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M A G A Z I N E Formerly “eGroomer Journal”

October / December 2016

7 Steps to Grooming More Efficiently

by Daryl Conner Setting Grooming Time Standards

Pearl Celebrated Halloween...and How!

Afraid of Knee Pain?

Using Ultrasonic Cleaners

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30 Years Experience Serving Groomers Nationwide Fast Turnaround Clipper Blade Sharpening Clipper & Dryer Repair Scissor Sharpening

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR 15

NOVEMBER 2016 November 4 to 7, 2016 Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo U.S. Pet Pro Classic www.petstylist.com November 13 to 16, 2016 Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo Hershey, PA www.barkleigh.com

FEBRUARY 2017 February 16 to 17, 2017 Groom Expo West Pasadena, CA www.barkleigh.com

MARCH 2017 March 9 to 12, 2017 Atlanta Pet Fair Atlanta, GA www.atlantapetfair.org

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APRIL 2017 April 20 to 23, 2017 Northwest Grooming Show Tacoma, WA www.barkleigh.com

JUNE 2017 June 23 to 25, 2017 PetQuest Wilmington, OH www.barkleigh.com

AUGUST 2017 August 10 to 13, 2017 All American Grooming Show Wheeling, IL www.barkleigh.com

SEPTEMBER 2017 September 14 to 17, 2017 Groom Expo Hershey, PA www.barkleigh.com

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7 Steps to Grooming More Efficiently

by Daryl Conner Pet groomers everywhere know that the old adage, “time is money,” rings true.

Where groomers gather to compare notes, questions such as, “how many dogs can you groom in a day?” or “how can I groom faster?” are common.

Here are seven ideas that will help work more efficiently.

1.

Keep tools in top working order.

Clean and oil your tools daily. Nothing sucks time like trying to work with dull blades or shears. Make an effort to find a really good sharpener, and have a schedule to send things off to be taken care of. If you have to ship your tools out of state for work, understand that there will several days to a week of turnaround time and plan accordingly.

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Be organized! Spend a little time

thinking about the way you work. Which tools do you use on almost every pet?

Which tools are “must haves,” but only used on some pets? Consider having separate storage areas. Tools most frequently used should be kept right at your fingertips. Tools that are used on some, but not all dogs, can be kept separately.

I have a caddy at hand that only holds only those tools used on almost every animal. For me this is 2 combs, 2 slicker brushes, a de-matting tool and a nail trimmer. I have duplicates of the combs and brushes so if one falls I can grab a backup and not have to stop what I am doing to retrieve the one that dropped.

I have devised a system that involves attractive, inexpensive boxes designed to hold photographs. I have 5 of them.

One holds scissors that are not in my current rotation, one holds bows and bandanas, one holds my hand stripping tools and one holds more specialized items such as shedless tools, rubber curry combs, pin and bristle brushes.

These items are great to have, but I save time on every pet because I don’t

have to dig through a lot of items to reach my “go to” tools.

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3.

Organize “liquid tools” too. Coat

sprays that are used on most pets should get prime real estate on your caddy or counter. Sprays that you like to have around but don’t use on every animal can be tucked away. The shampoo and conditioner you use on most dogs should be displayed where they are most easily reached, while products such as flea shampoo, medicated shampoos and less often used conditioners can be stowed nearby.

4.

Invest in time saving tools.

Bathing systems, high velocity dryers, tools such as the Clipper Vac™, and electric tables truly are an investment in your work. These tools enable groomers to save time on each pet, so they are able to groom more animals during the course of the day. They literally pay for themselves within months of purchase, and then allow groomers to continue earning more each day with the time saved.

5.

Devise a routine. When you

approach each pet knowing the order of the work you are going to do, it

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streamlines the process. You can develop a standard approach that works for you, but here is how I do it as an example: • 99% of all dogs go right into the bath tub. The exceptions are pets so matted that water will not get to their skin, or dogs which the owners have requested to be clipped smooth.

• Once in the tub I clean the ears and trim the nails while the water is warming up and filling. I use a recirculating bathing system so have to have an inch or so of water in the tub to begin.

• I bathe every dog once with my favorite shampoo. If the dog is still dirty or needs a medicated treatment, a second bath is given.

• I use a light conditioner on almost every dog, so that is done last. Very matted dogs get a heavier conditioning treatment.

After the pet is dried and brushed out (see next step for drying tips) I approach the grooming in a methodical manner.

Using my trimmer, I do all trimmer work

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such as clipping between paw pads, under eye corners and sanitary areas.

Once all the basics are completed, I style the dog to breed or owner specifications. Having a routine eliminates guesswork. I never have to go back and check to see if I cleaned the ears or trimmed the nails. I know I did, because I do each step in order.

6.

Dry faster. Getting pets dry can be

a huge time drain. Try these tricks to make the process go faster:

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coat as possible with your hands while the pet is in the tub.

•

Dry well with a towel.

• Wrap the pet in a fresh, dry towel.

For small/medium dogs and cats, spend about 60 seconds holding the pet in the towel. For larger dogs, wrap them well and let them sit a minute in the tub. You will be amazed at how much water is absorbed from their coat!

•

Put a dry towel or absorbent table (Continued on page 23)

•

Squeeze as much water from the

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topper on your table. This will absorb drips and moisture as you use your dryer. Bonus point: it muffles the sound of the air as it hits the table.

• Use a spray designed to make the coat dry faster. These sprays help your dryer to sheet the water off of the coat more quickly, and they really do work.

Mist, brush, dry and save time!

• While you hold the dryer with one hand, hold a small, dry, towel behind the area you are drying to catch the moisture you are blowing off.

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Keeping control of the pets, investing in time saving tools, organizing your work space and having a method to the way you perform necessary tasks can have a huge impact on boosting your grooming efficiency.

Summary Trying these 7 steps could enable you to groom one extra pet per day, increasing your income dramatically by the end of the year. Give it a try, and see if you can earn yourself a raise! ▀

• Use Happy Hoodies to absorb moisture on the ears and head and make the whole experience less stressful for the pet.

7.

