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I hear this all the time. Students close to graduating from our 600 clock hour program hit the panic button. They are frustrated. Frustrated with themselves. Frustrated with the program. Frustrated with their trainers. They feel they haven’t learned enough to start out in their new careers.

But in most cases – they are wrong. Way wrong.

If you are attending a quality grooming school, they put a lot of effort in creating a comprehensive program. That program would be designed to allow the learner to accelerate at a constructive pace. A pace that is safe and productive for both the student and the school.

If you have opted to hasten your new career by attending grooming school – make sure you do your research. Just like everything else, there are good and bad schools out there. Personally, I highly recommend you tour the school you are thinking about attending. The following things are what I would look for when researching a grooming school:

•  Ideally, their staff should have at least one certified master groomer on staff by one of the voluntary testing programs within the pet industry.

•  Does their staff (or at least one staff member) have a competitive grooming or conformation show background?

• Look at how many years they have been in business.

•  Are they licensed by their state department of education?

• How many dogs are supplied to you for practice?

• What is the quality of their text books?

• How to they handle lectures?

• Do they require continuing education of their staff through trade shows, seminars, workshops, videos, webinars or grooming competitions?

• What does the facility look like?

• Is it clean and well organized?

• Are the pets being treated with dignity and respect?

• Ask for references from past graduates.

• What types of training programs do they offer? What are the goals and objectives of each of those programs?

Bottom line: trust your gut. This is your future on the line. Currently there is no mandatory licensing for professional pet groomers. You CAN teach yourself how to do this as a career if you are extremely committed. However, a good school can take years off your learning curve.
Even if you have selected the best school – there still is a catch. The school is responsible for 50% of the learning – the student is responsible for the other 50% of the learning. There is no magic wand that can be waved over you to transfer the knowledge. There is no injection that will pump the skills into your system. It takes a quality program and a lot of effort on the student’s part.

Even if you enroll in a great school – you are still going to have to FOCUS and WORK! A student can monitor their end of the educational process through their attendance and their GPA. Strong attendance and excellent GPA’s go together. That’s nature. If a student has high absenteeism, I guarantee they have a low GPA.
It is not the responsibility of the school to supply you with every breed of dog or cat you will groom during your career. It IS the responsibility of the school to teach you the basic technical skills you will need to groom the majority of the pets out there. The foundation of all good grooming stems from the basics. I call them core skills.
Melissa’s Core Skills:

• Basic Anatomy & Terminology

• Basic Breed Identification & Conformation

• Tools & Their Use

• Bathing

• Drying

• Brushing

• Combing

• De-matting

• Nail trimming

• Ear cleaning

•  Clipping

• Thinning Shears

• Basic Hand Scissoring

• Basic Hand Stripping

If you can master these techniques in a training program, you have a fabulous head start on your new career. But just because you have graduated from grooming school does not mean you are done with your education. Oh no. You are just getting started.

 
Most grooming schools are only a few months long. They are designed to get you started – not turn out a polished professional.

 
If you went to medical school – do you think you can jump right into your own practice straight out of school? If you went to business school, do you think you are you going to be hired by a major corporation to be their CEO? Heck no! You have to gain experience – lots of experience.

 
You need to keep learning throughout your career to stay on top. Top professionals – no matter what the field, know this – and do this. Going to grooming school is just the start of your career – not your entire career. If you want to truly succeed – continue to study and learn way beyond any formal educational program you start with.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

I’m always looking for ways to stay motivated. I love the little books put out by Simple Truths. My latest one I just finished was called Charging the Human Battery by Mac Anderson.

There is one section that really got me thinking. I’d like to share it with you.
Committing to excellence is not an act, it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude that is captured in the short thought titled:

And then some…

These three little words are the secret to success.

They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies.

The top people always do what is expected… and then some.

They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind… and then some.

They meet the responsibilities fairly and squarely… and then some.

They are good friends and helpful neighbors… and then some.

They can be counted on in an emergency… and then some.

I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place. Their spirit of service is summed up in three little words… and then some.

As I reflect on the thoughts in this passage, I started thinking how it applied in life and in business. I can’t think of a single successful business that does not apply this principle. I can’t think of a person I enjoy being with that does not apply this concept to how they treat others. Career movers know how to apply this technique as they move ahead in their profession.

Think about the times that you’ve had excellent service. Has not the company or the service provider done exactly what is outlined above?

We’ve just come off a pretty major road trip. We’ve eaten in a lot of restaurants. We had the full range of service from the waiters — from those that could barely get our food to the table to those that practiced those three little words… and then some. What a difference our evenings were based on what type of service we were given at the restaurant. One of the restaurants we even went back to the next night as the food was so good and the service was excellent.

