PetGroomer.com Magazine - Summer 2022 by findagroomer

April / June 2022 Vol. 12, Ed. 2 eGroomer Journal January / March 2014

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M A G A Z I N E

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April / June 2022

INSIDE THE SUMMER 2022 ISSUE Calendar of Events

“Cypher” Cover Groom by Joanne Parker

People Pleasing Policies

The Details of Deshedding

Why Some Groomers Never Use Client Questionnaires

Banishing Bat Wings

Most Vulnerable Places to Harm a Dog Being Groomed

Things to Consider Before Opening Your Business

Members Only Grooming Businesses

Hourly Cost to Operate Your Grooming Business

3 Top Questions Asked by Career Seekers

Blade Coolant Handling

Ceramic Blade Maintenance

About PetGroomer.com and Surveys PetGroomer.com founder Madeline B. Ogle, entered the grooming industry in 1961 as a grooming salon owner along with her husband, an experienced pet groomer. When she retired she wrote From Problems to Profits: The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Business in 1989. PetGroomer.com was founded in 1997 and GroomingBusinessinaBox.com thereafter. The opinions expressed in the surveys are those of groomers anonymously surveyed and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PetGroomer.com management and staff, nor advertisers. PetGroomer.com welcomes thousands of groomers and career seekers daily.

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

AUGUST 2022 ALL AMERICAN GROOM SHOW August 4 - 7, 2022 Schaumburg, Illinois See www.aagroom.com POODLE PRACTICE SESSION August 28, 2022 See Details: CLICK HERE

SEPTEMBER 2022 GROOM EXPO September 15 - 18, 2022 Hershey, Pennsylvania See www.groomexpo.com

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SEPTEMBER 2022 U.S. PET PRO CLASSIC September 30 - October 3, 2022 Las Colinas, Texas See www.uspetproclassic.com

OCTOBER 2022 NEW ENGLAND GROOM SHOW October 6 - 9, 2022 Sturbridge, Massachusetts See www.newenglandgrooms.com

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“Cypher” Cover Groom by Joanne Parker Joanne Parker celebrates 20 years of grooming and owning ItzaClip! Doggy Day Spa. Joanne styled Cypher, a 7 year old Silver Standard Poodle, shown in a "Teddy" Asian style groom that can be implemented on any pet that comes in16

to a grooming salon on a regular basis, or tweaked to suit. Creating Asian style "flare" is easy on Poodles, as long as you have enough hair for contrast.

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weigh down hair. For this groom I used K9 Crisp shampoo & Crisp Mist spray. To get the contrast take the body short, start at withers from a #7 blade to a 1/2" guard comb. Leave some hair at the tuck and pin bones to fill in. (I used an AGS 1/2" guard over a #30 blade.)

July / September 2022

Trim in your feet first by using curved shears and placing your first cut in front of nails (the more hair the bigger the foot can be). To create flared legs you can use either a guard comb or a skip tooth blade and SKIM (lightly hover clipper) to set in your shape. You will need a steady hand and a good dog for this technique. I prefer to set my shape of legs while standing (Continued on page 18)

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so as to not accidentally cut too much off the lower leg. For the best Asian shape head, don't use clippers. Instead scissor shape in. Start by setting in your defining features (chin/eyes/top head). The chin should be about an inch so that there is enough to blend into round muzzle. Do not scoop out eyes, the goal should be layered ears, and a blended round head. Too much length will cause "flopknot." When you look at the front of the dog, try to see the shapes you

July / September 2022

are aiming for: oval muzzle, the round head, and cut the hair that sticks outside that line. Tip: the less hair on the lower legs that you have, the shorter the upper armpit area needs to be to still have contrast. The goal is to have gradual length changes so that it does not look like boots. Take care to not remove too much from the front of the upper leg and cause a bowed look.

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To view a video of this groom with detailed info use the link below. eGroomer Journal

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

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“Cypher” Groomer: Joanne Parker

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People Pleasing Policies Now I know you’re thinking…what does this have to do with pet retail? Don’t worry…it’s related! Most people in the pet industry (myself included) are here because they are obsessed with their pets. We tend to be the household caretakers and as such more empathetic to the needs of others.

DISCOUNTS Every business owner has friends or family requesting discounts. Clients may even have multiple dogs in their household in which they would love a price break for dog grooming or treats. Let’s be honest…it’s not that much less work grooming three dogs from the same household than from three different households so why should they get a break? If you have a policy in place in written form in your business and on your website, it will make it much easier for you to refer to your policy than argue with a client.

Being an “Empath” is wonderful for society but quite taxing as there are many people that exploit an Empath for their own gain. It is for this reason, it’s extremely important to have a store manual or policies and procedures in place to refer to in order to keep your “people If a friend or family member asks for a pleasing” ways from being taken addiscount; you can say, “Our friends and vantage of and your business running family discount policy is 20%.” Or if a at maximum efficiency. We’re going to multi-household client asks for a disdiscuss ways you can be your caring count; you can explain, “It’s not our poliself and run an efficient business by cy to give discounts for multi-household employing “People Pleasing Policies” or (Continued on page 25) 24 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com “PPP.” PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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families.” In this way, someone can blame the “policy” without getting upset with you directly. If you have difficulty enforcing these policies, have a receptionist or assistant do it for you. Having all your policies online on your website is a great way for you to set expectations for your clients too. New clients can scour your website before entering your business and they’ll have an idea of your policies and procedures and professionalism before they ever walk through your door. If you think your online policies will scare off potential clients…those are NOT the clients you need! NO-SHOWS & LAST MINUTE RESCHEDULES Nearly every service business that sets appointments for their clients should have a “No-Show” policy in place. Clients are not thinking of the loss of income a “no-show” will incur, they’re generally only thinking of their own situation. My absolute favorite way to avoid a rescheduled appointment or “no-show” is to utilize a notification system to remind clients of their appointments. Pet Desk is an app with a notification service that texts your clients of upcoming appointments which can save you thoueGroomer Journal

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sands of dollars annually. In addition to using technology to assist your appointments, you can put your appointment cancellation policy on your website. Adding this information to your website will set the expectation before a client walks through your doors. Example: “We recommend rescheduling your appointment 48 hours in advance in order to avoid a $50 cancellation fee.” On the occasion this occurred, I would give a client a one time “freebee” and not charge them that time but let them know we would charge next time. If a client canceled a second time; they were more than apologetic and willing to pay the cancellation fee. Having a clear cut policy in place with a little wiggle room for a 1st time offense always made my clients more respectful of my business and time.

DON’T GIVE AWAY THE HOUSE

July / September 2022

items that I see Pet Groomers constantly giving away and then wonder why they make ZERO sales on these same items in their retail stores. Bows: Yes, Bella looks cute with bows walking out of your salon and these are typically included with a good grooming appointment. Providing inexpensive ribbon and or mass quantities of simple bows (under 5 cents) to create a polished effect… go right ahead. Unfortunately there are many pet grooming salons that spend way too much time and labor buying and making fancy bows for clients when they could upsell them to increase profit margins and lower labor costs. Many of these same grooming salons will actually offer really nice bows for sale and then wonder why no one buys them. Why would a client spend money if they can get it for free? Offer a base bow and upsell for clients that want something more so it’s a win-win for both business and client!