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Use positioning tools. If you were

able to see the time lost during the moments that you spend adjusting the position of the spinning spaniel or twirling terrier you are trying to clip, I think you would be astonished. Simply adding a tool such as The Groomers Helper to your table will keep pets safely in place while you work, and enable you to get your job done far more quickly and efficiently. eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

Daryl Conner Daryl Conner is a certified Petcare Dermatech Specialist, Master Pet Stylist, Meritus and Certified Master Cat Groomer. She serves as Vice President of the Professional Cat Groomers Association of America.

She is the recipient of the coveted 2005 Cardinal Crystal award for Journalism and the ’06 and ‘07 award for Congeniality, and the 2013 Barkleigh award for writing. A frequent contributor to grooming industry magazines, pet-related websites and blogs, she enjoys sharing hard-won knowledge from 32 years of grooming experience with others.

Daryl’s abiding love of animals and passion for her trade radiates out to everyone she touches through her work. www.darylconner.com GroomWise blog: http://groomwise.typepad.com/hair_of_the_dog/ © 2014 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved © 2016 Find A Groomer Inc All rights reserved

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Setting Reasonable Grooming Time Standards Our goal as employers should be to pay the best wages in return for the best grooming performance we are fortunate to hire. “Best” would include productivity, quality, humane pet care, teamwork, steady attendance and general adherence to policies and procedures.

There are tens of thousands of grooming businesses. Few have written grooming performance standards for their employees (or independent contractors). Fairness requires grooming employers to set and apply performance standards to avoid the risk of bias and confusion when judging the performances of their employees.

(Continued on page 26)

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There are several types of standards to set for grooming performances (see From Problems to Profits book). In this article the focus is productivity and its standards based on grooming times.

We expect high grooming quality and humane pet care. Faster, meaning shorter grooming times, is never acceptable where there is a loss of quality or humane pet care. Don’t be fooled by those who feel they must defend their significantly extended grooming times as better quality. Extended grooming time alone is no guarantee of quality grooming or humane pet care. In fact, the longer the groom the more time the pet is separated from its owner.

Setting reasonable grooming times and productivity levels requires a common sense approach. 1) Well-trained, healthy, and experienced groomers should have the highest productivity. 2) New groomers have the lowest. 3) Groomers with temporary or permanent disabilities require adjusted productivity expectations.

Some job candidates want to work on a basis of productivity to which they feel

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comfortable. If it matches their employer’s expectations, it can work. Use common sense.

Productive employees delivering quality grooming and humane pet care deserve the recognition and compensation that matches their standards. They deserve the best wage levels.

New groomers require more time to groom pets while they safely raise their productivity levels with hands-on experience and supervision. They should expect to earn less during this phase until they reach milestones you set for productivity.

When done properly all employees are classified according to fair performance standards. They earn fair and balanced wages based on their grooming productivity. As a result none of the employees should feel rushed or expected to groom more than the productivity basis for their compensation.

Employer expectations should be documented in personnel job descriptions and agreements (see From Problems to Profits book for samples). Changes will occur. For example, new groomers will

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personnel files should note evidence of the progress and the adjustments made in compensation and sometimes job titles.

Unfortunately almost everything discussed thus far does not exist in most independent grooming businesses.

Where it may exist in practice, it may not be in documented form. It must be both or employers are needlessly at risk of employment-related problems.

Standards for Grooming Time Time plays a major role in wage systems. Grooming is all about hands-on labor. Time is something the effective grooming business manager can easily document daily.

The operations forms and computer software used by employees should document time spent on every grooming. Using actual figures, instead of estimates or guesses, owners of businesses can accurately determine average grooming times for their pet clientele.

Using average grooming time standards employers can more accurately set standards for the job positions they offer. For example, here are some timebased standards set by Madeline Ogle, author of From Problems to Profits, in

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her business during the years 19611986.

Experienced Pet Bather Average of 12 pets a day in 8 working hours.

Pet bathers prep pets including ears, nails and de-matting when necessary.

They bathe pets and hand-dry them, no cage drying. Experienced bathers do Poodle feet clipping where required.

They can finish bath-only pets as needed with “bun and bows,” scissor around feet and between pads as required.

They note physical and sometimes behavioral observations of pets on their respective Madson Pet Groomer’s Report and Health Alert forms, and note on the Madson Client & Pet History Filecards their initials as the provider of the bathing services.

They contact the manager when observations indicate a potential health condition which may require veterinary care.

The manager signs the Madson Pet Groomer’s Report and Health Alert form

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when conditions warrant a medical advisory recommendation advising pet owners to seek veterinary care.

Bathing Department Supervisor Average of 10 pets a day in 8 working hours.

The supervisor does fewer bathing services in order to closely supervise the bathing operation. New pet bathers receive instruction and supervision from the supervisor.

Other supervisory duties included restocking bathing supplies, mixing shampoos and conditioners and ensuring the department was thoroughly cleaned and in order for the next working day.

The position provides assurance for business owners that all people and pets in the bathing department are safe at all times, and quality control guaranteed.

Entry-Level Pet Bather Average of 4 to 6 pets day in 8 working hours.

Entry-level pet bathers do not do Poodle feet, special care pets, scissoring pet feet or intensive de-matting unless they are in training and under active supervi-

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sion.

Today business owners tell us Madeline’s performance expectations in terms of pets groomed are relatively moderate. Why? Madeline’s business operated before the advent of high velocity dryers and improved bathing products. In the end you as the owner will have to evaluate and set your standards for grooming time.

We suggest you compile a chart of grooming time averages for your operation. A sample is provided with this article.

Once completed for your business, share it with your staff. Make sure they understand its meaning and that its stated times are expections, but based on their level of experience you understand they may not be able to meet the standards. However, explain that you are there to assist them to reach these standards with training and supervision.

Breed Based Grooming Time Averages Every business should have a list of primary breeds and their expected average grooming times by an experienced pet groomer or pet bather as applicable.

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State a range of time not spread by more than 20 minutes. For example, state the time in this format, 45 to 65 minutes.

Ranges account for variables in the sizes of pets. There are small Shelties and large Shelties. Ranges are not only required due to pet sizes. How modern is your equipment? Are you using products that speed up the drying process?

Are you using low quality scissors instead of high grade scissors? We know excellent groomers including ourselves that found scissoring time was cut by up to one-third when they used better quality precision shears.

Do you use high velocity dryers? Few argue they have proven to be significant timesavers compared to the times when early stand dryers were the only option.

