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The #1 Strategy to Build a Thriving Clientele

Marketing has always been an interesting component to running any of my companies. After all, if I don’t have customers, I don’t have a business. And if my business isn’t flourishing, I do not earn a paycheck – and neither do any of my team members.

Here are a couple of questions I’m asked all the time:

What’s your secret to creating a thriving company?
How do you get repeat clients?

Do you know what’s at the heart of all businesses?

People.

I don’t care how much you love the animals, it’s the people who make companies thrive. And people are experts at knowing if they FEEL valued. That goes for both your staff and your clients. If you’re working with a team of people, it has a trickle-down effect. It’s important to treat your staff with respect. With dignity. With fairness. Bottom line, make them feel valued. If you can do that successfully with your team members, they will in turn treat the customers in the same manner.

When it comes to service-based businesses, you’re not selling the service of grooming dogs or cats. In professional services, you’re not really selling YOUR expertise. It’s taken for granted that you must know what you’re doing. What you are selling is a personal relationship. A relationship with the owner.

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with all types of professional groomers and stylists. I have seen some of the most talented pet stylists struggle to maintain a healthy clientele. Even if they were passionate about their trade, maintaining a robust clientele and growing a business just wasn’t in the cards for them. At the same time, I have seen mediocre groomers grow an amazing repeat client base that keeps their appointment book overflowing.

What’s the difference?

It stems from the ability to interact positively with their staff and the clients. In the end, the most successful grooming salons are professionally run AND highly personable. They have the ability to win over the customers, building their trust with their precious four-legged babies. Simply put, it’s a personality contest – just like in high school!

Always remember, most clients of complex services cannot gauge knowledge.

They can’t tell…

If their tax return was done exceptionally well.
If they have had an insightful diagnosis on a complicated illness.
If they have a brilliant attorney that’s going to win their case.
If they are going to get a fabulous grooming job on their pet.

What a client or a perspective client can tell is if they were involved in a positive relationship.

They can tell…

If phone calls are returned.
If they are treated politely.
If the job was completed when it was promised.
If their pets are treated with compassion.

In a service-based business like pet grooming, having a highly personalized team of people handle your clientele is the key to a thriving business. Technical skills will only take you so far. Being able to win over the trust and hearts of your clientele is the real key to a successful grooming business.

Grooming salons and pet stylists who have captivated more than 60% retention rate of their clientele is going to succeed in any market. If your salon or stylist isn’t retaining over 40% of their appointments, you need to look deep within your level of service – dissected and fix it.

Make your clients feel special.

Listen to their needs.
Solve their problems.
Treat them with dignity and respect.
Handle their pets with kindness and compassion.
Under-promise and over-deliver on everything you can do for them.
Always be grateful and thankful they are giving you the opportunity to serve them.

If your technical skills are not up to par – improve them.

Become a more talented groomer/stylist by increasing your knowledge base.
Continuously practice to improve your current technical skill base; bathing, drying, clipping, scissoring, thinning, and hand-stripping.
Learn to be more efficient with your grooming time.
Always work with safety, quality, and compassion worked into the equation.
Constantly push yourself to a higher level in everything that you do.

If you focus on making people feel valued – while offering a solid service – people will follow you. It will seek out the services you offer. I’d love to say people will flock to you just because you are the best groomer in the area, but they won’t. You have to win their respect – and their trust. And you do that by being personable.

And the real beauty of this? Treating people with respect so that they feel valued doesn’t cost anything. It takes is a grateful attitude, a smile, and the willingness to serve with a heart.

Happy Trimming!

~ Melissa

P.S.

Go online and tell us what you think on the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page.

How to Avoid Stress & Burnout

Professional stress and burnout is the number one thing that stops a successful career in its tracks. So how do you keep it from happening? How do you keep your job fresh? Fun? Rewarding?

Here are a few of my top suggestions.

Difficult Dogs

Dealing with difficult dogs or cats is one of the biggest challenges we face every day. You know the feeling in your gut when you see them on your appointment book. Those feelings of dread, anger, and sometimes fear – those negative emotions that get associated with one pet or client. You begin fretting about them right away, don’t you?

I don’t know many people who enjoy dealing with an uncooperative pet. One of the easiest ways to minimize your stress level is to simply eliminate them from your schedule.

