carry an undercoat which needs to be "blown" twice a year. Because there are two types of hair growing out of the same follicle, shaving this type of coat can lead to intensive coat damage that can take months or even years to repair.  Combination/Silky Coat: We've got Golden Retrievers, and most setter type breeds on this list. These dogs have undercoats, and shorter hair on their faces, paws and legs. The outer coat is silky and sometimes a bit wavy.  Broken/Wire Coat: TERRIERS. Jacks, Airedales, Schnauzers etc. This is a coarse coat with three hair follicles growing in it. If you touch the dog, it should feel really rough. The original purpose was to protect these dogs from harsh elements. The outer layer is dead hair. The proper way to groom these dogs is to hand strip, or card the hair. This involves pulling the top layer of dead hair out of the follicle, however most pet owners decide to clip instead. It leaves a silkier coat ruins the rough texture most of the time. I've heard of some groomers being able to repair this coat type, but I personally don't believe it. 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.  Tools of the trade: Clippers: Used to shave the coat to the desired length. A good pair of clippers will have a snap on the size of the blade, reducing hand scissoring. A very experienced groomer can use the clippers to "free shape" a coat.  Clip Combs and blades: Used as a guide, snap onto the clippers to clip at the desired length. Many groomers chose to use these backwards, as it reduces the amount of "clipper marks". Especially in a very short clip or on light haired animals.   Metal Combs: Metal combs are used to comb out the coat all the way to the skin so clippers can go through easier. Also helps with shaping topknots (the hair on the top of the dog's head) and removing mats.  Slicker Brushes: Used for removing mats and smoothing out a coat. Can also be used to help de-shed.  Mat breakers: Used to "slice" through a particularly nasty mat. If the mats are too close to the skin or it would hurt the dog too much, the mats are shaved out.  Table: Used to bring the dog to our eye level. No, we can't just sit on the floor and trim away. It would look like poo poo.  Scissors, Curved, thinning and straights: We use these to shape the coat. Usually 7 inches or longer. Thinning shears can be used to get out mats, or to shape the coat into a more natural look.  Shampoos and conditioners: Don't look at me like that, you know what these are for. There are "bluing shampoos" often used to make a dog's coat look brighter or darker. Medicated shampoos and oatmeal shampoos can be used to help with itchy skin! Conditioners can be used for this purpose as well. Groomers buy shampoos in concentrated gallons, and dilute as needed.  Force dryer/Fluff dryer/Cage dryer: Used to dry the dog. We cut the hair while it is dry. Force dryers are LOUD but they really do an amazing job of drying FAST by pushing the water out of the coat. Also used to get that pesky undercoat out. With smaller, smooth coat breeds I usually towel dry them and put them in the kennel dryer. They really only take a few minutes to dry and it's really not worth freaking out the little guy.  Nail Clippers/Dremels: used to clip and smooth out the dog's nails.  A note on mats: Mats are tangles in a dog's hair. Because a dog's hair is all over its body, and because of the different textures, they are often worse than the tangles in a human's hair. Mats can become so tight that they reduce or even prevent air circulation from getting into the skin. Also, because a dog's hair is all over his body, mats can cause pain when they move. We often have to shave dogs that are too matted because it is very time consuming to brush out mats, and can also result in a lot of pain.  Anal Glands. What are they and how are they relevant to grooming? Anal glands are little glands that contain poojuice located in the dog's anus. (picture here). They are used in nature to give dogs information about each other. When you see a dog sniffing another dog, this is what they are smelling. With little dogs especially, the anal glands can sometimes become clogged or infected and they might need medical attention. As groomers, we "express" them externally to prevent this from happening.  How appointments work Depending on where you go (or how busy the salon is) some places are walk-in, and some places require an appointment- First come, first serve. It is always best to schedule an appointment, although most places will take walk-in for little things like nail trims. My Groomer told me it would take 4 hours for the haircut to be done! Why does it take so long? There are many reasons a groom might take a long time. Many dogs will not tolerate the force dryer, so they have to be towel dried and then kennel dried. A new or difficult client might take longer because we are teaching the dogs to behave on the table. Some dogs have hair that is extremely challenging to dry all the way. All dogs that are groomed require the hair to be bone dry before we can give them a haircut. Another reason might be that something with a lot of hair and a complicated haircut came in. For a slower groomer, a standard poodle might take up to three hours depending on the complexity of the haircut. Hey The Big Whoop, can you walk me through a typical groom? I can absolutely walk you through a typical groom, theoretical goon! For the purposes of this question, I will use a Shih-tzu as