IFI Admin, Author at Paragon School of Pet Grooming

Corrective Grooming

Photo: Award winning pet stylist and Learn2GroomDogs.com Training Partner, Irina “Pina” Pinkusevich, is a true master of corrective grooming tactics as she turns a Poodle into a Bedlington Terrier.

Corrective grooming is an art. It’s the art of accentuating the positive aspects of the pet while minimizing their faults. In order to be effective at corrective grooming, it’s important to understand canine anatomy, structure and movement plus correct breed profiles. Having an eye for balance, style and proportion is also critical.

Not all dogs or trims are candidates for corrective grooming. You must have an owner who is willing to leave some coat on a dog in order to hide its defects or accentuate the positive aspects of the pet. If a client opts for a short, low maintenance trim — you’ll not be able to apply corrective grooming tactics. However, if the client is willing to let you leave the pet in a slightly longer trim, there is much that you can do to accentuate the physique of a dog.

Corrective grooming is all about the illusion of creating a dog of perfect proportion and body structure to fit the correct breed profile of that dog. Once the stylist understands how to read and interpret a breed standard, they have a blueprint of what the pet should look like – if it was perfect. Many breed standards will actually outline the correct size, length, and proportions of the pet’s individual body parts in relationship to each other.

Once you can interpret the breed standard it’s just a matter of connecting the dots. Stealthy trimming can accentuate the key points of the pet while detracting from their faults. A talented professional pet stylist is actually an artist – a sculptor of fur.

Understanding how to do this will change the classification between a “groomer” and a “stylist”. A groomer only cleans the pet. They remove the coat with no focus on styling the fur. A pet stylist, on the other hand, is well versed in breed profile trimming. They have outstanding technical skills clipping and scissoring. They have a solid understanding correct structure and movement. When trimming the pet, they adjust the amount of fur left on the dog to highlight their best features while minimizing their weak points.

Many professionals are happy with just being a competent groomer. However, what really creates a salon that is in high demand? Have at least one talented pet stylist in your grooming department. An experienced, and correctly trained, pet stylist can easily go on to upper levels of the grooming world. Many are Certified Master Stylists under the voluntary certification testing organizations in the United States. Others go on to be successful in the AKC confirmation ring or the pet grooming contest arena. Some high achievers can be found in all areas; certified stylists, exhibit dogs on the conformation world plus show off their styling skills in the competitive grooming ring.

Here is a list of the typical areas we can influence with every day pets. Armed with a solid understanding of the canine species, a talented pet stylist can hide common defects while emphasizing the best features of the animal. The more you know about proper canine anatomy, structure and movement and breed profiles, the easier it will be to apply corrective grooming applications. It is also critical you have excellent technical techniques along with an eye for balance, style, and proportion.

Outline
• square or rectangular body shape
• topline
• undercarriage
• tail set
• neck length
• head

Bone & Body Structure
• front and rear legs
• front and rear assembly
• feet
• skull shape
• jaw length
• ears set
• tail set
• eyes
• neck

Coat
• texture
• color
• density

Happy Grooming!

~Melissa

Find the Gold in Your Own Client Base

How many of you do this?

You are out shopping. You see something you want to buy; a great pair of shoes or maybe a meal out at a nice restaurant. You see the cost of the item. You automatically transfer it to dog numbers. You think to yourself, “I would have to groom two and a half dogs to get that.”

If you have groomed dogs for any amount of time, my bet is you play this game with yourself all the time. I know I did!

I stopped thinking this way when I started understanding the bigger picture of my customer’s value. I discontinued thinking of the value of a single dog (although it remains important). Instead, I started looking at the bigger picture –figuring out the value of my clients over an entire year. Once I put my pen to paper and punching numbers into my calculator (I was never very good at math unless there were dollar signs in front of the numbers!)I discovered something amazing. I revealed a client’s potential revenue stream once I started crunching the numbers. I had a gold mine in my client roster, I just didn’t know it!

The key number IS NOT the actual price of a single groom. The golden number is the FREQUENCY you service the customer.

Then take it a step further. Have you ever thought about the value of your clients on an annual basis? What about over the lifetime of the pet? Pay attention to the frequency number when combined with the groom price.