As Empaths, not only do we love taking Bandanas: care of people, but we love the smile on The cheap bandanas of the past are falltheir face when we give them someing out of fashion for many grooming thing that they need or like! Don’t come salons. There are so many fancy banat me, I’m not saying you can’t ever give danas that are for sale on sites like Etsy anything away as there are special cirand Amazon. Instead of spending the cumstances where a giveaway is crulabor & money cutting bandanas for clicial. We’re going to talk about a few (Continued on page 27) 26 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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ents that may or may not like them… offer custom bandanas as an upsell to your clients. Some salons and stores have their own Cricket machines & take orders when clients drop off their pets to be ready in time for when they are picked up! You can charge $10-$20 for a custom bandana instead of spending the labor & capital on bandanas that your clients might throw away anyway! Treats: Clients will often expect free dog treats because grooming salons LOVE giving them away. Now if you’re trying to promote a treat for sale in your salon or store…this policy makes more sense. However; many salons that retail often get frustrated with clients not wanting to purchase their treats when they are constantly giving them away. Save some treats for “special” clients and put them behind the counter. If you are going to set up samples in your store…I highly recommend getting rid of a bowl and carefully placing treats in a nice pattern like this photo because people take less when there appears to be less to take. In a bowl, I’ve seen clients dump an entire bowl of dog treats in their purse! eGroomer Journal

July / September 2022

Merchandising your treats with less makes a client consciously think about messing up the display and they will be inclined to take one at a time. This phenomenon is called “retail psychology” and it’s amazing! SANITATION STATION In the pet industry there’s a lot of sanitation for those pups that get excited in your business or need to “mark” their new territory. I don’t know about you but I did not open a pet business so I can clean up after puppy “accidents” all day long. A good way to handle this issue so that you can keep your business running smoothly is to put the responsibility back on the client. If a puppy has an accident, you can say, “Awww, your puppy is so cute & excited!” “We have a sanitation station right over here for these little accidents.” Set up a trash can, paper towels, sanitizer, & roll of bags with signage so the client can take that “monkey” off your back. Not only will this train your clients to clean up after themselves, it will teach them to respect your business, and save you payroll by not having to send an employee out every time an “accident” happens.

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Not everyone will agree with many of the PPP’s in this article, and that’s ok. Many business owners are in business to do what they love in a pet centric business with less of an eye on making profit which is called: a very expensive hobby. With peace and love; I get you and love you for all you do. For those business owners that have their eye on building a profitable business; every minute, sku, product, and service will determine their success and ultimately their profit margins. If you aren’t currently employing any of the above policies…take it slowly, try one or two and see how much pressure it takes off your shoulders and try another. You will begin to understand that you can build a business you love while increasing your profitability! Until next time… “The Art of Pet Retailing”

Leel Michelle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR An Entrepreneur in the Pet Industry since 2006; Leél Michelle previously owned an award winning brick & mortar pet boutique (1st Place "America's Coolest Store; Pets+ Magazine,) grooming salon, and pet bakery. Leel sold her grooming salon & boutique to former employee and "Pooch Perfect" semi-finalist; Gabriel Feitosa to scale her commercial dog bakery business. Dog Cake Bakery was created to provide the pet industry & pet parents a collection of premium, Instagrammable dog treats, and dog birthday cakes. Leél was inspired by her own pets to create brands that utilized her skills, creativity, and passion to build memorable businesses catering to pets, pet parents, & retailers nationwide. Leél enjoys giving back to the pet industry with trade show speaking engagements such as SuperZoo, Barkleigh Productions, and Global Pet Expo. Leél also consults with pet stores and grooming salons to improve their pet retail merchandising & grooming salon operations. Leél Michelle loves sharing her passion for animals in the pet industry and looks forward to sharing her passion with you!

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July / September 2022

The Details of Deshedding By Christein Sertzel It’s summertime in the Midwest USA, and time for many groomers to start talking about deshedding. We’re past the interim phase of Spring season coat shed, and on our way to the next phase, late Summer coat shed.

are the longest of the year, the heat is usually high. Dogs let loose all they can to create comfort. They also shed more guard coat in an effort to make way for the bulking up of undercoat production in late summer and early fall.

Spring coat shed consists of predominately blown undercoat, but summer shedding consists of both undercoat and guard hair.

This phase is more noticeable to pet owners because of the amazing amount of undercoat their pets lose at home.

The reason for this pattern is the function of the coat as an environmental barrier and thermoregulator. The days 34

We start getting calls around June with complaints of “tufts of hair all over” and, “My dog is so hot.”

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Genetically speaking, different breeds shed different areas of coat cyclically depending on the time of year. Typically in late summer, the Nordic or triplecoated breeds will shed an abundant amount of coat across their stomach and sides, rough and neck. Part of this is due thermoregulation for their major organs. During the cooler months, you’ll find that these dense coated breeds shed less on those areas in order to insulate their major organs,

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July / September 2022

but will shed more throughout the hips, pants/britches, and sometimes the tail (not so true with Husky/Akita/Sammy/ etc who use that tail to wrap around them in cold weather). You’ll find that during the colder months they shed less on their legs and ears. Shedding certainly keeps groomers in business year round with cyclical and seasonal coat changes. It requires thorough knowledge and that makes it a major component of a groomer‘s career. (Continued on page 36)

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Working Smarter, Not Harder Deshedding can be hard on dogs when we work harder and not smarter. Deshedding is also hard on groomer bodies and equipment if we are doing a lot of it mechanically with our combs, rakes and brushes. However, dead coat removal and opening or unpacking dense coat can be a lot easier. We must harness the power of the bathing and drying cycle to remove most of the dead and loose hair before we ever have to touch it with tools. Utilizing the bathing and drying cycles is less invasive to the skin and hair coat. It can remove shedding hair and skin

July / September 2022

build up far more gently so that the skin is less likely to become irritated. In this way, there is far less hair damage and breakage caused by some of our metal tools. Water temperature and flow encourages hair follicles to dilate and release even more hair in the resting phase.

Irrigating or flushing the coat with more water volume and less pressure works great on longer dense coats such as Newfies, Samoyeds, Keeshonds, Chow Chow, Rough Collies, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, etc. It helps open the coat starting at the skin and aligning the hair fibers as the water flow pushes through the coat. (Continued on page 37)

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Higher water pressure and volume works best for unpacking medium to short dense coats like that of a Shiba Inu, Basenji, Pugs (these 3 breeds shed constantly but still hit a seasonal crescendo). It also helps open the secondary undercoat that is porous, as well as the lesser tertiary undercoat whose job is to literally weave in between the undercoat and create even more loft and insulating pockets within the coat. Water higher in volume and pressure more effectively breaks up insulating pockets within extra fine undercoat, and lifts up and out any dead skin and oil build up. Breeds with dense, shorter coats typically excrete a lot of oil and it builds up quite readily under the telogen or resting phase hairs that turn over so frequently.

Different Hairs Means Different Snares Dogs that shed seasonally typically have tertiary or secondary undercoat hair. This type of hair is more porous and has a different hair cuticle formation than both undercoat hair and primary or guard coat hair. Under a microscope these comparisons look like this. eGroomer Journal

Undercoat Hair

Guard Coat Hair

By visual comparison we can surmise that undercoat hair will tangle and break far more easily because of its strand/fiber size. This hair is also more porous due to its cuticle thinness and composition. Remember topical products will not work the same on every type of hair. If a dog’s coat is very thick and contains tertiary hair, a heavy silicone or a waxeous conditioning agent of poor quality, actually adheres MORE and the coat may catch on itself instead of releasing. It is important to rely on method and not just a specific product recommendation. Trust the Process If we tackle deshedding with a 3 way approach, and don’t simply rely on a product’s marketing information, we can choose from a much broader scope of brands and formulas that work well for each type of coat, as well as perform well with water chemistry, and maintain

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affordability factors.

