A Tribute to Max: Choosing the best groomer for your Pet!
Last Wednesday tragedy struck the pet care industry when a Phoenix family’s beloved 7 year-old malti-poo died during a grooming appointment. The family was using the convenience of a mobile grooming van for the first time. They were told by the groomer that the procedure would take a couple hours, which is standard. After a few hours passed the family grew concerned and went outside to see what was prolonging the process. What they found has the entire pet-care industry horrified.
This tragedy has inspired many pet groomers and owners to take a closer look at this highly unregulated but very important industry. The best way we can make a difference that will ensure the safety of our pets is by learning how to select a compassionate and trust worthy professional groomer. (The same selection process can be applied to selecting a veterinarian, dog walker, and pet sitter too. )
So, what kind of questions should you ask when talking to your potential new groomer?
I think in just about every blog I mention somewhere that I am a professional pet groomer. I am proud to be a dog and cat stylist, I love what I do. After this incident I realized something that I never considered a problem before. When new people call the shop to make an appointment with me, they almost always only ask me two things.
“How much will it cost?” and “When can I come in?”
No one ever says “How long have you been grooming dogs?” “Do you have experience with puppy’s first hair-cut?” “Can I see where you will be working on my dog?”
This needs to change. It is unfortunate that pet owners cannot just assume that a pet care professional is indeed a professional. You have to treat finding a new groomer the same way as you would finding a new babysitter for your child, and when you find a good one, stick with them, it is worth it.
The questions you need to ask will vary depending on you and your pets needs, but there are two basic categories to help you choose wisely, experience and safety.
Experience
- How long have you been grooming dogs?
- Do you have experience grooming senior dogs?
- Do you have experience with puppies?
- My dogs has a medical condition, do you have experience with this condition?
- Do you groom many cats?
- Did you go to grooming school? How did you learn / why did you choose grooming?
Safety
- Where is my pet kept during the grooming procedure? Can I take a tour?
- Do you have a second person available for assistance while grooming?
- What kind of products do you use?
- Will my dog be dried via blow dryer or kennel dryer?
- Will my dog be in eye-sight during the entire process?
- What kind of products do you use?
- Do you remove the collar while kenneled?
- Where do you take the dogs for potty-breaks?
- Will my dog be around any other dogs?
When making the appointment, and asking these questions, if the groomer seems annoyed at how particular you are, take that as a bad sign. Always go with your gut feeling, if you feel like something is wrong, be on the safe side. Regardless of how busy the groomer is, he/she should gladly be patient with you during your questions. If a groomer cannot be patient with you, they may not be patient with your dog (or cat). Follow your instinct. If your stomach is telling you something is wrong, it probably is. Choose a groomer you feel really good about. Once you find a great groomer, develop a relationship with them and do not stray, even if that means paying a few dollars extra, or waiting a couple of weeks for an appointment. Make a running appointment if they quickly book up, and feel safe knowing that your pet stylist loves their job and your dog, and that you have carefully chosen her /him.