Checkout the chart below for a small to medium sized haircut type pet:

Annual @ $50.00 each       Visit Times       Over 10 Years
                                                    per Year
8 week client = $300.00    6.5                      $3,000.00

7 week client = $350.00 7.2 $3,500.00

6 week client = $450.00 8.6* $4,500.00

5 week client = $500.00 10.4 $5,000.00

4 week client = $650.00 13 $6,500.00

Coat Maintenance Program @ $28.00 each visit
2 week client = $728.00 26 $7,280.00

Coat Maintenance Program @ $15.00 each visit
1 week client = $780.00 52 $7,800.00

*On 6 week clients, normally you will see the client 9 times per year due to the holidays.

If you want to find a gold mine in your business or in your established clientele, boost the number of times you see your customers annually. The most financially successful groomers and stylists are those that see their clients once a week, twice a week or even once every three weeks.

The healthiest skin and coat on a pet comes from keeping them clean and tangle free. With today’s gentle shampoos and conditioners, bathing a pet weekly or bi-weekly isn’t a problem anymore.

When we pitch this in our salons, this is a problem solving tactic that works well for us: First we ask if the pet sleeps with any of the family members. If they answer yes, then we ask, “How often do you change your sheet?” Typically, most people say weekly or every two weeks. We suggest they are bathed at the same frequency. Their eyes get huge but it offers the perfect opportunity to tell them about your ‘Coat Maintenance Program’ along with its benefits and the cost. Most people spend more on their morning coffee shop habit than what they would on having their pet bathed weekly!

What would you rather groom? A pet that comes in once or twice a year – whether they need it or not – or a client that you see frequently?

Remember, you would need to adjust the numbers based on your current pricing structure and the size of the pet, but you get the idea. Grab your calculator and pen. Crunch the numbers for yourself.

Hands down I’ll take the higher frequency every time. These are your loyal clients. They are easy to do. They are fast to do. They are your golden ticket to financial success in your grooming business.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Lighting the Fire of Passion?

I don’t know about you – but I was a crummy student in school. How I ever got through high school, I’ll never know. Anything but basic math was a total mystery to me. Comprehending a foreign language? Forget it. And science? Ha. I spent my time doodling images of horses.

But get me outside the classroom and I excelled. I could never get enough of anything that had four legs and fur. Ship me to the barn for days on end and I was a very happy girl. Send me to a horse show and things were even better – I enjoyed improving my skills. I loved the arts and photography. I loved the outdoors. I loved creating things in the kitchen. Business intrigued me. Hard work never bothered me.

I had passion, it just wasn’t for academics. Typical classroom learning bored me- I just couldn’t understand why I needed to learn things I would never use in my life. However, one of my high school counselors always believed in me. It didn’t matter what my GPA was. She knew I had passion. She said “If you can do something you love, you are going to be really good at it.”

Luckily I found my calling even before graduation from high school. However, I didn’t know it at the time. I had landed a job at a kennel. I scooped a lot of poop and was thrilled. A few years into the job, the groomer was released. I had a new job at the kennel. I was the groomer – and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

My new job fulfilled my passion on many fronts. And the more I did it, the better I got. The more I learned – the more I wanted to know. My passion had been ignited. Success was at my fingertips.

Over the years, I’ve learned you don’t have to be the best student to excel or to succeed. Anyone can excel if you have passion.

Everyone has unique natural talents. But at times, you must step up to the mirror and ask yourself a very important question. Are you doing everything you can do to become everything you can be? If you become passionate about reaching your full potential, you can’t help but stay motivated.

Key to any success is passion. Maybe it’s with your career. Maybe it’s with your family. Or your health. Or a charity. Nothing can be successful without passion.

What I have learned over the years, success is more about passion than talent or having a great GPA; it’s more about reaching YOUR potential than being gifted.

So where is your true passion? More importantly, have you lit the match to set it on fire yet?

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

The Essence of a Breed: The Poodle

For every purebred dog, there is a written standard developed by parent breed organizations that outline what the “ideal” dog of that breed should be. That “essence” is significant for maintaining the proper condition for peak job performance. In other words, to help it be all it can be.