When we pay attention to the grooming process instead of just the product, we have much more freedom to address the coat types and issues, such as matting and depleted quality coat. We can harness the power of the process and remove the dead hair, stale sebum, dead skin and environmental debris that literally acts like sandpaper on hair. In fact it can remove the “glue” in the coat and address the electrostatic charge in dead coat. Porous, dead coat has a negative electrostatic charge, which lifts the hair shaft cuticle and causes the hair to catch on itself. 38

July / September 2022

Choose a method such as a pre-poo conditioning step, or a co-washing step, BEFORE you shampoo to smooth the hair, grab onto protein-based dirt and skin cells, and remove the static charge in the coat by altering the pH. You’ll optimally want a cationic surfactant for your pre-shampoo conditioning step. What this means is that the formulation of the conditioner contains positively charged cations (positively charged particle) because they are attracted to negatively charged hair strands. These particles also sit ON the hair and resist being washed off by water alone. This action offers manageability. Choose a shampoo that will adequately address the amount of hair and coat debris without being too overly stripping and perhaps lifting that hair shaft more with a harsh cleanser. A cleanser with a protein additive or other manageability or conditioning agent such as a silicone derivative will plump up and smooth the hair shaft with a thin substantive film and boost the untangling ability of the hair fibers. Choose a conditioner that is high quality and preferably one that has a silicone (Continued on page 40)

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derivative in addition to its moisturizers. Choose a coat spray that not only provides slip, but also contains a humectant for a healthy coat. A humectant works to help draw in environmental moisture. On a depleted or dry, lackluster coat, choose a coat spray with BOTH a humectant and a light emollient. This will offer greatest longevity of the moisturizing action to the hair and skin.

dry coat and healthy hair. Heavier coat sprays with added emollients and humectants typically need to be applied to damp coat and dried into the coat for greatest protection and performance. These work best on depleted coats and very porous hair. Deshedding Products Aside from using both water and air as part of your most effective deshedding,

Note: lighter coat sprays work fine on

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choosing products to help with removing dead hair efficiently can be a groomer’s best, yet hardest, decision. There’s a lot of deliberation in social media about what products work best, which tools to use, and what methodology is the most efficient. It’s been my experience from researching skin and coat function, that some of the marketing surrounding deshedding products may sound amazing, but might not actually be that much different from other products in the lineup.

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July / September 2022

Most deshedding products have some type of an additive that offers substantivity to the coat, which in turn provides slip. These additions to a formulation will minimally coat and smooth the hair shaft allowing for greater ability to slide the hairs apart. They also may contain a silicone derivative which will deliver the same affects. There are many products available touting their use as deshedding products. I have found some deliver, while others do not. At a minimum, a majority of them perform similarly when all is said and done. (Continued on page 42)

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Now with some products in mind, ask yourself the following:

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What we should be thinking about the best deshedding products are three things:

Is there something in here that coats the hair for slip?

What’s the meat and potatoes of the topical product formulation?

Is there an additive ingredient in here that addresses pH and will help lay the cuticle flat?

As long as there’s full disclosure of the ingredients deck on a product label, we can begin to see many similarities from one product to the next. What to consider most importantly is the actual type of coat that you’re looking at addressing for your deshed services. Remember that your water chemistry can drastically affect the function of many ingredients within a product. Second and third considerations are: What type of coat am I looking to deshed, and is the formulation really best for that coat type?

What methods would be more effective to get the most coat out without overworking the skin and coat, your body, or the dog? With this information clear and upfront, choose from the range of products, regardless of whether or not they’re actually sold as a deshedding product. 42

Is there a depositor ingredient in the product that adheres to the hair during the rinsing process? You may be surprised to find that the shampoos sold for shedding, are predominately a standard moisturizing or conditioning shampoo with added silicone. From my experience the KEY topical product is your conditioner and coat spray (which is also a conditioner) choice. It’s the chemical action of the conditioning steps that adjusts the pH to best help seal and lay flat the porous cuticle associated with undercoat hair. Without the conditioning steps, your deshedding procedure will be sorely lacking. Try these next suggested procedures for different coat types and see the results you get!

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ONE Lightly wet the coat with an ample amount of warm water which dilates hair follicles, increases circulation and promotes greater hair release. Monitor the pet for signs of heat stress and be sure your water is warm, not hot. TWO Apply quality conditioner and gently work it through the coat. Work it from root to tip on open coated areas, and massage it gently all the way to the skin. For packed areas squeeze it into the coat. Take your time and use your fingers to break up areas of packed coat by hand. THREE Don’t rinse the conditioner from the coat. Apply a clarifying shampoo or a protein enriched shampoo depending on the amount of coat dirt and skin build up present. FOUR

July / September 2022

get a squeak in the coat depending on your water chemistry and your product choices. Don’t always look for that squeak. Sometimes its not about the washing, but its always about the rinse. FIVE Apply your final conditioner application and work it through the coat by hand or with your shampoo delivery system. Give the conditioner ample contact time in order to do its best work. Typically 5-7 minutes for high quality cream conditioners is enough. SIX

Do a very thorough cool water rinse with the cot lay. Cool water calms dermal nerve endings and helps tighten the skin follicles. It also helps to congeal the conditioning agents within your conditioner across the skin and the hair shafts evenly. SEVEN Squeeze excess water from the coat in the tub. Liberally apply a quality coat conditioning spray onto the dripping coat and work it deeply into the coat with your hands. Don’t try using a rubber or meta tool at this point. Your hands are the best tool for working in

Work the entire coat head to tail, spine to feet, with the growth of coat with either high volume or high pressure depending on the coat type. This rinse eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved should be warm. You may or may not PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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manner for coat removal.

(Continued from page 43)

the spray and feeling areas of lumpy (packed) coat that you can start to break up with your fingers. EIGHT Move the dog to your drying table. Settle them comfortably, and with a warm air setting and medium to high velocity, direct the air flow through the coat with the coat lay. Work the air from the surface, layer by layer, down to the skin on any packed areas. Work down into the coat, and be sure you’re blowing the water out so that the skin surface is dried as well. Monitor your air temp and be sure the air flow doesn’t sit in one spot to avoid risk of burn. Methodically work each area of coat instead of erratically whipping air through the coat.

Work with the direction of gravity draw. The wicking ability of the hair shaft will follow this principle as well and the speed drying. NINE Use your fingers as you go from area to area, using the dryer to “airbrush” the dog in the most gentle and effective 44

July / September 2022

TEN Once completely dried move to the grooming table. Areas left damp will continue to shed more and be prone to tangles. Work the coat methodically with a pin brush, comb, or a coarse rake if still needed. Stay away from slickers on any coat more than a couple of inches long, and stay away from fixed tooth style rakes for risk of stretching and breaking coat. Be mindful of your technique. The coat is smoothed, open, and aligned the most at this point. Your comb and brush strokes should be with a fixed wrist and the motion from the elbow and/or shoulder, just like hand stripping. A pat-and-pull method works great here, too. In the end, you can actually save time and manual labor by working step-bystep with each component of the deshedding procedure by allowing each part to serve its function. Using water, shampoo, conditioner and coat spray and air in a mindful manner makes removing dead coat and skin build up much more easy on both you and the pet. That is time well spent.

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See references.

Sources: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Scalepatterns-of-hair-shafts-in-dogs-a-irregularwave-b-streaked-c-mosaic-d_fig1_325858765

Tumiłowicz, Paweł & Goliszewska, Agata & Arct, Jacek & Pytkowska, Katarzyna & Szczepanik, Marcin. (2018). Preliminary study of guard hair morphology in four dog breeds. Veterinary Dermatology. 29. 10.1111/ vde.12656

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Breeds-

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number-of-dogs-average-measurements-ofhair-thickness-average-medulla-areato_tbl1_325858765 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/pii/S2665910720301195

https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/287359922_SEM_Study_of_Hair_Cuticle _in_Some_Canidae_Breeds

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/ full/10.1177/0192623316631843

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Why Some Groomers Never Use Client Questionnaires In our grooming business management book, From Problems to Profits: The Madson Management System we shared field-proven client relations forms. In fact, we still sell digital versions of them you can load in your computer word processing program and print them as is for use in your business, or edit them to your liking. These are part of the Grooming Business in a Box® system. One client relations form draws the most diverse reactions from grooming business owners. There are no complaints about the form itself. The reactions surround the intent of the form. What form is it? The Client Service Questionnaire. We had this form on our counter every day. We welcomed their use year round. It was in our interest to listen to comments on our services. In fact, some of the services we provided were original ideas derived from our clients using a eGroomer Journal

questionnaire.

