PetGroomer.com Magazine Spring 2018 by findagroomer

eGroomer Journal January / March 2014

April / June 2018 Vol. 8, Ed. 2 PetGroomer.com Publications

Grooming Natural Back Coats M A G A Z I N E

by Jodi Murphy

Plus 14 More Articles eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free

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April / June 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Cover & Special Feature Article

Grooming Natural Back Coats with Jodi Murphy 15 Industry Calendar 16 DogWash. Can I Help You? 17 Grooming Natural Back Coats 29 Thumbtack.com: Coast-to-Coast Dog Grooming Price Ranges 30 A Day in the Life of a New York City House Call Cat Groomer 37 How Owning My Mobile Grooming Business Changed My Life What Our Clients Tell Us 46 MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster® Dryer 48 Speed Grooming Without Rushing 55 How to Intrigue New and Veteran Clients 57 Pet Retail Merchandising for Groomers 60 Grooming: A Dance You Do with the Dog 64 GroomFit: Away with Ankle Biters 72 Fixing the Blade Drive Screw Holder on the Andis Clipper 77 When Employees Are Employers: Wrong! 79 Dual Commission Rates for Groomers Made Easy 90 The Mobile Grooming Difference 93 Writing a Grooming Resume 102 Classic Reprint: Styling the Bichon Frise Puppy with Jay Scruggs 2 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com 114 Sponsors Only Buyer’s Guide and Website Directory PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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With training, hands-on education and the acquired skill sets our students develop, our pupils graduate with the ability to successfully seek and maintain employment as highly accomplished pet groomers or assistant groomers. Learn more at our website or please contact us.

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Learn More https://petgroomer.com/advertise-petgroomer-com/ PetGroomer.com Magazine is published as a download digital file quarterly by Find A Groomer Inc., PO Box 2489, Yelm, WA 98597. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. PetGroomer.com Magazine makes every effort to provide information that is reliable and practical. It is not intended to replace diagnosis or treatment from a veterinarian or other qualified pet or pet care professional. PetGroomer.com Magazine does not assume any legal responsibility. Readers should always consult qualified healthcare providers for specific diagnosis and treatment. Information provided is not intended to replace formal grooming training, pet safety and care. Viewpoints and commentary expressed in PetGroomer.com Magazine do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of its advertisers, the publisher or associates. Use of any content or services of PetGroomer.com and PetGroomerMagazine.com, including both digital and print copies of PetGroomer.com Magazine, is governed by additional guidelines, disclaimers and privacy policies and notices available at: https://petgroomer.com/legal-notices/ eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

APRIL 2018 April 5 to 8, 2018 Northwest Grooming Show Tacoma, WA www.barkleigh.com April 12 to 15, 2018 Intergroom Secaucus, NJ www.intergroom.com JUNE 2018 June 9 to 10, 2018 World Dog Expo New York City www.barkleigh.com June 21 to 24, 2018 PetQuest Wilmington, OH www.barkleigh.com June 26 to 28, 2018 SuperZoo Las Vegas, NV www.superzoo.org JULY 2018 July 20 to 22, 2018 Groom Texas Houston, TX www.txgroom.com

April / June 2018 PetGroomer.com Publications

AUGUST 2018 August 23 to 26, 2018 All American Grooming Show Schaumburg, IL www.barkleigh.com SEPTEMBER 2018 September 27 to 30, 2018 Groom Expo Hershey, PA www.barkleigh.com OCTOBER 2018 October 26 to 28, 2018 33rd NDGAA Annual Fun in the Sun Orlando, FL www.ndgaa.com NOVEMBER 2018 November 9 to 11, 2018 New England Grooming Show Sturbridge, MA www.nepgp.com

Want your grooming event here? Email details to: contact@petgroomer.com

Available online or at these 2018 Trade Shows PetQuest (OH) eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free

SuperZoo (NV)

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New England Grooming Show (MA)

DOG WASH. Can I Help You? Fifty-seven-year-old Denise Jameson, an awardwinning master groomer who has been plying her trade for over thirty-five years, is the manager of Dog Wash, a grooming salon inside a Your Pets store. Denise works long hours, seven days a week, and her only desire is to see her favorite rock group and favorite singer in concert one day. The salon never has a dull moment with pets of all breeds and sizes, and the employees who help Denise groom the animals. There’s Christine, a groomer who brings her talkative, and at times trouble-making, mynah bird, Diego, to work with her every day. Stacy, the other groomer, has two children and is expecting her third one. Working with the groomers are three grooming assistants. There is Kathy, a gorgeous young woman with a beautiful voice, who is determined to become a singer one day. But her constant singing at work gets on the nerves of her co-worker, Bob, who wants to be a veterinarian. And then there is Cheryl, who is content just to work part-time for Denise and part-time as a veterinary assistant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.L. Campbell is a veteran of the US Army, a retired federal government employee, and has worked part-time in a dog grooming salon in Fairfax County, Virginia. She has used these experiences to create her first book.

Their lives intersect with Tony Lovic, a homeless US Army veteran, who would do anything to be employed again. One day, hungry and desperate, he asked his patron saint, Francis of Assisi, to intercede for him to find a job. Then Tony enters Denise’s grooming salon, and Diego greets him by saying, “Dog Wash. Can I Help You?” It is an action that will change more than one life for the better, thanks to the intercession of the patron saint of animals.

“Author loves animals, and knows her dog pedigree. I don't normally Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and read fiction, however the characiUniverse Publishing/ ters drew me into their lives. I could ISBN16978-1-5320-3794-8 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com not put this book down.” 492 Pages Amazon.com Reviewer

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Grooming Natural Back Coats by Jodi Murphy, Master Pet Stylist To clip or not to clip….that is the quesBreeds like the various Setters, Spantion. As groomers we tend to think that iels, Longhaired Dachshund, Papillion, when a dog enters our salon for a hairand Japanese Chin have this type of cut we immediately pull out our clipper. coat. However, there are many breeds and When clipping these breeds coats can mixed breeds that have a flat natural change texture and become very thick back coat which need nothing more and wooly. If this is the case, clipping than a little carding and thinning shear may be the only option. If clipping has eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 17 (Continued on page 18) work to polish the appearance. PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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previously been done, removing undercoat in conjunction with clipping will help the blades glide through the coat with ease. Surprisingly there are dogs that have been clipped in the past and yet their coat will still remain flat and natural. In this case clipping the coat is not necessary. To shorten the length of the back coat on these breeds, backcombing and tipping the ends of the coat with thinning shears gives a natural appearance.

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When using these techniques it not only saves time by unnecessary clipping, it also saves time from blending the clipped lines into the longer furnishings. Carding and thinning shear techniques will give a beautiful seamless appearance. When puppies come into the salon for the first time their coat type should be evaluated. If the back coat appears flat and natural….don't clip it! They are your clean slate to begin these techniques on.

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Carding techniques are very important for dogs that have a double coat, like many Sporting breeds. Undercoat is defined as the short, soft, dense hair that supports the outer coat or guard hair. The term “carding” refers to a technique of removing undercoat from the follicles with the use of a carding knife. Keeping undercoat at bay by using carding tech-

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April / June 2018 PetGroomer.com Publications

niques is beneficial to the skin and the appearance of the coat. Carding promotes healthy skin and coat by clearing the follicles of excessive undercoat. Undercoat is soft and dull in color and can prevent the skin from breathing when it becomes excessive. Once the excess undercoat is removed, the coat will shine and the skin will be

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able to breathe and will be healthier. When using a carding knife it is important to hold the skin taut with one hand while combing through the coat with the other. If the skin is not held taut it will move with every stroke, which can be uncomfortable for the pet. When the skin moves the tool will not be productive. Hold a carding knife almost flat to the skin. It has teeth with grooves. Carefully place grooves against the skin. They feed undercoat into the teeth. As result coat is pulled from follicles without breaking of the coat. Carding knives are right or left-handed. Be sure to purchase the correct knife.

When dogs are not carded blades will often leave track marks in the coat. It is common to want to shave them with

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very short blades to ensure a smoother finish. However, the undercoat is the culprit causing the blade to leave track marks, almost like the look of corduroy. Carding techniques will eliminate the corduroy issue so a longer blade can then be used which will result in a more natural appearance. Carding techniques take very little time especially when you consider the benefits for both groomer and the pets. Maintaining a flat natural back coat with the use of carding and thinning shear techniques not only saves time, but gives a beautiful, shiny and natural

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appearance to these breeds. Terriers should be carded to remove undercoat. When clipping the Miniature Schnauzer, Wire Fox Terrier, Scottie, Westie etc. use a carding knife to remove the undercoat before or after clipping. Just like the natural back coats, these breeds are double-coated. Removing the undercoat allows blades to run smoothly through the coat resulting in a more natural appearance. Once the undercoat is removed on a regular basis,

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longer blades (4F, 5F or 7F) may be used which will allow the clipped coat to blend into the longer furnishings more naturally. Carding knives are available in fine and coarse. Both knives are necessary as all coat types are different.