With any purebred dog, there is a “look” or general feeling you want to capture, if possible, while grooming. The trim style can be for the show ring or modified into a pet trim. In either case, you want to pull the “essence” out of the breed standard and apply it the dog.

These are key points from the official breed standard of the Poodle that influences me when I groom and/or evaluate a Poodle trim. The professional pet stylist accentuates or detracts these points according to styling tactics. The more familiar you are with proper canine anatomy, movement, and terminology, the easier it will be to have a positive impact on any pet you groom.

The Poodle
The Poodle is a very stylish, squarely built dog of great intelligence. They have a sophisticated air of distinction and self-esteem. Their athletic and proportionate build allows free, fluid, and elegant movement in their gaits.

The poodle comes in three sizes: Toy, standing below 10 inches; Miniature, standing between 10 and 15 inches; and Standard, standing over 15 inches in height at the withers. A squarely built Poodle should be as long as he is tall from the breastbone to the point of rump and from the highest point of the withers to the ground.

The eyes should be dark and almond shaped. They are deeply set and separated enough to yield an intelligent expression. The ears should be at the same level, or slightly below, the eyes. The cheekbones should be flat. The head of the Poodle should be well balanced with the length of the muzzle from the nose to the stop, being equal to the top skull, from occiput to stop. They have a slight stop that indicates the separation between the muzzle and the top of the somewhat rounded skull.

The neck is long enough to carry the head proudly with an air of dignity. The depth of chest should be equal to the length of leg to create a sense of balance. The legs are straight and parallel when viewed from the front or rear. When viewed in profile, the elbow falls directly below the highest point on the withers. The rear is well muscled and angulated to match the forequarters. The feet are small, pointing straight forward. The ribs are well sprung. The topline is level with a tail set that is high on the rump. The tail should be long enough to balance out the overall portrait of the Poodle.

The coat is curly, very dense, and crisp to the touch. The thicker and curlier the coat, the better it lends itself to a wide range of trim styles. The Poodle can come in any solid color. Their skin tones range from black, brown, and pink, with the lighter colors, normally the more sensitive the skin will be.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Artist Credit: Lisa VanSweden

What Can Grooming School Teach You?

I hear this all the time. Students close to graduating from our 600 clock hour program hit the panic button. They are frustrated. Frustrated with themselves. Frustrated with the program. Frustrated with their trainers. They feel they haven’t learned enough to start out in their new careers.

But in most cases – they are wrong. Way wrong.

If you are attending a quality grooming school, they put a lot of effort in creating a comprehensive program. That program would be designed to allow the learner to accelerate at a constructive pace. A pace that is safe and productive for both the student and the school.

If you have opted to hasten your new career by attending grooming school – make sure you do your research. Just like everything else, there are good and bad schools out there. Personally, I highly recommend you tour the school you are thinking about attending. The following things are what I would look for when researching a grooming school:

Ideally, their staff should have at least one certified master groomer on staff by one of the voluntary testing programs within the pet industry.

Does their staff (or at least one staff member) have a competitive grooming or conformation show background?

Look at how many years they have been in business.

Are they licensed by their state department of education?

How many dogs are supplied to you for practice?

What is the quality of their text books?

How to they handle lectures?

Do they require continuing education of their staff through trade shows, seminars, workshops, videos, webinars or grooming competitions?

What does the facility look like?

Is it clean and well organized?

Are the pets being treated with dignity and respect?

Ask for references from past graduates.

What types of training programs do they offer? What are the goals and objectives of each of those programs?

Bottom line: trust your gut. This is your future on the line. Currently there is no mandatory licensing for professional pet groomers. You CAN teach yourself how to do this as a career if you are extremely committed. However, a good school can take years off your learning curve.
Even if you have selected the best school – there still is a catch. The school is responsible for 50% of the learning – the student is responsible for the other 50% of the learning. There is no magic wand that can be waved over you to transfer the knowledge. There is no injection that will pump the skills into your system. It takes a quality program and a lot of effort on the student’s part.