These are just a few reasons why grooming times must be stated in ranges. Don’t use another business owner’s chart of grooming times without updating the times specific to the state of your operation.

We suggest putting a copy of your completed chart in your employee handbook. Have job candidates review copies too. Ask their opinion where there

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current performance standards stands with your range of time expectations.

Refer to the chart when you state expectations for the number of pets to be bathed or groomed on personnel documentation.

If you state 15 bath and dry services in 8 hours (480 minutes) your expectation is an average of 32 minutes per bathing services.

Refer to your chart. How possible is that goal on a regular basis when many of your bath and dry times are well over 32 minutes? Be reasonable.

There is another important variable to consider. The times in your chart should measure dedicated time grooming oneon-one. Although it is possible for pet bathers in well-equipped bathing departments to have enough space to actively work on more than one pet at a time, do not take that into consideration in setting times for your chart.

You can learn more about time standards and access fill-in forms like the chart in this article in CD #4, Pet Groomer Wage Systems by Grooming Business in a Box®. ▲

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Pearl Celebrated Halloween...and How! When she died a few years ago, I undog. In other words, unless you exearthed many things in my mother's pected someone at the vet's to scissor home that had long been forgotten: the your poodle's topknot with the mastery dog tags of our two original toy poodles of Rodin, she was it! Whose Kerry Blue Simone and Duan, their AKC pedigree is coming into heat? Check with Pearl, papers, their show leads, their framed she'll know. Her local celebrity earned studio portraits, and the little ceramic her a spot on television with her dogs "urns" I made in college for their creand the exotic paraphernalia she carried mated remains. I may have been an in her shop. only child, but to me these compassionIn the book that I've written about her ate creatures were my sister and colorful life, entitled Pearl's Party...and brother. Mother, or Pearl as everyone you're invited, I describe the layout of knew her, was the doyenne of the her shop, the furnishings and arrange1960s Philadelphia dog world. She was ment of products. You'll also meet her more than a groomer. She was casting, human and canine clientele, with whom wardrobe, makeup and information censhe made friends easily. As you will see (Continued on page 34) tral for everyone owned a A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved eGroomer Journal in Philly who Copyright Š 2011 Find 33 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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from the excerpts below, she was a most unusual artistic and entrepreneurial woman who inspired me every day with her gusto and joy of living: Throughout her life Halloween delighted Pearl and I believe it was her favorite holiday. When she dressed me as a Spanish señorita for my first Halloween, I was a sensation. Several years later she fashioned me into a little black cat, stuffing a black stocking to make my tail and using black eyeliner to paint whiskers on my cheeks and a triangle on the tip of my nose. For herself, she bought special stage makeup to create her witch’s face. She applied putty to her nose to create a wart and black-out to several teeth to give the illusion that they were missing. She wore a long black flowing skirt and topped off her head to toe black attire with a large pointed black hat. (The costume parties got wilder as the years went on....)

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pared with candy. As my pet and I walked up the street from house to house, collecting goodies in the dark, Pearl followed alongside in the car, keeping a protective watch.

We even took Simone to the movies with us. She sat on my lap as we watched Walter Lang’s film Can-Can, in which Shirley MacLaine played a character named Simone. Every time Frank Sinatra called out her name, our Simone woofed and sat rapt. Who wouldn’t swoon if Sinatra was talking to them?

As Simone grew, so did her fur. At the time, the only place to get a dog clipped was at the veterinarian and they couldn’t do justice to the stunning coat of a pampered peach-colored pedigree poodle.

Pearl invested in a pair of Oster "Animal" clippers that allowed her to shape Simone's fur just as she had sculpted the clay bust of me several years earlier. She knew about the "puppy cut", the "saddle cut" and various show clips that included topknots for the heads and pompons for the haunches, special styles just for poodles.

Come Halloween, Pearl made a costume for my canine sibling out of a pillow case with a hole cut out for each eye, à la Casper the Friendly Ghost. Because there were no children in our Simone was a walking showpiece for apartment building, trick or treating enPearl’s handiwork. Everywhere she took tailed Pearl driving me and Simone to our dog, people inquired, "Who clips her nearby private homes that would be pre34 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com (Continued on page 35) PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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hair?" "Well, I do it myself." "Oh! You doooo??? Do you think you could cut my dog, too?"

One night, Pearl had a dream. She dreamt of a purple poodle parlor, resembling an old-fashioned ice cream shoppe with a curvy white wrought iron table and matching chairs upholstered in lavender (which she subsequently purchased for $258). After she awoke, she wasted no time in visiting a nearby commercial district in search of a small storefront where she could realize her dream. She found the perfect place at 5913 Old York Road, up the street from a fire house, across the driveway from the Broad Street Trust bank, opposite Adele Rouslin’s antique shop and the Oak Lane Corset shop (which had relocated from the spot she was considering). Her landladies, Freda Segal and Dorothy Kay, granted her a one year lease beginning December 1, 1961 with annual rent of $900. They must have loved having Pearl as a tenant -- her rent didn’t increase to $1047 for another ten years. Pearl chose to name her fabulous shop after our fabulous dog, calling it Chez Simone. The French name went right over the heads of half of Philadelphia who couldn't fathom that the "z" was silent. They kept saying "chezzz" as

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if it rhymed with "fez."

Her purple and white business card read "The Area’s First Canine Beauty Salon", with the tag line, "Ask any dog who's been here." It featured a poodle lounging on a chaise longue, holding a cigarette in a decadent cigarette holder. The image gave the impression that you could swap out the dog and insert Pearl.

She distributed wood coins the size of silver dollars which read "Carry this and you’ll never be broke," entitling the bearer to $1 off their next visit. It was her way of poking fun at a favorite expression, "You can stand on your head and spit wooden nickels." Without any formal higher education, Pearl was a marketing guru.

What will your pooch be masquerading as this October 31st? ▀ Billie Tekel Elias, author of Pearl’s Party...and you’re invited.

I am the author of this entertaining book about the "first woman of dogs" in Philadelphia, over 55 years ago.

Pearl was a colorful character whose local celebrity earned her a spot on television with her dogs and some of the exotic paraphernalia she sold in her unique shoppe. In it, I describe the layout of her shop, the furnishings and arrangement of products and accessories. I also describe her clientele: humans and canines. She forged unusual friendships with both.