April / June 2018

JodiMurphy.net to purchase these knives. To learn more about carding techniques, there is a Jodi Murphy instructional video, Carding and Hand Stripping for Pets. See JodiMurphy.net for more info. Left-handed knives will be available! ▀

A unique combo knife of fine/coarse de24 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved signed by Jodi is also available. Visit PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Handstripping and carding techniques are well known in the show ring. They are techniques that are done on show dogs as per the breed standard. There are many benefits to these techniques. The dog’s coat and skin will be healthy and vibrant. Jodi will show you how to modify these techniques for your pet trims. Not only will your dogs coat look healthier but their skin will be healthier as well. Jodi will discuss the theory of hand stripping and carding and why it benefits the skin and coat. These techniques will help your trims look natural. Your client's will notice the difference! Available Today

JodiMurphy.net ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jodi Murphy is a Master Pet Stylist. She has been a member of Groom Team USA for four years ranking within the top four groomers in the country. In 2004 Jodi was ranked the number one groomer of the United States. Jodi was awarded Best American Groomer in 2005 and 2006 for her multiple wins in the contest ring. She captured the World Championship title in the prestigious Oster Invitational Tournament of Champions in 2006. Jodi stamped the International contest ring in 2004 where she won both gold and bronze medals in Barcelona, Spain. In Milan, Italy Jodi defeated the best of the world in a competition consisting of 13 countries of world renown groomers and walked away with yet another gold in 2007. After achieving all her goals in the contest ring she is now here to share her years of knowledge and experience. eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Coast-to-Coast Dog Groomer Price Ranges Thumbtack leveraged data from a range of dog grooming professionals to see what real life average pricing is for their services. Dog grooming includes all manner of dog hygiene and care. Dog grooming is available for dogs of every breed, size and age, as well as those with anxiety, aggression and old age. Frequent requests for services include bath and brush, overall hair trim, complete shave, ear trim, tail trim, nail trim, teethbrushing, dematting, flea and tick removal, gland expression, and deshedding treatments. Several factors affect the cost of dog grooming services, including breed size, temperament, transportation, region and frequency. Figures Courtesy of Thumbtack.com

LOS ANGELES, CA

DENVER, CO

DALLAS, TX

NEW YORK, NY eGroomer Journal

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Photo of “Belle” courtesy of Rosemarie Bria

A Day in the Life of a New York City House Call Cat Groomer After drinking my morning coffee, eating a biscuit and walking my Chihuahua, I open my laptop and double-check the day’s schedule. I email a reminder to a new client I’ll be seeing tomorrow. I put on jeans and a sweater, covered by grooming pants and top. At 8 a.m., I sling my small polyester backpack over my shoulder. Last night I packed supplies: salon-quality (human)

blow dryer, plastic containers of shampoo, red raincoat to wear while bathing, e-collar, a metal comb, claw trimmer, clipper, animal handling gloves, ball-tip scissors, slicker, cotton balls, face masks, tissues and band-aids. I don’t schedule appointments until after morning rush hour ends, unless the client lives close by. Today’s client lives

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ten blocks away, so I walk through bustling streets until I reach an elegant old apartment building. The doorman lets me in. The apartment takes up an entire floor. Before leaving to run errands, the owner had placed two large towels on the kitchen counter. Her cat is in a carrier on the floor. He is a large goodlooking striped tabby. I unpack my ecollar and gloves, along with a slicker brush. His owner takes him to the vet to get his claws trimmed the day before I visit. Trimming his claws requires more hands than I have. Wearing my “hazmat” suit, I unzip the top of the carrier and quickly grasp his scruff. I lift him out and put him on the towels, while rapidly snapping the ecollar into place. I start brushing as if my life depends on it...which it might! He is hissing and wiggling, so I loosely toss a towel over his face. I keep him from rolling on his side. In that position he will kick me. After an exciting few minutes, I have removed several brushes filled with shedding fur. I remove the e-collar while lowering him to the ground. I release him and step back fast. In the past he’s tried to strike at me after I put him down.

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I love this cat, as does his kindly owner. The housekeeper is scared of him, but she too feels affection for him. He’s not bad, just moody! I can hear the client in the other room. I say hello to her, then we schedule the next visit. Her cat gets brush-outs once a month, and baths every three months. The baths are even more exciting than the brush-outs. The entire visit takes twenty minutes, but these are intense minutes due to bite and scratch risks. I stop by a bagel shop to get breakfast before heading home. After giving my dog a walk, I take the subway downtown to Wall Street. The trip should take forty-five minutes as long as there’s no delay. My goal is to arrive fifteen minutes early. The woman sitting across from me is gagging. Her friend tells me she’s on her way to chemotherapy. The woman throws up on the subway floor. I give her my pack of Wet Wipes and wish her well. For the remainder of the ride, I type up notes including fees received. My scheduling and owner contacts are done

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through email. I rarely talk on the phone. My next client is Minky, who I shave every 10 weeks. He tends to eat his fur and throw it up. The owner is a businesswoman. She has prepared my grooming area, with the two towels and clean kitchen counter. After a chase, she brings Minky to me. He is a greyhaired cat with cashmere-like fur. I shave as fast as I can, because Minky tenses up during grooming. He won’t bite or scratch, but moves at lightning speed. I keep a gentle hand on his body. We skip the bath since Minky panics when bathed. As I walk down the hall-

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way, I hear the client telling him how handsome he is. The visit, from entering the door to leaving, takes forty-five minutes. Later, the owner posts a photo of Minky on her Facebook page. My last cat of the day is a gold-andblack Abyssinian, Edgar. He lives in an apartment a few blocks away from Minky. The household staff schedules Edgar’s grooming sessions. I don’t see the owner more than once a year. Edgar is lounging in his owner’s bedroom. The household manager is allergic to cats, so I bathe Edgar in the bathroom, not the kitchen. I have to squish him

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into the sink. He keeps trying to reach up and head-butt me while purring. I towel dry him, clip his claws, kiss him on the head and we’re done. I chat for a moment with the staff, while enjoying the view of the Statue of Liberty visible from the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

outfit, pack the bag for the next day’s visits, and respond to a couple of emailed inquiries about cat grooming.

Back home, I wash and scrub my grooming tools. I rinse my grooming

Linda Schmoldt is a NYC cat groomer, and an active contributor to the GroomerTALK Community.

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It’s been a good day. I love the cats I visit. They make me laugh and touch my heart. ▀ ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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How owning my mobile grooming business changed my life - what our clients tell us. By John Stockman Wag’n Tails Mobile Conversions

We know many of you have talked with us here at Wag’n Tails, either on the phone or via email. Some have visited our website to see our magnificent vans. Also, many have heard us extol the many virtues of the mobile grooming lifestyle at various grooming shows across the country. Instead of taking that approach here, we thought it would be beneficial to give you our clients’ views. The word coming straight from them; unfiltered and unmolested. Although we always give the straight skinny when we interact with

you, it’s always fun to let our clients do the talking. If you’ve never been in our display at a grooming show when our clients are around, you’re missing out because they basically take over. We just sit back and let them tell you why you’re missing out on the “best career choice a groomer can make.” This won’t be a Wag’n Tails sales pitch so don’t worry. I’ll keep it true to the title even though we are really, really, really,

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good at building vans, teaching you how to launch operate and grow your mobile business and then taking great care of you after the sale. Over 40 years of our business experience becomes yours, free for the asking! But I digress… The groomers we polled have been grooming between 3 and 12 years and have been mobile for 3 to 8 years. Most own one van and work by themselves, a couple have more than one van and have employees. Here are the questions and a summary of their answers for your enjoyment. (My comments are in italics and I did my best to keep them at a minimum). How did you decide to become a mobile groomer? I became tired of the corporate grooming grind and saw the vans at trade shows. I bought a book about mobile and saw your ad on mobile grooming vans. One of my coworkers at a corporate operation did it and was doing well so I knew I could do it, too.

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I saw the video on the home page of the website and tracked down the groomer in the video. I called, and she told me how great it was. Seven years later, I have three vans on the road and I still can’t keep up. How has owning your own mobile grooming business changed your life? It has given me confidence and freedom. Freedom from a time standpoint because I control my schedule and financial freedom because the money is great. I have time to spend with my family again. I can schedule around the kid’s activities and there’s “me” time for the things I want to do! I got back on my exercise routine, I run mini-marathons and have lost a bunch of weight. It’s totally changed my life emotionally and financially. I have great relationships with clients I now call friends. I paid off my school debt, had a wonderful Pinterest worthy wedding and bought a beautiful home with my husband. I work only as hard as I want to. I don’t (Continued on page 39)

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need to do 10 dogs a day just to stay afloat. I do 5-6 per day and make almost $100,000 per year. That changes a lot of things! I don’t groom any big dogs anymore so it’s easier on my older body and my maximum is 6 dogs in a day. Most of those are at homes with more than one pet. I can start at 8 and I’m usually home by 2:30 or 3 o’clock. My kids and my husband remember who I am!!! (I loved that one). And Saturdays and Sundays are real weekends again! And the money! Did I mention the money? How do you manage your work/life balance? What’s your schedule like? After three years mobile, I groom 5-7 dogs per day and work from 7 AM – 2 PM Monday-Friday. The weekends are MINE!

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off when I need to for grooming competitions, weddings, etc. I do not groom on weekends. My husband always tells me that if I’m working too hard, it’s my own d@*& fault. I love my job, so I’ll tend to overdo it, but he keeps me reeled in most of the time-unless it’s the holidays. I need 5 of me then! Since I’m in charge, it’s easy to balance life and work. If I need to do something or be somewhere, I just leave that part of my schedule empty. It’s not like I’m trapped in a shop or anything. My wife doesn’t let me get work and family time out of whack. She routes and schedules me. Well, her and Navigroom. Seriously, I’ve always been able to keep it in balance. It’s just so easy when you set your own schedule. After a while, you get all your clients on a regular schedule and you just go with the flow. Weekends off are so nice. So many fun things happen on the weekends and I really missed them when I was at (corporate shop).