Even if you enroll in a great school – you are still going to have to FOCUS and WORK! A student can monitor their end of the educational process through their attendance and their GPA. Strong attendance and excellent GPA’s go together. That’s nature. If a student has high absenteeism, I guarantee they have a low GPA.
It is not the responsibility of the school to supply you with every breed of dog or cat you will groom during your career. It IS the responsibility of the school to teach you the basic technical skills you will need to groom the majority of the pets out there. The foundation of all good grooming stems from the basics. I call them core skills.
Melissa’s Core Skills:

Basic Anatomy & Terminology
Basic Breed Identification & Conformation
Tools & Their Use
Bathing
Drying
Brushing
Combing
De-matting
Nail trimming
Ear cleaning
Clipping
Thinning Shears
Basic Hand Scissoring
Basic Hand Stripping

If you can master these techniques in a training program, you have a fabulous head start on your new career. But just because you have graduated from grooming school does not mean you are done with your education. Oh no. You are just getting started.

Most grooming schools are only a few months long. They are designed to get you started – not turn out a polished professional.

If you went to medical school – do you think you can jump right into your own practice straight out of school? If you went to business school, do you think you are you going to be hired by a major corporation to be their CEO? Heck no! You have to gain experience – lots of experience.

You need to keep learning throughout your career to stay on top. Top professionals – no matter what the field, know this – and do this. Going to grooming school is just the start of your career – not your entire career. If you want to truly succeed – continue to study and learn way beyond any formal educational program you start with.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Are You Prepared?

We were headed out of Michigan on our three week annual fall ride with our horses last week. Our big horse trailer and truck were packed to the limit. (Horses have LOTS of stuff!) Our passion is to horse camp and explore trails around the Tennessee area. We’ve made this trek every fall for the past 12 years. We love it.

So we’re cruising down I-75. We’re somewhere near the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. It’s getting mountainous. The sun is shining. The truck is humming along like a champ. Our book on CD is getting to a really good spot. My hubby and I are really starting to relax even before we’ve hit our destination.

Then we hear it… it sounded like an explosion behind us. Crap. We’d just blown a tire on the horse trailer. On I-75. In the mountains. On a hill. This wasn’t good.

We get the rig as far off the expressway as possible and hit the flashers. We go back to verify what we fear. Yep. Blown tire. Marc, my hubby, was a Boy Scout. He goes to work. This man lives by the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Out of that monster silver box in the bed of the truck come the tools we need. Flashing warning triangles, trailer lift wedge, hydraulic jack, tire iron… whatever he needed, he had it. In less than 40 minutes, we were back on the road.

I’ve changed my share of flat tires over the years. But I was thankful. Marc was NOT going to let me deal with this one. Believe me – I was totally OK with that! Instead I had the opportunity to watch and worry about the traffic that was zooming by at a very high speed. I stood in admiration with each snafu he ran into yet had a solution. I thought back to the last time I had to change a tire and was I as prepared as he was??

During my mobile grooming days, I changed a lot of tires. With a fleet of six units, flat tires just happened. So do water pumps, electrical issues, broken clippers, high velocity dryers and a whole host of other items. If it’s mechanical or a piece of equipment, at some time it’s going to stop working correctly for you.

In our field, time is money. Do you have the tools, replacement items and knowledge to correct the problem on the fly?

At one point in my life, I didn’t. The way I fixed problems was to call a repair company. After a couple of times of doing that – I learned quickly if I was going to stay on time and keep my appointments for the day, calling a repairman for basic problems wasn’t the best answer. I needed to live by that Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.

It doesn’t matter if you are in a mobile grooming unit or in a high end salon. Stuff breaks. Are you prepared? Can you finish your day with barely missing a beat? Here is a short list to get you thinking about some of the basic items that can cease working for you at the most inappropriate time. If they are not working – you are not working:

Clippers: If you don’t have spare pair with you at all times, you are dead in the water if your primary pair give out on you.

Shears & Blades: They go dull and stop cutting at the most untimely opportunity. Or worse yet, they fall to the floor and are rendered useless until they go to the sharpener. You need a full back up collection of most of your sharp tools.

High Velocity Dryers: What would happen if yours stopped working in the middle of an eight dog day – and one of those dogs is a Newfoundland? Do you have a back-up HV dryer that can be put into service?