There are plenty of nice, well-behaved dogs in the world to groom. I strongly suggest not doing any more than you can handle confidently and safely. Your skill level should dictate how much you can comfortably take on. Typically, the more experience you have, the more challenging the pet you can safely handle. To stay safe, know your limits – and the limits of the pet entrusted to you.

Here is the rating scale I’ve used to rate a dog’s (or cat’s) personality.

#1: Perfect angel on the grooming table. We love these pets!

#2: Bouncy and wiggly. Does not respect rules and boundaries but is not mean or nasty. They are a bit of a handful to deal with on the grooming table.

#3: Will bite when provoked (tugging on mats, cleaning ears, and trimming nails). With the exception of these trigger points, the pet can tolerate the rest of the grooming process.

#4: Will bite – even the smallest thing sets this personality type off. They cannot be trusted. A well-fitted muzzle can be helpful – and many times, necessary. They require a seasoned and experienced handler/groomer to keep both the pet and the person safe.

#5: Dangerous and unpredictable. Eyes will typically glow red or green. Good candidate for veterinarian-supervised grooming with a sedative.

You should consider charging extra for handling difficult pets. They take more time to groom – and time is money. Let your fee reflect it.

Difficult owners

This one can be a little tricky. If they are just mildly annoying, deal with it professionally but don’t put any more effort into the client than needed to keep them at bay. If they are rude and nasty, most likely they are just that way all the time – that’s how they go through life. I would do a great job for them, just like with any other client, but I would not go out of my way to do anything “special.”

If they are difficult to deal with AND neglect their pooch or do not respect my time, I would charge extra for that.

Just as we rate our dogs, at times we will rate difficult owners.

I have no problem referring #4 or #5 rated pets and/or owners to another groomer who might be more successful in meeting their needs (i.e. – always fire them professionally and politely).

Lateness

Nothing is more frustrating than a client who does not respect our time! We give them a 15-minute window to arrive, either to arrive to their scheduled appointment or to pick up their pet. If they do not arrive within that window, it counts as a strike against them. For arrivals, we have a three strike rule…

Strike one: we let them off with a mild warning.
Strike two: we remind them how much we value our time. If they can’t value it as well, they will need to look for another stylist.
Strike three: we fire them.

If they do not pick up their pet prior to our posted closing times, we give a few extra minutes. As soon as we know they are running late, we try to get in touch with the owner. If the owner calls and can give us a reasonable estimated pick-up time, my staff has the option of waiting for them if it’s beyond closing time. I will post a hefty late pick-up fee (in 5-minute intervals) but leave it up to the employee to charge it. If they waited, they get to keep the entire late pick up fee as long as they collect it. If we can’t reach them or have not heard from them, we’ll bed the pet down for the night. We leave a pleasant note on the door for the client. We simply state our hours and let them know we look forward to seeing them in the morning. I have heard many salons charge an overnight fee, too.

5 More Quick Suggestions

Each one of these could be a blog topic on its own. However, for right now, I’ll just toss these out there for you to ponder.

Keep learning to make your career interesting while allowing you to expand your career opportunities.
Take time for yourself and your family.
Maintain physical health and wellness through diet and exercise.
Learn to say NO when your schedule becomes overwhelming.
Charge enough for your services. Avoiding living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Don’t forget the little things that made this career attractive to you in the first place – never forget WHY you followed this career path. This is a career with UNLIMITED potential for those willing to stay focused. Work hard – and never stop learning. How cool is that?

Happy Trimming!

~ Melissa

P.S.

Go online and tell us what you think on the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page.

Maintain a Steady Pace

Speed is the key to being a successful pet groomer. Have you watched a highly proficient pet stylist at work? They don’t race around frantically. They don’t whip from one task to the next with lightning speed. They are not frazzled. They are not stressed. They blow through 10, 12, even 14 dogs with ease.

How do they do it?

How do they manage a full day and still get home to meet their kids coming off the bus from school? They still manage to get to the gym after work. They enjoy their own dogs when not grooming client’s pets. They have the time AND energy to have a life when they step away from the grooming table.

Do you?

When I observe these successful groomers, I’ve noticed important traits they all share. They work with a steady pace. They have a rhythm to their tasks. Their tempo doesn’t change. They follow the same order as they work on each pet. Their tools are laid out in an orderly fashion, sharp and within arm’s reach. They are not distracted by ringing phones, tales from their fellow team members, nor the personality of the pet they are working on. They are focused and efficient as they work around the pet. There is no wasted effort. No wasted motion.