an example. We will say he is 3 years old, neutered and has a long coat. His name is Smiley. The owner's name is Sandra. Sandra will call my shop to schedule an appointment. Here is how the conversation goes: Me: Good afternoon! Big Whoop's House Of Dog, this is The Big Whoop speaking, how can I help you today? Sandra: I was calling to see about getting my dog Smiley groomed. Me: Ok, can you tell me what kind of dog Smiley is? Sandra: Yes, he is a Shih-tzu. Me: Okay, is Smiley up to date on vaccinations? We have a policy here that all dogs must be current on their rabies. Just bring in his paperwork when you come to see us! Sandra: Yes, and he's neutered. Me: OK, when were you looking to have him groomed? Sandra: How about this Tuesday at 1:00? Me: Sound wonderful. Just remember to bring in his paperwork! See you then! On Tuesday, she will come into my salon and bring Smiley in for his appointment. I have my metal comb with me so I can access the condition of his coat. Me: So what are we doing with Smiley today? (I let Smiley smell my hand so he can get used to me) Sandra: Well I was thinking he could only have a little trim up... (I run my comb through the dog's coat so I can see the condition it is in. It is matted, but not to the skin) Me: Unfortunately his coat is matted on the outside. It will have to be a little shorter than you're used to, is that okay? (sometimes I will explain a little bit about what mats are and why they're bad for the dog) Sandra: That sounds okay. But not too short okay? (I show her by taking my hand and pinching a bit of hair to the length I have in mind) From here, she shows me his paperwork, and I ask all the standard questions about health problems, etc. He doesn't have any health problems, and is good for the groomer. I tell her he will be done in about 2 hours. She goes out for some shopping. Prework: Before his bath, I need to cut down on some of his hair to cut down on drying time. Also, if I bathe him while he has mats in his coat, it will only cause the mats to become tighter and harder to work around. Sometimes I also clip the nails at this stage. I start clipping from the back of his neck all the way down his back and then move on to his legs, etc. I also shave him short around his private areas to prevent any waste from sticking to his fur. He has his bath and if the owner requests, I express his anal glands. I towel and then force dry him. When he is dry, I can finish my cut. I go over his body again with the length I want, and use my scissors to clean up any spots I may have missed. I use my scissors to cut the hair around his eyes and around his face. At this point I will also remove hair from his ear canal and clean it out. I finish with a scent spray of the owners choosing and then call the owner to let them know he is done. She loves the cut! She tells me she will bring Smiley back to me, and re-books an appointment for 6 weeks later. Okay, So why is grooming so expensive? 50 dollars for a haircut? 30 for a bath? Whaaaat? Grooming is expensive because we are working on commission. Industry standard is 50 percent. So, all that work I did on Smiley only netted me 25 bucks. If Smiley had been a difficult dog, for example if he was a biter, I'd be putting my own health at risk. Thankfully a lot of this is circumvented if you learn how to read the body language. I also have equipment that I need to maintain. A new clipper is 150 bucks plus, whereas a clipper blade is anywhere from 20 to 40 dollars plus. I'm also clipping a lot more hair than on a human head, which requires a lot more work. Terms: Make sure you're clear with your groomer how long you want the fur to be! Remember, these terms are not catch all. "Teddy bear clip": Usually used to describe a longer cut on a curlier haired dog. The face and body are clipped to be the same length.  "Clean face/Feet": The face or feet are clipped VERY close to the skin. I usually do this with a #10 against the grain of the fur, but other groomers will use a #15 or #30 blade. Mostly used on poodles and poodle mixes, but I have some Shih-tzu owners request this as well. The foot is clipped up to the ankle.  "Paw trim": A paw trim is just what it says. We cut the hair on the underside of the feet to increase traction, and cut the top part to leave a smooth, pretty foot. Depending on the type of hair cut, paw trims can leave a really "tight" foot, or the hair can cover up the nails. "Shape-up/clean up": Includes paw trims, this is a term used mostly for combination coated dogs. We even out the fur by hand scissoring. "Lion cut": The standard cut for Portugese water dogs, long hair is left on the front half of the dog's body and the rest is cut close to the skin. There is a little tuft of hair left on the dog's tail. Some groomers take this to mean "Shave everything from the shoulders down." "Sanitary clip": Clipping the dog's private areas so that waste will not stick to the hair. Standard in most grooms. "Clipper burn": When a groomer's blades heat up, caused by old, dull and not lubricated blades, or if a dog's skin is really sensitive. Happens mostly with light skinned dogs. It's a burning rash type irritation on the skin. "Top knot": Mostly refers to the hair on the top of the head, like the poodle's afro. "Pom Poms": Round bunches of hair mostly present on the dog's ankle. Sometimes present on the sides of a dog. "Lamb Clip": The body is cut short and the legs are left long. Cat Grooming Many groomers will not