Here is an example that shows how clients can suggest viable ideas for business owners. Our version of the Client Questionnaire asked about services we are not offering but they would like. Remember this was back in the Eighties. We received comments suggesting they wished we offered a place where we could watch their pets for an hour or two, or a few hours, not overnight. What do we call that today? Pet daycare. Back in the Eighties customers were hinting about a service not common at the time to the public. That's a perfect example of the purpose of a client service questionnaire. So what about the other end of responses, the adverse reactions of groomers to use client service questionnaires. Actually there were plenty, in fact, more than half of groomers said they have no inter-

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est in using questionnaires. Why? With so many against using client questionnaires our interest was piqued and a survey created. Here are the results.

July / September 2022

stated they are using questionnaires. The surprise is the 62% that never use questionnaires. Clearly these people have some reasons. The majority of them mentioned (41%) they have a con-

About one-third of grooming businesses

(Continued on page 49)

What best describes your business use of client service questionnaires.

1. Used year round in our business. 22% 2. Used occasionally in our business. 9% 3. Used rarely in our business. 7% 4. Never use them. 62% If you answered “#4, Never use them,” please select an explanation below, and you may add custom comments too. More than one answer OK.

1. Most customers do not want to complete a questionnaire. 21% 2. Some customers do not want to complete a questionnaire. 6%

3. We prefer not to ask service inquiries of our clientele. 21% 4. Asking questions invites too many unrelated responses. 23% 5. Chronic complainers take advantage of questionnaires. 41% 6. Some people take advantage of our inquiries. 29% 7. Other, you may write in comments. 19% 48

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cern about “complainers.” Social media sources do occasionally share stories of customers they feel complain looking for discounts or even free grooms. These are not common but they exist. Perhaps this is why 29% answering why they never use questionnaires said they were concerned about those customers looking to take “advantage” of the business. Obviously we have a unique topic about a small fraction of problematic customers. I would go so far to say that the

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July / September 2022

number of customers is a tiny fraction of the overall clientele. Have I personally ever experienced a customer bent on complaining about anything or everything in order to get a free groom or significant discount? Actually yes, and I know other groomers who have too. But the difference here is we don’t let one or a few customers to stop us from the benefits provided by questionnaires. Customers that clearly make chronic attempts to complain for complimentary grooms may have to be refused services. ◄

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Banishing Bat Wings Groomfit with Vera Needham

We are all familiar with Golfers Elbow and Tennis Elbow, but did you know you could get Groomers Elbow? The clinical term for this type of elbow injury is Tendonitis. It is inflammation of the tendon that connects the triceps to the ulna bone at the elbow. The triceps muscle is on the back of your arm and responsible for extending your arm at the elbow and for pushing movements.

three-headed because there are three parts of these muscles. The triceps brachii is commonly called the triceps. It’s a fairly large arm muscle and makes up about two thirds of the upper arm. Biceps and triceps work as a team. When you bend you arm your biceps engage and your triceps relaxes allowing your arm bend. When we squeeze activate the triceps, your biceps relaxes and your arm straightens. Maintaining a good balance of strength between the

(Continued on page 53)

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two muscles is important to keep elbows pain free. When pain occurs at the back of the arm we sometimes think that the triceps muscle is the source of discomfort. While this is sometimes true, the majority of injuries to the triceps occur as a result of a compromised triceps tendon. There are two main causes of tendon injuries. Sudden onset tendon pain occurs after some sort of accident or fall that causes strain or tear to the tendon. Slow onset repetitive strain injury develops gradually and over an extended period of time as the result of overusing the joint and not allowing adequate time to rest and recover.

July / September 2022

the back of the elbow. The “ITIS” on the end of the word implies that chronic inflammation is the real problem but newer studies have disputed this concept. Imagine your tendon being a rope rubbing back and forth on a hard surface (bone) for decades. It doesn’t matter how strong the rope is, eventually it will begin to fray. Tendons deteriorate in much the same way. As time passes the joint degenerates, irritates, becomes inflamed and if left untreated small tears may occur. Tendonitis and tendinopathy are degenerative condition rather than inflammatory. This means the tendon is frayed instead of swollen. For this reason antiinflammatory medications may not be very helpful. Heat may be more effective for any chronic tendon pain than ice. Applying heat may help relax the muscle and increase blood flow which is important to promote healing.

Earlier I mentioned Tennis and Golfers Elbow. Tennis elbow presents itself as pain on the outside of the elbow while Golfers elbow is painful on the inside of the elbow. Both are a form of tendonitis Have you ever been walking a large, called epicondylitis. The tendons inrambunctious dog when he sees anothvolved with golfers/tennis elbow involve er dog or a squirrel? This type of quick, muscles of the forearm instead of the unpredictable jolt cans easily hyperextriceps. You can identify triceps-related tend your elbow. Let’s add dog walker eGroomer Journal you experience Copyrightpain © 2011 at Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved (Continued on53 page 54) tendonitis when PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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(Continued from page 53)

elbow to our list of potential problems. Hyperextension occurs when the elbow joint moves past its normal range of motion. It means the elbow joint bends slightly backwards. In more extreme situations the person may hear a popping sound. This can be painful and take several weeks to heal. Remember to keep your elbows soft and lightly bent when reaching during any task. Thereby you can prevent this type of injury and speed up recovery.

July / September 2022

sistance bands are your friend. This is the reason for the exercises chosen today. I don’t know about you, but the terms auntie arms, chicken wings, bingo arms, and bat wings make me cringe. Unfortunately, this problem can be an ever increasing challenge as we age. Post menopausal women are more likely than men to develop a jiggle in the back of the arms due to a combination of poor muscle tone, thinning skin, breakdown of connective tissue and hormonal changes. Flabby arms can make it uncomfortable for some people to wear short sleeved tops. The triceps strengthening exercises below can help you tone this particular problem area as well as stabilizing painful elbows. It just takes a few minutes per day to perform these exercises and you can carry a band anywhere. If you don’t have a band, water bottles or light weights will work just fine.

If you’ve ever had your elbow lock or get stuck when trying to straighten your arm osteoarthritis may be the culprit. Sometimes bone fragments or cartilage can break off inside the joint and get caught between the two moving parts, causing the joint to catch in place until the debris shifts. This sticking commonly occurs while straightening the arm when holding a heavy load. For this reason I recommend lighter weights or reStart the program with ten repetitions of sistance bands when strengthening afeach exercise per day working up to ter this type of injury. Triceps are large three sets. This is your first step to termuscles and traditionally strengthened rific toned triceps. Let’s leave the chickwith heavy weights. However, when en wings to KFC. 54 © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com there is elbow pain and Copyright instability, rePetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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W-Tricep Extension Start this exercise with the band behind your back. Imagine touching your elbows together behind your back as you form a “W” with the elbows. Remember to keep elbows soft as you extend both arms out in a slow, controlled motion counting to four as you extend and return to starting position. eGroomer Journal

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Diamond Press Start by closing hands into fists and bring them together in front of your breast bone. Keep hands together and thumbs up as you press bands away from the body. With control return to the starting position.

