I get asked this question all the time. What is the first shear I recommend to add to a new groomer’s toolkit?

Once your clientele builds up, you’ll want to add to your shear collection. Most groomers start out with a handful of shears.

To start out you need at least these four shears in your tool kit:
• 8.5 inch straight shear
• 8.5 inch curved shear
• blenders or thinners
• small detail shear

Once you have a basic shear collection that you are happy with, then it’s time to branch out. Why? #1: Shears don’t stay sharp. Most groomers need to send their shears and blades out for sharpening. You could be without your equipment for up to two weeks. #2: Accidents happen. If shears get knocked to the floor (it happens!) many times they’ll need a trip to the sharpener before they’ll cut again. #3: There are different shears for different jobs.

I think about it like this. My home repair skills are limited. If something breaks, I’m real quick to pick up the phone for help. If you’re like me, you only keep a keep a few tools around the house. A hammer. A screw driver or two. A measuring tape. And maybe a pair of pliers. Or maybe you enjoy home repairs. Good for you. My bet is you have expanded on your collection of hand tools. I’m guessing you even have a box to keep all those snazzy tools in so they don’t get lost. But what if you are a ‘professional handyman’? Professionals have an arsenal of tools in their tool kit. Different tools for different jobs.

Professional groomers and/or stylists are no different. We never know what is going to walk through our door. Big dogs. Small dogs. Fluffy dogs. Matted dogs (but their pet parent insisted they brushed them last night!). Smelly dogs. Dirty dogs. Short coats. Curly coats. Shedding coats. Cats. Or maybe even an occasional rabbit… You get the idea.

There is a wide variety of critters we deal with every day. We need a wide assortment of equipment to groom them at a professional level. Shears are a part of that arsenal. But there are so many to choose from. Where do you start?

First establish a budget. If you are just starting out in your career, you don’t need the Ferrari of the shear styles. You put a young driver behind the wheel of a Ferrari and they’re going to get into trouble. Same thing applies with a new groomer. You’re going to get in trouble. Best thing for you to do is admire them but put them back on the table. Maybe later in your career, but not now. You need a mid-level Ford or a Toyota. Something in the $150 – $250 range.

Next – go shopping! The best place to buy shears is at a trade show. At a show there are multiple vendors. You’ll have loads of choices. At shows you can actually pick up and try the shear. That’s the best way to get the perfect fit – try them out. No shear will feel the same in everyone’s hands.

The first thing you need to shop for is replacement shears when your main shears are out for sharping. They don’t have to be identical to your starter shears but they should be close. However, I suggest bumping up in the quality factor. Most starter shears are in the $50-$125 range. Add $50 to $100 to that number and start there. Most likely you will enjoy your new shears more than the starter set. The starter set will become your back-up.

When shopping for a second blending shear, think about the types of dogs that you work on. Are you looking for a shear that can be an eraser on smaller dogs with finer coats? Or are you looking for a large pair that can cover a lot of ground on a large body dog such as a Golden Retriever or Doodle? Or are you dealing more with a terrier type coat or maybe a sporting dog style?

If you are unclear of what you need, ask someone for help. Most of the top level professionals are happy to help you fit shears to your needs and your hands at trade shows. Simply ask them. After all, the next best thing to shopping for ourselves is to help others spend their money! Super fun for all.

Ultimately you want to have four or five different styles of each basic shear in your collection so that you can tackle any coat type with ease.

~Melissa

One my favorite quotes is by Brian Tracy. He states, “The best way to predict your future is for you to create it.”

During my long career, I certainly have had my shares of ups and downs — regardless of what the economy was doing. Personally, I find that when I make mistakes or get pushed into a corner, that’s when I really push up my sleeves and analyze what I’m doing. It doesn’t matter whether it was mastering a particular grooming technique or working on a new business opportunity. No matter what the situation was, I always took full responsibility for my actions. It’s clear. I was the only one that could change the outcome — predicting the future.