do cats. Cats tend to get stressed out a lot more during the grooming process and a cat bite is much worse than a dog bite because of the bacteria in their mouths, and the way their teeth are shaped leads to deeper puncture wounds. Imagine a needle puncturing your skin verses a very sharp rock. Cats are often very expensive if you do find a groomer, for a bath on a shorthair cat starting around $50 US AMERICAN DOLLARS, and a full lion cut costing about $70 (in my shop). Cat skin is very thin, and tears like mad, so you have to be careful. Cats often require two people for the handling process. Mats are caused when dead hair wraps around live hair. Some older cats also have issues licking around their anal area, so a lot of owners opt for a sanitary trim. Lion Cut  Oftentimes it is the case with longhaired cats to get lion cuts because they become matted (cat hair is extremely soft and almost spongelike). A lion cut in a #10 blade (which is considered the "safest" blade because of the way the teeth are spaced) is when you cut from behind the ears down to the elbows, leaving the cat with what we call "booties". The tail is also shaved to have a ball at the end. Education In the USA, grooming requires no certification, anyone can pick up some clippers and scissors and call themselves a groomer. A master groomer is someone who has completed a standard breed cut on a timed test and is judged based on a series of tests. Most people looking to get into grooming will have apprenticed under a groomer, gone to grooming school, or completed a course in a corporate store. There are also seminars that people can go to at expos, which leads us into... Creative Grooming! breed standards are for smucks! Creative grooming is the catch all term for anything that is not like the basic cuts that are listed above. Creative grooming is art, and competitions are held at a lot of really big expos. I am sure you have seen the pictures of the poodles that were cut to look like Jack Sparrow, or a Chicken, or a buffalo. Creative grooming is controversial, but all the dies and materiel that is used is pet safe, and they won't let you enter the competitions if it is not. Most people who compete say their dogs love it because of the attention they receive. Some creative grooms (I am using poodles here as an example because they are the most common, but any dog can be creatively groomed):  creative grooming can range from holy poo poo zombie dog!  to "I accidentally my dog pink." The Big Whoop fucked around with this message at 22:56 on Oct 9, 2013 |
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Nov 27, 2012 22:16
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Do you ever groom cats or just dogs?
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Nov 27, 2012 23:34
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I groom cats, too. I have to have an assistant to scruff, and the place where I currently work at requires bubble muzzles. They have very stretchy and thin skin, so I only ever cut in a #10 blade which is considered the safest.
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Nov 27, 2012 23:36
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Do you ever groom dogs for the show ring?
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Nov 27, 2012 23:39
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I'm not nearly skilled enough to do that yet. Maybe when I get some better equipment and more experience... (I've been grooming for about 3 years and was bathing for about a year and a half- ergo 4 years "in the grooming industry") I have a co-worker who's been doing it for 7 years though and he's said he's done show dogs before.
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Nov 27, 2012 23:44
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Hey cool a grooming thread I like to sperg about grooming yaaay What do you think of this Pom clip?  Bit of a blurfest, but it's the best one I have of him 'stacked' to some extent. He had just got clipped that day. I'm just mildly curious as to what could be done better/worse. I've only tried this one place so far in our new town and have been back twice just because they seemed decent at their job and Keeper likes young female groomers. He just gets hand-scissored so as long as they don't shave him or anything I'm generally a happy customer. Once I went to see a groomer that had really good yelp reviews in San Francisco, but she kept pushing the 'teddy bear' shave cut on me saying it would be cute, and don't I want my dog to be cute? Oh look he'd be so cuuute with it! etc, etc. I was genial at first but after she huffily complained that it would take her 'longer' to hand-scissor him and once again pushed for the shave, I decided if I left Keeper with her he'd be shaved regardless of what I said, so I bowed out and made a polite excuse to leave. NO BUT SHAVE YOUR POM IT'S CUUUUUUUUUTE followed me out the door. 
Captain Foxy fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Nov 28, 2012 |
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Nov 28, 2012 00:56
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Do you try to suggest against people shaving double coated dogs, or just warn them once and do as they say? I know folks on PI have talked about the damage to a coat when it gets shaved, but does this harm the dog or does it just give them unappealing coats? Do you give them little bandanas and those stupid-yet-cute bows at the end?