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Afraid of Knee Pain?

GroomFit by Vera Needham Do your creaking knees send a chill up your spine? It's no wonder when you consider an average day for pet stylists consists of standing for hours, bending, sitting and navigating slippery floors while carrying struggling animals. This can bring the best stylists to their knees.

One of the common causes of knee pain is patellofemoral syndrome.

Groomers with this condition may notice pain when climbing stairs, bending or lifting. Stylists often find stiffness and pain a when they get out of bed in the

morning or after sitting for a long period of time. The pain is usually located over the front of the knee and often described as a “deep ache.”

Fall has arrived and with frost on the pumpkins you may have already put your bike away for the winter. However, if you are serious about keeping knee pain at bay it would be wise to incorporate indoor cycling into your daily routine. Bicycles are low impact, nonweight bearing and the cyclical movement helps to nourish the cartilage of (Continued on page 37)

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the joint. Be careful not to set the seat too high as your hips rock may rock from side to side and knees may hyperextend or lock when you pedal. If the saddle is too low the knee has too much bend irritating the joint. Ideally knees should be slightly soft when the legs are extended on the pedal. There is no difference in the range of motion at the knee between recumbent and upright cycling. Select a low gear as higher gears and tension put more stress on the knee.

Often pet primpers do not lift animals properly bending at the knees because it hurts. Using proper form when bending will save your back and exercise your joints in healthy way. The secret to success is not to think of squats as something we do at the gym. A squat is simply sitting down. Learning to squat properly is the first step towards changing the quality of your life in so many ways.

Think of how many times you sit and stand during your normal day. You can damage or strengthen your knees when you perform this movement.

Do you grimace at the idea of climbing a flight of stairs? The secret to minimizing knee pain is to reduce the size of the step. A one or two inch step is high

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enough to start. Try to distribute your weight back toward the heel of the foot that is stepping up. Stepping on the toe transmits body weight onto the knee joint often causing pain. As the joint becomes stronger we can increase the size of the step. If we lose the ability to navigate stairs it is the first step towards losing our independence.

Stretching can be a valuable tool however some groomers injure their knee by twisting it deliberately doing common but strenuous stretches. Twisting can stretch the ligaments that hold the knee together. Overstretching ligaments can make the joint unstable.

Strengthening alone doesn't fix knee pain that often originates from poor mechanics. Plenty of muscular people have pain. It is a combination of strengthening and proper alignment that will be the key to eliminating painful joints.

Start by standing in front of the mirror and take a good look at your bare knees. See if your knee caps turn inward instead of facing forward in alignment with your feet. If one or both turn inward our first task is to fix rotation. To perform this task effectively stylists

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Employers! Groomers!

We Do All the Work for You!

GroomerNetwork.com Whether you are a business owner looking for a groomer, or a groomer looking for a position, we make the search and hiring process easy and convenient.

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must think of using their buttock muscles to help turn or rotate one or both knees outward. Often when our knees rotate inward we distribute more weight on the inside of the foot. It may be helpful to use your muscles to deliberately attempt to lift your weight off of the inside of your arch while still keeping the big toe connected to the floor. When we correct our leg position often pain will be reduced almost immediately. Our goal is to stop compressing and twisting your joints and cartilage with poor body positioning at the salon. The only way to make long term change in our body is to incorporate proper body position into our daily styling tasks. Changing knee positions may feel strange at first but the great news is the position is trainable. You can teach old dog (groomer) new tricks.

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THE EXERCISES 1. Squats: Start with your legs apart hip width and your knees and feet facing forward. It may help by starting with your toes placed against a cabinet or counter. This will give you feedback about your body position and prevent knees from going past the toes which overloads the joints. Many people tend to have what we call a gravity pattern. What this means is that we let the knees fall together when we sit succumbing to gravity. Put some energy into your toes and stick your bottom out while lowering yourself into the chair. At first it may help to start with a high stool and as you strengthen you will become more stable and be able to go lower. Always work in a pain free zone. Repeat 10 times.

(Continued on page 42)

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www.americangroomingacademy.com 888-550-9274 Temecula, CA

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2. Step Ups: Keep your weight back toward the heel of the foot that is stepping up. Stepping on the toe transmits

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body weight onto the knee joint often causing pain. Be aware of alignment!

Repeat 10 times up.

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(Continued from page 42)

3. Side Step Ups: Keep the toes lined up as you lift and lower with control. Repeat 10 times.

4. Clams: Strong and functional gluteal muscles are the key to prevent the knees from collapsing and turning inward. Start by lying on your side with your knees bent.

Imagine that your head, back, bottom and feet are all against an invisible wall.

Press the heels together as you open your knees. Concentrate on squeezing the buttocks muscles as you open the hip.

Be careful not to allow the upper body to roll when you open the hips.

Repeat 15 times. ▀

Vera Needham, Author Vera Needham is a Medical Exercise Specialist, Pilates Pro Trainer and has been a professional Dog Groomer for over 30 years. Physiotherapy uses exercise to prevent injury. The same type of exercise can be used to prevent injury. Who better than a dog groomer to know the vulnerabilities of the trade? We seem to accept pain as a way of life. Often it doesn’t have to be. Vera’s mission is to educate fellow groomers on injury prevention through exercise. Groom Fit is the result of twenty years of extensive study.

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Using Ultrasonic Cleaners

By Jeff Andrews, Northern Tails Sharpening Ultrasonic Cleaners (UC) have been used in the grooming industry for years. I used to mix chemicals in beakers when I was an R&D chemist for GP years ago, and it did very well. The UC works like a microwave oven using ultrahigh frequency tones to move molecules of water or liquid in a container.

The best use of the UC for blade care is cleaning blade plaque between the blade teeth. The plaque is breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria, and you cannot completely kill them with over -the-counter disinfectants alone.

Blade plaque consists of media from pet dander, hair and organic soap film. It is a perfect media for culturing bacteria and viruses. The UC does a wonderful job to this end.

(Continued on page 49)

Jeff Andrews is "One of America's Favorite Sharpeners."