Continued on next page 56

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Side Arm Extension Start by anchoring the left hand on the right shoulder. Remember you can have a fair amount of tension on the band as the triceps are strong muscles. Use slow, controlled movement to straighten and bend elbow. ◄ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vera Needham is a Medical Exercise Specialist, pilates trainer and has been a dog groomer for over 35 years. Vera invented the Tubee-Fit training tool for groomers. The Tubee has proven to be a wonderful addition to her older adult classes and in long term care facilities. If you have any Goomfit question or eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved want more information about the Tubee contact Vera at groomfit@yahoo.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free © 2019 Find A Groomer Inc

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Clip Shoppe School of Dog Grooming

New Jersey - www.clipshoppeschoolofdoggrooming.com

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Most Vulnerable Places to Harm a Dog Being Groomed By Kathy Sanders These are the most common ways you

would press a little more on the teeth

can harm a dog while grooming.

while lifting the rear of the blade a lit-

The first way is Burns. BURN CAUSE #1:

tle higher, to get under the matt. While shaving with the blade, make sure to keep even pressure on the left

Shaving against the grain with a short blade like a #10, #15, #30 or #40. Does this mean you should never shave against the grain? No, but you need to be experienced and the dog’s skin

and right side of the blade as well. If

you were to press a little harder on one side, (especially with the short blades in the belly area), it can cause a red welt and possibly harm the pup’s belly.

needs to be accustomed to it. The higher the number the shorter it shaves. So

BURN CAUSE #2:

as a beginner you should stick with the

Shaving over and over in one spot too

10 or 15 for a short time.

many times especially with a short

All blades should be held at the same angle with even pressure on the teeth of the blade. The skin should gently roll in front of the blade. The rear of the

blade is lifted off the dog’s skin about a

blade (#15 or shorter). Some beginners will try so hard to get every hair shaved off the face, feet, belly they don’t realize they are irritating the skin, causing a ‘burn.” Remember, you can

(Continued on page 64)

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burn a dog without the blade being hot. If you are not grooming a show dog, or competing in a grooming competition, there is no reason to get it perfect at the risk of harming the dog. Competition dogs are used to this kind of grooming. Some of your personal pets

July / September 2022

are not used to it and the skin can get irritated easier. There are many salves you can put on these irritations that will help keeping it from getting worse or lessen the pain. BURN CAUSE #3:

Using a hot blade. Use common sense.

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Check your blades to see if they are hot,

er than others. A good habit is to place

especially the short blades. Some clip-

the blade on your forearm often to

pers run blades such that they hot fast-

check if it is too warm.

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BURN CAUSE #4: You can brush burn a dog by brushing in one spot too long with the heat of the dryer blowing on it. This accident is more likely when you are using a stand

July / September 2022 PetGroomer.com Publications

These are the common places where risk is higher and you must groom with extra caution: 1. Flank … Close to the tuck up

dryer, not a force dryer. Never stay in one spot more than 3-5 brush strokes before moving to a different spot. Go back and forth on several different

2. Tendon above hock … Back leg above back elbow 3. Elbow/armpits

spots until they are all dry. The most common place for brush burn is the

... Front leg

top of the head.

4. Tendon leading to belly button

Are there more ways to cause harm?

… Male privates

Yes, these are the most common. THE SEVEN DANGER ZONES

5. Edge of ears … Always shave straight off the edge

Use of the correct equipment and

not down the edge. Then scissor the

knowing how to use it properly is para-

edge toward the tip of ear not toward

mount! We have found through the

the head.

years (40+), these seven places are the most vulnerable areas. Good sound grooming techniques will help you avoid injuries, and be sure to keep your clipper blades and scissors clean and sharp.

6. Stifle ... Front knee on back 7. Testicles … Never over shave or touch with a hot

blade. ◄

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Things to Consider Before Opening Your Business By Kathy Sanders Through our years of experience we formed an outline of twenty-two steps that should be accomplished while opening your business. These steps allow you to be prepared and organized, consequently saving time and money. Here are a few of those steps: •

Create a business plan.

• What is your plan for a business checking account? • Have you chosen a business name and logo? 68

• Have you picked the right location? •

Are you a corporate entity?

•

Do you have the correct permits?

• Do you have a marketing strategy in place? • Will you be hiring someone as a receptionist? • And much more, for instance sales tax, equipment and furniture, utilities, insurance, advertising, orientation, rules and regs, policy and proce-

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dure, personnel handbook. We’re going to take a closer look.

of existence with your Secretary of State.

Creating a Business Plan

• Phone number associated with the business

A business plan is a critical, structural element for your business. It is essential if you are planning to secure a business loan. They range from basic to detailed, and they will give you a projected feel for the journey you are about to embark on. Doing this yourself (available as free business plan templates online) will give you the knowledge, empowering you to work the plan!

Most consulting firm’s give you an outline/template to follow aiding you in the process of filling out a business plan. Begin this initial phase as soon as possible! Business Checking You will need credentials to open a business checking account. In most states banking institutions will require. • A signed lease from your business location. • EIN number from the IRS, do this online. •

Be sure to check with your financial institution to see what they expect. Keep good records on all expenditures before and after you get the business checking account open. Business Name and Logo There are many resources available. Some are affordable and will quickly respond to your request. There are also just as many to avoid. Be careful, thoughtful, and cautious. Custommade brands can get a little pricey, but pre-made templates can be purchased from $20.00 and up. Consultants can do this for you. There are many things to consider when designing your logo/brand. You should consider getting your brand in several different digital formats (PNG. JPG etc). The background should be clear for a professional look. Consider not using your pets name or anything personal. Your business name speak to everyone.

Create an LLC/Corp and a letter eGroomer Journal

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The Right Location and Permits

Company Organization

Do online searches to research and locate all grooming shops in your location.

There is much to say about this subject. It will be a decision based on the opinion of your CPA and the level of liability you wish to assume. There are benefits to being an S corp, but also advantages to being an LLC. Whether hiring a consultant or not, you should discuss this with your CPA/Accountant.

Once you have potential locations call or go to planning and zoning agency and ask if a pet grooming business may be located at the proposed addresses. If they say no, make sure they are not categorizing you as a veterinarian. If you are not going to have overnight clients, you can speak to that point and get consideration as cosmetologist, not a veterinarian.

Call the appropriate county office to inquire about a county license. Some counties do not require a license. If you have a mobile unit, in most states, you must get a license for each county you groom in.

Do you have a marketing strategy in place? Facebook page, website, landing page social media…what to do? Marketing 101 or hire someone… Huge topic. What works best for each individual location and salon? Don’t be tempted to spend a lot of money on this initially. There are so many free opportunities out there.

There are groomer programs you can You also have to investigate city licenspurchase or sign up with that offer ing if inside the city limits. Call town much of what you need for marketing, hall. You must have an address in mind payroll, keeping track of shot records, when you inquire about a license for a dog profiles and so much more. It is store front or mobile unit. absolutely cost effective saving you time and money. Through Dreaming Contact your agricultural department Consulting will provide much detail on for other requirements to operate a each subject. Volumes more than you grooming business. It varies from state see here. This should give you a jump to state. start. 70 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Our motto is, “We are here for you”. We care about your future and have a structured plan available that can provide a path to success and prosperity in pet care! Yes, you can do this! Why re-invent the wheel and make costly mistakes when hiring a consultant can pay for itself. A consultant that has the experience to guide you through the process.

July / September 2022

and ownership of grooming shops/ salons, schools, allowing us to provide helpful, professional assistance and guidance for clients/entrepreneurs, providing a swift path forward to fulfilling your dreams and independence. ◄

A consultant can also give you moral support and may be hired to come to your location during opening week. We have 40+ years of field experience

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WE PROMISE TO EXCEED OUR CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS IN QUALITY www.showseasongrooming.com

678-382-0218

sandy@showseasongrooming.com

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Members Only Grooming Businesses You may have heard of grooming businesses offering programs, often bathing-related. Spend so many dollars a month and receive “x” amount of baths for your pets. These programs are different, and not indicative of “members only” businesses discussed in this article. In fact, there are no programs to describe here, just membership access. “Members Only” means there is a membership (fee-based) required to access the grooming services of a grooming business. You become a member to shop at Costco, similarly you become a member to use the services of a members only grooming business. If you are new to the grooming industry know that this modus operandi is uncommon. Yet these businesses do exist and as management consultants

None (of the businesses we interviewed) advertise for new customers. Yes, I did say none advertise, at all. Only one had a Facebook page but not for her business. She only has a personal page. they surely interest us. We interviewed three separate membership-based business owners and by their request their names will remain anonymous. None are spokespersons suggesting their methods to others. All are very pleased with their choices, and emanate a sense of exclusivity that works for them. They do not desire to be objects of curiosity to groomers. Are they “name” groomers known in professional circles, the competition rings and in trade publications? No.

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Personally we sensed deep professionalism in how they handled the interview. They were thoughtful and focused on business, and spoke clearly and to the point.

some owners bathe pets under similar circumstances producing mats. Training is available at no charge to members to remove undercoat between appointments.

