For every pet owner, proper grooming is a complex and necessary element of owning a pet and involves much more than just cosmetic appeal. Your pet depends on proper grooming in order to keep a manageable coat, healthy skin and overall healthy demeanor. Choosing a qualified groomer that will accommodate these needs while keeping your pet happy and well-treated requires time and patience, along with proper knowledge and research.
When selecting a pet groomer, it is important to decide the ideal location of your groomer and what arrangement works best for your schedule and for the comfort of your pet. Due to today’s busy lifestyle, plus the overall explosion of the pet industry, groomers can be found in many conventional and unconventional locations to provide convenience to the busiest of pet owners. Pet groomers can be found in conventional grooming shops, pet stores, veterinarian offices and mobile grooming vans. If your schedule prevents taking your pet to a groomer in a shop or office, mobile grooming is available. Many groomers allow you to travel to their mobile grooming van to decrease your costs. However, if you cannot get to the mobile grooming van, many pet groomers will travel to your home, equipped with a van full of necessary equipment, and groom your pet in exchange for added travel expenses. This method is normally more expensive, but provides convenience to you and your pet by saving time and travel. Also, grooming will be taking place in the comfort of your own home, allowing your pet to remain in his or her normal environment and easing the stress of the grooming process.
Once you have selected the type and location of groomer for your pet, it is very helpful to research what groomers are available and obtain referrals from satisfied or dissatisfied customers. Consult with family members, friends and neighbors who own pets and gather the names of any pet groomers they have used in the past, along with any positive or negative experiences they have had. Similarly, you can contact trusted pet service providers such as your veterinarian’s office, boarding kennel, trainer, pet supply store, breeder or animal shelter and get referrals and recommendations of quality groomers. However, keep in mind that if your veterinarian’s office or your pet supply store has in-house grooming facilities, it is more than likely they will refer you to their own in-house pet groomer. This referral alone does not necessarily mean that their facility will provide the services that you and your pet require, so conduct your own research into the quality of these in-house facilities. The best source to obtain a referral for a quality groomer is from the National Dog Groomers Association, which can be obtained via their web site or by telephone. A quick view of the Yellow Pages under the “Pet Grooming” category can also provide a list of available groomers in your area. Once you have obtained a list of several pet groomers you are interested in, it is recommended that you contact the Better Business Bureau and check to see if any complaints or negative comments have been made against a pet grooming facility by a past customer.
Once you have selected a quality groomer based on referrals and research, you should then stop by the pet grooming shop and observe the facilities. A quality grooming facility will be glad to accommodate this request and welcome your assessment of their shop and services. Make sure that the facility is well organized, well lit, well ventilated and looks and smells clean and sanitized. Assess the shop’s equipment to ensure that pets will be relaxed and comfortable in room-temperature air during fluff drying by hand. Some shops do participate in compartment drying or heat drying for your pet, so it is necessary to ensure that your pet will not be confined under a heat dryer for a prolonged period of time. Also, if you have a short-nosed breed of animal or if your pet is older in years, make sure that the shop engages in an alternative form of drying, as short-nosed breeds and elderly pets are at risk for health problems due to heat. For any pets that may be held in cages awaiting the return of their owners, check to make sure that the cages are adequately sized and that they are regularly monitored and socialized. Also, observe the location of the pets and determine if dogs and cats are caged in separate areas. Quality pet groomers will generally keep cats and dogs separate in their facilities to ease and alleviate stress on the animals. It is recommended that you observe the groomers and their assistants and check to see how they handle the pets they are grooming. Make sure they handle them gently but with enough firmness to ensure safety of the pets, and that they interact positively with the pets to ensure their comfort and happiness throughout the grooming process. A hurried, busy environment will create stress and subsequent behavior problems for your pet during grooming. A quality pet groomer will also have books displayed in the shop which illustrate past work the groomer has completed. While reviewing these books, look for a wide variety of different styles and lengths. This wide variety indicates that the groomer has a wide range of skill and ability and has experience with a vast array of animal breeds and the needs associated with different types of features.
During your visit to the grooming shop and after your observation of the facility, talk directly to the groomer and ask as many questions as possible in order to fully assess the facility. Ask the groomer where he or she learned to groom and style pets based on breed standards, and what certification or license he or she holds from a grooming school, association or organization. If your state requires that a pet groomer have a grooming license, be sure to ask for proof of the license during your visit. Also, ask the groomer if he or she is a member of the National Dog Groomers Association or any other trade organization which provides continuing grooming education. Check into the facility’s health policies and requirements and ask the groomer if he or she requires proof of your pet’s vaccinations. A quality groomer will generally require pets to be current on their vaccinations. If not, any pet that enters the grooming facility may be susceptible to diseases from other unvaccinated or untreated animals. Also, in order to plan your schedule accordingly, you may want to ask how long an average grooming session lasts and how quickly you may pick up your pet after his session. Your pet may have to remain at the grooming facility several hours after his or her session, so be sure to ask the groomer where your pet will be kept and if there are any additional fees incurred if you are unable to pick up your pet immediately after his grooming session. Inquire as to the groomer’s policy on contact information and be sure they require and keep a complete record of each pet that enters their shop, including emergency contact information in the event of an accident. Also, ask the groomer if he or she can provide references. A quality groomer should be able to provide several references of past successful grooming clients. Lastly, be sure to inquire as to the shop’s grooming costs. These costs will vary depending upon your pet’s species, size, current condition and the difficulty of the haircut and other services that you desire for your pet. As such, it is necessary to tell the groomer the species of your pet, his or her size, the current condition of your pet, such as severe mats in the hair, and what services you have in mind for the groomer to perform. Be prepared to pay a little more for extensive grooming services, if your pet’s hair or skin is in poor condition or for mobile grooming services.
Choosing a quality groomer for your pet requires time, attention and patience. But with proper research, invaluable knowledge of what to look for and the simple task of asking questions, you can find a groomer that will accommodate your needs just as much as the needs of your pet. All pets are priceless to their owners. In turn, spend the time and energy in selecting the very best groomer available to provide an enjoyable and healthy experience for your much-loved pet.