Basic Electrical Knowledge: I’m not talking full-fledged electrical issues – I’m talking the basics. Stuff you could find in any home repair book. Like how to replace a cord? Or a plug? Or how much power each electrical items draws when in use. What your breakers are rated for? You can’t plug a powerful dryer into a 15 amp plug. You are going to blow the breaker every time.

Mobile Groomers – you have a whole host of added items. You have to consider all the above, plus:

Water Pumps: There can only be a couple things wrong if your water stops flowing. Every water pump that I’ve seen comes with a great troubleshooting guide. Memorize it. Carry a spare pump. My first water pump took me over two hours to change out and a lot of tears of frustration. However, before too long I could instantly identify pump problems at a glance (or a listen) and know the solution – including flipping out non-working pump for a new one in less than 10 minutes (and no tears!).

Generators: Maintenance – maintenance – maintenance. If your generator goes out, have a back-up plan. Normally that would be a landline power source that plugs into your van. When all else fails – carry a long power cord. Run it from the client’s house to your van. At least then you can power the key items you need to groom the dog by plugging is directly to the extension cord. (A power strip in the van is also very helpful) It may not be ideal, but you can get the dog(s) done while you seek professional help on your generator.

Mechanic: Again, maintenance – maintenance – maintenance. Personally I LOVED having a mobile mechanic. I only had to have vans towed to a service center a few times for big stuff. Everything else was fixed at the base or roadside by a mobile mechanic service.

Jumper Cables: It’s inevitable – at some point your battery is going to be dead. It’s a lot easier to get a jump if you have cables with you and/or a battery charger to keep a tired battery going until you can get a replacement.

Tires: If you drive a vehicle – it’s going to happen to you. Flat tires come with the territory. #1: do you KNOW how to change a flat tire? #2: Do you have all the times you NEED to change a flat tire? #3: Do you have the safety gear to put out in the event your flat tire happens in a high traffic area to warn other drivers you are stopped?

Anyone that has been in the grooming business for any amount of time knows the value of being prepared. Time is money. Dull, broken or non-functioning equipment cost us not only time – but money.

If you abide by the Boy Scouts motto, you’ll be back at the grooming table in no time – just like we were last week on I-75 with our flat tire and horse trailer!

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

…And Then Some

I’m always looking for ways to stay motivated. I love the little books put out by Simple Truths. My latest one I just finished was called Charging the Human Battery by Mac Anderson.

There is one section that really got me thinking. I’d like to share it with you.
Committing to excellence is not an act, it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude that is captured in the short thought titled:

And then some…

These three little words are the secret to success.

They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies.

The top people always do what is expected… and then some.

They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind… and then some.

They meet the responsibilities fairly and squarely… and then some.

They are good friends and helpful neighbors… and then some.

They can be counted on in an emergency… and then some.

I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place. Their spirit of service is summed up in three little words… and then some.

As I reflect on the thoughts in this passage, I started thinking how it applied in life and in business. I can’t think of a single successful business that does not apply this principle. I can’t think of a person I enjoy being with that does not apply this concept to how they treat others. Career movers know how to apply this technique as they move ahead in their profession.

Think about the times that you’ve had excellent service. Has not the company or the service provider done exactly what is outlined above?

We’ve just come off a pretty major road trip. We’ve eaten in a lot of restaurants. We had the full range of service from the waiters — from those that could barely get our food to the table to those that practiced those three little words… and then some. What a difference our evenings were based on what type of service we were given at the restaurant. One of the restaurants we even went back to the next night as the food was so good and the service was excellent.

Stop and think about how you can apply this to your own life. Do you muddle along doing just enough to get by? Or do you live by the words above? I can almost guarantee every successful person, whether it is on a personal or a professional level, lives by the credo of… and then some.

In the grooming salon, are you getting your dogs done on time or even a little ahead of time?

Are you working in a manner that regularly earns you generous ‘tips’ from your customers?

What do you do for your clients that goes above and beyond just grooming their dogs?

What are you doing for your fellow team members that makes you a winning player?

What are you doing for your team supervisor that minimizes the amount of effort they have to put into you as an employee?

If you are a boss, what are you doing for your employees to make the workplace enjoyable?

