YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Firsr experience with a groomer. GRRR...is this normal?

k2p1e · 08-23-2008, 04:12 PM

Hi guys I guess I can give an 'insiders view' as a dog groomer. Like hairdressers and every other profession there are good and bad, and we all do things a little differently.

In my shop we schedule dogs by a 'revolving door', meaning we book dogs so they are there one on one, when I say your appt is at 1pm, your dog is normally started at 1:05pm no later...
For a REALLY well behaved yorkie (my own for example...) I can bath in 5 mins with a bathing beauty (hand held hydro massage machine, gets them cleaner then scrubbing with my fingers), dry time can be up to 20 mins, clipping and scissoring is around 30 mins...so they are often out the door within an hour ...

BUT!!! Give me a puppy and things can be different...when I have a puppy they may be VERY nervous in the salon, so I like to finish the groom of another dog while they are in a kennel at eye leverl, watching another older dog being groomed...sometimes they will see how calm we and the other dog is and try to follow that...5-10 mins later i will start.

With puppies some are docile as can be but MANY are wildcats!!! Especially yorkie pups (not all but the majority are)!

So we take the bath really slow, showing them the water doesn't hurt, soft voices, we go SLOW...a 5 min bath for a good yorkie can be up to 20 mins with a newbie/baby.

Drying is slow with a puppies too, trying to show them how to stand properly, lots of praise, drying is started with the softest and quietest dryers (which means SLOWER drying time)...I try to teach them that is does not hurt, as they get more comfortable we are able to up the leverl of drying (speed and noise) but that can take months...So drying can be 40+mins...

Clippers are placed on the table with no blade, we then start running the clippers on them to get them used to the vibration and no blade...this is another 20 mins with some pups...

Actually clippering or scissoring is also SLOW...they are curious, not stadning well and we have to be on our guard and teach them...another 25 mins...

Sometimes a grom is around hours long, sometimes longer to give them breaks. I want them to LIKE me and form a bond of trust. even if they hate grooming, I want to teach them through praise and gentleness that is will NOT hurt...

When Mom arrives we give instructions for home exercises to get their pup more used to grooming.

This costs around $45, price is no lower or higher then an older dog because it is so much work and we lose money on puppies (time is money, we normally charge $40+/hour) but it is the foundation for a relationship really.
I have a pretty good track record that about 95% of the puppies I have groomed since day one are GOOD dogs to groom who give very few problems. They are not scared of grooming, don't like it but know it is over once I get their bow or bandana out...

Now I have worked in another shop where all the dogs came in at 8am, they were all bathed and dried then we started clipping and scissoring...they then went hom in groups of two, some at 1pm and some at 5pm...that shop made MORE money, they could do more dogs due to less distractions and interuptions, very stream lined but they girls made a good profit, their prices were cheaper too.

I like how i work now but I will be changing my scheduling soon, I am due with a baby in 9 weeks and finding I am MUCH slower then i used to be, it is easier for me to have more dogs come at once and bath and groom them with no need to stop go out front every 40 mins or so.
I am also planning on bringing the baby with me to work (I am self emplyed and get no benefits so I need to go back to work within 3-4 weeks) so I will book dogs for the morning, and call people when their dogs are done.

The dogs get water and blankets to lay on while waiting, I work hard and fast as I safely can but in order for me to stay in business and keep working I have to change to this method of scheduling.

It does sound like your groomers tried to please you. Ask about 'express grooming' having him done straight through...

My customers are spoiled

I have people who will arrive 10 mins late...take 5 mins to decide what they want for a style, then arrive 30 mins later and complain cause I am not done yet

Finding a good groomer may take time but call aorund and find out who is willing to work with you.

08-23-2008, 04:12 PM	#25
k2p1e Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NB Posts: 212	Hi guys I guess I can give an 'insiders view' as a dog groomer. Like hairdressers and every other profession there are good and bad, and we all do things a little differently. In my shop we schedule dogs by a 'revolving door', meaning we book dogs so they are there one on one, when I say your appt is at 1pm, your dog is normally started at 1:05pm no later... For a REALLY well behaved yorkie (my own for example...) I can bath in 5 mins with a bathing beauty (hand held hydro massage machine, gets them cleaner then scrubbing with my fingers), dry time can be up to 20 mins, clipping and scissoring is around 30 mins...so they are often out the door within an hour ... BUT!!! Give me a puppy and things can be different...when I have a puppy they may be VERY nervous in the salon, so I like to finish the groom of another dog while they are in a kennel at eye leverl, watching another older dog being groomed...sometimes they will see how calm we and the other dog is and try to follow that...5-10 mins later i will start. With puppies some are docile as can be but MANY are wildcats!!! Especially yorkie pups (not all but the majority are)! So we take the bath really slow, showing them the water doesn't hurt, soft voices, we go SLOW...a 5 min bath for a good yorkie can be up to 20 mins with a newbie/baby. Drying is slow with a puppies too, trying to show them how to stand properly, lots of praise, drying is started with the softest and quietest dryers (which means SLOWER drying time)...I try to teach them that is does not hurt, as they get more comfortable we are able to up the leverl of drying (speed and noise) but that can take months...So drying can be 40+mins... Clippers are placed on the table with no blade, we then start running the clippers on them to get them used to the vibration and no blade...this is another 20 mins with some pups... Actually clippering or scissoring is also SLOW...they are curious, not stadning well and we have to be on our guard and teach them...another 25 mins... Sometimes a grom is around hours long, sometimes longer to give them breaks. I want them to LIKE me and form a bond of trust. even if they hate grooming, I want to teach them through praise and gentleness that is will NOT hurt... When Mom arrives we give instructions for home exercises to get their pup more used to grooming. This costs around $45, price is no lower or higher then an older dog because it is so much work and we lose money on puppies (time is money, we normally charge $40+/hour) but it is the foundation for a relationship really. I have a pretty good track record that about 95% of the puppies I have groomed since day one are GOOD dogs to groom who give very few problems. They are not scared of grooming, don't like it but know it is over once I get their bow or bandana out... Now I have worked in another shop where all the dogs came in at 8am, they were all bathed and dried then we started clipping and scissoring...they then went hom in groups of two, some at 1pm and some at 5pm...that shop made MORE money, they could do more dogs due to less distractions and interuptions, very stream lined but they girls made a good profit, their prices were cheaper too. I like how i work now but I will be changing my scheduling soon, I am due with a baby in 9 weeks and finding I am MUCH slower then i used to be, it is easier for me to have more dogs come at once and bath and groom them with no need to stop go out front every 40 mins or so. I am also planning on bringing the baby with me to work (I am self emplyed and get no benefits so I need to go back to work within 3-4 weeks) so I will book dogs for the morning, and call people when their dogs are done. The dogs get water and blankets to lay on while waiting, I work hard and fast as I safely can but in order for me to stay in business and keep working I have to change to this method of scheduling. It does sound like your groomers tried to please you. Ask about 'express grooming' having him done straight through... My customers are spoiled I have people who will arrive 10 mins late...take 5 mins to decide what they want for a style, then arrive 30 mins later and complain cause I am not done yet Finding a good groomer may take time but call aorund and find out who is willing to work with you. __________________ Carla Reggie and Kenzie "Every puppy should have a boy"