Stop and think about how you can apply this to your own life. Do you muddle along doing just enough to get by? Or do you live by the words above? I can almost guarantee every successful person, whether it is on a personal or a professional level, lives by the credo of… and then some.

•  In the grooming salon, are you getting your dogs done on time or even a little ahead of time?

• Are you working in a manner that regularly earns you generous ‘tips’ from your customers?

•  What do you do for your clients that goes above and beyond just grooming their dogs?

• What are you doing for your fellow team members that makes you a winning player?

• What are you doing for your team supervisor that minimizes the amount of effort they have to put into you as an employee?

• If you are a boss, what are you doing for your employees to make the workplace enjoyable?

How do you apply the attitude of …and then some, to YOUR life? These questions can go on and on. Step back and think about it. I know I am.

You can apply this phrase in every aspect of your life. My bet is once you start to apply it on a regular basis — the rewards will come back to you tenfold. It’s a commitment to excellence. It’s not an act, it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude that will bring joy to others as well as wonderful harmony to you.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

The first time I saw a rescue makeover grooming competition I became all choked up. There’s close to 50 dogs in the ring. Every single dog had been abandoned for one reason or another. They came in every shape and size. Their coat conditions varied greatly. Some dogs looked like they had been groomed recently, while others were an absolute disaster. However, by the end of the class every dog was clean, appealing and ready to be adopted. This was ‘real life’ pet grooming for every salon around the country.

Since I saw my first class a number of years ago – I’ve seen many more. I’ve even had the opportunity to judge the class myself. I absolutely love this class. This is the most rewarding grooming competition any show can host. And the best part; almost every single dog finds a new forever home well before they call ‘scissors down.’

Over the years, there’s been quite a bit of pressure for us old-time grooming champions to step back into the ring. Every one of us has adamantly said, “NO WAY!” All of our lives have changed since we were top stylists. We’ve lost our edge and we know it. High-caliber grooming takes lots of practice almost on a daily basis. We have continued our careers with knowledge we gained at the grooming table — but most of us don’t groom more. Or if we do, it’s very limited.

Personally, I haven’t spent a full day at a grooming table in over 15 years. I’ve become a serious desk jockey. Sure, I’ve never stepped far away from the grooming industry. Everything in my life is wrapped around grooming and running pet related businesses. Many of those businesses focus on education for the grooming industry. I just physically don’t do it anymore — but I live it and breathe it every single day.

The last time I put in a full day grooming was at The Paragon School of Pet Grooming. It was the ‘98 or ’99 holiday season. Most of our advanced students had graduated in the weeks prior to Christmas. It was all hands on deck to get through our client load — including me. It’d been years since I’d stepped up to the table in that capacity. I put into practice everything that I teach. I got through 16 dogs with relative ease — until I went to the restroom and discovered I had seriously stressed all my glutes. Sitting without the use of a handrail was impossible! Once I stopped, I realized how sore I really was — all over.

Recently my chiropractor described professional pet groomers as occupational athletes. No joke. We bend. We lift. We twist. We stretch. And we get into the most awkward positions imaginable to ensure our pets stay safe and we can perform a quality job. When I groomed every single day I was buff. I was fit. I could lift dogs that weighed more than I did! I still have an old pair of 28 x 32 501 red tag Levi’s that I wore until they were totally threadbare. I question how I ever fit into those!

Fast forward to the All-American Grooming Show in Chicago — 2013. Apparently there were a few seasoned stylists enjoying dinner after the show one evening. (I’m sure adult beverages were involved.) The idea was hatched. Host a Celebrity Rescue Rodeo grooming contest at a major show. The competition would be an ‘invite only’ class. Who would be eligible for an invitation? Only 10 retired top pet grooming competitors.

The class will be hosted as an evening festivity at Intergroom 2014. Details are still being worked out. There will be great prizes but more importantly — it will be a fund-raising effort for pet rescue. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this worthwhile event.

My husband and I went to the All-American grooming show for only one day this year — Sunday. As soon as we walked through the doors, the team that had hatched the idea grabbed me. They gave me the brief rundown of what they were thinking. Then they asked, “Are you in??” Without missing a beat I exclaimed, “ABSOLUTELY!” And then I instantly thought — what am I thinking??

I immediately knew I needed a theme song… I’ve been a desk jockey for way, way too long. I have a host of physical issues that make it almost impossible for me to groom anymore. I know all my issues can be overcome if I was a bit more disciplined. I need to get healthier. Of course the only theme song that I could think of is from the movie Rocky …

Over the years I’ve learned diet and exercise can be magic for the body. When my hand seized up at the height of my career and I had no health insurance — I repaired it myself through diet. I drank a concoction of tea made out of herbs and barks prescribed to me by a South American medicine man. I was ‘eating clean’ before it even became a household term. I got my hands back in time to represent the United States in world team competition as a member of Groom Team USA. However, my day-to-day grooming days were over.

