How To Find A Groomer

If you were entrusting your child to someone for daycare or schooling, you would make sure the people involved had the right credentials, yes? Why then should it be any different for your four legged “children”?

You wouldn’t let anyone other than a registered vet operate on your dog so why let anyone other than a certified groomer give your dog a haircut? Also, beware, I have found since advertising myself as a certified groomer, everyone in the area has added this word to their advertising too!  Ask if they are members of a professional organisation – if they consider themselves professional, they should be.

Granted some world class groomers were self taught but even they are recognising the need for standardisation in the industry since new grooming salons started sprouting up all over the place. They themselves are now pursuing proper accreditation. The groomers that care about their profession are standing up to be counted as others entering the industry can be simply trying to jump on the bandwagon in a fast growing industry without the training, knowledge or care needed to look after your dog.

Becoming a master groomer is a lot different from days gone by where (apparently) you could pay $50 and call yourself a master groomer! Don’t ask me to whom the $50 was paid, I have no idea!
Nowadays there’s a lot more involved, written exams cover the breed standards, health care, diseases, anatomy, grooming procedures, safety in the salon, salon design and environmental issues. Practical exams – usually five – are taken on different dogs and only after passing all these and obtaining a pre set mark can you then sit your masters exam. In the U.K. it’s even more difficult, with much higher standards.

So, taking all this into consideration, wouldn’t you rather get the quality you’re being charged for as there is really little difference between prices in salons?

If you’re out and about, notice people walking their dogs. A groomer’s best business card is the one at the end of that leash! Ask people where they got their dog groomed and whether they would recommend them and why. Notice the dog itself – is the groom appropriate for the breed? Maybe you’ll ask the owner where they went just so you stay away from there!

Once you have a few names, you may want to do a bit more homework just to be reassured that you’re going to the right place as most don’t let the owner stay so they really have no idea how their dog’s experience is. Here’s a few very important questions to get you going;

Who were you certified by?
If the answer to this is an online course or by mom and pops grooming shop, they really threw their money away! A proper groomer should be certified by no-one else than a certified master groomer, this can be via IPG (www.ipgcmg.org) or if in the UK (as I was) via City and Guilds/Pet Care Trust. We’re currently working toward our master groomer status both under IPG and the Pet Care Trust.

How many dogs did you handle on your course?
If the so called groomer has learnt via an on line course, the chances are, they’ve not handled many! Recently I have met five new groomers who certified using an on line course and don’t even own their own dog! Granted they’ll know their theory out the ying yang but may not even be able to identify it if on the table in front of them!

Who did you apprentice under?
In all fairness if a groomer has been certified via one of the certified groomers mentioned above, they will have the basic skills to go it alone once successfully completed. However, depending on the individual they may want some further training to finely tune their new skills and to build confidence. This is not entirely necessary but will give you a better rounded groomer with years on anyone else.

Where will my dog be when he’s not being groomed?
This is an important one. It would seem that it is considered the thing that grooming salons are advertising cage free facilities in Nova Scotia, however this should not be so. When your dog is not on the table in a cage free facility, then where exactly is he? Consider this, even you may feel you don’t like cages/kennels this should be the option offered for safety and less stress on your dog. If he’s tied to the wall or running loose in the grooming room – this is a huge safety risk for your dog, other dogs and the groomers themselves. If he’s running around the shop he may also encounter less friendly visitors and… the stories I’ve heard are horrendous. The basic rule of grooming is NEVER leave a dog unattended on the table, yet dogs still suffer injuries because this is still happening. As a member of the Pet Care Trust, it is a part of their charter that you must provide suitable accommodation for dogs when they are not being groomed ‘such as crates or holding areas’.
I have witnessed grooming rooms where the dogs have been kept on the table the whole visit and never had a break. The amount of stressed out animals I saw was nothing short of disgusting. With all due respect unless you have studied animal behaviour or been trained properly, you maybe wouldn’t recognise the signs of stress, but as a groomer, shouldn’t they know the difference? I think so too.

How much do you charge?
Now this should be the last question you should ask rather than the first (often all I get!). The answer cannot be taken as gospel either as any professional shops will base the price quoted on a MAT FREE coat. Things that also affect price are, age, temperament, condition of coat, behaviour on the table. Most groomers should give you a basic price based on the breed but inform you that that can change once they see the dog. A groomer should be able to tell you when you drop your dog off how much it will be but prepare for extras if some bad behaviour occurs or some parasites like fleas or lice are discovered where the dog will need a special or extra bath. They should also inform you on pick up as to whether they have discovered any skin issues or if there were any problems (bites when doing nails, doesn’t like the dryer, that sort of thing).

Yes, it is a good idea to tell whoever you decide on whether or not your dog has had a bad experience before and if he’s likely to bite! Trust me, a groomer will thank you for a heads up on this!

Depending on the breed, your groomer should also take some time to educate you on regular coat maintenance. As a general rule any dog with a continuously growing coat (Shih Tzu, Lhasa, Schnauzer etc.) should be on a regular grooming schedule of every 6-8 weeks. Have a non-shedding variety? These breeds need to be on a 4-6 week routine as, although they don’t shed, any dead hair just gets caught up in the living hair and needs more regular maintenance including brushing at home between grooms.

Also read our article on “Why groom your dog”.