How Do I Evaluate the Groomer and the Facility?

After I wrote “Why Is It Important To Evaluate Groomer”, I thought it would be a disservice to them if I don’t stress the many positive aspects of great groomers. Just a little gratitude to all those wonderful groomers I come to befriend with.

For many, the job of a groomer is basically to maintain a dog’s appearance. That’s only a tiny aspect of what the job encompasses. Besides tending to the aesthetic care of dogs or other domesticated pets, the job of a groomer may include selling pet care products (product knowledge), answering telephone calls for queries or scheduling appointments (customer service), communicating with clients about their dog’s needs and disposition (public relation), diagnose problem areas that are affecting the dogs such as skin or ear infections (basic knowledge of medical conditions), and maybe run a profitable business (entrepreneurship).

Most groomers I know of don’t come into this business thinking of making millions and certainly not hoping to look glamor all day long like those receptionists in posh offices. They came because they love to work with animals.

It is not an easy job to be a groomer and to be an exceptional great groomer it takes a tremendous amount of hard work to achieve that level. So be polite and patient with the groomers when you interrogate them.

10 Questions To Ask Your Prospective Groomer

1. Are you a certified groomer? Which school? Some grooming schools will certify any aspiring groomer with only TWO WEEKS training course. Although there are many good groomers without certifications, you may wish to only have a groomer who is certified. Those groomers that are the most experienced are going to do a better job. How frightening to imagine our dog is subjected as guinea pig (no pun intended) under inexperienced hands.
2. What other services do you performs? All certified groomer should be able to do all grooming process (toenails trimming, ear and teeth cleaning, anal sacs emptying, flea dipping) without much fuss.
3. Are you familiar in grooming my dog’s breed? Some professional groomers are specialized in certain breeds. Usually their clientèle are show dogs. Most groomers should be able to do a decent job for many breeds. Very rarely you get one who is all-rounded. If you happen to met one (genuine), be prepared to fork up at least 3 to 4 times more than the usual rates. Because you just found a highly sort after groomer!
4. How long have you been in business? These days more people are getting into pet grooming business bandwagon, the last thing you want is to put your dog in the hands of those fly-by-night groomers/operators.
5. Is it okay for me to stay during the first grooming session? In most cases, groomers will allow. Preferably choose those salons with glass window installed all round or at least on one wall, so that you can see the grooming process without obstructing groomer’s work space. It’s also good to pop in for occasional unannounced checks but don’t do this on regular basis. By doing so, you’re sending a negative signal to the groomer as if she can’t be trusted at all cost.
6. How do you handle aggressive dogs? Some groomers will either reject ‘problematic’ clients or they use muzzle collar to strap the mouth. Be upfront with the groomer if your dog is difficult to work on, so she won’t be taken in by nasty surprises. You might also want to highlight to her if your dog has health problems like arthritis, back and hip problems which could be difficult for your dog to stand for a long period of time.
7. Do you tranquilize aggressive dogs before grooming? Avoid those who do, especially if your dog is prone to seizures as certain tranquilizer can trigger an attack. Only veterinarians or some vet technicians are allowed to administer sedation.
8. How many regular clients do you have? It’s hard to pinpoint a set of numbers to have when a sole operator is concern. The length of service also has to be factored in. What you look for is how comfortable he or she in answering. Just my personal observations: Too quick, s/he might be lying. Too slow, s/he could careless about his/her clients or business.
9. How many dogs do you clip a day? It’s much more believable and manageable if the number of dogs is fewer than 6. Assuming the groomer handles every grooming process from bathing to clipping and the business operates for 9 hours. It would be far much fewer if the most of the groomer’s clientèles request French clip (i.e. Poodle) or coat stripping (i.e. Schnauzers).
10. What is the most common clip here? This question is crucial as it serves duo purposes. First, we’ve to see if it’s coherent with the above two questions. Secondly, it tells you about the groomer’s proficiency. Grooming is a skill; the less exposure the groomer has with a certain cut, the least familiar she will be. Nonetheless she will still do a fine job for any companion pet dogs.

It takes years of practice for groomers to a achieve a smooth perfect clip on a Poodle or a Bichon Frise. The same goes to any well-groomed terriers and spaniels—that sharply styled precision.

I’m sure there might be more questions to ask, but I don’t think it’s wise to hog the groomer’s time. If she’s a sole proprietor, her time is limited. A small business entrepreneur who’s trying to earn a decent living by doing what she loves (hopefully).

What Should You Look Out For When You’re in the Grooming Salon?

• If the groomer is certified, most likely you’ll see framed certification(s) hanging around the office/salon. It’s not unusual for groomers to have two or more certifications from different schools. If your prospective groomer has those, consider it as an added bonus.
• If there’s hired staff, are they certified too? Again, make sure the number of certified groomers matches the number of certifications on the wall. More is fine; less is not acceptable.
• If there are assistants, what’s their job encompassed? Usually, junior assistants assist in bathing and toweling dry. The senior ones will clip nails, trim paw beard, ear cleaning, and maybe do a simple puppy clip.

Finding a groomer that works well with your dog is essential. If you don’t like them, or your dog doesn’t seem to want anything to do with them, then look for another groomer. Those that are truly going to provide a good job for you are those that will love your dog and treat him with respect as if he is the paying client.

The Complete Series on Professional Dog Groomers

1. Should I Hire a Professional Groomer?
2. Where Can I Find Good Professional Dog Groomers?
3. What Should I Ask From My Referrals?
4. Why Is It Important To Evaluate Groomer?
5. How Do I Evaluate the Groomer and the Facility?
6. How Do I Prepare my Puppy for his First Grooming Visit?