Along with his years of grooming experience in two of his own shops, he is a "World Class Sharpener" that can sharpen all grooming equipment to better than new condition. Jeff is an author and pioneer of many maintenance and grooming video's and articles. They are for groomers who want to make their equipment last longer and save money on their sharpening costs. These videos and articles are on his website free to download and keep for reference. www.northerntails.com eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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PetGroomer.com Magazine eGroomer Journal January / March 2014 (Continued from page 48)

SET UP I prefer plain water in the UC bath. Why? There are two reasons. First, I like doing several cleaning operations at one time.

I use several different cleaners placed in mason jars. You cannot do that if your bath holds only one cleaner. I use one cleaner for rust, another one with WD40 and a third one using a degreasing cleaner. I get the latter at Lowes for $12.00 a gallon. Second, when I remove the jars from the bath, drips are plain water and chemicals.

CLEANING My way is pretty unique compared to others, but I based my method on years of experience finding the best way.

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When using mason jars the cleaning waves of the UC go right through glass.

Careful, do not use plastic jars. The waves act differently. Arrange blades in the mason jars any way you want. I suggest you get as many as you can inside.

Fill the jar with cleaning solution to a level higher than the blades. The water level of the bath must be at the same level as the liquid in the jar or higher.

Run the UC for 10 minutes unless otherwise instructed. Do not heat the bath because the UC will heat the liquid inside the jar. Do not seal the jars tight. Leave a little crack allowing the liquid inside to expand a little as needed.

POST CLEANING CYCLE After the cleaning cycle reach in the bath and pull out your jar(s). Some UC (Continued on page 50)

Sharpening Services for Groomers Everywhere www.northerntails.com Authorized Furzone Distributor—Northern Tails Sharpening Mobile, Alabama © 2014 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved

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units can fit three mason jars. The jars are likely to drip from the bath but you do not have to worry. It should just be nonhazardous water. Had you treated the bath with a solution like WD-40, you would have to wear gloves when you remove the blades one at a time, and related risks to breathing fumes. There is no reason to risk your safety.

Take your jar(s) of clean blades to a table, or remove them from the jar (s) right at your UC location. I suggest using a magnet to remove blades and then laying them on a towel. You can put a stick on your magnet for this purpose. It is also a handy way to put

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blades into jars as well without making splashes. You can purchase magnet extension arms at Harbor Freight, Home Depot, Lowes or similar stores.

Get the bulk of the moisture off the blades by hand drying on the towel.

Next, use your air hose, force dryer, or hair dryer and blow the remaining liquid off the blade. Be sure to completely dry between the teeth as well as under the spring in order to prevent any rust.

SECONDS If you find remaining blade plaque repeat the entire procedure. Blade plaque may be difficult to remove the first time and have not regularly cleaned your blades. If you begin regular cleaning with your UC a few times a week you should successfully avoid blade plaque buildup.

COMPLETE KIT

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Here is the complete kit I use to clean blades. I have one jar with straight WD40. It breaks away chunks of blade plaque from between the teeth when a soap solution alone is insufficient. I have another jar with WD-40 Rust Dissolver. We use it when blades have rusty spots not removed by our radial wheel cleaning. I keep three jars with a soap solution. I mix 1 part soap (Krud-Kutter, Simple Green, etc) to 3 parts water. The more water in the mix the better for cleaning.

Your cleaning solution will look dirty even after the first use, but I have found the used solution works well for several treatments. Dirt falls to the bottom of

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the jar. When the dirt builds up to ¼ inch deep replace the solution.

FINISHED PRODUCT In the picture you see cleaned blades from one jar. We removed them from the jar using magnet shown. The cleaning jar solution looks dirty but it can be used a few more times. You can decide if you want to reuse or not. Once handwiped and blown completely dry, apply oil to the cleaned blades. ▀

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Northern Tails Sharpening, Inc. You Now Have a Better Choice!

Mail-in Prices Clipper Repair ● Veterinarian Equipment ● Beauty Shears Steel Blades

$5.00

Ceramic Blades

$6.00

Beveled Shears

$5.00

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$5.00

Convex Shears

$10.00

Refurbish 5-N-1 Blades

$10.00

Chunkers

$10.00

Convex Thinning Shears $10.00

We are an Andis Regional Distributor and Repair Center Check out our website’s free instructional videos and articles helping you to maintain your clippers and blades. It’s free to download!

Jeff is a Master Sharpener and Certified Pet Groomer. He knows how your tools should perform. He won’t sharpen worn out tools which could harm animals. His office will call you if any of your tools look bad.

Please call or visit our website for mailing information. http://www.northerntails.com/

SINCE 1995

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(251) 232-5353 Mobile, Alabama

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Our school is not just about pet grooming. It’s about pets, the petparents, our community and our role in pet rescue efforts by Journaland approach to Copyright 2011 Find A Groomer Inc.the Allclass rights room reserved 53 creating eGroomer the right habits each pet Š and their parents.

From to the Lab, and from our receptionist to our CEO, we only have one goal: To improve the pet industry one pet at a time! One Student at a time! Please visit our web site for more information www.johnpaulpetschool.com.

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Holistic Grooming What’s it all about?

by Daryl Conner One of my grooming customers is a veterinarian. She asked me, “So, what’s the deal with holistic pet grooming?”

The word holistic has been rather overused in recent years. It smacks of woo-woo new ageism and touchy feel good-ism. She looked skeptical just saying it. I replied, “It is taking the entire pet into consideration when we groom it. From choosing the best possible products and providing a safe and comfortable environment, to making sure that the not only the physical but also the psychological and emotional

needs of the animal are supported during the grooming process.”

She tilted her head and looked at me quizzically. “Isn’t that sort of a no brainer?” A fair question! It should be obvious to groomers that the animals they are working with are living, sentient beings whose feelings should be taken into consideration when they are undergoing the grooming process.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In most situations, it is not

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because of a lack of caring on the part of the groomer; more so a lack of education or understanding that options are available.

Here is an example. Yesterday we groomed a small mixed breed which had bitten several people during previous grooming attempts. I was warned repeatedly by the owner to be sure to use a muzzle. I do keep muzzles on hand, but rarely use them. When the dog came in I could immediately see that he was very anxious. Any biting on his part was from fear, not outright aggression.

Taking this into consideration, our approach was to move slowly and gently, ignoring him when he thrashed about and acted as if we were trying to kill him, and praising him when he was still for a moment to catch his breath.