I didn’t become successful without a little blood, sweat and tears but I didn’t lose my mind in the process. I have multiple vans with employees and I tell How long did it take you to fill your them to have a healthy balance beschedule when you first started? tween their work life and personal life. I was always busy from the beginning eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 39 (Continued on page 40) The same applies to me. I take the time PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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(Continued from page 39)

but after about a year I was full of the clients that I picked. The 1st 6 months I was over thinking things, but that stress and fear made me confident, humble and honest. (A little fear is a good motivator I always say). I never did any formal advertising. I parked my van on the weekends at a local shopping center and in the neighborhoods where I wanted to work. Within 6 months I was able to “weed my garden” and pick the dogs and clients that were good for my business. I was busy right away. People would see my van and the phone just started ringing. My clients were telling their friends and it just exploded. I was scheduled 2 weeks out after about a month and within 3 or 4 months I was fully booked. Then I started to change my schedule around to group the clients together on days of the week. After 18 months, I took my phone number off my van and had Wag’n Tails take me out of their groomer locator. That was 6 years ago. I was able to pay all my business bills from the start. I only needed to average a couple of dogs a day to do that, but I 40

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got busy really fast. I’m not sure when it was that I realized I was full, but it didn’t take long when you drive a giant sign around town. Is there anything you wished you’d known or done differently when you first started? I wish I would have figured out a great route years ago instead of driving all over the place. Having a good route is a big time saver and time is money. I’m super efficient now. I should have priced myself higher. It was too easy to accept grooms that were at (corporate store) prices but I was selling myself short and it took me a while to get the right clients at the right prices. I wish I would have gone mobile sooner! (That was a common answer to this question). What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a mobile groomer? Go for it! Then always attend trade shows and learn. Keep growing. This industry is always progressing, so you must keep learning. (Continued on page 41)

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Talk to us mobiles and ask us anything. Find us at trade shows, go to the mobile seminars. Call us-just expect to get voicemail that we’re not accepting new clients and then leave a message, LOL. Plan-make sure you have a plan and a network of support. Get your van from Wag’n Tails! Purchasing from Wag’n Tails was very helpful. It felt like I was part of a family and I love how Wag’n Tails shares their knowledge and expertise. Don’t reinvent the wheellisten to their advice. Use their Success Guide! (This was her answer; I didn’t change a word). Let yourself grow, create your process, focus on your van, create your brand and follow the guidelines (Success Guide) to become the best version of yourself. What do you like most about mobile grooming? Flexibility. I can be closed, and it won’t have an effect on my clients like the negative visual effect of a closed sign in a shop would.

April / June 2018

best for ME. The mobile business demand is strong, and I like that mobile groomers support each other. I’m in control. I pick and choose my dogs and clients. We all let each other know of bad clients or difficult dogs so they can go to (corporate store). I groom only nice dogs of nice clients and charge very high prices. I make great money, grooming fewer dogs and I like to have time off. I take at least 8 weeks off over the year. The holiday tips and gifts from my clients! OMG! I have hobbies again! Wooohooo! What do you like least about mobile grooming? People that don’t clear the snow off their driveways and sidewalks. Idiot drivers and people knocking on my door for an appointment when I’m grooming. Jason at Wag’n Tails sent me a “Please don’t knock” sticker for my door. Mother Nature.

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Do you have an annual price increase?

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Having to return calls to people who want my services but I’m full. Oh, and new people who leave me a message asking me to groom their pets when my voice mail greeting says I’m full and not accepting new clients. Do the pets and pet parents treat you differently as a mobile groomer? I almost feel like a guest. Offering me coffee and tea in the mornings and dinner in the evenings. The pets are more relaxed and handle the process much easier. I’ve never even been bitten in my 7 years mobile grooming so yes, much different. The pets aren’t stressed, and they are way easier to groom. The owners are nice to me too. I almost feel like a family member. It’s less stressful for me, too. And the tips are very good. Unbelievably good. It’s a different world as a mobile. No one is crabby; dogs or people. Of course, I’ve made adjustments to my clientele, but it was pretty much always that way.

Not every year but every two or three years, yes. We’re already the highest priced mobiles in our area. I got some complaints when I raised them 2-3 dollars per year. Now we just go up $10 every few years and it’s all good. Yes. I do it every year as Wag’n Tails recommends and it’s not a problem. I am raising them every year because I started too low. I’m surprised that I get very few complaints, and no one has left me. My next $5 increase is in June. It will get me where I need to be. It took me 2 years to get there but I had a good coach. (I knew she could do it). Yes. They’re trained to expect it. Everything else goes up, why not me? Do your clients see the value in your being a premium priced service? Mine do. They love to pamper their pets and I’m very expensive. They do. Many of them appreciate the service so they don’t mind paying for it. Good customer service goes a long way. Yes. They understand my pricing and my exclusive service and that it’s important (Continued on page 44)

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to stick to my schedule, too. If someone cancels they soon find out how hard it is to get back in the schedule. Most customers don’t want to lose their spots. When they first became a client and asked about my service, I explained to them all the benefits of my service and why it was a good value even though it’s expensive. Many of them like to show me and my grooming skills off to their friends. I don’t mind. It brings me business. Want to know even more?

April / June 2018

Contact Dennis or John at Wag’n Tails Mobile Conversions. ▀ 800-513-0304 dennis@wagntails.com john@wagntails.com Many thanks to Amy Slav, Wag’n Tails Marketing Manager for doing the leg work and to our awesome clients for taking the time from their incredibly busy schedules to answer our questions. Thanks for your patience to Cait Lauria Roginski of Groomington Coat Factory, Lauren Halliwell of Alpha Mobile Grooming and our other clients who helped in developing this story.

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MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster®

Above: The MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster® Pet Dryer. In the background, Groomer Sue Delaney uses one to dry a pet.

For more than 30 years, American-made MetroVac pet dryers have been the world’s best-selling pet dryers. And after decades of use by pet groomers nationwide, The MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster® Pet Dryer has proven to be not only efficient, but safe as well. In fact, when it comes to its grooming line, MetroVac puts the comfort of pets first. The MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster® Pet Dryer is designed to be a safe, yet powerful tool for pet owners and groomers alike. Known for its power and durability, the Air Force® Master Blaster® Pet Dryers are proven to cut drying times by 75% without the use of dangerous heating elements, which can damage pets’ coats or skin. This tool uses concentrated warm air, making it the safest and most efficient way to dry all pets. (Continued on page 47)

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April / June 2018

(Continued from page 46)

“Whether you use MetroVac’s Air Force® Master Blaster® to groom your pet at home or as part of your business, it can be the ultimate solution,” said MetroVac’s Vice President of Marketing, David Stern. “When we manufacture our pet dryers, we make the comfort of pets our top priority so pet groomers can rest assured that they’re using not only the most efficient, but the safest dryers on the market.” Available in two-speed or variable speed options, pet owners and groomers can select the MetroVac Air Force® Master Blaster® that best fits their needs. The variable speed option provides users with infinite control over the level of noise and blowing power. This control offers a quieter solution for drying all types of dogs, large or small, as well as long-haired, short-haired and even heavy-coated breeds. The control settings on the Air Force® Master Blaster® are also ideal for animals who are sensitive to unfamiliar noises and may be fearful of a loud dryer near their face. The Air Force® Master Blaster® features an easy-change filter, heavy duty flexible hose, neoprene blower nozzle and more. And groomers say the dependability of the Air Force® Master Blaster® make it a groomer’s best friend. “Finding a reliable tool is essential to running a successful business. If one breaks, appointments for the day get backed up,” said Sue Delaney, owner of All About Grooming in Haskell, N.J. “The MetroVac driers last forever if you service them properly. I’ve been using the same dryers since 2009.” At MetroVac, “Deliberately made better in the USA” is more than a company slogan; it’s a mantra that the company lives by. For more than seven decades, MetroVac has been hand crafting vacuum cleaners, blowers, dryers and pumps utilizing only the highest quality components available. The result? Uncompromised quality, durability and performance that consistently exceeds the expectations of customers. For more information on MetroVac’s line of pet products, visit www.metrovac.com or call 1-800-822-1602. eGroomer Journal

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SPEED Grooming Without Rushing I would like to share knowledge with you. It will absolutely make a difference in your grooming career. Implementing some simple, effective methods will improve your speed without a doubt. I have been grooming for 37 years, teaching dog grooming for 28 years, been a master groomer for 29 years and operated a grooming consultation firm for 30 years.

By Kathy Sanders Groomadog Academy required a formal system. One that would make our days easier, less stressful and maintain the quality of haircuts to which we all aspire. We earned great client loyalty with many return customers as evidence. Obviously we were doing our work right! But how was I going to create an

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April / June 2018

atmosphere that kept my groomers happy? How could I prevent them from becoming burned out or overworked and maintain our high standard of tender loving care for the dogs along with quality haircuts? We had to continue to satisfy our clients and give them what they deserve...quality dog grooming, hand scissoring, hand-drying and personal attention to every dog. There are many approaches to grooming dogs. I will share my methods of grooming for the purpose of this article. Some groomers prep first, some wash first, some cage-dry, some handdry and so on. Depending upon the dog, I usually prep first, remove all of the excess hair that doesn’t need to be washed and dried. We do not overbook. It doesn’t matter if you need to be able to groom 10 dogs faster or you want to be able to groom more than 5 dogs a day. Here is our proven set of methods: 1. We intake our clients between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Our first dog is due out after 2 p.m. This schedule allows you to groom at least one-third more dogs. Waiting on customers, no shows, scheduling, every minute eGroomer Journal

counts. Prepping all of the dogs allows the bather(s) to come in and bathe during midday. It may not seem like this would make you faster but it does. There is more to incorporate described later in this article for additional time savings. Some customers don’t like leaving their dogs all day. They can drop-off at 9:30 AM and pick-up at 2PM. Or they can pay an extra fee and be out within 1 to 2 hours. I find that all of my customers are fine with this once they understand our operational concept. 2. I train my bathers (groomer assistants), to clean ears and cut toenails. They handle all the short hair baths, carding, raking and simple baths. Having a bather is of utmost importance. Some shop owners see bathers as an additional expense. Used correctly, they free up your time in order to groom more dogs. Groomer assistants pay big dividends over time. Paying them $10 to $12 an hour they usually work two to six hours depending upon the daily demand. This allows you to groom more dogs every workday. (Continued on page 50)

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Look at the math. Your cost to pay your groomer assistants is approximately the income from two or three dogs (or the money you are making from the shorthaired baths). Your assistant will also be there to hold the wiggly dogs still, bathe and blow dry (and a multitude of other duties). I teach all of my students to aspire to having groomer assistants. It doesn’t matter if you groom six dogs a day or 30, you should have a bather(s).