How do you apply the attitude of …and then some, to YOUR life? These questions can go on and on. Step back and think about it. I know I am.

You can apply this phrase in every aspect of your life. My bet is once you start to apply it on a regular basis — the rewards will come back to you tenfold. It’s a commitment to excellence. It’s not an act, it’s an attitude. It’s an attitude that will bring joy to others as well as wonderful harmony to you.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

What Was I Thinking?

The first time I saw a rescue makeover grooming competition I became all choked up. There’s close to 50 dogs in the ring. Every single dog had been abandoned for one reason or another. They came in every shape and size. Their coat conditions varied greatly. Some dogs looked like they had been groomed recently, while others were an absolute disaster. However, by the end of the class every dog was clean, appealing and ready to be adopted. This was ‘real life’ pet grooming for every salon around the country.

Since I saw my first class a number of years ago – I’ve seen many more. I’ve even had the opportunity to judge the class myself. I absolutely love this class. This is the most rewarding grooming competition any show can host. And the best part; almost every single dog finds a new forever home well before they call ‘scissors down.’

Over the years, there’s been quite a bit of pressure for us old-time grooming champions to step back into the ring. Every one of us has adamantly said, “NO WAY!” All of our lives have changed since we were top stylists. We’ve lost our edge and we know it. High-caliber grooming takes lots of practice almost on a daily basis. We have continued our careers with knowledge we gained at the grooming table — but most of us don’t groom more. Or if we do, it’s very limited.

Personally, I haven’t spent a full day at a grooming table in over 15 years. I’ve become a serious desk jockey. Sure, I’ve never stepped far away from the grooming industry. Everything in my life is wrapped around grooming and running pet related businesses. Many of those businesses focus on education for the grooming industry. I just physically don’t do it anymore — but I live it and breathe it every single day.

The last time I put in a full day grooming was at The Paragon School of Pet Grooming. It was the ‘98 or ’99 holiday season. Most of our advanced students had graduated in the weeks prior to Christmas. It was all hands on deck to get through our client load — including me. It’d been years since I’d stepped up to the table in that capacity. I put into practice everything that I teach. I got through 16 dogs with relative ease — until I went to the restroom and discovered I had seriously stressed all my glutes. Sitting without the use of a handrail was impossible! Once I stopped, I realized how sore I really was — all over.

Recently my chiropractor described professional pet groomers as occupational athletes. No joke. We bend. We lift. We twist. We stretch. And we get into the most awkward positions imaginable to ensure our pets stay safe and we can perform a quality job. When I groomed every single day I was buff. I was fit. I could lift dogs that weighed more than I did! I still have an old pair of 28 x 32 501 red tag Levi’s that I wore until they were totally threadbare. I question how I ever fit into those!

Fast forward to the All-American Grooming Show in Chicago — 2013. Apparently there were a few seasoned stylists enjoying dinner after the show one evening. (I’m sure adult beverages were involved.) The idea was hatched. Host a Celebrity Rescue Rodeo grooming contest at a major show. The competition would be an ‘invite only’ class. Who would be eligible for an invitation? Only 10 retired top pet grooming competitors.

The class will be hosted as an evening festivity at Intergroom 2014. Details are still being worked out. There will be great prizes but more importantly — it will be a fund-raising effort for pet rescue. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this worthwhile event.

My husband and I went to the All-American grooming show for only one day this year — Sunday. As soon as we walked through the doors, the team that had hatched the idea grabbed me. They gave me the brief rundown of what they were thinking. Then they asked, “Are you in??” Without missing a beat I exclaimed, “ABSOLUTELY!” And then I instantly thought — what am I thinking??

I immediately knew I needed a theme song… I’ve been a desk jockey for way, way too long. I have a host of physical issues that make it almost impossible for me to groom anymore. I know all my issues can be overcome if I was a bit more disciplined. I need to get healthier. Of course the only theme song that I could think of is from the movie Rocky …

Over the years I’ve learned diet and exercise can be magic for the body. When my hand seized up at the height of my career and I had no health insurance — I repaired it myself through diet. I drank a concoction of tea made out of herbs and barks prescribed to me by a South American medicine man. I was ‘eating clean’ before it even became a household term. I got my hands back in time to represent the United States in world team competition as a member of Groom Team USA. However, my day-to-day grooming days were over.