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Nov 28, 2012 01:01
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Captain Foxy posted:Hey cool a grooming thread I like to sperg about grooming yaaay Luckily for you I specialize in double coat breeds! Since you're not showing, you can have him in any style you want! I'd take your thinning shears and thin out his feathers so they blend in a little more. I like a nice round butt on my spitz breeds (think MC Hammer pants) which a lot of my pom owners like a lot. Sometimes, I'll also create "butt cheeks" by scissoring down from the anus, creating a dividing line. Sometimes I'll actually blow on the hair itself to see where it actually lays naturally. four lean hounds posted:Do you try to suggest against people shaving double coated dogs, or just warn them once and do as they say? I know folks on PI have talked about the damage to a coat when it gets shaved, but does this harm the dog or does it just give them unappealing coats? I do try to warn against shaving double coated breeds. I warn the customer, and educate as much as possible, but if they are insistent then yes, I will take the money :\ It absolutely does damage the coat. Because double coats have two hairs growing out of the same pore, short shavedowns tend to "clog" up in the pore. Some double coated breeds end up with bald spots for months and even years. It can be somewhat minimized by brushing and stimulating the hairs however, most people that get shavedowns are lazy as gently caress and they just get the dog shaved again, or complain about the bald spots. In the case of huskies and such, it can actually damage the health of the dog because the coat acts as a heat regulator in hot and cold weather. The coat traps cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. And yes, I absolutely give them bandanas and bows at the end. Bandanas less nowadays because I work for a big box store and anything that's not approved is massively frowned upon, so I've been doing collar bows. I've even found a way to put bows in shorthair dogs. (it used to be my signature, and got me a lot of requests)
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Nov 28, 2012 05:33
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The Big Whoop posted:Sometimes, I'll also create "butt cheeks" by scissoring down from the anus, creating a dividing line. Sometimes I'll actually blow on the hair itself to see where it actually lays naturally. Dog rear end hair blowing. Yep.  Not the thread I thought I'd see the phrase "scissoring down the anus" in, but I know it couldn't be any other way. What do you recommend for beagles as far as anything? We only really wash him if he rolls in something foul, and brush him once in a while. The cats lick him, which works pretty well right now...
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Nov 28, 2012 05:39
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The Big Whoop posted:Luckily for you I specialize in double coat breeds! Since you're not showing, you can have him in any style you want! I'd take your thinning shears and thin out his feathers so they blend in a little more. I like a nice round butt on my spitz breeds (think MC Hammer pants) which a lot of my pom owners like a lot. Sometimes, I'll also create "butt cheeks" by scissoring down from the anus, creating a dividing line. Sometimes I'll actually blow on the hair itself to see where it actually lays naturally. I will tell my groomer to make my dog have butt cheeks now  In seriousness, a more natural feathering would be good. He looks fine to me, but I feel like he looks 'cookie cutter' and not quite as natural as maybe I'd like. I don't particularly care much, since Pardalis is actually excellent at grooming him at home, so if anything he gets brought to the groomer for socialization and to build up a routine of other people handling him instead of just me or people he knows, but it's always good to have something to tell them. I think I'm one of the few Pom owners that this shop gets that doesn't request a shave. The groomer was so relieved and gushed all over me for it, and apparently Keeper is their favorite Pom client. Can you post pics of clients dogs or is that a no-no? I want to see some good non-shaved poms and some hilarious ugly shaved ones. 
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Nov 28, 2012 06:35
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Captain Foxy posted:I will tell my groomer to make my dog have butt cheeks now How are you doing as far as coat blowing? With all of the groomstuff you do to him at home, he probably only needs to see the groomer when his undercoat is ready to be shed. Are you cutting him at home, or just brushing? I always forget to take before/after pics, but I didn't sign anything saying that I wouldn't post pictures on the internet Abbeh posted:Dog rear end hair blowing. Yep.
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Nov 28, 2012 07:25
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The Big Whoop posted:Make sure you're clear with your groomer how long you want the fur to be! Remember, these terms are not catch all.  I'll find another pic, but here is my parent's dog. Wasabi is a small apricot poodle, we shave his body down a little bit more than his face, at least in the summer. His winter cut is definitely more fluffy. Little brown doggies are the best.
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Nov 28, 2012 08:42
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The Big Whoop posted:Anal Glands. What are they and how are they relevant to grooming? Just to offer a veterinary perspective, we were taught that expressing the glands as a routine instead of only when necessary actually increases inflammation and can lead to infection.
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Nov 28, 2012 13:43
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I'm curious what your grooming routine would be for a dog like mine:  Silky/combo coat, I guess? I use a zoom groom, a shedding blade and a slicker on her (though, I'll normally just use the zoom groom & slicker, not the blade). Normally I just brush her, but when I bring her to a DIY grooming salon I'll shampoo her (no conditioner) and blow her dry. Every once in a while I'll trim the little soft wavy hair behind her ears since they tend to get knotted and they just look kind of messy. I'll trim the black of her tail nub to keep it tidy (not for sanitary reasons) and sometimes I'll trim some of the fur around her loin to shape it. I realize the cutting of the loin area isn't normal for the breed, but I just like the way it makes her waist look trim. Anything more that I could be doing? Anything less?