April / June 2018

ing to groom in the same order every time on every dog is in itself speed grooming without rushing. It makes you a much faster groomer. 4. If you are assisting another groomer you know exactly where to start and stop on each dog. 5. When all the groomers are on the same page hold a meeting once a week for staff knowledge. It makes for a better working atmosphere. 6. We use the “Izzie Board” patent applied for, which is a permanently marked pre-made eraser board that has a column on it for each grooming procedure in order. It doesn’t matter if a shop is grooming 6 dogs or 36, this board saves valuable time. At a glance you know where your day stands. On the next page there is an illustration showing how the board is marked up with preassigned columns.

3. The most important rule is to have your groomers groom dogs in the same order. The procedure we use to groom dogs saves at least four to eight minutes per dog without rushing. You may not think so but it does save valuable time. For example, we prep each dog as needed with short blade, long blade, toenails, ears and brush out. Then we bathe and blowdry followed by scissor and finish. If every dog is groomed in the same If your shop is clean and has a fun order it improves efficiency. Once working environment you save time you get used to this procedure it is without rushing. Everything has a place second nature. Let’s assume it and everything goes in its place. saves 6 minutes per dog times 8 dogs a day again without rushing. (Continued on page 51) That alone saved 48 minutes. Learn50 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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Here is the bottom line summary: A. Scheduling recommendations for intaking dogs. B. Employ Bathers (Groomer Assistants. C. Groomers follow same operations procedures for all dogs. D. Stay organized and track information (Izzie Board). E. Maintain cleanliness and your focus. Every situation is different. As a consultant I usually look at how many groomers and dogs are coming in. I'm

April / June 2018

able to find extra time for them to groom more dogs a day, and yet refresh and relax a bit. Sequencing is flexible but use your grooming system. Do it the same way every time. Don’t focus on how matted a dog is, wiggly or whatever. It will slow you down. Everyone stays focused on the procedures at hand. Avoid feelings of frustration or being behind. It bothers the dog you are grooming and others working with you, including their dogs. Stay calm. Focus on procedures. Allow the dogs to have a great day in your care! You will save time without rushing. ▀

“IZZIE BOARD” Grooming Procedures for Every Pet in Procedural Order Groomer Name

Short Long Blade

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Nails Ears

Brush Out

Bath

Blow-Dry

Finish

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Haircut Notes

Potty Walk

Time Due Out

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How to Intrigue New and Veteran Clients By Leel Michelle How do you intrigue new clients and veteran clients into repeatedly patronizing your business over your competition? Turn your business into an "experience" to make your business unforgettable. Your current and future clients will brag about your business to all their friends, family, and social media platforms! You can get clients walking through your doors with a well designed space with well crafted photos of your business on several social media platforms! The more excited you get about YOUR business...the more excited your current & future clients will become!

"experience" for your business. How do

One way to create ambiance that is un-

you keep your walls looking profes-

forgettable...use your vertical wall

sional, uncluttered, & well designed? It’s

space! In most well designed spaces,

a fine art but one that needs to be done

wall space is NOT an afterthought. It

(Continued on page 56)

can set the tone, ambiance, and eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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(Continued from page 55)

to make a great impression. A paint treatment can often be the most affordable way to completely change your store design. Do you have tall ceilings and don’t know what to do with the space? Do you want your space to look more intimate? Cut your colors in half! Do you have a big wall but don’t want to clutter with photos? Make yourself a mural with tape & paint! Do you want to showcase photos in a well designed way? I’ve posted some inspiration pics found online that

will give you ideas to solve these common store design challenges. Although most of these ideas are residential, they easily convert for commercial application. ▀ 56

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Pet Retail Merchandising for Groomers Work hard everyday to add a little spice called “perfection” to your retail merchandising and watch your sales soar!

By Leel Michelle “People feel perfection.” This quote by Walt Disney sums up the experience shoppers have when they are visiting a very well-designed and well-merchandised venue with great ambiance. I work diligently everyday through carefully merchandised displays to create an ambiance of perfection. I change my displays quite frequently because I consider how each merchandised vignette is selling. The better designed your business, the easier it is for your merchandise to “sell itself!” Read on and we’ll explore the many ways in which we can all improve our pet retail merchandising in hopes of getting us one step closer to Walt himself!

Although this ancient Hebrew proverb wasn’t intended for pet retailing…it still applies today! When merchandising our store or salon, do you go the extra mile to ensure that you have a very neat, clean, tidy, and organized store? In stores with Grooming Salons, they are more prone to fur balls, dust, and flyaways that fall off pets’ fur when they are being dropped off or picked up from their Groomer. Although this is an endless cycle of vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping…do you have “cleaning stations” to assist you with this daily chore to make you and your staff more productive? Having a designated cleaning “station” with broom, mop, paper towels, floor cleaner, poop bags, and trash can make this task so much easier. You and your

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staff will have easy access to cleaning supplies, and your clients have a self clean up station to clean up after their own pet. Pro Tip: Hiring a cleaning company to provide you with weekly or monthly cleaning supplies and holders can often lead to more productivity for the management/owner team and less expense too! Provide signage at each clean up station and let your clients clean up after themselves which will ensure you and your staff stay productive even when an “accident” occurs. “Design is intelligence made visual.” This anonymous quote is one of my favorites as it speaks volumes about the importance of good design. Good design can be a well coded website, a visually stunning store, and even the attention to detail within your in store packaging and vignette merchandising. There are many times that I have received amazing merchandise to stock my store but the packaging clashed with my store or it was...meh. What does one do? Create your own packaging and merchandising! There are endless merchandisers, wrappers, bags, boxes, pockets,

April / June 2018 PetGroomer.com Publications

cloth bags, tissue, ribbons, and the like to spruce up your retail merchandising.

Take these tennis balls...yes, I can sell these in a bucket but they don’t sell nearly half as well as they do here in their own cupcake stand! Sometimes the combination of two inanimate objects create beautiful merchandising! It’s hard to keep these tennis balls in stock! If you treat the most simple item like a gem…people will react to your gem by purchasing! Join me next time in my pursuit of retail “perfection” as we’ll cover more topics in order to improve your retail sales and get you AND your clients closer to the “Walt effect!” Happy Pet Retailing! Until next time… Leel Michelle ▀

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Leel Michelle is the owner and designer behind the award-winning Pet Groomer Apparel brand, Retro Stylist Wear and the grooming salon and boutique, Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe. She is a San Diego native also calling Los Angeles, New York and Italy home. Formal education in fine art, art history and fashion design led this animal loving entrepreneur to bring all her passion, talents and knowledge together to create a memorable and beloved retro business for pets and their owners. In 2006, following 2 previous careers in corporate retail, and corporate amusement park management, Leel graduated pet grooming school to create and manage an award-winning pet grooming salon and pet boutique. Leel has also grown the Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe brand to include custom luxury kennels and product lines in production to help the average small business groomer and pet retailer increase their business profit margin by improving their pet retail merchandising. Most days you will find Leel Michelle at her shoppe, inspiring other groomers & pet retailers with live Facebook posts on “Pet Boutiques,” with her family, or at a trade show making the world more Fabulous-one smile & smock at a time! See www.retrostylistwear.com. Read more from Leel in her GroomWise℠ Blog at www.groomwise.com.

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GROOMING A Dance You Do with the Dog by James M Connors, Director Dog Grooming School of Pennsylvania As a groomer, you most likely have had your fair share of difficult dogs to groom. You may have tried different loops, harnesses, and muzzles to control these challenging canines without

much success. I would like to share some thoughts that might help you in your task of grooming an uncooperative dog. The groom is not something you do

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to the dog, but rather something you do with the dog. I might say, today I will paint the wooden stool and I will groom the dog. Logically and grammatically, they sound the same. But, they are not. The stool is piece of wood, an inanimate object, that you can do with what you want. On the other hand, the dog is a living thing. Dogs have feelings. They feel touch, warmth, cold, pain, sadness, happiness, boredom, curiosity to name a few. And they possess intelligence. The dog may be sensing your mood or evaluating you for the level of threat it may perceive. How are you evaluating the dog? Are you really tuned into the sensitivities of the animal? When you have the dog on the grooming table, do you talk to it? Do you use the dog’s name? Do you treat it as an intelligent creature? Or rather, do you think of it as annoying object that you need only make look better? A therapist who works with teenagers once told me that some of her clients didn’t communicate very well verbally. She said she became very good at reading body language. A dog doesn’t verbalize at all, but their movements can range from lying down sleeping to jump-

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ing all over the place. How well can you tune into everything in between and interpret the meaning of it? Remember, all dogs are different. Many people do not fully realize that fact. People will generalize: “Golden Retrievers are friendly: Pit Bull’s are dangerous” and so forth. Generalization rules out observation. Despite breed or sub-breed similarities, they all have individual temperaments or “personalities.” What this means to groomers is that one approach will not work with all dogs. Yet, we usually go about grooming the same way with every dog we put on the table. Then we are at a loss when the loops and muzzles fail to contain the dog’s behavior. You need to get a better read on the individual dog. Take some time to get to know the dog as a customer and as a living thing. Dogs have feelings! Pay attention to that. Are you contributing to or alleviating negative behavior? Some groomers have the attitude that you need to show each dog “who’s the boss!” Or that you need to be the Alpha dog or dominant dog. Maybe that works sometimes, but it can also be a big fail.

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Some dogs behave the way they do because of bad experiences with dominating and demanding (even cruel) humans. So, it is very possible that being too assertive will get you nowhere. Look closely at the temperament of the dog. It may be an emotional mess in the presence of strangers or in a strange environment or being constrained in a grooming loop. Talk to your dogs gently. Use the dog’s name. Move slowly. Be kind. Get the dog to look into your eyes (But not a stare down contest). Little dogs may need to be held, petted, or rocked to calm them down and relax them. Remember, ani-

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mals fear injury and pain. That is natural. Put your ego aside, be a human being not a mere mechanic. Feel for the dog. Don’t just treat the dog as an object to be worked on while tied to a table. Give it respect as a living creature and not just an art project to be completed. Dissolve that space, that separation between you and the dog. My grooming students always tell me that they love dogs, but then show frustration and dismay when the dogs do not seem to love them. Yes, some dogs

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are friendly and gregarious, but others may only be loyal to their owners and look longingly for them to return. And to make matters worse, you are going to do things to it that it doesn’t like. Sometimes the only way to bridge this difficulty is to take your love for dogs up a notch to love a dog that is difficult and uncooperative. Don’t respond to the difficult dog with force but rather with kindness, calmness, and understanding. “But, it bit me!” Then bandage up and re-focus on the job. Why did it bite you? Why does it not know that you have a love for dogs? Why does it think you mean to harm it? Where did we fail to communicate?

