I get phone calls all the time about people saying that a previous groomer ‘butchered their dog’ and that they are in need now of a regular ‘better’ groomer.
When you go to book a hair appointment for yourself, a lot of the time you do a little research into the company, the hairdresser, and look at the reviews for the company and hairdressers. Most people go on Pinterest and select the style or picture to relate your wants to the hairdresser and ask them ‘is this something you can do?’
Why should this be any different when you are having your pet groomed? If you have a very particular style or look that you are going for and you just drop off your pet and expect that this will happen, think again, because it won’t! Every client I meet I do a run through with them and their pet. First and for most I examine the pet’s fur and make sure that it is not matted under the surface to the point that it needs to be taken down nice and short. If the pet is brushed out regularly and the fur is in good condition to groom, I can start to do a run-down checklist of what the client wants their pet to look like.
Start from the head and work your way down. What would you like with the ears? How short do you want the muzzle or beard? Do you want a standard cut for the breed? How short do you want the fur, about half, more or less? Do you want the tail long or short? Easiest question to ask the client is do you have a picture of your pet with the cut you are looking for? If the client goes over anything that I do not believe that I can do or that the fur condition will not allow, I tell them this UP FRONT and keep nothing hidden with no surprises. Most of the time we can find a happy medium or I will say that if they maintain the fur in the next few weeks, that the second groom when I come back, we can accomplish more of what they are looking for.
Being open and honest with clients is my motto and it is very important to make sure that you are open and honest with your groomer. There is no reason to hide matting, knots, eye goops or any of that from a groomer and you should never be embarrassed! Having a pet is a huge responsibility and some pets need extra TLC to their coats to maintain them, but let’s face it, sometimes we just don’t have time. A good groomer will never judge you and be open and honest with you, so make sure you do the same!