There are methods to each grooming job. Following a particular order with each type of groom will assistance you with getting through the tasks the quickest. There will be five main types of jobs you do every day – day in – day out at any grooming shop.

The five types of grooming jobs

1. Short haircuts, six weeks or more
2. Short haircuts, six weeks or less
3. Guard comb trims
4. Bladed body with fuller legs and/or furnishings/pattern trims
5. Bath and brush type pets

Generally speaking, the faster you can get a dog to the tub, the faster the trim will go. Dogs with six weeks or less coat growth can normally go straight to the tub. With today’s products, shampoos, conditioners, and high velocity dryers, much of the pre-work can be eliminated. Dematting or pre-trimming is a waste of time with six weeks or less trims.

When it comes to haircuts or finishing a bath and brush dog – pay attention to the order you work. Develop an order – the same order every time for each of the five grooming jobs. If you struggle with remembering the order, write it down and post it at your grooming station. Time yourself on each task. Work on improving your speed with small components within each job. Don’t jump around.

Always follow the order.

Watch top stylists at work. Watch their videos. Sit ringside at grooming competitions and watch the leading stylist compete. With consistent repetition, you’ll increase your speed in no time. You’ll have more time to spend enjoying your free time doing what you want to do. The stress and frustration will be highly minimized. And the best part – you’ll make more money, in less time!

Don’t hurry or rush around frantically to get the job done. Maintain an easy pace and work steadily. Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare? Highly productive people work a certain rhythm that allows them to flow through enormous amounts of work without becoming stressed or anxious.

Here is a great Learn2GroomDogs.com video lesson that shows how the pros get it done. Join today!

Happy Trimming!

~ Melissa

P.S.

Do you have any tricks like this one? Tell us about them on the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page.

Grooming Efficiently vs Grooming Fast – What’s the Difference?

We all have different reasons why we love our careers. For most of us, our careers started because we were obsessed with dogs and cats. What a fabulous way to make money – doing something you enjoy. My guess is that many of you not only love animals, they’re also a hobby and a huge part of your lives. I know very few career opportunities that allow pet lovers to work in a field that they truly adore.

I love dealing with people who are passionate about their career choices. I always encourage people to seek out personal growth. To look at ways to do things better, more efficiently, and with greater focus. Raise the bar. Set personal goals. Set limits. Develop strategies. Ultimately, the pet, the individual, and the business wins.

If you are a solo stylist, you get to make up your own rules. Work at your own pace. There is very little pressure to move beyond your comfort zone.

However, if you work with a team, you will usually have quotas to meet and rules that you need to follow. The business sets up these boundaries in the best interest of the client, staff, and the long-term health of the company. If someone does not meet quotas, it creates a frustrating situation for the rest of the team in terms of time, quality, and financial stability.

Years ago when I ran a mobile operation, our minimum quota of grooms per day was six – or the equivalent of six. Thus, two slots were given for larger jobs such as Standard Poodles and heavy-coated Cockers. If someone had something very small on their roster, they were always given an option to groom another small dog. As long as the vans were routed well, this quota worked out well across the board for years.

There was one exception: Sue (not her real name).

Whenever I hired a new mobile stylist, I always started them with just four dogs and combined that with a very wide arrival schedule. All of our stylists knew this right from the get-go. The quota they needed to meet was six grooms per day. The funny thing about Sue was that she didn’t care about the number of pets she groomed or the amount of money she made. Although she was passionate about animals and people, she did not groom because she needed the cash.

For a long time I was extremely frustrated with Sue’s performance. She would arrive at base at eight o’clock in the morning to pick up her van. Many times she did not come back to base until well after eight o’clock at night. The most dogs I could ever get her to do was five.

It took me a while to realize the frustration was all mine. As a business owner, it’s critical that I pay attention to the financial numbers – but there’s a bigger picture: customer service.

When I looked at Sue’s scheduled re-bookings, she could rarely take on a new client. Her clients absolutely loved her. She wasn’t the fastest groomer. She wasn’t a competition level stylist – never would be. Her grooms were basic, neat, and thorough. However, she was the most compassionate person I have ever hired. Not only did she enjoy the pets, she was passionate about her clients.