On the next page there is a comparison chart of key aspects of their operations (2 shops and 1 mobile). All work alone except Shop 1 has a part-time bather. Their backgrounds include 7 or more years of experience as full-charge stylists/groomers. Two of them are certified by associations. None are competition groomers now or in the past.

Hand stripping availability is important. All agree pet owner access to professional hand stripping is a key reason for many of their clients to join. One said 45% of her clientele preferred some or complete hand stripping compared to alternative commercial clipping.

All use a standing appointment operation with frequency restrictions. Two require all members to not go beyond every 6 weeks between appointments, while the third groomer allows intervals up to every 8 weeks. The primary benefit for interval limitations is to keep pets always looking their best, and of course, easier to groom. If pets come in very matted their owners must either come in more frequently, or stop what is causing the matting. For example, some dogs swim in pools and become matted when undercoat is not maintained. Another example, eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free

Annual membership fees ranged from $109 to $144. Average total sales of membership fees for each business was approximately $19,000 a year. Their comments included, “My business rent and utilities is entirely paid by membership fees. That’s a wonderful feeling.” Also, “My van payments and major maintenance is paid by membership fees. It is a great way to maintain services with the best vans today.” None said their grooming prices were the highest fees in their area, but they are above average. The lowest price for a Bichon full groom was $79 and $110 including mobile convenience. Consultation with pet owner members plays a key role in their grooming

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operations. As part of the membership fee there is an initial new customer consultation, and an annual review optional at renewal. On average, 55% percent of pet owners opt for renewal consultations. Ongoing consultations during the membership period are available, and again a key factor for some pet owners to pay a membership fee. We asked what topics are most popular. It seems many of the clients use their groomers as sounding boards sharing what they read and hear about pet care, nutrition and pet ownership in general. Some clients discuss veterinary issues. They agree their approach is somewhat holistic in nature, but none use the word “holistic” to describe their services. They are well read including leading grooming trade magazines, Whole Dog Journal, Petfood magazine and two read veterinary magazines. Two sell health support supplements but no dog food. All three groomers provide customers with a private business phone number. One said she always tries to answer that line immediately. All maintain a regular business phone number for the public and often allow it to go to

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voicemail knowing their members will use their private access numbers. Two shops provide a postal mail or email newsletter every 3 months with seasonal reminders. The mobile groomer offers a free conference call instead because he doesn’t like to write. There is little in the way of Q&A sessions on these calls. Members can listen to free digital recordings of the calls on demand via Internet services. He said about 40 listen live. He discusses seasonal needs and trends for pet care and local pet activities. All three groomers make an effort to associate with local breeders and breed clubs. None advertise for new customers. Advertising will only bring more new customer inquiries and at the time of their interviews none had any openings for new customers. When they do have openings for new customers, usually resulting from clientele moving out of the area, they send a notice to current members of the availability. That simple notice usually brings them new customers the same week. Fascinating isn’t it? Perhaps you will consider a members only operation. ◄

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Hourly Cost to Operate Your Business In the Summer 2019 issue of PetGroomer.com Magazine we presented formulas and charts for time -range based grooming prices. What his means is that prices are set by 1) knowing the business hourly rate for grooming services (not shared with customers) and 2) multiplying that rate times the expected time needed for the grooming service. We will provide an example just ahead. Most groomers never set their grooming prices equally fairly for all customers using time-range based grooming prices. Not only that we have found groomers are undercharging large dogs as a result, losing potential profit. Let’s do a quick review of the last article because we have another hourly rate to introduce in this followup article. Whether or not they know it, every grooming business has an hourly rate built into their grooming prices, and ideally that rate should be equally used

in setting literally all grooming prices quoted or printed in signs or price sheets. Careful, don’t get confused with groomers that “charge by the hour.” We are not talking about charging by the hour. Most customers want to know the actual cost they face before they return to pickup their pets. All grooming prices you set and quote should be based on one business hourly rate for grooming services. It is easy! For example, Sandy’s base rate is $90 for a Standard Poodle and she figures the entire groom takes 90 minutes. Divide $90 by 90 minutes, and we see her price is $1 a minute for the Standard Poodle, or $60 an hour. Her business hourly rate is $60, and all of her grooming prices reflect the same method of calculation. Or so she thought. Now wait a minute. Sandy’s price for a full groom Bichon is $50, and she figures 60 minutes to complete the service. Why is it $50 when at $1 a minute it should be $60? Most groomers

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provide price sheets that are way out of balance like Sandy’s. In fact, large dogs are often billed $10 to $15 less per hour. That is a big loss of income for some grooming businesses. It’s important to set a business hourly rate and to apply it evenly to all stated grooming prices. Now let’s move on to another hourly rate, but it is not related to grooming prices. We have never met a grooming business owner that knew this hourly rate. What is the rate called? Your hourly cost of doing business.

Is it important? Indeed it is if you are to make a profit which provides personal income from the business for the owner, and staff if any. Doesn’t it make sense that your business’ hourly rate for figuring grooming prices had better be higher than your business’ hourly rate of costs to operate. If not, how will you cover all operating expenses, and make a profit? If your grooming prices are based on selling services at $60 an hour, your hourly cost of operating had better be well below $60 an hour. If not, you

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could be headed for financial problems or very low profit. Knowing your business’ hourly cost for operating is not a difficult task to calculate. Certainly your accountant could assist you. Many of the numbers you need are available in your business tax returns. In traditional accounting terms professionals use the term “breakeven.” We want to keep it simple here. Generally the lower the hourly cost of doing business the more potential profit, yet quality and safety must be maintained. We are going to show you a way to calculate a general estimate of your hourly cost to operate your business. To make it even easier we will use an example for a one person grooming business owned by a soleproprietor. If you want calculate a truly formal financial break even projection, use Business Plan Helper, by Grooming Business in a Box®. The first step is to calculate your annual business operating expenses. This includes rent, utilities, insurance, phone, supplies of all kinds including product and office, professional fees like a

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bookkeeper, sharpener, and license and fees too. Include interest expense on business loans too.

Now refer to the Schedule C total cost of operating expenses. Let’s assume the total operating expenses were $42,500.

If you are already in business, the IRS requires you to annually list all operating expenses on the Schedule C you attach to your long form 1040. It is called the Profit/Loss from Business. Easy, check out the last one you filed for a quick answer to your total annual operating expenses. If you have never filed a Schedule C you can download a copy from the IRS forms site and fill one out. Now you know your annual cost of operating expenses. Hold onto that number.

Divide $42,500 by the total hours of operation, 2,340 hours. The result is $18.16 an hour, rounded to $18 an hour. The hourly cost of doing business is $18 an hour. Remember this is a very general estimate. Well done.

It’s time to do another simple calculation. For the tax year represented by the Schedule C, how many hours were you (or will be) open for business? For example, many businesses open Tuesday through Saturday throughout the year. That is 260 days a year (52 weeks times 5 days a week). If you were open 9 hours a day, multiply 9 hours times 260 days. The result is 2,340 hours of operation during a tax year.

Now it is time to compare the two hourly rates for the business: 1. Hourly Rate (for pricing) 2. Hourly Rate (for cost of operation)

In the last issue of PetGroomer.com Magazine the grooming business owner working alone set her prices based on a $60 an hour rate for pricing. Let’s use that figure here. We know the hourly cost to operate a business was $18 an hour in the last example, and $60 is the business hourly rate for figuring grooming prices. What is most important is that the hourly cost ($18) is much less than the hourly rate used pricing ($60). That’s critical to earn a profit for a sole-proprietor owner.

