Groomer Selection Tips
Pets are loyal companions but some are less receptive than others when it comes to permitting basic care needs such as nail trimming or bathing. Nowadays it is more and more common for busy owners to devolve basic pet husbandry requirements to grooming experts, professionals who perform these services for a living. Many clients have asked me how to select the appropriate grooming professional for their pet. My honest answer has always been that our office shares information on grooming facilities based upon the recommendations of our clients who utilize their services. I also always recommend the following questions be posed to a potential groomer prior to making an appointment. In addition, visiting a new facility and meeting the person to perform the grooming in advance of bringing a pet is also recommended as first impressions can make a big difference. Clients are also more apt to make keen observations and to ask more thorough questions without the distraction of their pet’s presence.
What is the description of a dog groomer? A dog groomer is typically an individual who takes care of dogs in a non-veterinary manner, performing canine husbandry tasks such as bathing, brushing/trimming/shaving of animals’ coats, cutting nails, ear cleaning, and more commonly of late, tooth brushing and anal gland expression.
What questions should owners ask prior to setting up an appointment with a dog groomer?
1. If licensing is required in your state, ask for verification of licensing and make sure it is up to date.
2. If your state doesn’t require a license, find out what sort of training your groomer has had and with what types of breeds of dogs and/or cats as grooming styles and needs can vary significantly between breed types.
3. Do they have formal training and who provided it?
4. May you set up a time to tour the grooming facility?
5. What requirements does the groomer have for pets to come to their facility? If none, this is of concern as your pet may be exposed to other pets and areas other pets with a less complete vaccination program and at a greater risk for exposure to communicable disease.
6. Grooming experience: How many years? Breed types? Species types?
7. Does your groomer have experience with the type of pet you are presenting for grooming?
8. Do they have pets themselves and what kinds?
What should one look for when selecting a groomer?
1. Referral from trusted friends, family,
veterinarians and trainers.
2. Cleanliness and professionalism of facility, staff and equipment.
3. Absence of noxious or strong smells.
4. After a visit to the groomer, assess your pet’s behavior. If no depression, lethargy, or anxiousness is seen and if on subsequent visits your pet is not reluctant to enter the grooming establishment, likely your pet is “happy” with his/her grooming experience. (That being said, some dogs don’t appreciate visits to the groomer or the veterinarian, so reluctance does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. Additionally questioning is likely then indicated to determine a plausible reasons for the behavioral change and may include the following:
a. How did he/she act while at the groomer’s?
b. Did she/he respond negatively when her/his ears were cleaned? Nails trimmed? Teeth brushed?
c. Did he/she work with a different groomer today?
Were other pets present who were excessively loud today or unfriendly to my pet?
What dog groomers should do:
1. Provide recommendations for ongoing at home grooming maintenance.
2. Alert owners to abnormalities noted during the grooming session. Some examples may include but are not limited to the following:
a. Overly full, painful, hard and/or unexpressable anal glands which could signify the presence of infection, malignancy or other abnormality.
b. Painful, swollen or malodorous ears which could indicate infection.
c. Pain or lameness.
d. Over grown nails which cannot be sufficiently trimmed without causing pain to the pet.
e. Masses, lumps, wounds or other abnormalities.
1. Recommend evaluation of problems detected be performed by a licensed veterinary medical professional.
What dog groomers should not do:
1. Perform medical procedures.
2. Perform any form of diagnostic work up or diagnostics. If abnormalities are suspected, a competent groomer should recommend further evaluation by a licensed veterinarian so that problems can be assessed before they worsen.
Posted April 13, 2010
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