To Sue, her career was more than a means to a financial end, it was her social and entertainment outlet. I swear she had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her clients. She ran errands for them. She shoveled their walks. She loved the senior citizens and the geriatric pets. She would talk with them for hours!

Hmmm. These were the clients my highly efficient stylists wanted to avoid like the plague. Once I came to terms with this concept, I ended up making it work in our favor.

I let Sue slide on the quota. She was dealing with all those clients the rest of my team would rather not do. By letting Sue focus on our more time-consuming clients (and enjoying it!), it allowed the rest of my team to focus on making quotas and/or exceeding them. It worked.

So even though I let Sue slide – only doing five grooms a day when the actual quota with six – it allowed the rest of my team to focus on grooming more pets. Not necessarily faster – just more efficiently.

There’s a big difference between grooming efficiently and grooming fast. Grooming efficiently involves doing a good job. Grooming too fast, in my eyes, translates to sloppy work. When I look at developing a grooming team or training new staff members, I always look for people who have the ability to focus and work efficiently.

To me, being efficient means doing a great job in the least amount of time.

I recently heard one of our industry leaders say, “I don’t know many wealthy groomers.” I don’t, either. I do know a lot of groomers and stylists that make a comfortable living and love their careers. Being able to work efficiently translates into creating larger client lists, larger paychecks, and the ability to breathe easily at the end of the day.

Unlike Sue, the majority of us have other responsibilities, outside interests, families to care for, and households to run. We may even have businesses to manage. Not to mention maintaining the health and well-being of both ourselves and the four-legged clients on the table. As much as we love our jobs, we can’t afford to be tethered to a grooming table any longer than necessary.

Being efficient as you groom is not about being fast or sloppy. It’s about being the best that you can be. It’s about creating systems throughout the entire grooming process so we do not miss any steps. As those systems are developed, they become automatic. Once they become part of a routine, you can focus on other areas that bring value to the pets we groom, the clients, and to our own lives.

Think about how you can create systems – or routines – at every step of the grooming process (see the graphic below). Break it into bite-sized chunks.

Time everything. Knowing how long each step takes is the starting point of creating any routine. Each step could be broken down further into smaller nuggets, too. Once you start tracking, you can start improving your routine without sacrificing quality.

I love this quote. I try to live my life by it – in all areas. I hope you do too.

The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

~Anonymous

There are plenty of groomers and stylists who are highly efficient. They can do a small, simple trim in under an hour – and knock it out of the park in terms of quality and customer service. Others struggle to complete the same trim in two hours. Others choose to do that simple trim at their own pace. As long as the work is top quality, the pets are treated with care and compassion, and the environment is safe for everyone – it’s OK.

We all have different reasons why we groom. For some, it’s more than just a job – it’s a lifestyle. Remember, there is a big difference between being an efficient bather, groomer, or stylist and being a fast one. Never stop learning. How you apply new knowledge is totally up to you.

What are your time-saving tricks? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us. You can even click here for a quick lesson in how to use the site.

Make the most of your time every day. Click here to download our FREE handout to help you structure your day. You can even watch Melissa’s video to see how it’s done, here.

Click here for a complete video list to make searching Learn2GroomDogs.com even easier!

Happy trimming,

~Melissa

Clocks Are Your Score Keepers – It’s time to revisit an important topic!

We once asked a salon owner about her biggest challenge. The answer was simple – speed.

Most of her staff struggled to get even the simplest trims done in under an hour. That included bath, blow dry, and haircut. Even a basic #7F all trim on a smaller drop coated breed was daunting to some of them.

We walked in and saw a well-organized salon. It was bright. It was clean. The layout allowed for efficiency. The equipment was all top-notch. Hmmm, we wondered. Why was turning a small to mid-sized dog such a challenge for them?

Then it hit us. There were hardly any clocks around. We only spotted one clock in the main room. It was a smaller digital wall clock set on military time. The owner of the salon was a career military gal who is now retired. I understand why she opted for that style of time keeper, I’m just not so sure that style of time keeping is the right one for a staff of non-military groomers. Plus, when I was across the room, I could barely read it clearly. The clock was just too small!

If you want to be a successful groomer who can pay your bills while bringing customers back again and again – you need to embrace time.

Watch the time.

Track the time.

Race against the time.