I don’t believe in taking a pill to fix something. I believe in getting at the root cause. Whenever possible, I look for natural alternatives to remedy a problem way before I elect taking a drug or surgery. And the amazing part — there are many natural alternatives to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I feel fortunate that I’ve always been intrigued by diet and exercise. Although I have to admit, I don’t practice a healthy lifestyle as much as I should. I love to cook so cooking healthy meals is not an issue. Portion control? That might be another story. And exercising? That’s going to take some discipline! I’m also a workaholic. I’ll need some serious discipline to uproot me from my computer!

I have a team I can turn to in order to help me keep my body functioning the way it should. I have the resources to practice my grooming skills. I certainly hope I have the support from a vast sea of extremely talented pet stylist from my companies and within the Training Partners of Learn2GroomDogs.com.

For me, it’s time to start practicing some serious discipline. It’s time to become a competitor again.

This time when I step into the ring, it’s not about winning. It’s about doing what I’m passionate about (and being able to stand at a grooming table for 3 hours to make it happen!). I love to make dogs look and feel amazing. To win their trust and cooperation. To keep them safe and comfortable throughout the grooming process. And in this case – to find a new forever home for one single dog while raising money to assist in the care of these pets.

What a brilliant way to get a group of retired, seasoned pet grooming competitors back into the ring! For the lucky few that got an invitation to Intergroom 2014 Celebrity Rescue Rodeo, none of us missed a beat when we said, “We’re in!”

If you want to track my progress you can catch me on the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page. (No self-portrait mirror shots of my figure to track my progress – honest!!)

Happy Trimming!

– Melissa

For the Love of Lavender

I love lavender. I’ve always loved running my hands through fresh lavender. Then I’d bring my hands up to my face and inhale deeply. Ahhhhh. What a wonderful aroma!

For the past 30 years, I’ve always had lavender planted in my gardens. I would love to cuddle with one of my cats after they have woven their way through a brush. There is nothing better than snuggling with a friendly feline that smells like lavender!

Recently we were sitting by a beautiful pool. The gardens surrounding the area were thick with lavender. We were all laughing at the Golden that was causally lounging in the pool on one of the steps. She was there for over an hour. When she finally decided she was waterlogged enough, she climbed out of the pool and gave herself a quick shake. Of course she was not 5 feet from us.

We were enjoying a cool beverage poolside and we highly opposed the ‘dog shower’ Nellie was giving us. We all hollered simultaneously, “Nellie – NO!” (Most of us were pet professionals.) Luckily, the dousing ceased, but she quickly tossed herself with reckless abandonment into a huge lavender plant. Feet kicking to the sky, Nellie was thoroughly enjoying her roll!

Unfortunately she was meet with another round of “Nellie, NO!!” from the group. She was totally destroying the lavender plant. She righted herself, smiling that typical Golden Retriever smile. She knew the benefits of lavender. It’s soothing. It enhances relaxation. Plus, she instantly removed her wet dog smell into something that was far more appealing – the lavender scent was heavy in the air. No one minded when Nellie started making the rounds, putting her soggy head on all our laps.

When we first started filming educational video lessons for Learn2GroomDogs.com, one of our first Training Partners was Linda Claflin. She used a calming technique that involves lavender at the grooming table. What a brilliant idea. Its soothing properties take effect instantly – for both you and the pet!

How do you use it on the grooming table? Simply rub a small amount of 100% pure lavender oil onto your grooming safety loop. We watched Linda do this with four different nervous dogs. It helped with each and every one of them. If you haven’t watched the lessons on Learn2GroomDogs.com, I highly recommend them. I love natural remedies and this is a great one.

The scent of lavender has long been used as a folk remedy to help people fall asleep. Research is starting to confirm lavender’s sedative qualities. It’s been found to lengthen total sleep time, increase deep sleep, and make people feel refreshed.

Personally, I love lavender as a sleep aid! Sometimes being at the helm of multiple pet related companies (at last count there were five main companies with many sub-companies in there as well). There are days – weeks – and even months that sleep is difficult for me. After talking with Linda on the L2GD set, I turned to lavender as my ‘go-to’ natural sleep aid of choice. I found a pillow spray that I love. As I climb into bed, I spritz my pillows with my lavender pillow mist. It works like a charm for me.