I wish there was a magic fairy that could come in and wave her magic wand over my head — but alas she never shows up. Whenever I face one of those personal speed bumps in my journey, I always assess my strengths and weaknesses. I isolate the tasks, seeking out the knowledge to improve upon my weaknesses. Is it easy? Normally not, but when you work hard at something you can look back and take full credit for the success.

Sometimes the weaknesses are small, like trying to improve upon smoothing out your clipper or scissor work.  Maybe it’s trying to figure out how to shave off five minutes of time from your personal best on the last haircut of a similar style. Or maybe your clientele has dropped off a bit due to the current economy. What services or marketing efforts can you improve upon to help bring your revenues back to where you would like them?

Keep your eyes open and learn from those that have gone before you, mastering the tasks that you’re trying to improve. More than likely somebody has been sitting in a very similar situation — seek them out and learn from them. It may come in the form of a magazine article, a chat group, a mentor, a book, or any number of ways – there are thousands.  Always remember, “The best way to predict your future is for you to create it.” Seek out the knowledge you need and become your our personal magical fairy!

Eight ways to overcome anxiety and channel nervous energy to perform your best

Whether you are looking to certify, enter a grooming competition or other highly visible display, the seasoned pros seem to have total control over their situation: calm, cool, and collected in their thoughts.

Looks, however, can be deceiving. Beneath the surface of total control, even the most seasoned, show-savvy competitors get butterflies in their stomachs. They experience the same sort of show jitters and performance anxiety that plagues those who compete at lower levels. But seasoned stylists eventually learn to use those gut-churning sensations to their advantage. They productively channel their nervous energy rather that allow negative thoughts and feelings to overwhelm them and interfere with their performance.

Everyone gets nervous. It’s normal – even the elite in the pet styling world become nervous – but they learn to work with it. You have to train yourself to like the feeling and see it as an asset.

A Bundle of Nerves

Performance anxiety reveals itself in many forms: stomach misery, sweating, shortness of breath, fidgeting, tension throughout the body, chattiness, uncharacteristic silence. Some stylists are wracked with anxiety from the moment they wake up the day of the competition or certification, others get a burst of butterflies just before entering the stage.

No matter how or when performance anxiety occurs, it usually is fueled by the fear of failure. Many stylists place great pressure on themselves to do well. Others feel compelled to do everything in their power not to disappoint their employers, fellow staff members, or family members. Those who enter the contest arena or testing site with a client dog have the added responsibility to do a good job to please the owner. Some groomers are deathly afraid of embarrassing themselves in front of an audience.

To a certain degree, many people are predisposed to being overly anxious. It’s a part of their persona and temperament, just as some folks are normally laid-back or unflappable.

Actually there’s little difference physiologically between excitement and fear. While one person says, ‘oh boy, here I go’ the next person is saying ‘Oh no, here it comes again.’ The feelings are much the same. The difference is that one is positive while the other is negative.

Those that work through anxiety may be nervous prior to performing, but they are able to set aside the negative feelings and focus on the skills they need when it’s time to compete or start testing. In contrast, stylists who can’t get past their nervousness extract less and less pleasure from competing or testing. Worse still, performance anxiety can crush confidence and divert attention for completing the familiar steps of an established trim, which reinforces the feeling of being unprepared.

Because dogs are highly attuned to our feelings, they can sense when something is amiss with a groomer’s emotions. Although some dogs are not rattled by what they sense from their handlers, others become increasingly anxious, especially when they are already distracted by the sights and sounds of unfamiliar surroundings.

1. Set Yourself Up To Succeed

Select a good dog you feel comfortable working with, choose a trim you are familiar with, and study high quality reference material.

2. Develop Proficiency and Skills Beyond What You’ll Test

You’ll be more likely to succeed when you start at lower level that’s less challenging than what you are accustomed to at home, whether that means choosing a simple trim to execute, a smaller dog to work on, or a better coat to scissor. Everything you do should be easier, not more difficult, when you’re in a show or testing atmosphere: that’s what builds confidence.