Everything we do with professional pet grooming involves time. You need to be highly aware of every hour, minute, and second. Ideally, a professional groomer should be able to turn a small- to medium-sized simple trim in an hour or less. That includes the bath, the dry, and the trim.

The first thing we suggested to this team was: GET CLOCKS! Nothing fancy, they just needed to be large enough to be easily seen from across the room. The simpler, the better. Every room in the salon needed one hung on the wall. By having a clock in every room, it makes it easy for the groomers to track their own time with just a quick glance. But clocks aren’t enough. Every person working on the pets needs to have a watch on, too.

For those individuals that are really looking to increase their speed, having a timer at their stations can be really beneficial. Before you can start timing yourself, it’s helpful to know what your starting point is.

Break the groom down into sections. Bathing. Drying. Clipping the body. Trimming the feet. Rounding the feet. Scissoring the legs. Styling the head. If you don’t know how long it takes you to do each one of these items, you’ll never be able to improve upon your “best time.”

And it’s far easier to break it down into segments than to look at the dog as a whole. After all, who doesn’t want the opportunity to win at even one or two smaller segments than to get frustrated when they don’t hit the time goal with the overall trim?

Once you know how long it takes you to do each segment, you can set goals and objectives to beat your “best time.” Push yourself. Make a game out of it. The clock will be your score-keeper. Each time you gain even a few seconds, you’ve won a mini victory! But you’ll never be able to do that unless you can easily watch the clock. Even with all the clock watching, always remember, speed and efficiency can never come at the sacrifice of quality or safety.

What are your time saving tricks? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us. You can even click here for a quick lesson in how to use the site.

FREE TIME SAVING LECTURE HANDOUT

Click here for a complete video list to make searching even easier!

Happy trimming,
~Melissa

Tips for Using Learn2GroomDogs.com – It’s easier than ever to use!

While we designed Learn2GroomDogs.com to be as “user-friendly” as possible, we know that sometimes it helps to have a guided tour to make things easier. Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to help make your experience with us even better!

Finding Your Favorite Videos

Sometimes you just know that the video you watched will come in handy again someday. Add it to your list of favorite videos you will watch time and time again. We even keep it for you if you leave. When you renew your membership, that list will be there waiting for you.

Coupon Codes

We do promotions several times a year. If you do not have an active membership, you can use the provided coupon code to get the promoted discount. Do not cancel an existing membership to try to apply a code. This will result in double billing – who wants that?

Passwords

It happens to all of us – mind-blanking on a password. If it happens, don’t panic. Simply follow the steps above to recover your password. Security features built into our website prevent customer service from being able to see your password. Your best course of action is to recover – or if needed – create a new password.

Account Details

You have complete access to all of your information. It’s just a few clicks away! If you need information for your records, you don’t need to wait for us – your information is right at your fingertips.

While We’re Talking About Account Information…

Sharing your membership with someone may seem like a nice gesture, but it can also be a disaster! ANYONE who has your information can see your private account data. That means your address, email, and credit card information can be seen by anyone you give access to. It doesn’t stop there – if that person also shares your information with anyone else… you get the picture. Salon owners who share their account with their employees are sharing more than they think. Be safe – protect yourself – keep this information to yourself.

Did we miss anything? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us. You can even click here for a quick lesson in how to use the site.

Click here for a complete video list to make searching even easier!

Happy trimming,

~Melissa

Creating Order in Your Bathing and Drying Department – How to Make a Game to Boost Productivity in Your Salon

Effective dog productivity in the bathing and drying area seems to be a challenge for many people, but it’s not a mystery.

Think about cooking a meal. The bigger the meal with multiple dishes, the more complicated the timing and the choices will be.

With a few dogs, it’s pretty simple and your choices are limited. Add more dogs and the variables increase. What if you have a grooming shop pushing through 50+ dogs a day? You have the equivalent a busy restaurant managed by an experienced head chef.

Okay – so you’re not getting a major meal on the table but I think you get the idea. Keeping a restaurant flowing smoothly requires knowledge and organization. Managing your bathing and drying department is a tall order. It requires knowledge, skill, and organization so all the pets are done to the highest quality in the least amount of time. It’s just like getting many dishes to the table all hot and done to perfection.