Within just a few moments he caught on, and the times we could praise him became more and more frequent.

Although he was terribly matted, we were able to groom him from bath to bandana in 70 minutes without resorting to using a muzzle.

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When his delighted owner picked him up she asked how we had managed to get him completely groomed. We explained our method and she said, “Oh, the other groomer tried to hold him really tightly and he hated that. It made him worse.”

This example shows that the previous groomer knew one method of trying to subdue dogs that struggled for grooming. It I probably how she was taught. Even though the dog in question is not very large, he IS very strong, and determined. Trying to muscle him ended badly for everyone concerned. The groomer was bitten, the dog went home unfinished, matted and upset from the process. The owner despaired of finding another solution, and waited so long to try again that the dogs coat was a matted mess by the time we got to him.

Working to calm his fears and deescalate his behavior cost us nothing, and gained us a new customer. It is not that we are any more skilled than the previous groomers, but that we worked with the dog’s personality to achieve a successful outcome. In the end, it’s important to remember that working

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holistically isn’t just about the pet, it is taking everything into consideration; the animal, the client and the groomer. No one thing trumps something else. Every aspect is important, and decisions are based on what is best for all three.

“Integrative grooming,” might be a better and more descriptive term to describe this method. This means to bring parts together to create a whole.

It sometimes means thinking in different and creative ways to overcome a challenge.

Here is another example. As a professional groomer, I have worked almost every Saturday of the last 32 years. To be honest, I’m tired of it. I’d like to have Saturdays off to spend with my husband. Last year I took a good hard look at my customer list. There are only a handful of customers which absolutely must have Saturday appointments. All of them need grooming about every 6 weeks. With a little juggling, I could get them all on the same rotation.

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me a better groomer.

Putting all the woo-woo and touchy-feely stuff aside, grooming holistically merely means considering the well-being of the pet, the owner and even the groomer.

Integrative grooming is more than giving a good haircut, it is thinking of the dog or cat as a complex, sensitive, living creature and treating it with the respect and kindness that will support its mental, psychological and physical well-being.

A good groom is expected from all of us, but a great groom leaves the pet feeling as good as it looks, the owner feeling satisfied, and the groomer happy to work another day. ▀

Now I work one Saturday every six weeks. It works for my customers, the pets and me. I am much happier with this schedule, and my happiness makes eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

Daryl Conner Daryl Conner is a certified Petcare Dermatech Specialist, Master Pet Stylist, Meritus and Certified Master Cat Groomer. She serves as Vice President of the Professional Cat Groomers Association of America. She is the recipient of the coveted 2005 Cardinal Crystal award for Journalism and the ’06 and ‘07 award for Congeniality, and the 2013 Barkleigh award for writing. A frequent contributor to grooming industry magazines, pet-related websites and blogs, she enjoys sharing hard-won knowledge from 32 years of grooming experience with others. Daryl’s abiding love of animals and passion for her trade radiates out to everyone she touches through her work. www.darylconner.com © 2014 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved © 2016 Find A Groomer Inc All rights reserved

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Styling Aids for Grooming the Canine Coat

by Barbara Bird Reprint of Classic eGroomer Journal Article—Watch for Her New Article in Our Winter 2017 Issue

The use of styling aids for the canine coat is gaining in popularity, whether it is to achieve perfection for the walk into the show ring or for the walk out the

door of the grooming salon. In the human beauty industry, hair styling products are the most rapidly growing seg(Continued on page 61)

Comparison of Hair Styling Products Styling Product

Mousse

Gels

Sprays

Main Features

Typical Ingredient

Suggested Styling Use

Spreads easily to create body & fullness with light hold. Used on wet or damp hair.

Water (& sometimes alcohol), propellant system, fixative polymer, foam builder, corrosion inhibitor, fragrance, preservative, designer additives.

Use to create volume and body in light, fluffy coats, and add some firmness, i.e., heads, skirts and furnishings.

Ideal for when some movement of the coat is desirable.

Helps to create shape and form. Can be confined to spot application. Used on damp hair, usually to allow molding of shape.

Water (possibly alcohol), hair fixative, gelling agent, humectant, pH adjuster, fragrance, solubilizer, preservative, additives.

Form eyebrows, shape whiskers, frame eyes, build furnishings & topknots. Can create the appearance of more substance of bone. Adds firmness and texture to soft coats and floppy heads.

Holds hair in place and resists the effects of wind and humidity. Used on dry hair for instant setting action.

Alcohol, propellant (if aerosol), hair fixative, pH adjuster, fragrance, possibly silicones, designer additives.

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Flexible hold – allows stylist to build volume and texture. Often used to aid scissoring of stand -out coats, such as Poodle or Bichon Frise.

Firm hold – maximum fixative load to set hair in © 2014 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved © 2016 Find place.

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ment. For decades, those grooming show dogs have turned to human products to give them the finishing edge needed to complete their styling. Nowadays, it is not necessary to turn to an off -label product; there are plenty of choices right in our own marketplace.

Mousses, setting gels, and hairsprays can be used to make a fluffy coat fluffier, help a limp coat to have body, build high, firm topknots, shape eyebrows and beards, keep hair out of the eyes, and hold the whole thing in place.

Styling aids are widely incorporated by hairdressers. Most contemporary human hair stylists have an array of products at their stations to help them get the finished look they want to see walk out of the door. That fabulous result that the salon client yearns to duplicate but never can quite achieve is often due to the savvy use of styling aids. A master stylist may incorporate more than one styling product during the process of creating and finishing a hairstyle. It’s not unusual for a human hair stylist to use two or even three styling aids per “head”.

The process of “styling” is the same for canine hair as human hair. The hydrogen bonds that determine the shape of the hair are naturally broken down when saturated with water during the shampoo or pet bath. The stylist then

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reshapes a “beta” shape to the hair, using styling tools (remember hair rollers?) and products. Hello! Groomers have been doing that for years, straightening curly coats for scissoring. Now, with the assistance of styling aids, we can create lift, volume, body and shape way beyond the simple act of straightening. Want a cute little Westie head that doesn’t lay flat on the crown? Work some gel into the hair before drying.