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What went wrong? Are you showing fear or aggression or indifference? Did you hurt it? Remember, kindness and love need to be demonstrated not merely talked about. Yes, some dogs have deep seated psychological issues (like people). Those dogs may need to be sedated by a vet and shaved down by the vet tech. But many can often be managed and groomed with a little bit of professional effort. Check your attitude. Ask, how can I relate to this animal in front of me? How can I dissolve this space separating us? How do we begin to move together harmoniously? How do we dance? ▀

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GroomFit

Away with Ankle Biters We’ve all heard the myth of Achilles but ankle injuries can be a serious problem for groomers as well. With regular walking, your heel lands on the floor with a force of one and a half times your body weight. Ankles take a beating from groomers standing on hard, and sometimes slippery floors all day. Such impacts can cause microscopic damage to our ankles.

By Vera Needham The muscles that move the ankle are located in the front and back of the leg. With assistance from the foot the ankle can also perform inversion (turning in) and eversion (turning out). The muscles in your lower leg are attached to bones in your feet by tendons. These are the muscles that move your toes and control the position of your foot. The ankle’s anatomy is formed by the meeting of three bones.

Microscopic traumas can build up into an injury. Your ankle is a hinge joint moving in two directions known as dor64 © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved siflexion (up) and plantarCopyright flexion (down). PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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The end of the shinbone of the leg (tibia) and a small bone in the leg (fibula) meet a large bone in the foot, called the talus. The hard, bony knobs on each side of the ankle are called the malleoli. These provide stability to the ankle joints.

ankle both from the front and behind. Your heel bone is connected to the calf muscles in your lower leg by your Achilles tendon. Groomers are at higher risk of ankle sprains because of the hours we spend on our feet at work. A higher percentage of groomers over-pronate. This means they put more weight on the inside of their feet.

Ligaments on each side of the ankle provide stability by strapping the outPronators often have tight calves and a side with the inner portion of the ankle. weak tibialis anterior which is the musTendons that attach the large muscles cle that runs down the front of the shinof theeGroomer leg toJournal the foot wrap around the Copyright ÂŠ 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 65

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bone. It’s the muscle we use to tap our foot. Our ankle is dominated by muscles that plantarflex the foot, while we only have a few muscles that resist inversion which is the twisting motion of the ankle inward. Ankles are at the greatest risk of sprain during plantarflexion and inversion. This is the typical foot position of about 80 percent of groomers.

January / March 2018

Immediate swelling over the area of injury often occurs as the injured blood vessels leak fluid into the local tissue. Using insoles or orthotics may help. They are like having a mat inside your shoe and can also reposition the foot into its correct position. Another ankle injury groomers may experience is ankle tendonitis. When the body tissues are stressed, they become swollen and/or inflamed. Inflammation means that the tendon has become larger from thickening and/or swelling. Tendons are thick bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones and enable the movement of joints.

Sprains are common and can easily occur when we twist or turn our ankle after a misstep or stepping off of a curve. They are injuries to the ligaments of the ankle, causing them to partially or completely tear as a result of sudden 66 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved stretching. The pain is initially severe. PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Tendonitis is usually an overuse injury, meaning it occurs over time from daily repetitive movement. Symptoms and signs of ankle tendinitis include pain, stiffness, swelling, discoloration, redness, warmth, tenderness, throbbing, and looseness of the joint.

April / June 2018

movement it may be too much for already compromised tendons. This inflammation is painful but typically shortlived. The knee jerk reaction for ankle injuries is to use tape or wear supports. Daily wrapping can cause muscles to shutdown. Supports provide a false sense of security and can over stiffen the joint. This means that the mobility that we previously got from the ankle may now be absorbed by the knee because the ankle can’t move properly. Some studies have shown wrapping to increase the probability of the joint being re-

Achilles tendonitis is another common ankle injury for groomers who are weekend warriors. The Achilles tendon helps to raise the heel off the ground. Achilles tendonitis and is common in groomers because the hours of standing at their grooming table puts stress on their ankles and feet. When they participate in eGroomer Journal demanding Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved weekend sports quick PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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injuries. Knowing why our ankles are at risk is important, but we also need to know how to fix them. Here are a few exercises that will help keep the ankles limber and strong.

April / June 2018

tempt push your knee over your toes toward the wall. As you progress, move your foot further and further away from the wall. Hold for at least 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

Achilles Stretch: The importance of mo- Grapevine: Supported or unsupported bilizing the ankle joint cannot be understep across the body in front, plant the stated. To perform this movement, line foot and hold firmly on the floor for a the toes of one foot up to a wall. Shift ten count. Practice stepping in front and all 68your weight onto the Copyright heel as you atbehind. As you become more stable ÂŠ 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com

(Continued on page 69)

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(Continued from page 68)

step away from the wall. Hold the position and sway from one foot to the other. Heel Drops: Start by standing on a step or yoga block. Think about anchoring your first and second toe firmly to the surface as you lift the heels and then lower with control. Repeat 10 to 15 times on each foot. Toe Taps: Put on your favorite music and tap your toes. Tap as high as you can until fatigued and repeat on the other side. If you have access to a bosu it is another great tool for stabilizing ankles. Try marching on the bosu if you get the opportunity. If ankles are unstable it will be difficult at first. That wraps up ankles for today. Just a few exercises a day will keep the ankle biters away. ▀

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vera Needham is a Medical Exercise Specialist, Pilates Pro Trainer and creator of the Barber Stick. She has been a professional dog groomer for over 30 years. Who better than a dog groomer to know the vulnerabilities of the trade? We seem to accept pain as a way of life. With proper exercise and a Barber Stick it doesn’t have to be. For more information contact groomfit@yahoo.com. eGroomer Journal

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Clip Shoppe School of Dog Grooming New Jersey - www.clipshoppeschoolofdoggrooming.com

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Pet Styling Academy Palm Desert, CA Near sunny Palm Springs and many activities in beautiful settings.

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760-289-8217

Golden Paws Pet Styling Academy is an upscale modern pet styling facility. Students train in a real world environment and gain knowledge on how to work in and be part of a professional grooming salon. Wendy, the academy's director, became one of the Coachella Valley's first certified groomers in 1989 through the WWPGA. She is a Master Stylist and has certifications in: * AKC Safety Certified Groomer * AKC Safety Certified School * Certified California Professional Pet Groomer Assoc. * Copyright Certified International Prof. Groomers Inc. ÂŠ 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 71 * Southern California Groomers Assoc. Skin & Coat Wendy has over 36 years of experience in the pet grooming industry.

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Fixing the Blade Drive Screw Holder Andis Clipper by Jeff Andrews, Northern Tails Sharpening On an Andis clipper the brass insert that holds the blade drive screw can pop out. The part works itself free at times, or your clipper vac attachment can pull it out if the hose snags. You need to replace the part carefully.

This part belongs in the “Front Motor Mount." Most repairpersons change this part when they service your Andis clipper. But what if it pops out during the workday and you have a schedule full of dogs to groom? Your clipper will not work without it properly returned to its correct position. Here I will show you a D.I.Y. fix using items already in your shop and soon you will be back at work grooming. (Continued on page 73)

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The first step is to get the brass insert off the blade drive screw. Hold the brass insert with your hemostats or needle nose pliers and with your screwdriver, back the screw out. Your screw and brass insert are now separated. Next, thread the screw back into the brass insert about half way in. Now you have something to hold on to. Using fingernail polish paint the outside of the brass insert as shown in the picture (left). If the brass insert on the other side looks like it may come out as well, take your blade drive screw and thread it in about half way too. While still holding your insert with pliers or hemostats, place it in the hole in the motor mount where it came out of as shown in the picture (below). You can push it in as much as you can to snug it up but not enough to make it crooked. If the other side is coming out, put the screw in half way as shown in the picture. Now you will need a tool to gently tap the inserts down into the motor mount by tapping the top of the screw. You can use the side of your pliers, a screwdriver handle or a small hammer. Careful! It won’t take much. Tap gently. You only want the brass insert to be level with the top of the hole. eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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After tapping the brass inserts down on both sides, take the screws out. The top of your motor mount should look like the picture. The inserts are flush with the top. If they are a tiny bit lower, that’s okay. The screws should still tighten the blade drive. Even though no polish was put on the side that stuck up a little, it will still hold being pushed back in. Now is the time to wipe off any excess polish visible on top of the brass insert. Let the polish harden. It will then hold the insert in place. It may take up to an hour to (Continued on page 75)

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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adequately dry. Once the polish has dried you can replace the blade drive in your clipper. It may take the polish up to 8 hours to completely harden. However, based on my experience it is hard enough after one hour of drying to carefully replace the blade drive in your clipper and use it as you would normally. Tighten the screw on the repaired side until its snug. There is no need to torque it down because you could loosen it again. Allow an hour for this D.I.Y. and you will be back to work. If you don't think you can do this fix get help. ▀ eGroomer Journal

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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

$6.00

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$6.00

Beveled Shears

$8.00

Bevel Thinning Shears

$8.00

Convex Shears

$15.00

Refurbish 5-N-1 Blades

$10.00

Chunkers

$15.00

Convex Thinning Shears $15.00

We are an Andis & Furzone 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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When Employees Are Employers: WRONG! Why Does It Happen? Why Alarm the “Authorities?” Real Stories of Business Owners - Grooming Business in a Box® Imagine you are a grooming business owner with employees. While sorting the day’s mail you notice an official-looking letter from a state agency related to your being an employer. You read it and before you know it, you are in trouble! Apparently you are not compliant with employer regulations. You are instructed to attend a meeting with this state agency to discuss why you consider an employee act as an employer, and just how wrong that is. You are confused. In fact this is “crazy.” They have the wrong person, the wrong business, you pay all of your employees with paychecks with deductions. What the heck are they talking about?

to resolve issues with the authorities. Have you guessed what the problem is? For many decades thousands of employers paying commission use a single commission system. They commonly pay 40% to 60% commissions to their employed groomers. When employers do not provide bather support along with the commission they deduct a bather reimbursement fee reducing the gross commission in dollars. For example, a groomer earns 50% commission on a $60 groomer, total $30 gross wage. The groomer doesn’t bathe and dry the pet. The bath is done by a company bather. The owner deducts a set amount from the $30 commission (perhaps $8 per for the use of a company bather). The groomer earns $22 for this groom.