I love to turn a busy day in the wet room into a game. It works best with two or more dogs that need to be bathed and dried. The more dogs there are to juggle, the more challenging – and more fun – it gets! You first need to assess all the dogs on your roster for the day or the session. Once you know what you have, these are some basic guidelines to follow.

Bathe your largest and furriest dogs first.

The bathing and drying time on this type of dog can be the most time-consuming part of the grooming process. Go for the heaviest coated dogs first. Think Newfie, Golden, Lab, Sheltie, or Pom. These dogs have thick, heavy coats that are basically straight. Even if they sit wrapped in a few towels, they will not dry all the way even after a fair amount of time has passed.

Start with the largest dog in that group and work down to the smallest. Bathe each one. Once they are bathed, towel-dry them before heading to a high velocity dryer. Lightly high velocity-dry the coat to lift and separate it. By spending a few minutes with a high velocity dryer on each pet, it a removes more moisture and offers a clear view of the skin and coat. Watch as you blow the coat to assess looking for skin issues, mats, tangles, and debris still trapped in the fur, or anything unusual. The added bonus to doing this is that the high velocity dryer also enhances airflow to the coat while the pet is in an inactive drying situation, ultimately speeding up the entire process.

Proceed with bathing your dogs based on the degree of difficulty, the size of the pet, and coat density. Start with the biggest and furriest then continue working down the line.

Once all of the bath the brush pets are washed, proceed to dogs that need active drying to yield the best results.

Bathe trim-style dogs next – the coat needs to be straight.

Your goal on almost all haircut styled pets is not only to get them clean, but the coat needs to be as straight as possible for the finish trim. This will apply to pets getting full haircuts or dogs in for maintenance bathing between haircuts.

After all the B&Bs are bathed, start bathing your trim dogs. Start with the pet that has the heaviest and straightest coat – something that can sit for a few minutes while you bathe your other dogs without risking the coat drying before you get to an active drying method. Let the dog sit in a warm place wrapped in a towel. No need to have air or a dryer on – just plenty of oversized towels with clips. This “wrap a pet” works best after you have thoroughly towel dried the dog.

Proceed with bathing the next pets based on size, coat density, and curl factor – straighter coats go to the tub before a curly coat. Heavy drop coated breeds or wavy breeds would be your next pets. Curly coats, such as Poodles and Bichons, head to the tub towards the end of the cycle. Super tiny, sparse-coated dogs are very last like Yorkies or Malteses.

Drying order for all the dogs.

Once all the trim pets are bathed, start drying. In most cases, you will simply reverse the order. The last dog in the tub is the first dog on the drying table. Then just start working up the line.

The first pet up on the drying table should be the dog with the lightest and curliest coat. This type of fur will dry super-fast. If the coat dries before an active form of drying takes place, the curls and waves will be set into place. If it air-dries naturally, you will never be able to give a quality haircut. Ideally, you want the coat to be lifted, separated, straight, full, and fluffy. If it’s not still slightly damp by the time you start your active drying process, you will need to re-wet the dog to get the best results.

Once the super fine and super curly pets are hand dried, move to the small to medium-sized pets with more coat. Work in reverse order of the bathing process. Whichever dog is the next easiest to dry goes into the rotation. Size, coat density, and curl factors all come into play. The key is to get to a coat before it’s air-dried naturally. You need a small amount of dampness still in the fur so the mild heat of the dryer can straighten the hair shaft while adding lift and body.

The last dogs to the drying station are the heavy coated, bath and brush style pets. By the time you’ve gotten to the big, furry guys, they have had plenty of time to partially air dry. This will cut down on how long you have to actively dry them. When working on heavy coated breeds, there is an added goal: reduce or eliminate the shedding coat! When you get to the active drying stage on these dogs, deshedding is a huge part of the job. A powerful high velocity dryer is your best friend with this type of work. A clean and well-conditioned coat will always blow/brush out faster than a dirty coat. Plus, it’s easier on both you and on the pet.

For most breeds, the goal is to remove kinks and curls in the coat. Some form of active drying is the only way to straighten the coat while adding lift and volume. On all but the curliest coats, the power from the warm airflow will lift, separate, and straighten the hair shaft for you when used correctly. A few of the curliest coats might benefit from fluff drying with a warmer dryer combined with brushing to get the coat really straight.

All excellent grooming starts at the foundation level. Along with getting them super clean, proper drying methods must be employed to yield a quality haircut. If the dog gets too dry, it must be re-wetted and the drying process started over.