How do you work with lavender? I’d love to hear your lavender aromatherapy ideas, uses and tips.

Happy Trimming,

~ Melissa

Learn2GroomDogs Members: Catch Linda Claflin as she shows us the uses of lavender when grooming. To view Linda’s demonstrations about working with anxious dogs in a professional grooming setting, click on the video links below!

WATCH: Dealing with Problem Dogs:

Linda uses her years of experience combined with the principles of massage and relaxation to win the trust of two pets she has never worked on before. Both of these pets have a history of nervousness and anxiety. Linda guides you through the steps she takes every day with a new client to win the trust and cooperation of a nervous dog. In this session, she works on a Chihuahua mix and a Rottweiler.

WATCH: Dealing with Problem Dogs #3 and #4:

Are You Working Your Rear Off But ‘Just Getting By’?

I was having lunch the other day with a couple of groomers. One of them was complaining about how hard she was working yet she barely made enough money to scrape by. Does this sound like you?

I was puzzled by this. She has a Standard Poodle that she shows in confirmation. She’s been in the competition pet styling ring and won. She was a talented stylist. Her clients loved her. She had a full roster of pets every week. She was totally immersed in grooming.

Then I asked her a key question,” How much do you charge for a Standard Poodle?” She told me, “Somewhere between $70 and $80.” I cocked my head and asked, “Is that for a shave off for something more stylish with hand scissoring?” She very proudly responded, “Oh no, that’s a full and scissor job.” I then asked her how long it took to groom the Standard Poodle on average. She told me she normally works on them for about 3 to 3 ½ hours. I thought to myself, “Wow, her clients are getting a great deal.”

I then went on to ask her how much you charge to groom an average Shih Tzu in her salon. Her response was, about $45. OK… I then asked, “How long does it take you to groom an average Shih Tzu?” She responded with, “About an hour.”

Hmm… I saw the problem. She loved the Standard Poodles so much, she simply enjoyed grooming them – and she did a knockout job with them. The word spread. She had no shortage of Standard Poodles in her clientele. However, her pricing was way too low for Standard Poodles. She could easily groom three Shih Tzus in the time it took her to do one Standard Poodle. Yet she charged between $70 and $80 for Standard Poodle while she got about $45 for the little Shih Tzu. Her math wasn’t working.

For that same block of time, she would earn about $135 for three Shih Tzus to one Standard Poodle at $80. No wonder she was barely making ends meet! Her eyes grew huge as the light bulb went off in her own head. When presented in this manner, the problem was crystal clear — even to her. Her prices were way too low for a Standard Poodle! And considering she did at least one Standard Poodle a day, she was losing a considerable amount of money each week. No wonder she was working her rear off and just getting by. Sound familiar?

What I suggested to her was not to charge by the hour but to look at her work overall. Have an idea of how long it takes to groom each dog in an ideal setting without interruptions. Set a pricing structure that parallels that ideal time. She knew the Shih Tzus took about an hour to groom and she earned $45 for each of them. If she were to carry that same pricing structure through to her larger dogs like Standard Poodles and Doodles, she should be getting approximately $135 for each one of those dogs.

Most proficient pet groomers and stylists can turn a small and medium-size dog in about an hour or less when working solo. That’s bath, dry and haircut. Standard Poodles take between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours to complete.

Your rates might be different but you get the idea of how the system works. If you’re one of those professional groomers that has a full roster of pets every week (25-30 pets) yet barely making enough to pay your bills — I strongly suggest you look at your pricing structure. My guess is that it needs some tweaking to make it fair to both the client and to you. If you can’t groom a pet profitably, why groom them at all? There is nothing wrong with getting a fair wage in exchange for your skills!

Happy Trimming!

– Melissa

If you’d like more information about price setting, check out the full video called Establishing Pricing and Times for Grooming at Learn2GroomDogs.com. For just $42 a month, you’ll have full access to the video library of over 350 lessons for the professional pet groomer. All videos stream directly to your computer or mobile device.