Did you know this happens every year and has for many years in the pet grooming industry? We have seen the Warning. The employer should never inletters. Sometimes these employers call clude in the reimbursement fee for emthe offices of PetGroomer.com asking ployer-related costs such as employer for help. Sometimes they call simply to payroll taxes, workers compensation or thank us for giving them solutions and (Continued on page 78) eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 77 strategies for their upcoming meetings PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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benefits. This system has been around for decades. So why are the authorities involved? Why the alarming letters? In most cases, there are disgruntled employees reporting their employers. When they talk with an attorneys, counselors or a state and local employment authorities they relate, “I pay the bather.” Even if this is not the matter of the disputes at hand, the groomers are told, ‘Your employer cannot ask you to pay a bather or anyone else. You cannot be an employer!” True. Alarm bells go off. The third party has no idea that the employer is not asking the groomer to be an employer. Few outside of grooming know how groomer commissions work. They are right to be alarmed when hearing employees say they are paying bathers. This is a matter of deceptive semantics. The employer is saying to their groomer employee, 50% commission requires you to do a complete groom start-tofinish. If you don’t do the bath and dry you get paid a 50% commission with a deduction for using bather assistance. Some employers make the same mistake and say, “You pay for the bather.” WRONG! Even the employer is compounding the problem! This silly confusion has lead employers 78

April / June 2018

to sit in the hot seats with authorities, and later to resolve it by explaining their deceptive words were simply describing the format of wage calculations. It may take several visits and a look at the financial records showing that the employer paid employees appropriately and employer contributions. What has happened is a lot of wasted time and a bunch of fear at facing the authorities. There is no good reason for this loss of production and business income. There is nothing wrong with employers expecting to pay less when groomers paid commission for full grooms do not do the entire grooms and get the assistance of bathers. Why not avoid asking groomers for bather reimbursements? The solution is incredibly simple and entirely removes groomers from saying they “pay for bathers.” Use TWO commission rates, one for a full groom (perhaps 50%) and another lower percentage for a groom without doing the bath? It’s entirely fair! Yes! Alarm bells go silent. The article on the next page describes the Dual Commission Rate System by Grooming Business in a Box®. Groomers will NOT earn less if you follow the computations explained. Groomers will never again say they pay for bathers.

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DUAL COMMISSOIN RATES FOR GROOMERS MADE EASY The Time Has Come Writers face potential prejudice when writing about compensation systems for groomers. Often they are presupposed to favor the plight of management versus groomers struggling to earn more. In fact, many authors simply avoid writing about groomer compensation. Why stir things up? At Grooming Business in a Box® we relish writing about new groomer compensation systems with fair solutions for employers and employees. We also provide illustrative proofs free of personal opinion. There are two benefits from using our Dual Rate Commission System. One is for employers, and one is for employees. Employers can eliminate mistaken claims they are making employees into employers when “paying” for pet bathers discussed in the previous article. Employers often make a serious mistake of semantics when they advise their employed groomers they must eGroomer Journal

“pay” for optional bather support. Employers cannot require employees to assume the duties and responsibilities of being employers in their businesses. The problematic bather reimbursement deductions discussed in the previous article were typically figured in this way. We need to review this system quickly so you as the reader have a better understanding and can see how our dual commission rate system is far better. Assume a pet bather is paid $12.00 an hour and they average 12 bathing assignments in 8 hours, no overtime. What is the average time spent by the bather per pet? Divide 8 hours by 12 pets and the answer is an average of 40 minutes per bathing assignment. Remember this figure is an average. Don’t complicate calculations figuring for occasional dematting sessions which extend work time. We are looking (Continued on page 81)

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for a reasonable, general average bathing time per pet by experienced bathers. When the hourly wage is $12.00 an hour, 40 minutes is $8.00 gross wages. The overall average cost of gross pet bather wages is $8.00 per pet for this business. Expect variations between businesses. In the example above, the employer now has a general pet bather reimbursement fee of $8.00. It only addresses gross wages and no other employerrelated costs. Whenever employed groomers paid by commission for start-to-finish work opt out of bathing and use their employer’s bathers, they adjust their gross commission wages deducting $8.00 per pet not bathed. In this way, employed groomers are not literally “paying” for bathers. They are not creating paychecks. They are reducing their paychecks avoiding overpayment for work they did not do.

April / June 2018

Employer semantics make it sound as if the employed groomers are acting as employers ‘paying’ bathers instead of simply reducing their gross commission wages to compensate for opting out of their commission paid bathing duties. We suggest simplicity. How about something altogether different with no legal confusion between employer and employee status? We call it the “Dual Rate Commission System.” It favors both employees and employers. We’re straddling the fence between them and saying sometimes new ideas actually work well for both. Here’s the magic and absolute proof. The concept of a Dual Rate Commission System is simple. Unfortunately most employers don’t know how to do the relatively easy calculations, and how to prove its benefits to their employees. The system is easily applied to any pet grooming business paying by commission and employing bathing staff. Instead of one commission rate universally applied to start-to-finish grooming assignments, there is a second commission rate. It applies only to those grooming assignments where full-charge groomers paid for start-to-finish grooming opt out of bathing and use their employer’s pet bather services.

The “per pet” reimbursement system is not perfect. Every employer should review this system with their company attorney for compliance with state and local law before implementing it. The per pet system has been widely used for decades, whether its proper use was verified or not. Where it is used, employer communications with affected groomer employees often creates confusion. eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

(Continued on page 82)

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GROOMER 1

GROOMER 2

GROOMER 3

Start-to-Finish Grooming

Finish Grooming Only

50% Commission

36% Commission

No Bather Assistance

Bather Support Requested

Bather Provided for All Pets

7 Start-to-Finish in 8 Hours

$8 Pet Deduction for Bather

12 Finish in 8 Hours

Same Prices and Pets Groomed by Groomers 1-3

12 Finish in 8 Hours

Same Prices and Pets Groomed by Groomers 1-3

Pet 1

$60.00

50% Wage $30.00

Pet 1

$60.00

50% Wage $30.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 1

$60.00

36% Wage $21.60

Pet 2

$55.00

50% Wage $27.50

Pet 2

$55.00

50% Wage $27.50 (-) $8.00

Pet 2

$55.00

36% Wage $19.80

Pet 3

$48.00

50% Wage $24.00

Pet 3

$48.00

50% Wage $24.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 3

$48.00

36% Wage $17.28

Pet 4

$56.00

50% Wage $28.00

Pet 4

$56.00

50% Wage $28.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 4

$56.00

36% Wage $20.16

Pet 5

$55.00

50% Wage $27.50

Pet 5

$55.00

50% Wage $27.50 (-) $8.00

Pet 5

$55.00

36% Wage $19.80

Pet 6

$64.00

50% Wage $32.00

Pet 6

$64.00

50% Wage $32.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 6

$64.00

36% Wage $23.04

Pet 7

$70.00

50% Wage $35.00

Pet 7

$70.00

50% Wage $35.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 7

$70.00

36% Wage $25.20

Pet 8

$72.00

50% Wage $0 1

Pet 8

$72.00

50% Wage $36.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 8

$72.00

36% Wage $25.92

Pet 9

$39.00

50% Wage $0 1

Pet 9

$39.00

50% Wage $19.50 (-) $8.00

Pet 9

$39.00

36% Wage $14.04

Pet 10

$74.00

50% Wage $0 1

Pet 10

$74.00

50% Wage $37.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 10

$74.00

36% Wage $26.64

Pet 11

$50.00

50% Wage $0 1

Pet 11

$50.00

50% Wage $25.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 11

$50.00

36% Wage $18.00

Pet 12

$42.00

50% Wage $0 1

Pet 12

$42.00

50% Wage $21.00 (-) $8.00

Pet 12

$42.00

36% Wage $15.12

TOTAL DAILY GROSS WAGE

$204.00

$246.50

$246.60

ANNUALIZED 2

$53,040.00

$64,090.00

$64,116.00

hour work limit reached with Pet 7 because Groomer 1 does all bathing-related duties.

$246.50 multiplied by 260 (the number of days worked in a year 5 days (x) 52 weeks.

COMMIISSION RATE #1

COMMISSION RATE #2

Commission Rate 1 is the highest rate because groomers spend more time grooming pets start-to-finish without pet bather support. 82

Commission Rate 2 is lower. Groomers spend less time grooming with the assistance of pet bathers. Rate 2 also allows groomers to groom more pets per day and actually Subscribe earn more. Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved www.egroomer.com

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Don’t be mistaken! Rate 2 does not mean lower gross wages. Groomers using the lower Rate 2 in our system can actually earn significantly higher wages than Rate 1 groomers working the same hours, and grooming the same pets at the same prices. No tricks here! This is rarely known by groomers today. Setting Commission Rate 2 correctly is important, and it must be fair to employed groomers. Here we go. Fortunately we have a good start to set a correct Commission Rate 2. Earlier in this article we discovered the average time to bathe and dry a pet (including nails and ears) was 40 minutes. We also stated the bather was paid $12.00 an hour, and therefore 40 minutes of gross bather wages (before taxes) was $8.00 per pet. You will need to figure the per pet fee based on your operation. Commission Rate 2 actually reimburses the employer about $8.00 per pet when employed groomers opt out of bathing and request bather support.