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Nov 28, 2012 14:03
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The Big Whoop posted:How are you doing as far as coat blowing? With all of the groomstuff you do to him at home, he probably only needs to see the groomer when his undercoat is ready to be shed. Are you cutting him at home, or just brushing? At home, I comb him out with a straight pin comb and/or an undercoat rake at least twice a week if I'm being lazy, usually more like 3-4x a week. The rake is used for when he's blowing coat, and it does an excellent job of removing the excess underfluff. He's so small that there isn't really much to remove, so I can usually handle it all at home, and I do trim him up myself or ask Pardalis to do it. He goes to the groomer twice a year primarily just for the experience and for a more professional look; I haven't actually taken him in during a coat blow! I have to say, I like my dog more when he's freshly trimmed. He's cuter. SHOW ME TERRIBLE POM CUTS PLEASE AND THANK YOU
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Nov 28, 2012 18:31
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Asstro Van posted:Just to offer a veterinary perspective, we were taught that expressing the glands as a routine instead of only when necessary actually increases inflammation and can lead to infection. Strange that you say that, I usually only do it on small dogs, their anal glands are usually very full and they need the little extra help. I won't express an impacted or abscessed anal gland. a life less posted:I'm curious what your grooming routine would be for a dog like mine: Captain Foxy posted:At home, I comb him out with a straight pin comb and/or an undercoat rake at least twice a week if I'm being lazy, usually more like 3-4x a week. The rake is used for when he's blowing coat, and it does an excellent job of removing the excess underfluff. He's so small that there isn't really much to remove, so I can usually handle it all at home, and I do trim him up myself or ask Pardalis to do it. He goes to the groomer twice a year primarily just for the experience and for a more professional look; I haven't actually taken him in during a coat blow! I have to say, I like my dog more when he's freshly trimmed. He's cuter. For example, I had a lady come in and tell me to make her 3 poms all "look like Bo from Facebook." Alright, so I took the #2 clip comb in reverse all the way up to the neck and blended the head right in. CF, if you're ever in Monterey come and visit me :V
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Nov 28, 2012 19:58
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God I loving hate Boo so god drat much. People who know me know that it is hilarious how much I spew angry froth over that dog. As far as anal glands go, as a small dog owner I usually have to have them expressed probably 2-3 times a year, if I notice he's scooting more than normal. He normally expresses them himself, from what I can tell (I don't investigate too closely, tbh) and then once he gets groomed I usually ask them to check and express as needed, and he apparently usually needs it. He actually just had an impaction pop up because I was expecting him to be fine without an expression for a while, but nooope, rear end juice + blood explosion in my bathtub.  From what I understand, their little asses are just so abrupt that they have a harder time getting it out naturally. I make jokes about Keeper being an anal-retentive but I suppose it's realistically accurate.
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Nov 28, 2012 20:35
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Yeah you might want to save the $8 and express them yourself if it comes to that. I find that all the charts online are hilariously inaccurate, and the best way to get at the anal glands is to actually touch the butthole and feel around for them. Pinchin' buttholes is just part of the job I guess.
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Nov 28, 2012 20:49
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Captain Foxy posted:God I loving hate Boo so god drat much. My 7lb Chihuahua has never needed help with her glands. I think all small dog owners are just making this up.
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Nov 28, 2012 20:55
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Tiny dog anus don't work right, I assure you. Megatron is a pretty moderate chi, IMO. My friend's big mutant chi doesn't have any problems either, but he's like 12lbs. I don't know how the really little chis are, but I assume they sometimes get impactions and such because it seems to be a common thing for the smaller 'Toy' set. As with any breeding for aesthetics, it seems you can also break the rear end of a dog by making it smaller.
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Nov 28, 2012 21:07
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a life less posted:My 7lb Chihuahua has never needed help with her glands. I think all small dog owners are just making this up. Could this vary from dog to dog? Dexter (19 lbs so he is "small") will start smelling so strongly of anal gland every 2-4 months or so. I try bathing him and scrubbing his butt cheek area really well thinking maybe it leaked out or something, but the smell will not go away until it gets his anals expressed. The normal response of the butt-squeezer is "oh my god those were full!"
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Nov 28, 2012 21:09
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cryingscarf posted:Could this vary from dog to dog? Dexter (19 lbs so he is "small") will start smelling so strongly of anal gland every 2-4 months or so. I try bathing him and scrubbing his butt cheek area really well thinking maybe it leaked out or something, but the smell will not go away until it gets his anals expressed. The normal response of the butt-squeezer is "oh my god those were full!" It could absolutely vary from dog to dog! Some "big" dogs have issues expressing too. I've seen some NASTY glands... everywhere from the "squirters" to the "noodle is coming out of my butt," to "Oh my god your anal glads were full of hard, yucky poo!!" If you want to do it yourself, I'd recommend you watch some videos! It's hard to get the hang of at first but with practice you can do it, I promise!!