I don’t believe in taking a pill to fix something. I believe in getting at the root cause. Whenever possible, I look for natural alternatives to remedy a problem way before I elect taking a drug or surgery. And the amazing part — there are many natural alternatives to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I feel fortunate that I’ve always been intrigued by diet and exercise. Although I have to admit, I don’t practice a healthy lifestyle as much as I should. I love to cook so cooking healthy meals is not an issue. Portion control? That might be another story. And exercising? That’s going to take some discipline! I’m also a workaholic. I’ll need some serious discipline to uproot me from my computer!

I have a team I can turn to in order to help me keep my body functioning the way it should. I have the resources to practice my grooming skills. I certainly hope I have the support from a vast sea of extremely talented pet stylist from my companies and within the Training Partners of Learn2GroomDogs.com.

For me, it’s time to start practicing some serious discipline. It’s time to become a competitor again.

This time when I step into the ring, it’s not about winning. It’s about doing what I’m passionate about (and being able to stand at a grooming table for 3 hours to make it happen!). I love to make dogs look and feel amazing. To win their trust and cooperation. To keep them safe and comfortable throughout the grooming process. And in this case – to find a new forever home for one single dog while raising money to assist in the care of these pets.

What a brilliant way to get a group of retired, seasoned pet grooming competitors back into the ring! For the lucky few that got an invitation to Intergroom 2014 Celebrity Rescue Rodeo, none of us missed a beat when we said, “We’re in!”

If you want to track my progress you can catch me on the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page. (No self-portrait mirror shots of my figure to track my progress – honest!!)

Happy Trimming!

– Melissa

I get asked this question all the time. What is the first shear I recommend to add to a new groomer’s toolkit?

Once your clientele builds up, you’ll want to add to your shear collection. Most groomers start out with a handful of shears.

To start out you need at least these four shears in your tool kit:
• 8.5 inch straight shear
• 8.5 inch curved shear
• blenders or thinners
• small detail shear

Once you have a basic shear collection that you are happy with, then it’s time to branch out. Why? #1: Shears don’t stay sharp. Most groomers need to send their shears and blades out for sharpening. You could be without your equipment for up to two weeks. #2: Accidents happen. If shears get knocked to the floor (it happens!) many times they’ll need a trip to the sharpener before they’ll cut again. #3: There are different shears for different jobs.

I think about it like this. My home repair skills are limited. If something breaks, I’m real quick to pick up the phone for help. If you’re like me, you only keep a keep a few tools around the house. A hammer. A screw driver or two. A measuring tape. And maybe a pair of pliers. Or maybe you enjoy home repairs. Good for you. My bet is you have expanded on your collection of hand tools. I’m guessing you even have a box to keep all those snazzy tools in so they don’t get lost. But what if you are a ‘professional handyman’? Professionals have an arsenal of tools in their tool kit. Different tools for different jobs.

Professional groomers and/or stylists are no different. We never know what is going to walk through our door. Big dogs. Small dogs. Fluffy dogs. Matted dogs (but their pet parent insisted they brushed them last night!). Smelly dogs. Dirty dogs. Short coats. Curly coats. Shedding coats. Cats. Or maybe even an occasional rabbit… You get the idea.

There is a wide variety of critters we deal with every day. We need a wide assortment of equipment to groom them at a professional level. Shears are a part of that arsenal. But there are so many to choose from. Where do you start?

First establish a budget. If you are just starting out in your career, you don’t need the Ferrari of the shear styles. You put a young driver behind the wheel of a Ferrari and they’re going to get into trouble. Same thing applies with a new groomer. You’re going to get in trouble. Best thing for you to do is admire them but put them back on the table. Maybe later in your career, but not now. You need a mid-level Ford or a Toyota. Something in the $150 – $250 range.

Next – go shopping! The best place to buy shears is at a trade show. At a show there are multiple vendors. You’ll have loads of choices. At shows you can actually pick up and try the shear. That’s the best way to get the perfect fit – try them out. No shear will feel the same in everyone’s hands.

The first thing you need to shop for is replacement shears when your main shears are out for sharping. They don’t have to be identical to your starter shears but they should be close. However, I suggest bumping up in the quality factor. Most starter shears are in the $50-$125 range. Add $50 to $100 to that number and start there. Most likely you will enjoy your new shears more than the starter set. The starter set will become your back-up.

When shopping for a second blending shear, think about the types of dogs that you work on. Are you looking for a shear that can be an eraser on smaller dogs with finer coats? Or are you looking for a large pair that can cover a lot of ground on a large body dog such as a Golden Retriever or Doodle? Or are you dealing more with a terrier type coat or maybe a sporting dog style?