While drying, brush or blow the crown from back to front and front to back to encourage it to stand up. After trimming to the desired length, spray and scrunch the top of the head with a setting spray as the final touch. The head will have an adorable tousled look and the height you have been yearning for.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MOUSSE, GEL, AND SPRAY The closer one looks at the ingredients of hair mousse, setting gel, and hair spray, the more one discovers the similarities are greater than the differences.

All three types of styling products contain hair fixatives, usually polymers. The differences are not so much a matter of the styling ingredients as they are differences in the delivery systems.

Mousse combines hair fixatives, foam builder and propellant to create a lightweight, spreadable foam that lightly coats hair from the roots out. It builds body and volume, and generally leaves

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hair with movement. Mousse delivers light hold. It is usually applied to wet or damp hair and dried into the desired shape. Mousse may contain a quaternary conditioning agent or silicone to reduce static and tame frizz.

Setting gels are also most often applied to wet or damp hair, and deliver a bit more fixative and holding power. They are used to create texture and to form shapes, such as terrier eyebrows, beards. Setting gels can be used for spot applications, such as molding hair around the eyes of drop-coated breeds.

Examples are Havanese, Lhasa Apso and Bearded Collie. Gels usually consist of water, hair fixative, gelling agent, humectant (to keep the product from drying out), pH adjuster, fragrance, solubilizer (to mix fragrance), preservative and designer additives.

Hairsprays can be formulated for flexible-hold or firm-hold, and can be delivered by aerosol or pump spray. Most hairsprays are alcohol-based. They usually deliver the most hair fixative and are designed to hold hair in place and resist the effects of humidity. Humidity undoes the efforts of styling, whether the hair has been straightened or shaped. Moisture breaks the newly formed hydrogen bonds and allows the hair to return to its natural state. In addition to the alcohol medium, hair-

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sprays contain propellants (if aerosol), fixative polymers, pH adjuster, fragrance, possible silicones, and designer additives.

COMMON INGREDIENTS IN HAIR STYLING PRODUCTS Hair fixative polymers: A polymer is defined as “a substance composed of one or more large molecules that are formed from repeated units of smaller molecules. “ Reader’s Digest Oxford Complete Wordfinder, 1996, p. 1155.

This linking together allows the cosmetic chemist to create extraordinarily lightweight compounds that coat and hold the hair shafts together. This gives the hair body, strength, resilience and hold. These properties are called “film forming” and “plasticity”. In the language of chemistry, “plasticity” refers to moldability and flexibility.

There are a number of hair fixatives available to the product formulator for use in hair styling products. The same fixatives may found in mousse, gel and spray. The differences are in the amount of fixative in a formula. There are polymers created for light hold and others for stronger hold. Each has its own character. Each chemical supplier has a number of hair fixative ingredients to offer. Among the hair fixatives commonly found in canine hair styling products, are PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), PVP/VA copolymer (VA is vinyl acrylate),

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acrylates copolymers (descriptive of several acrylate combinations), PVM/ MA copolymer, Polyquaternium-4 (or 11, -46, or others).

Aminomethyl Propinol: Wherever hair fixatives are found they will be accompanied by Aminomethyl Propanol (AMP). It serves several purposes, including balancing the pH, keeping the polymers mixed in the solution (emulsifier), and controlling the watersolubility of the delivered product, giving it the desired humidity-resistance.

AMP is also an anti-corrosive substance that helps to protect the integrity of spray cans.

Alcohol: We have heard that alcohol is drying and have seen alcohol on hit lists of ingredients to avoid, so why is it present in hair styling products? A). Because it is fast drying, evaporates quickly and leaves the fixative ingredients in place. Too much water in a styling product adds drying time and makes hair limp. B). Alcohol in hairspray is not as bad as it is made out to be. Negative hype is the drama that is created to help market alternative products. Paula Begoun, aka, the “cosmetics cop” states that, “In reality, alcohol in hairsprays evaporates too quickly to impact the moisture content of the hair.” (Don’t Go Shopping for HairCare Products Without Me, pg. 93).

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October / December 2016 PetGroomer.com Publications

Silicones and Quaternary Conditioning Agents: Some mousses, gels and sprays may contain small amounts of silicone ingredients to aid in combing and styling the hair and to add shine to the finished result. Silicones also speed up drying and thereby reduce the amount of alcohol needed in the formula, and they help resist the effects of humidity.

These silicones might be Dimethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol, Peg-8 Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone (aka, cyclopentasiloxane), Quats, or quaternary ammonium compounds, are sometimes also added for anti-static property. Examples are, Polyquatenium-4, Polyquartium-7, PPG-9 Diethylmonium Chloride.

Designer Additives: These are the “goodies” that are added to provide the marketing image for the product. Some companies have signature additives.

For example, Pantene has Panthenol in nearly every product. Aussie products all have Australian botanicals. Products marketed as “natural” may have 1-5 botanical extracts. There may be some additives that are easily recognized as “good”, such as Aloe Vera Gel. Generally speaking, all of the additives add up to no more than one percent of the formula, and any one may be present in such a small amount as to have no conceivable function in the product. Some manufacturers refer to these additives as “fairy dust”.

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Propellants: All aerosol products need a propellant system to produce the pressure that forces the liquid concentrate from the container. Isobutane and Propane are hydrocarbons that have low toxicity and good chemical stability.

The downside is that they are highly flammable and are VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which carry environmental concerns. For this reason, the amount of hydrocarbons allowed in human consumer products is required to be less than 55% in some states. Hydroflourocarbon 150a is a costlier propellant but is less controversial. Hydroflourocarbons are not thought to destroy the ozone layer, but may play a role in global warming. Dimethyl ether is replacing hydrocarbons in many human styling aerosols, as it is more environmentally friendly and allows for lower VOC formulations. It is, however, a more expensive ingredient.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES The first aerosol hairsprays that were introduced to the mass market used Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) as propellants. They were popular with formulators because of their low flammability and good solvency. In the 1970’s, it was discovered that CFCs can contribute to depletion of the upper ozone layer, and they were eventually banned. No hairsprays use CFCs today, although some

64 64

October / December 2016 PetGroomer.com Publications

labels still proclaim “No CFCs” as a marketing gimmick to imply that other products might contain these disreputable ingredients.