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Nov 28, 2012 22:00
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What kind of brush will actually get hair off my dog? He has a sort of medium-coat that changes length and texture a couple of times a year for no particular reason. Here it is looking long, minus the 8" of hair I hacked off the bottom of his tail, and the 3" I cut off his butt: Here is a smoother phase, still zero brushing. He doesn't seem to have an undercoat, and each individual hair is wavy:  I've tried nylon soft brushes, metal pin brushes, the zoom groom, fine metal combs, those gloves with tiny rubber nubs, and the Furminator. Nothing actually removes more than a hair or two from him even when petting kicks up massive tumbleweeds of hair. Car upholstery seems to make the hair fly off him though, does anyone make a brush out of car seats?
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Nov 28, 2012 23:26
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Scary Ned posted:What kind of brush will actually get hair off my dog? He has a sort of medium-coat that changes length and texture a couple of times a year for no particular reason. Here it is looking long, minus the 8" of hair I hacked off the bottom of his tail, and the 3" I cut off his butt: Sounds like you need a force dryer! Or, try the hair dryer while you brush his hair against the grain... see if that helps.
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Nov 29, 2012 00:22
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How would you bathe a cairn terrier with a correct, harsh coat maintained by hand stripping? Would you use any kind of product at all, or just water with regular brushing of the coat?
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Nov 29, 2012 00:28
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What's the best way to trim the hair between a dog's toes?
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Nov 29, 2012 00:31
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notsowelp posted:How would you bathe a cairn terrier with a correct, harsh coat maintained by hand stripping? Would you use any kind of product at all, or just water with regular brushing of the coat? I'd bathe him with a mild shampoo if he's dirty, careful not to strip too many natural oils from his fur. I'd hand-card before the bath maybe using some chalk or ear powder to make the hand stripping process easier for you. I'd avoid conditioners if possible so his hair wouldn't get soft or greasy. Triangulum posted:What's the best way to trim the hair between a dog's toes? For the bottom of the foot, you're going to want to stick your fingers between the toes and use a #10 blade to "scoop" that foot out, starting from the center paw pad. Link to toe blade here (it requires clippers to use): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0KR05K9337&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-_-pla-_-NA-_-NA Also, what the crap newegg? When did you start selling grooming supplies? I also desperately want one of these: http://www.doublekindustries.com/401groom_port_details.php and/or a clipper vac system!
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Nov 29, 2012 01:03
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The Big Whoop posted:For example, I had a lady come in and tell me to make her 3 poms all "look like Bo from Facebook." Alright, so I took the #2 clip comb in reverse all the way up to the neck and blended the head right in. That damages their coat and removes their sun protection, right?
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Nov 29, 2012 01:11
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SynthOrange posted:That damages their coat and removes their sun protection, right? That too! If you look at my earlier post, it also reduces their ability to regulate their body temperature! That's why I won't touch a double coated breed in anything but a clipper comb (if I have my way) some people bitch that it's not as short as it usually is but drat IT I AM PREVENTING YOUR DOG FROM SUNBURN AND poo poo YOU UNGRATEFUL- *sorry technical difficulties* ... ... ... Ahem. I live in CA where it is sunny all of the time. Shaving your double-coated dog is actually pretty bad for them. Get a smooth-coated dog if you can't deal with the hair, or maybe run a brush through your dog's hair once in a while instead of bringing him into the groomer once every six months. I got into this industry to help dogs, not hurt them :\ Here, have a poodle I groomed the other day: 
The Big Whoop fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Nov 29, 2012 |
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Nov 29, 2012 01:27
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This is a really interesting thread, thanks for posting! Is there a reason why Poodles are always given fros and big ears (like the picture you just posted) other than style? I've always thought the short face/giant fro and ears cut was really ugly (no offense to your grooming  , it's a standard cut) and wonder why people get their Poodles cut this way.EDIT: For example, I think this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/syzygial/8217805568/in/pool-oodlesofpoodles is hideous, and this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilli/7985604467/in/pool-oodlesofpoodles/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/twostoutmonks/7984346215/in/pool-oodlesofpoodles/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/40560464@N02/8204358126/in/pool-oodlesofpoodles is adorable (Sorry for the flick links, just about to get off the bus home from work and don't have time to set up imgur) EDIT2: This one is the best! http://www.flickr.com/photos/42649786@N08/7050928357/in/pool-oodlesofpoodles Why can't people just cut poodles like this *sigh* SchrodingersFish fucked around with this message at 18:11 on Nov 29, 2012 |
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Nov 29, 2012 02:53
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The Big Whoop posted:I also desperately want one of these: http://www.doublekindustries.com/401groom_port_details.php and/or a clipper vac system! I have the equine ones. They cost a fortune and you have to be super gentle with them because they're soooooo easy to break, so I never lend them out. They are wonderful though because they don't blow air on the animal while they are clipping (some horses HATE that). But yeah, if someone breaks the coupling, it's $$$$$$, so if you ever get them never let anyone besides yourself close to them or you will regret it.