There are many variations to how this game is played effectively. It’s what makes the day interesting. The better you get at the game, the faster you’ll be able to get through your day without sacrificing quality.

Think in the terms of food. A home cook can get 2-3 dishes on the table at the same time with ease. A home cooking enthusiast can handle multiple dishes for larger groups – and enjoy doing it. A professional chef will master an entire shift serving over 100 meals, including many appetizers, side dishes – even desert, getting all of them to the table on time, hot and beautifully prepared.

How far can you push yourself or your team before you get lost in the order? It’s a fun game that can be challenging yet really invigorating. The more pets, the more fun. The reward for everyone is when it goes smoothly!

What do you do to increase productivity? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us about it.

Happy trimming,

~Melissa

6 Qualities Successful Pet Grooming Professionals Have in Common

The path of every successful bather, groomer, or pet stylist is slightly different. However, there are common threads that tie the most successful pet professionals together.

Here are the six common qualities that set top performers apart.

1. They are positive.

A positive attitude helps you deal more easily with daily affairs. It brings brightness into your life, making it easier to avoid worries and negative thinking.When you’re positive, you have a clear, calm mind that is open to possibilities and see opportunities where others see nothing.

And as a bonus, if your attitude is strong enough, it becomes contagious. Contagious to clients. To co-workers. To pets. Everyone. It’s as if you radiate positive energy around you.

2. They are learners.

Wikipedia defines lifelong learning as, “The ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.”

It is the non-stop development of skills and knowledge of a pet professional, at any level. It occurs through experiences during a lifetime. These experiences could be formal (training, tutoring, mentorship, apprenticeship, etc.) or informal (experiences and situations).

Learning is the key to achieving a person’s full potential. Learning does not stop once you get out of school. Folks who continue to learn are able to transform their lives. They become more successful at home, more successful with their families, more successful at work, and more successful within their salons and work environments.

3. They are always moving.

Successful pet professionals are achievers. You aren’t going to see successful pet grooming teams dragging around the shop. Nope. They are buzzing with activity. They are constantly on task, on schedule, and looking for a way to shave moments off any task without sacrificing quality. Their hands and feet are never still.

They are constantly in motion. When I hear the term “occupational athletes,” I think of highly successful team members in any grooming department.

4. They are curious.

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but a new study by psychologists suggests that curiosity is very good for people. If you want a rewarding career – be curious.

Curiosity in your job can be a powerful tool. It does not matter which department you are in or if you wear all the hats in your business. If you can find different ways to stay hungry for knowledge and continue to be a lifelong learner, you will find your career to be much more rewarding.

The more curious you are, the more possibilities you will have throughout your lifetime. Open your eyes and look around.

5. They are persistent.

Being persistent after it seems like everything has failed is one of the hardest things to do. You just want to give up. Give up on the dog. Give up on a technique. Give up on yourself.

When trying to be persistent, it is important that you have a goal in mind. Whether it’s getting that dog squeaky clean, the clipper work baby butt smooth, a velvet finish on a hand scissor dog, or just trying to add an extra dog to your roster on a consistent basis, don’t give up. Even if you don’t see immediate results, keep trying. Keep pushing yourself. Having an end result in mind will keep you motivated, which builds persistence.

6. They are passionate.

If you want to be successful at your job and move up, you need to be passionate about your work. You need to be motivated and driven to be the best you can be. Passionate people love their work.

Passion, motivation, drive. Call it what you want. Bottom line: it’s that self-driven attitude towards your job and your work that can help lead you down the path to success.

Passion is an emotion that comes from within you. It’s your enthusiasm. Your motivation. Your drive.

I guarantee that others will be positively impacted by your personal passion towards pets. Passion does not go unnoticed. People will see how well you do your job and your attitude towards it. They will see when a task is hard and you don’t give in – when you apply yourself even more to overcome it. They will notice your drive and your motivation and consider how you would do in another position.

Becoming stagnant in a career is boring. The work gets sloppy. Customer service quality goes down. The wonderful part of being involved with the pet industry is that there is no limit to your personal growth. I love being surrounded by people that have these six qualities firmly developed in their lives. They are energizing and refreshing to be around. Their energy is contagious!

How many of these six traits to you have? How many do you feel you could improve on? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us about it!