Our rule of thumb for a sole-proprietor business is the hourly rate for setting

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prices should be 3 to 4 times higher than the hourly cost of operating the business. The $60 hourly rate is a little more than three times higher than the $18 hourly cost of operating. Right? The $42 difference between the $60 hourly rate and the $18 hourly rate is the gross income for the sole proprietor. Remember the soleproprietor groomer still has taxes to pay on the profit from the business. There may be additional costs such as loan principal to pay as well. If you want to calculate that formally, use

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July / September 2022 84

PetGroomer.com Publications

Business Plan Helper. However, our quick rule-of-thumb estimating here is a good quick indication if you are on the right track with both prices and costs. Remember your business hourly rate for figuring grooming prices should normally be 3 to 4 times higher than your hourly cost of operation for sole-proprietor, one person businesses.◄

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July / September 2022 PetGroomer.com Publications

Top Questions

Asked by Career Seekers Actually we have a Top 50 List of their questions. Do you think you know what the three most popular questions are? We are going to take a look at them here.

Every year thousands of career seekers with an interest in pet grooming find their way to PetGroomer.com. It’s been that way since 1997, and by intent. We have published over 550,000 help wanted ads at no charge which have shown career seekers there is a demand for pet groomers nationwide. They have asked us many questions but some are constantly asked.

Do I need a vocational license to work as a pet groomer (dog groomer, cat groomer, exotic animal groomer)? The answer is a simple no, if you are referring to the United States. Be careful we are referring to a vocational license and they are associated and regulated each of the U.S. states. Unlike hairstylists for humans, groomers do not (Continued on page 87)

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require a vocational license Be aware some U.S. states have made attempts to pass legislation which would created a vocational license in their respective state, but none were passed into law. Some U.S. states went around the vocational license standard creating a professional pet groomer position. They tried to create an alternative to vocational licensing such as a form of certification typically based on an amount hours of mandatory grooming education. The training requirements focused on pet safety overall, and not styling. Once again, nothing was passed into law to date.

July / September 2022

each county served a mobile business. In the same way a city or town in a county may also require a mobile operation to register or hold a local license. Reactions to the lack of regulation by career seekers are typically a surprise to say the least. They simply don’t realize that pet hairstylists are far less regulated than those working on the hair of humans. Finally there may be regulation of professional pet massage providers. It is spotty but does exist.

How much can I earn as a pet groomer?

Recently an article in the major media Do not confuse vocational licenses suggested that pet groomers earn plus with other types of licensure. Pet or minus around $25,000 a year. They groomers operating a business quoted government sources. working with the public by mobile or stationary locations often require While there are some groomers earning business licenses, not vocational in that range, thousands earn more. Why licenses. In a few states pet care the disparity in figures? It is our businesses must register with the understanding pet bather wage statistics Department of Agriculture or similar are lumped in with those of pet governmental operation. Mobile groomers. Pet bathers typically earn half groomers may need multiple or less what skilled pet groomers earn. businesses licenses. In some We also learned wage figures are not jurisdictions such as a county, it may averaged out for full-time workers versus eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 87 be required to have a license from PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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part-timers. PetGroomer.com conducts the world’s largest surveys of pet groomers since 1998. Below are wage earning results for 2021 and these figures come directly from pet groomers and bathers. Full-time (30 or more hours working weekly) groomers in early 2022 shared with us their gross annual incomes from pet grooming ranged from approximately $26,000 to $55,000 a year. The median was $35,000. Full-time pet bathers reported $21,000 to $28,000. Do some earn even more? Yes, significantly more. Self-employed pet groomers reported annual earnings before taxes from their businesses up to $65,000 on average. The highest among them reported $74,000 a year.

July / September 2022

care businesses not only offering grooming, but additional pet care services such as pet daycare, and sometimes boarding.

Are apprenticeships available? Yes, they are. However, they are not prevalent. Check the help wanted classified ads sites, you might find some apprenticeship offers. Your next question may be why so few? Isn’t there a great demand for pet groomers? Historically, many apprentices soon leave their employment where they received on-the-job training. It leaves employers with a sour taste for apprenticeships. Even worse, some apprentices attempt to lure their employers’ customers to follow them to their next employment or selfemployment. Isn’t that adding insult to injury?

Are there “6-figure” earning groomers? Currently in the PetGroomer.com Some employers do have on-the-job Classified Ads grooming employees training but may not refer to it as an positions paying $125,000 year are apprenticeship. Their promotions for available in some parts of California, employment may informally say they are New York and S. Florida. We personally willing to train. You are not likely to be know and consult with self-employed taught extensively the fine art of finish groomers earning similar annual styling and simply learn the basics. ◄ 88 Copyrightlarge © 2013 Find incomes. They chose to grow petA Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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7682 88 70

April 2022 January April July/ June / June September / March 2022 2022 2022

2021 U.S. PET GROOMER WAGES & BUSINESS EARNINGS SURVEY F/T PET GROOMERS Employed (30 + hours weekly)

Commercial Location Groomers Low

Median

High

Mobile Vehicle & Housecall Groomers Low

Median

High

New England

25,996

35,429

62,209

29,402

37,420

65,305

Middle Atlantic

25,201

36,930

60,539

27,496

38,955

64,012

South Atlantic

27,034

38,501

61,039

24,364

38,201

60,329

East South Central

24,023

32,995

49,205

27,033

33,053

51,203

West South Central

24,005

31,405

48,212

29,043

37,884

48,939

East North Central

25,195

31,044

48,109

29,055

33,850

47,295

West North Central

25,856

30,995

46,676

24,056

32,065

46,838

Mountain

27,583

34,294

53,946

27,407

37,403

53,954

Pacific

31,205

45,039

64,567

37,304

44,209

69,302

Overall U.S. Average 2021

26,233

35,181

54,945

28,351

37,004

56,353

Overall U.S. Average 2020

24,856

33,462

52,121

25,632

35,324

53,287

2020/2021 Change F/T PET BATHERS Employed (30 + hours weekly)

5.54%

5.14%

5.42%

Commercial Location Groomers Low

Median

High

10.61%

4.76%

5.75%

Mobile Vehicle & Housecall Groomers Low

Median

High

New England

21,593

27,405

31,049

20,192

27,304

29,403

Middle Atlantic

20,495

27,949

30,823

18,405

26,034

28,848

South Atlantic

22,045

26,845

30,239

19,043

25,884

27,043

East South Central

19,403

22,945

24,555

18,304

23,954

25,003

West South Central

18,775

22,019

23,423

17,042

22,844

24,774

East North Central

18,302

21,899

27,304

19,423

22,104

29,430

West North Central

18,400

23,102

28,035

18,304

21,054

27,154

Mountain

22,594

24,022

30,193

21,848

26,001

27,849

Pacific

25,302

29,305

32,109

25,395

29,430

32,104

Overall U.S. Average 2021

20,768

25,055

28,637

19,773

24,957

27,956

Overall U.S. Average 2020

19,196

23,801

27,030

17,965

22,696

25,929

2020/2021 Change PET GROOMERS Self–Employed

8.19%

5.27%

5.94%

Commercial Location Groomers Low

Median

High

10.06%

9.96%

7.82%

Mobile Vehicle & Housecall Groomers Low

Median

High

(personal income from business)

New England

33,954

42,110

74,204

39,420

52,034

73,204

Middle Atlantic

32,034

42,994

73,204

38,574

50,294

72,943

South Atlantic

32,012

42,004

68,204

35,521

46,621

70,202

East South Central

30,132

36,460

55,201

33,202

42,043

61,394

West South Central

27,740

36,484

52,493

35,294

38,899

57,832

East North Central

28,034

35,304

51,004

33,102

40,555

52,049

West North Central

28,445

31,047

49,203

32,165

39,410

52,008

Mountain

32,049

42,773

56,811

37,509

45,209

58,302

Pacific

39,400

49,204

78,305

40,212

55,306

78,205

45,597

64,015 89

42,955

60,966

Overall U.S. Average 2021 eGroomer Journal Overall U.S. Average 2020

29,766

37,433

57,874

PetGroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Subscribe Free 2020/2021 Change 5.94% 6.38% 7.25% PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe FreeFree