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Nov 29, 2012 03:26
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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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SchrodingersFish posted:This is a really interesting thread, thanks for posting! I don't take any offense to it! As it was said earlier in the thread, it is mainly a matter of personal preference. The original cut (that you see on show poodles) was originated to protect the dog's vital organs when it was retrieving in cold weather, but that takes a lot of work to maintain. Enelrahc posted:I have the equine ones. They cost a fortune and you have to be super gentle with them because they're soooooo easy to break, so I never lend them out. They are wonderful though because they don't blow air on the animal while they are clipping (some horses HATE that). But yeah, if someone breaks the coupling, it's $$$$$$, so if you ever get them never let anyone besides yourself close to them or you will regret it. Greycious posted: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. Greycious posted: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. Greycious posted: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. Greycious posted: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? Now you will hear the long and twisted story of The Big Whoop. Strap in, because it is long! I started out as a grooming assistant at one of the big box pet chains, with the promise that I would be moving on up within six months. My manager was a loony toon and refused to send me to school, so I left and went to another big box store. After six months, I began to apprentice under one of the groomers under the table, but the manager still refused to send me to academy. After a year I'd had enough and I called corporate and they finally sent me to their month training program. I was having problems at home, so I ended up leaving two months after and moved six hundred miles away. From there, since I wasn't happy with the education I had received, I worked under the table at a couple of places and learned even more. Then I moved even further north and learned a bit under a master groomer. Her receptionist hated my guts for some reason and I ended up losing that job, and my "best friend (a girl who I'd begun training)" turned on me. My boyfriend and I basically got sick of the east coast around this time, and another friend moved to the west coast and invited us along. I love the hell out of the people in the west coast and my industry is in high demand out here. I love it. Anyone can say that they are a groomer, which is why it is important to have a PORTFOLIO of your work. Different shops do things differently. TL:DR I went to a crappy big box school and then left and learned under some other really awesome people. The Big Whoop fucked around with this message at 04:59 on Nov 29, 2012 |
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Nov 29, 2012 04:54
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The Big Whoop posted:I'd bathe him with a mild shampoo if he's dirty, careful not to strip too many natural oils from his fur. I'd hand-card before the bath maybe using some chalk or ear powder to make the hand stripping process easier for you. I'd avoid conditioners if possible so his hair wouldn't get soft or greasy. No, it's not matted. The hair's just a bit long on the bottom of his foot and he's slipping around a bit. Plus it's probably going to snow soon and I don't want him getting snowballs between his toes. I have a #10 blade already too. Triangulum fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Nov 29, 2012 |
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Nov 29, 2012 09:58
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I'm catching up replying to some of this stuff, too! Background, I've worked "in the industry" (I'm so stealing that!) since Jan of '06, so that's almost 7 years, now. Been grooming since '08, so roughly 4-5 years, there. Been working at the same shop, no school for me, but I've done the math before and since the shop is so high volume, I've literally worked on thousands of dogs in that time. I'm insanely grateful for everything I've learned there, but I've done a poo poo ton of research on my own and feel I've really grown past where I'm working (for more e/n bullshit about it, check out my post history in the Random Nonsense thread).Captain Foxy posted:
 Hard to tell from the bit of blur, but I tend to like the edge a little softer, too, and depending on how the hair looked before the cut, I probably would have left more on, just because that's what I prefer, and I'm always of the camp of, "I can cut more off, but they haven't invented doggy weaves yet." I do like the legs more angled like that as opposed to rounded, though, just more of it. quote:Once I went to see a groomer that had really good yelp reviews in San Francisco, but she kept pushing the 'teddy bear' shave cut on me saying it would be cute, and don't I want my dog to be cute? Oh look he'd be so cuuute with it! etc, etc. I was genial at first but after she huffily complained that it would take her 'longer' to hand-scissor him and once again pushed for the shave, I decided if I left Keeper with her he'd be shaved regardless of what I said, so I bowed out and made a polite excuse to leave. NO BUT SHAVE YOUR POM IT'S CUUUUUUUUUTE followed me out the door. Maybe this is just me, but if it's going to take you longer to JUST scissor a dog, then you have to be doing something wrong.  