Happy trimming!

~Melissa

Salvage work

Spring is edging closer – and not a moment too soon! Many of us will be seeing a lot of pets that are ready for a great makeover in the coming weeks. With that in mind, I thought it was the perfect time to revisit my blog on salvage work.

As many of you know, I’m a big dog person. Working on these large furry dogs that have a huge shedding problem is one of my favorite things to do in a grooming salon. I know, I know, call me crazy – but I just love seeing the transformation in this type of job. Over the years I’ve gotten really quick with the process and rarely cringe, no matter what the size of the dog, nor the condition – I see it as a fun challenge!
My #1 rule is: Never work on a dirty dog. If water can penetrate the coat, let your products do the job.

Working on a dirty dog is not only unpleasant, but it also takes longer to do. Plus, there will be a lot of coat damage and breakage. A dirty coat is dry and brittle. The dirt and dander trapped within the fur makes it more difficult to brush out. Working on a clean coat will be easier for both you and the pet – and much more pleasant.

If there are large chunks that water cannot penetrate, go ahead and break up the tangle using the tool that is safe for the pet. Don’t worry about removing it completely, just break it apart so the water and shampoo can do its job.

Prepare your bathing area. If the dog is exceptionally dirty, use the shampoo especially designed for dirty dogs. Using a follow-up treatment of a skin and coat conditioner after bathing twice (or maybe three times in some areas) will assist with the brush out and dead coat removal during the drying process. Make sure you have all the tools you’ll need to aid in getting the dog clean like rubber curries or scrub brushes. And make sure you have plenty of towels handy.

My favorite trick when working with this type of job is to bring my high velocity dryer right into the bathing area. With the dog fully lathered, blow the shampoo right off the pets while they are tethered in the tub. The slippery soap will allow the dirt, loose coat, and tangles slide out, being trapped in the shampoo and sticking to the back wall of the tub, minimizing the mess. Not all the shedding coat or mats will be removed but a lot will, making your job easier once you transfer to the drying table. Once you have blown out the pet, follow up with the rinsing process. Repeat this process as many times as necessary to get the dog “squeaky clean.”

Once the pet is clean and thoroughly rinsed, apply a skin and coat conditioning treatment before heading to the drying table. Read your directions: some conditioning treatments need to be rinsed out while others do not. Your high velocity dryer and a heavy slicker brush will be your best friends during the drying process.

Rule # 2: Be Methodical and Thorough

First, blow out as much moisture and loose coat at possible with the air flow. Use the highest power setting the pet is comfortable with, and a condenser cone. Once you have pushed as much water and loose fur from the pet, remove the condenser cone, and bring the air flow close to the pet’s skin. “Boost” any loose coat out of the dog by lightly patting the area where the air is striking the skin with a slicker brush.

Continue to work over the dog in a methodical manner until your brush glides through the coat easily and no more loose coat is trapped in the brush.

Rule #3 – ENJOY!

When the dog is complete, it should smell clean and fresh. The coat should be glossy and float freely as the dog moves. There should be an irresistible desire to reach down and bury your hands in a freshly groomed pet.

Happy trimming!

~ Melissa

The Art of Packaging – Gifts for Grooming Clients

I love this time year. There is so much to do. So many details to attend to. So many opportunities to visit with friends and family. So many thoughtful gifts to give and receive. Everything revolves around people we love and appreciate – including our clients.

For many of us in the pet grooming business, this is one of the busiest times of year. The fur is flying, clippers are clipping, scissors are sculpting, and festive bows adorn most pets as they walk out the doors.

This is also the time year that clients can be extremely generous with gifts. Do you have a special gift ready to reciprocate?

When I ran my mobile grooming business of 6 vans, we gave bags of assorted dog biscuit treats. Even though we packaged up the bags a day or two ahead of time, gift-giving for all our clients had become quite the chore.

At that time, a good friend lived with me. She was a fashion designer and has since gone on to become a very successful stylist for photo and video shoots. Her attention to detail was immense. She watched me early one morning as I was assembling the gifts. The kitchen was totally lined with white – individually decorated – paper lunch bags. There must have been at least 40 of them. I had CASES of biscuits lining the edges. “After all, each gift had to have a wide assortment…” or so I thought. Read the rest of this entry »

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Salvage work

The Art of Packaging – Gifts for Grooming Clients

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