33,964

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July / September 2022

Blade Coolant Handling by Jeff Andrews, Northern Tails Sharpening Many opinions surround the subject of blade coolants and their role in regular blade care. The most basic principle to keep in mind is that the lifetime of a clipper blade depends on the amount of time devoted to caring for them. Taking time to create and adhere to a blade care regimen reduces sharpening expenses as well as lowering the frequency of having to purchase new blades. Consider as well, using neglected blades can damage clippers. Blades can be cleaned every day, but if the proper tools are not used correctly, the desired results will not be seen. The two most important steps to follow are 1) to remove hair and buildup and 2) to maintain daily lubrication of the blades. Perhaps the most common misused blade care product is spray coolant. They are available from nearly every clipper manufacturer. Instructions on the back of most cans of coolants state the product should be used occasionally in a well-ventilated area. Coolants are for cooling blades. These sprays contain little to no lubricant and thus do not lubricate blades. In fact, the solvent in a coolant spray is used to displace moisture to prevent rust. Therefore it is crucial for coolants to be used in conjunction with oil. Hair wicks away moisture and coolants displace moisture. Therefore, clipper blades are very susceptible to drying out. 90

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Blade Coolant Handling Dry blades create more friction and thereby heat faster than properly oiled blades. When a blade becomes overheated follow these steps before using a spray coolant. Do this in a well-ventilated area. Turn the clippers off and point the tip down towards the floor. The blade should be facing outward. Spray the back of the blade with one short burst. Immediately turn the clippers over to oil the cutter teeth with clipper oil. Do not spray the front of the blade. You don’t want the solvent to remove lubrication and invite even more heat.

Keep in mind spraying the cutter teeth increases the likelihood of the coolant entering the clippers. In extreme cases, this can melt the carbon brushes and short the switch and armature, as well as weaken the plastic of the blade drive assembly. After oiling the cutter teeth, the clippers are ready for use. At the end of the workday don’t overlook the importance of cleaning clipper blades. Hair left on blades will absorb oil and prevent lubricating the blade. Use a high velocity dryer to blow loose hair from dirty blades. Slide a pipe cleaner under the cutter to further remove any hair or debris. Once hair is removed, excess coolant and oil must be cleaned to prevent buildup from forming. Remember, spray coolants are for cooling, not cleaning. H-42 is one of the most effective blade cleaners available. To use, carefully submerge the blade into the cleaner while the blade is91ateGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Blade Coolant Handling tached to running clippers. This cleans and lubricates blades, however, it never hurts to oil the blade afterwards for additional lubrication. If a blade has been neglected, allowing buildup to accumulate, the following products can help eliminate stubborn buildup that H-42 is not able to clean: WD-40, brake cleaner (used outside), and even charcoal starter. After using any of these products, wash the blade once more with H-42 to remove the solvent.

Ceramic Blade Maintenance Ceramic blades come from the factory perfect. As they are used, the sides of the teeth of the ceramic cutter will get imperfections along the cutting edges. These imperfections tend to create a “saw tooth” on the sides of the ceramic teeth, and this causes dragging, snagging, or dullness. If something like a tiny piece of sand gets into the teeth of the ceramic cutter it can cause “fragmentation” to the sides of the cutter teeth. This is harder to fix. If the ceramic cutter is damaged too much, it may never cut properly again and may need to be replaced. The best advice is to use ceramic blades on clean dogs. Never use them to “rough in” dogs. It only takes one grain of sand to cause problems so the blade doesn’t cut right anymore. As sharpeners, we have to take enough ceramic material off the bottom of the cutter and get past these imperfections and fragmentations to get the92 cutter to slice theCopyright hair again ripping This is done by © 2013 Findrather A Groomer than Inc. All rights reserved it.Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Blade Coolant Handling hand on a diamond surface, and most sharpeners charge a little extra for sharpening ceramic blades for this reason. Ceramic material actually is used to sharpen metals, and the ceramic cutter on your blade is no different. As it passes back and forth across the lower blade (metal), it “seats” itself to that metal blade and gets rid of any imperfections. Tension is also very important. Ceramic material is just like glass, so the tension must be between 2 ½ and 3# side pressure. Any tighter and the ceramic cutter could shatter just by dropping the blade on your grooming table. Here is a suggestion to try when you get your freshly sharpened ceramic blades back from sharpening, or when you buy a new ceramic blade. Instead of taking them right out of the package and running them through fur, oil first. Then run the blade on the clipper for a minute. As the ceramic cutter moves back and forth across the metal comb, I believe it gets rid of any imperfections and will “seat” itself to the metal blade below it. Blades seem to cut perfectly when this small break-in period is done. You only have to do this break-in period one time after sharpening or if it’s new. Another important thing to check on ceramic blades when they seem dull is dirt-filled divots on the bottom side of the cutter. To check, push the cutter halfway to one side and turn the blade upside-down. The divots are located right behind each tooth. eGroomer Journal Copyrightdirt © 2011and Find A pet Groomer Inc. All rights When reserved These divots can fill up with dander. they do, it raises93 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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July / September 2022

the cutter up from the bottom blade, and the blade will start to snag or drag. To clean the divots, push the cutter out halfway to one side. Turn the blade over and inspect the divots. If there is dirt in the divots, take a toothbrush and scrub the divots in blade wash. If the divots are really impacted with dirt it could take aggressive scrubbing to get them spotless. Clean one side then the other in the same way. Note: Running the blade on the clipper in blade wash doesn’t clean the divots. In some cases, it may even add to the problem. After you’re done cleaning, wipe the excess blade wash off, center the cutter on the blade, then oil with blade oil. Most of the time, the blade will start to cut again. If not, it could be dull or fragmented and needs to be resharpened. ◄

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Northern Tails Sharpening, Inc. You Now Have a Better Choice! Specializing in Animal Care Tools

Mail-in Prices Steel Blades

$7.00

Ceramic Blades

$6.00

Agri Blades

$8.00

Wide Blades

$7.00

“D” Series Blades

$10.00

Convex Shears

$16.00

Refurbish 5-N-1 Blades

$12.00

Str. Chunkers

$16.00

Convex Thinning Shears $16.00

Clipper Repair ● Veterinarian Equipment ● Beauty Shears We are an Andis & Furzone Regional Distributor and Repair Center Jeff is a Master Sharpener and Certified Pet Groomer with over 35 years experience. 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. Long-time member of NDGAA, IPG and the BBB. Please call or visit our website for mailing information. http://www.northerntails.com/

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January / March 2014 101 is not commonly known relates toPetGroomer.com It’seGroomer commonly Journal known that all brands of A-5 blades fit any brand of A-5 clippers. What blade sizes. Most Publications 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

1/125

0.2

0.5

0.2

1/100

0.3

0.6

0.1

0.3

3/50

—

0.4

1/50

0.5

0.8

0.2

0.5

3/64

1.2

1.0

1.3

1.0

1.2

1/16

1.6

1.5

1.8

1.5/1.6

1.0

1.5

10W

3/32

2.4

—

5/64

2.0

1.5

1.0/2.0

2.0

8.5

7/64

2.8

—

2.0

2.8

1/8

3.2

4.0

3.2

3.0

3.2

1/4

6.4

6.0

6.3

6.0

6.3

3/8

9.5

9.6

8.0

9.5

9.0

9.5

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

1/16

1/8

1/4

1/2

3/4

9/16

1/2 3/4

3/4 0

7/8

5/8

1/2

5/8

1 1/4

1 1/4 1 1/2

1/2

3/8

5/16

3/16

3/8

7/16

1/2

3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/16

1/8

1/16

3/4

1 1/4

1 1/2

PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com

1 3/4

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7/8 1

Charts courtesy of Northern Tails Sharpening 479-498-2367 www.northerntails.com

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Articles inside

People Pleasing Policies

Members Only Grooming Businesses

Why Some Groomers Never Use Client Questionnaires

Banishing Bat Wings

Hourly Cost to Operate Your Grooming Business

Things to Consider Before Opening Your Business

The Details of Deshedding

Blade Coolant Handling