April / June 2018

Setting Commission Rate 2 need not be a challenge. It’s commonly between 35% to 38% for most businesses when its other groomers doing state-to-finish grooming including bathing are paid 50%. Follow this procedure below. Working with our previous example, we want to reduce Commission Rate 1 to recoup about $8.00 per pet. In our experience we discovered Commission Rate 2 is usually 12% to 15% less than 50%. Start there and test the results. Total Grooming Fee $60.00 Commission Rate 1

50%

Groomer’s gross wage is $30.00. Commission Rate 2

35%

Groomer’s gross wage is $21.00. The difference between $30.00 and $21.00 is $9.00. That’s too high. Our goal is $8.00, not $9.00. Let’s redo our calculations assuming Commission Rate 2 is 37%. Commission Rate 1

50%

Using Commission Rate 2 for affected Groomer’s gross wage is $30.00. grooms means no more counting bathing reimbursements and deductions Commission Rate 2 37% from gross wages as did Groomer 2 in Groomer’s gross wage is $22.20. the illustration on page 82. Instead, groomers and employers track how The difference between $30.00 and many grooming assignments are paid at $22.20 is $7.80. We’re close enough to Commission Rate 1 and how many at (Continued on page 85) Commission Rate 2. Simple! eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 83 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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$8.00 and without going over. Now we have our two commission rates and no need to further calculate reimbursements for bather support in the future. Perception is important. Employees will balk at the Dual Rate Commission System unless it is properly explained, and even lose sight they can increase their wages without bathing. When introduced to the Dual Rate Commission System some groomers are sure to think they are earning less accepting 37%. Yes they are, but no less than if they were paid 50% and deducted $8.00 bather reimbursement fees where applicable. In fact, with Commission Rate 2 shown above they get paid 20 cents more. They must also realize they can groom more pets when freed from bathing and boost their paychecks. Sit down with full-charge groomers and patiently explain to them clearly what you learned here. Provide examples, including the illustration on page 59. In about 30 minutes they should catch on. Remind them, pet groomers that never bathe earn more income than start-tofinish only groomers when both work 8 hours? Make sure they understand the difference between Groomers 2 and 3 and how they earned about $11,000 a eGroomer Journal

April / June 2018

year more in gross wages working the same hours, grooming the same pets at the same prices. Numbers don’t lie. Wait! When previous start-to-finish groomers no longer bathe they will earn less unless you give them more styling assignments to fill 8 work hours daily. Expect some or all of your employed groomers to balk at change. They may have a vice grip on reasons why they must bathe. Some full-charge groomers believe they must bathe and dry their pets because bathers won’t bathe and dry pets as well as they can. If that is true who is to blame? Management. We trained and employed expert bathers that did every bath perfect, or they had to redo their work. No exceptions. When stretchdrying was needed, every curl had to be hand stretch-dried with a brush. The force of any HV dryer is usually not adequate to stretch dry to our standards. Assure your full-charge groomers that every bathing assignment will be to their standards, and make it happen. Our Bathing Department Supervisor (see From Problems to Profits book) ensured every bathing assignment was quality control checked before going to finish groomers. Simple solution. Implement the position straight away to enjoy fewer problems. (Continued on page 86)

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What Else? Groomers Bathing & Drying Dogs Rarely Makes Financial Sense (Continued from page 85)

Some full-charge groomers have reason to exert control over their grooms for other reasons, sometimes kept secret. You may have to peel layers like those of an onion to discover why they feel the need for ardent control. Most reactions come from past issues working in less than well-managed businesses.



Every time Groomer 1 bathes and dries pets wages suffer. Groomer 1’s wages are about $11,000 a year lower than Groomers 2 & 3 grooming the same pets without bathing.



Providing bather support does not have to boost overall payroll costs. It can even lower them!



Freed from daily hours of bathing-related duties groomers finish more pets to boost their wages even after deductions for bather support. Groomers 1, 2 & 3 work 8 hours a day. Groomers 2 & 3 each do 5 more pets a day boosting their gross wages about $11,000 a year more than Groomer 1, and their employer enjoys $247 more a day in gross sales too. It’s a true win-win situation.



Lower commissions do NOT always mean lower wages. Adjusting rates for bather support can mean equal or higher wages. Groomer 3 works the same hours doing the same pets as Groomer 1 and grooming fees are equal for both. Groomer 3 at 36% earns $11,000 a year more gross wages than Groomer 1 paid 50% commission rate. As a result, Groomer 1 pays the price simply for bathing pets! ▀

You should have fewer problems when employees realize the full impact of this information when explained well. Show them how Groomer 1 is losing $11,000 a year in gross wages simply by doing all bathing related duties. Common sense efficiency experts reviewing the steps of a full groom immediately note that any work done by the highest paid employees (full charge groomers) that could be done by other employees paid less (bathers) means both profit drain for employers, and potential loses for employees in a fair compensation system.

It never makes financial sense for fullcharge groomers to do duties associated with pet bathers. It costs them dearly in wages, and for the owner it depresses gross sales when groomers could pets daily. ▀A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 86 be grooming moreCopyright © 2013 Find PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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The Mobile Grooming Difference Tammy Rodgers, Puparrazi Mobile Pet Spaw Most pet groomers spend their mornings getting ready for their workdays. They drive to shops and proceed to work. They groom dogs one after the other, waiting for one to dry while bathing the next. Bathe, dry and groom, over and over again. Is it any different for mobile groomers? What is a typical day for mobile groomers? They already know their schedules each morning. They leave their homes and the adventures begin! Some leave early and stop for coffee. They might take breaks, or call their next appointments to see if they can arrive early. Some take longer lunch hours. Flexibility is the norm. Showing up on-time for appointments is an important aspect of mobile grooming. Yet there is plenty of freedom for mobile groomers create their own schedules! 90

Our Puparazzi franchisees value freedom as just one of many advantageous perks. They know how many pets to schedule daily to be successful! Our policy is a one-hour window before and after appointments. No one can predict traffic delays or problems with the prior appointments or pets. Though these incidents don't happen often we are always prepared. Mobile groomers are naturally out and about during workdays encountering all sort of experiences. If you were a mobile groomer you might encounter stray pets and other animals. Momma duck and her ducklings waddling too close to the road. You pull over and shoo them back onto the golf course. Maybe you spot a tiny stray Chihuahua laying in the road. It appears to have passed away. You stop to move the poor little body out of the road and you see movement, a miraculous recovery that (Continued on page 91)

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leads to it being adopted from our partner rescues. The satisfaction and love you feel for helping out is immense. You also come to know the clients of mobile grooming as loving, caring petparents. You are just as concerned about their health and well-being as you are that of their pets. They welcome you and even look forward to a kind conversation and a friendly face when you arrive. Keep it brief, time is money! You become familiar with the quirks of your mobile grooming vehicle. You know them like the back of your hand. The sounds of your generator, sudser and

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clipper-vac communicate with you. You know when to call for service if they don't sound right. At the end of the day, you've accomplished a lot more than a grooming assembly-line. You've brightened the day for people and pets! You are in good company. Mobile grooming is a fellowship of clients and other groomers on the road to care for pets, keeping them clean and healthy! "Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." â&#x2013;&#x20AC;

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Writing a Grooming Resumé Angela Clark, American Grooming Academy Writing a Grooming Resume is the first in a series of articles from American Grooming Academy. It is intended to help professional groomers present themselves and their qualifications in the best manner possible. Whether you are a new or an experienced groomer, these tips will give you a competitive advantage in finding your dream job.

For professional pet stylists, resumes are calling cards to potential employers. They are reminders that you are an excellent candidate, either for the position at hand or another one in the future. A professional resume with correct, pertinent information can stand out among other lesser tuned resumes. By providing brief, effective information with detailed accuracy, you can make important impressions on busy managers screening multiple applicants. Follow these guidelines to get started.   

 

Keep your resume to one page unless you have extensive related experience. Organize headings so that the most important points are first. Invite the readers' attention by using open space, wide margins, and bullets to set off text. Your resume should be printed in black ink only. Your resume should be printed on 100-pound paper in white or cream.

Choose a Resume Format A functional resume format focuses on skills and achievements and lists a record of your employment, education, volunteer work and internships in order of relevance to the position being applied to. A functional resume is recommended for those who: • •

Have gaps in their work history (training) Are re-entering the workplace (after training) (Continued on page 94)

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April / June 2018

Have frequently changed jobs. Are transitioning into a new career

Chronological resumes list your employment, education, volunteer work and internships in chronological order beginning with the most recent. This type of resume does not showcase training as well as a functional resume. It works well for: • • •

Experienced dog groomers with a strong work history. Groomers with job titles showing increasing responsibility and position levels. Groomers whose past job titles match employer job requirements.