Regardless of the cut, you have to finish off by scissoring, so taking a blade to the dog would just add to your time. Either she has a heavy hand and accidentally makes lines while smoothing it out, or she's not bothering combing the dog out smooth first, if I had to guess. The first is a skill level thing, the second is just lazy.four lean hounds posted:Do you try to suggest against people shaving double coated dogs, or just warn them once and do as they say? I know folks on PI have talked about the damage to a coat when it gets shaved, but does this harm the dog or does it just give them unappealing coats? If I owned the shop, I would never shave a double coated dog ever. Since I DON'T however, all I can do is strongly, strongly suggest against it, which tends to work, but for some reason pomeranian owners just never get it ever if they've already had their dogs shaved before.  If it's obvious that a dog's already been shaved previously, I tend to cave quicker, but if it's a fresh coat I'm pretty convincing with most people, at least.The one bonus to where I work is that since it's so extremely well established, the owner decided some years ago that she doesn't want to do larger shave downs anymore. Before I got there, they would shave anything you threw at them, and the only reason she'd complain is because  After she stopped taking the large dogs like that, she heard ME telling clients about how it ruins the coat, and now she's adopted that as her own reason, she was saying that the whole time, didn't you know? Not that I care, though, I'm just glad I'm not shaving goldens and labs anymore.We most definitely give bows at the end, too.  Always on the collar unless the owner says not to, and ear bows a lot, too. Not too many center/ponytails these days, seems like no one wants to bother. We sell bandanas, but sometimes we'll throw one on a client we really like.  Aaannndddd now I'm running late. More later!
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Nov 29, 2012 13:19
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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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Triangulum posted:No, it's not matted. The hair's just a bit long on the bottom of his foot and he's slipping around a bit. Plus it's probably going to snow soon and I don't want him getting snowballs between his toes. I have a #10 blade already too. 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. I'm going to rant a little bit about my bathers here-- we had one girl who quit after 9 months who I really wanted to send to groom school (even though she was quite awesome with the dogs, although a little slow-- her actually skill level was about 9 or 10 dogs in 8 hours, whereas she was only comfortable with doing 5 or 6 bath dogs). I've got a bather who's been there four years and is good but slow as well. I've got a big problem with my new bathers being absolutely clueless. I've got issues with them just leaving the salon to wander around the store, leaving me to answer the phone that's halfway across the room. They feel like they can just wander out of the salon without letting me know where they are going or why. Another problem I am having is a few of them seem unwilling to want to learn anything. It is frustrating. Give me a newbie who wants to learn stuff over someone who's unwilling to learn any day of the week. Today I almost had a heart attack when one of them checked in a groom dog--that apparently had a note underneath the service order saying they were trying to grow out this hair, when the service order said he was getting a SHORT haircut. When I talked to the bather about it he got all defensive and like "I didn't do anything wrong." So I told him he had to have someone more experienced than him help him check in. It's okay, we were all new once. I told him that I was under the same rules while I was bathing, and it seemed to only make him more uppity. Sigh.
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Nov 30, 2012 05:45
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Is it even a good idea to call a groomer about bringing in my dog-reactive dog? She gets super stressy the couple times I've had her in just for a nail trim. I usually wash her myself and I dremel her nails, as she's a smooth coated dog. However, with lots of rain and her smelling kind of like old stale popcorn, I was considering taking her in to be groomed. And, she needs her glands expressed and the vet charges $45. She did poorly (not snapping, just really stressed and worried) when I took her to a big store groomer, so I'm hoping that a small place without high traffic might be okay. Since I can take care of most of it myself, I'm more just curious if it's worth asking if they can handle an anxious dog that fixates on other dogs.
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Nov 30, 2012 05:49
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Gonktastic posted:Is it even a good idea to call a groomer about bringing in my dog-reactive dog? Yes!!! If you find a good groomer and are up front with your issues, learning to tolerate the process can do wonders in a dog's life. It can almost be like free training if you get the right situation, since the groomer will want to make it a better and better experience and might see things about your Doug's behavior that you aren't noticing. I'm a bit bias since I'm looking to switch to training, but it really is in the groomer's best interest to make your dog a better dog. That said, you're really going to want to screen places when deciding where to go. Just like you would with picking a trainer, get a feel for how they would handle the situation and make sure you feel comfortable. Make sure they seem like they want to help as opposed to just tolerate the problem, and if THEY sound hesitant or like they're trying to deter you from coming, just head elsewhere. People know their limits, you don't want to push the issue.
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Nov 30, 2012 08:10
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