If you are unclear of what you need, ask someone for help. Most of the top level professionals are happy to help you fit shears to your needs and your hands at trade shows. Simply ask them. After all, the next best thing to shopping for ourselves is to help others spend their money! Super fun for all.

Ultimately you want to have four or five different styles of each basic shear in your collection so that you can tackle any coat type with ease.

~Melissa

One my favorite quotes is by Brian Tracy. He states, “The best way to predict your future is for you to create it.”

During my long career, I certainly have had my shares of ups and downs — regardless of what the economy was doing. Personally, I find that when I make mistakes or get pushed into a corner, that’s when I really push up my sleeves and analyze what I’m doing. It doesn’t matter whether it was mastering a particular grooming technique or working on a new business opportunity. No matter what the situation was, I always took full responsibility for my actions. It’s clear.  I was the only one that could change the outcome — predicting the future.

I wish there was a magic fairy that could come in and wave her magic wand over my head — but alas she never shows up. Whenever I face one of those personal speed bumps in my journey, I always assess my strengths and weaknesses. I isolate the tasks, seeking out the knowledge to improve upon my weaknesses. Is it easy? Normally not, but when you work hard at something you can look back and take full credit for the success.

Sometimes the weaknesses are small, like trying to improve upon smoothing out your clipper or scissor work.  Maybe it’s trying to figure out how to shave off five minutes of time from your personal best on the last haircut of a similar style. Or maybe your clientele has dropped off a bit due to the current economy. What services or marketing efforts can you improve upon to help bring your revenues back to where you would like them?

Keep your eyes open and learn from those that have gone before you, mastering the tasks that you’re trying to improve. More than likely somebody has been sitting in a very similar situation — seek them out and learn from them. It may come in the form of a magazine article, a chat group, a mentor, a book, or any number of ways – there are thousands.  Always remember, “The best way to predict your future is for you to create it.” Seek out the knowledge you need and become your our personal magical fairy!

As many of you know, I’m a big dog person. Working on these large furry dogs that have a huge shedding problem is one of my favorite things to do in a grooming salon. I know, I know, call me crazy — but I just love seeing the transformation in this type of job. Over the years I’ve gotten really quick with the process and rarely ­­­cringe, no matter what the size of the dog, nor the condition — I see it as a fun challenge!

My #1 rule is: Never work on a dirty dog. If water can penetrate the coat, let your products do the job.

Working on a dirty dog is not only unpleasant, but it also takes longer to do. Plus, there will be a lot of coat damage and breakage.  A dirty coat is dry and brittle. The dirt and dander trapped within the fur makes it more difficult to brush out. Working on a clean coat will be easier for both you and the pet – and much more pleasant.

If there are large chunks that water cannot penetrate, go ahead and break up the tangle using the tool that is safe for the pet. Don’t worry about removing it completely, just break it apart so the water and shampoo can do its job.

Prepare your bathing area. If the dog is exceptionally dirty, use the shampoo especially designed for dirty dogs. Using a follow-up treatment of a skin and coat conditioner after bathing twice (or maybe three times in some areas) will assist with the brush out and dead coat removal during the drying process. Make sure you have all the tools you’ll need to aid in getting the dog clean like rubber curries or scrub brushes. And make sure you have plenty of towels handy.

My favorite trick when working with this type of job is to bring my high velocity dryer right into the bathing area. With the dog fully lathered, blow the shampoo right off the pets while they are tethered in the tub. The slippery soap will allow the dirt, loose coat, and tangles slide out, being trapped in the shampoo and sticking to the back wall of the tub, minimizing the mess. Not all the shedding coat or mats will be removed but a lot will, making your job easier once you transfer to the drying table. Once you have blown out the pet, follow up with the rinsing process. Repeat this process as many times as necessary to get the dog “squeaky clean.”

Once the pet is clean and thoroughly rinsed, apply a skin and coat conditioning treatment before heading to the drying table. Read your directions: some conditioning treatments need to be rinsed out while others do not. Your high velocity dryer and a heavy slicker brush will be your best friends during the drying process.

Rule # 2: Be Methodical and Thorough

First, blow out as much moisture and loose coat at possible with the air flow. Use the highest power setting the pet is comfortable with, and a condenser cone. Once you have pushed as much water and loose fur from the pet, remove the condenser cone, and bring the air flow close to the pet’s skin. “Boost” any loose coat out of the dog by lightly patting the area where the air is striking the skin with a slicker brush.

Continue to work over the dog in a methodical manner until your brush glides through the coat easily and no more loose coat is trapped in the brush.

Rule #3 – ENJOY!

When the dog is complete, it should smell clean and fresh. The coat should be glossy and float freely as the dog moves. There should be an irresistible desire to reach down and bury your hands in a freshly groomed pet.