No matter which resume format you choose the information employers are looking for remains the same. Include the following information in your resume to create a “snapshot” of your talents and qualifications. First, start with your contact info. (Continued on page 96)

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April / June 2018

Contact Information

Angela Clark, American Grooming Academy

Accurate, updated contact information ensures you can be contacted for an interview if selected. • Name. Include your first and last name (middle name or initial is optional). Do not include a nickname unless it is a shortened version of your given name. • Picture (optional) • Address • Phone Number • Email Address • Personal Website (if applicable) Feel free to format and justify your contact information to the left, right or middle when located at the top of the page. Your name should appear in the largest text. Career Objective Introduce the potential employer to your talent and related career goals in a brief statement. Your objective statement should include these three main points, and composed in one smooth sentence: • • •

Position/title desired Organization desired Special skills, knowledge and experience

Follow this with a summary of qualifications. Include specific achievements, certifications, licenses and job-related skills. List only those skills and achievements that relate to the position you are seeking. For example: • • • • •

Over 5 years of experience in salon management/supervision. Reputation for excellence and high-quality grooming service. Good eye for detail; well organized, skilled in setting priorities. Strong interpersonal, communication skills. Work well under demanding conditions. 96

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Education List your educational qualifications, including licenses or certifications following these guidelines: • List your highest degree first. • Include degrees in progress along with an anticipated graduation date. • High school education should only be included on a resume when seeking internships/summer jobs. • If you are currently working on a degree or certification, add any specific courses or training experience beneficial to the position sought. • Include academic honors and achievements in this section. • Only include GPA if it is 3.0 or above on a 4.0 GPA scale. List the highest of your GPAs, whether it be in your major or overall. Education Formatting Guidelines 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Degree Major College/university City State Graduation date

Work Experience: Employment History Include all companies you are currently working for or previously have been associated with during your employment history. • List your employment history in reverse chronological order beginning with your most recent job. • If you have had more than one job for the same company, list the most recent first and continue backward. Include dates showing visible job progression. • When listing responsibilities for a position you currently have, use the present tense. eGroomer Journal

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• When listing responsibilities for previous jobs, use past tense. • Confine your employment history to the past 10 to 15 years. Other employment may be summarized at the end of the section in a few sentences. • Internships are considered employment. List them in a separate section. Include the same information for a co-op or internship as any other employment. Individual Job Formatting Guidelines • • • • •

Job title Organization Location List of duties Fates employed

Additional Skills Use action words to highlight your job-related strengths when describing job responsibilities. Examples: • • • • •

Multitask Responsible Gentle handling Team player Customer service expertise

Hobbies/Awards/Volunteer Work (optional) This section should be used ONLY if you have job-related hobbies, awards and volunteer credentials. Examples: • • • • •

Creative Grooming Award 1st Place Awarded - Terrier Novice Competition Grooming instructor Shelter work Dog training and showing (Continued on page 100)

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References Include references and letters of recommendation on a separate sheet, to submit if requested. If the employer does not specifically request references, include a line on the bottom of the resume indicating that references are available upon request. Request personal permission prior to including a reference in your resume. Choose references who know your strengths well. For example: • • • • •

Current or former manager Professional Teacher Major clients Peers

Reference Formatting Guidelines • • • •

Reference name and title Name of the organization Updated work address and phone number Relationship to you

A well-written resume is an honest marketing pitch designed to capture the attention of hiring managers. It initiates a good first impression. Enhance it with a strong cover letter and portfolio (more information on these tools will come in our next installment). An impressive resume is the first step to landing the grooming job of your dreams. Resume Examples View examples at the American Grooming Academy website. Click here. ▀

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

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Styling the Bichon Frise Puppy by Jay Scruggs, Super Styling Sessions Classic Reprint Article - Originally Published Here in Fall 2012

Let’s start by understanding the Bichon Frise and the desired look after styling. This breed should not appear square. Their appearance should be a little longer than they are tall.

round circles, nothing about the trim should be sharp. Expression is the most important part of this breed. In this article I will give you some helpful hints to achieve the correct breed profile.

A Bichon should have a soft look, no sharp angles or anything too extreme. 102 Copyright 2013of Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Bichon styling is made up of a©lot PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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First things first! Coat preparation is key to having a perfect finished style. I use Coat Handler 15-1 shampoo followed by a very light conditioner rinsed out. This way Coat Handler will not soften the coat allowing you to get a nice finish.

April / June 2018

Next find the point of the rump and trim down the back of the leg to the bend in the leg. Once at the bend, skim out away from the dog.

Conditioner helps free the coat of static when drying and combing. It is very important the dog is dried from the skin out to the tips of the coat. I high velocity the coat to about 98% dry, and then use a little heat while brushing to straighten the coat. It’s a good idea to have anti-static spray when drying and scissoring the coat. Once completely fluffed and combed out set lines with your clippers. This is an important step when grooming puppies. The goal is to reduce dead or limp hair before you start to scissor. The first step is to set lines for the front and rear. I start at the Adam’s apple with a 1/2 inch snap-on comb and trim from there to the breast bone and skim out. I always use the Wahl Stainless Steel snap-ons with a #30 blade under them.

Next, start just behind the withers and make a continuous line towards the rump of the dog. Remember, you want the top line level. (Continued on page 105)

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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.

www.groomernetwork.com

1-844-464-5488

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Nash Academy Graduate Professional groomer with over 25 years of experience Show Groomer Certified Grooming Instructor Online Course Instructor for Nash Academy and Dog Spa Academy

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April / June 2018

Examine how the dog carries its tail before trimming. Once the top line is set follow the lines down the sides into the spring of rib being careful not to cut into the tuck up. Then go under the ear. Use the Adam’s apple as a guide for how far to go up. Connect the part under the neck into the shoulders. Be careful not to pinch the elbows when going down from under the ear to the shoulder. Skim as you get to the elbows.

to take out the hair on the sides and into the tuck up. (Continued on page 106)

You do not want any definition between the shoulder and the legs. The same goes for the hips to the back legs. Everything should blend in and appear even. I usually stand the dog up on its hind legs and trim from between the elbows Copyright © 2011not Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved to theeGroomer belly.Journal If you do this be careful PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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April / June 2018

Remember, round, round, round. I use curved shears a lot for Bichons.

We will use this hair to give the dog a moderate tuck up.

The goal is to set the front, back and then everything in between. Start by cleaning up the clipper work with scissors from under the ear to the shoulder. There should be a continuous line with no break in it. Use curves to start the roundness that transfers to the chest and into the sides.

At this point the lines are blocked. It’s time to start the scissor work.

106

(Continued on page 107)

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April / June 2018

Set in the rear and hips. Hold the tail up and using curves round the hips in, and then flip your curves over and set in the angulation to the bend in the leg. Set in the top line using straights. Remember you want a level top line and round edges into the sides. Do not cut up into the withers at this point. Leave the head and neck for last. Once everything is blended from front to back, and back to front, set the feet and then the legs. It is important to do the feet before the legs. Otherwise it’s hard to balance everything and maintain symmetry. eGroomer Journal

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April / June 2018

the foot from the bottom, make sure there is an equal amount of hair on each side of the foot. I usually trim my shape in with the foot in my hand, then set the foot down on the table to trim in the bevel shape. On the back feet trim from the point of hock to the back pad on the foot. It creates a nice angle. Start with the back feet. I usually trim the back feet a little tighter to make the dog appear as if it is up on its toes, and to see a nice hock. When looking at

110

Now that the back feet are set use curves to blend from the hip, down the side of the leg into the foot. Work the same curve shape to the (Continued on page 111)

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front of the leg and create the bend in the knee. The bend on the knee should match the bend on the back of the leg. Move to the front of the dog and set the front feet. We want them to appear round. Bevel the feet into the leg hair. Everything should look uniform and blended from leg to foot. When feet are finished, go from the point of the shoulder down the side of the leg making a round shape. Doing the outside of the leg will correct any faults. Trim the eGroomer Journal

April / June 2018

same shape on the inside of the legs using curves. The best way to trim the legs is with the dog standing up. If you try to trim with the leg in your hand it’s very difficult to style them even. Now focus on the tuck-up. The tuck up should be moderate, not extreme. If your tuck-ups look like a Poodle you are doing them incorrectly. Find the last rib and make a cut using curve shears just behind that point. Follow the chest out to the elbow and scissor into the short-

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April / June 2018

est point of the tuck-up. Imagine the dog without the front leg. See a chest that flows out the elbow into the underline with no break in the line. Just behind the shortest point of the tuck-up leave some hair which fills in to attach the front of the back leg. When all of this hair is removed the dog’s body will appear very long. The head and neck are the focal points of this breed. They should never be groomed like a Poodle! Start by using thinning shears to

clean the corners of the eyes. Comb the hair around the visor or above the eyes forward and with the curves facing out, trim right above each eye. This effect will really show off the expression. 112

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April / June 2018

Next comb everything up and using a 21 tooth blender and start blending the head into the ears. Do not lift ears or cut the hair in front of the ears. Ears should be parts of the head. I use blenders with soft puppy coats. The blenders are more forgiving than curves and help build volume. Pull the tip of the ear to the nose. If the tip is longer than the nose take some length off. Now trim from the Adam’s apple to the bottom of the ears creating a soft line. Work the shape of the top of the head from right to left, and then left to right to make sure all is even. Once the top of the head is finished blend from the top of the head into the withers and into the level top line. If the client likes the neck shorter or the dog tends to mat use the same guidelines and go a bit shorter. Finish the groom by giving the coat a good spritz of anti-stat. Comb out and take off any loose ends. Well done! ▀ eGroomer Journal CopyrightSue © 2011 Find Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 113 Learn more from Jay and at Awww.superstylingsessions.com

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Sponsors Only Buyer’s Guide 2018 ◊ DIAMOND LEVEL SPONSORS ◊ PetEdge Supplies

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MOBILE / SERVICES / SOFTWARE / HOME STUDY ASSOCIATIONS

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♦ All About Dog Grooming ♦ Learn2GroomDogs.com Streaming ♦ Paragon School Distance Learning ♦ Golden Paws Distance Learning JKL Pet Grooming School Jodi Murphy Instructional DVDs Mobile Grooming Book Jodi Murphy Dog Grooming Simplified Jodi Murphy Super Styling Sessions DVDs Groomadog Academy Home Study Practical Guide to House-Call Grooming National Cat Groomer Institute The Groom Pod (Podcasts) Grooming Business in a Box® -Pet Grooming Business Plan Helper -Floor Plan Concepts for Pet Groomers -Pet Groomer Wage Systems -Pet Groomer Business Forms & Make Your Own Appointment Books

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PetGroomer.com Sponsors See also the PetGroomer.com Resources Buyer’s Guide www.petgroomerforums.com

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A to Z List of Sponsors Except On-Site Schools

Call 800-556-5131 or 360-446-5348

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It’s commonly known that all brands of A-5 blades fit any brand of A-5 clippers. What is not commonly known relates to blade sizes. Most brands Journal of A-5 blades have similar sizes, but how they perform varies. differences in order to avoid eGroomer January / March 2014 120Manufacturers must use designPetGroomer.com Publications 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 helpful articles, videos and descriptions of his mail-in sharpening services serving groomers everywhere. ♦

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

eGroomer Journal 1 5/8Subscribe Free S www.egroomer.com

7/8 1

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