Chloroflourocarbons were replaced by hydrocarbons, especially Isobutane and Propane. However, it was then discovered that aerosols that use a combination of ethyl alcohol and hydrocarbons emit vapors called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that generate ozone in the lower atmosphere and trap pollutants, creating smog. California and New York have passed laws requiring that products contain no more than 55% VOCs, and many human hair sprays are now formulated to this specification.

USA Federal regulations and European Union standards require no more than 80% VOCs in aerosols. Most human hairsprays are now formulated to the 55% requirement, so they can be sold in all states.

In order to comply with present-day regulations, hairspray formulators have substituted some alcohol in the product with water. Reducing the alcohol content lowers the VOCs, but also makes for a less effective product. Dimethyl ether is becoming a popular propellant, as it does not release VOCs. It is, however, highly flammable and costly. Another advantage is that it works well in the presence of an alcohol/water combination. It is unknown to what extent

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manufacturers of canine cosmetics products are adhering to the regulations established for the human cosmetics marketplace. On the whole, animal products are much less scrutinized.

Pump sprays vs. Aerosols. It would seem that the environmentally friendly choice would be to forego aerosols for pump sprays. Pump sprays do not emit VOCs or any other questionable emissions. They do not, however, dispense as fine a mist, often resulting in the application of too much product and large droplets. They are not as efficient as aerosols, and often suffer from clogged nozzles. Products in pump sprays do not have the extended shelf life of those in pressurized aerosol cans. When application performance is the priority, aerosols are the preferred system. In the beauty industry, we see some manufacturers, such as Suave, offering both aerosol sprays and pump sprays to give consumers a choice.

SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS Groomers have been straightening canine coats, a basic form of hair styling, for decades. Products that assist in reshaping hair and defining structure and form of hair can be helpful in creating professional results that walk out the salon door with pizzazz, or walk into the show ring with a winning attitude.

Mousses, gels, and sprays share com-

65 65

October / December 2016 PetGroomer.com Publications

mon ingredients, primarily hair fixative polymers that coat hair shafts and hold them together. This gives more texture, body, volume, and shine to the appearance of the hair coat. Final use sprays help the created look stay in place.

How long will the effects of styling products last? That will depend on the amount of fixative applied and the relative humidity of your environment, among other factors. Styling products will give your results more life, but it’s temporary. An extra dab of this or spritz of that can bring breathtaking results to your styling efforts. Styling products are your liquid tools, and the more you use them, the more you realize the advantages. ▲ Barbara Bird, aka BBird, has been grooming since 1971 and opened Transformation Pet Center in Tucson, Arizona in 1977. In the salon, BBird specializes in Bichons and scissored trims, hand stripping of Terriers, and cat grooming. She has been writing and speaking to groomers for over a decade, and received the Cardinal Crystal Achievement Award as Grooming Journalist of the Year for 2006 and 2007. A regular contributor to Pet Age magazine, Barbara also writes for The Bichon Frise Reporter. She has authored and self-published three books, including Beyond Suds and Scent Understanding Pet Shampoos and Conditioners.

She has also developed a line of aromatherapy products, The Scented Groomer. Listen to TheGroomPod. Web Site: www.bbird.biz Bbird’s GroomBlog http://groomblog.blogspot.com

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Journalthat January / March 75 is not commonly known relates toPetGroomer.com It’s eGroomer commonly known all brands of A-52014 blades fit any brand of A-5 clippers. What blade sizes. MostPublications brands of A-5 blades have similar sizes, but how they perform varies. Manufacturers must use design differences in order to avoid patent and copyright infringement. The most common difference between brands is the blade thickness. Similar manufacturer sizes may cut at different heights. You could be in for a surprise if you change brands of the same size blade only to discover the cut is different! For your convenience Jeff at Northern Tails Sharpening prepared the multiple manufacturer reference charts below for blades and snap-ons. Be sure to check Jeff’s web site at www.northerntails.com for more helpful articles, videos and descriptions of his mail-in services. ♦

Clipper Blade Cutting Heights by Manufacturer BLADE SIZE

BLADE CUT

MASTER GRM.TOOLS

LAUBE

WAHL

KLEAN CUT

OSTER

ANDIS

#

Inches

MM

MM

MM

MM

MM

MM

50

1/125

0.2

0.2

0.5

0.2

0.2

0.2

40

1/100

0.3

0.3

0.6

0.1

0.3

0.3

35

3/50

—

—

—

—

—

0.4

30

1/50

0.5

0.5

0.8

0.2

0.5

0.5

15

3/64

1.2

1.0

1.3

1.0

1.2

1.2

10

1/16

1.6

1.5

1.8

1.5/1.6

1.0

1.5

10W

3/32

2.4

—

—

—

—

—

9

5/64

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.5

1.0/2.0

2.0

8.5

7/64

2.8

2.8

—

—

2.0

2.8

7

1/8

3.2

3.2

4.0

3.2

3.0

3.2

5

1/4

6.4

6.4

6.0

6.3

6.0

6.3

4

3/8

9.5

9.6

8.0

9.5

9.0

9.5

3

1/2

12.7

13.0

10.0

12.0

13.0

12.0

5/8HT

5/8

15.9

16.0

—

—

—

16.0

3/4HT

3/4

—

—

—

—

—

19.0

T-84

3/16

—

—

—

—

—

2.4

Snap-On Comb Sizes & Cut Lengths by Manufacturer COMB SIZE

LAUBE SELF ADJ & X-LARGE

WAHL STAINLESS STEEL

MDC ROMANI

OSTER UNIVERSAL

MILLERS FORGE

#

Inches

MM

MM

MM

MM

1/16

1/16

1/8

1/8

1/4

1/4

1/2

3/4

9/16

1/2 3/4

3/4 0

7/8

5/8

5/8

1

5/8

1/2

1/2

1

5/8

1 1/4

1 1/4 1 1/2

1/2

2

3/8

3

5/16

4

3/16

3/8

3/8

7/16

1/2

3/8

3/8

5/16

5/16

1/4

3/16

5

1/16

1/8

1/16

A

1

3/4

B

1 1/4

C

1 1/2

PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com

D

1 3/4

E

2

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7/8 1

Charts courtesy of Northern Tails Sharpening 251-232-5353 www.northerntailssharpening.com

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