3. Simulate the Show or Testing Experience

Attend small clinics or go to a trade show or conformation dog show and hire a seasoned competitor to be your coach. Videotaping yourself adhering to the time restraints of typical grooming class is highly beneficial as well

4. Focus on the Task

To heighten awareness of the specific challenges that lie ahead, plan your trimming process on the dog. Dissect the time you have allotted for each area of the dog, visualize the finished profile you want to create – see the velvet scissor finish. Think through the entire haircut, don’t just start whacking off hair and hope for a positive outcome.

5. Accentuate the Positive

Negative thoughts take a toll on your mood as well as your confidence, and they can inadvertently slip you up at an inopportune moment. Concentrate on modifying your thoughts in a positive tone. Remind yourself to keep your shoulders relaxed, your hand smooth and steady, and move with your hips and knees when you are scissoring.

6. Rely on Imagery to Get You Through Tough Spots

Imagery is more powerful than internal dialog or self-statements when it comes to helping a person access his or her internal resources. For that perfectly scissored coat, think of crushed velvet.  Or visualize a photo or a drawing of the perfect dog you want to create. Close your eyes and take deep breaths envisioning the image perfectly in your mind. Focus on a positive image rather than thinking about failure or a disaster.

7. Give Yourself Time to Regroup

When all your preparations are accomplished – your dog is bathed and fluffed, you’re dressed to step into the ring, your tools are in order – give yourself a break from the hustle and bustle of the competitive environment and take a few moments to gather your thoughts.

8. Turn it Into a Learning Experience

Everyone wants to win but facts are facts and the placements only go so high. When I would head to the ring, I always wanted to give my best performance, but I’d play a mind-game with myself too; I would say to myself “Melissa, what’s the worst thing that could happen?” The answer was always, “I could be out of the placements with my dog. I’ve dealt with a lot worse…” One of the best learning tools you’ll ever get is personal critiques from seasoned pros. The grooming tips you can pick up at a show are invaluable to your career as you gain grooming knowledge.

Feeling you can compete with confidence allows you to enjoy the experience. You may always have to work at managing your nerves, but as your self-assurance grows and you learn to channel your thoughts productively into your performance, your anxiety will dissipate. And when you’re done competing, you may even think, “That really wasn’t so bad after all.”

Get used to your anxiety. Don’t be rattled by the way it makes you feel. Embrace it and eventually you’ll discover how to use it to put your best foot forward in every competition.

Pet bathing and drying seems to be a huge time challenge for many professionals. Many of you are all overflowing with pets to bathe during the summer season. I thought this would be a great time to review my time tested “game.” I loved to play this game whether it was with 8 or 80 dogs a day! I’ve done it both ways and every number in-between over the years.

If you are one of those high volume shops doing 40 – 70 or more pets per day…  that’s a lot of toe nail trimming no matter how you look at it!! How can you get more done in less time while not letting the quality of the work suffer? Here’s my method –  it’s a fast paced game with lots of variables to mix it up every day. After all, whoever thought pet grooming was going to be a boring job?

It’s not a mystery but it is like cooking a meal. The larger and more extravagant the meal (with multiple dishes being served), the more complicated the timing and the choices get to be. With a few dogs, it’s pretty simple – the choices are limited. Add more dogs and the variables increase.  Move to a full blown shop pushing through 50+ dogs and you have something like a full force, successful restaurant that is managed by an experienced head chef.  OK, so how do you manage your bathing and drying roster so all the pets are done to the highest degree of quality and proficiency, just like getting multiple dishes to the table all done to perfection and hot?

The Three Basic Rules & Guidelines to Follow

#1.       Review all the dogs on your roster for that day or session. This game works best when you have multiple pets arriving at one time so you can stagger them according to coat type, size, and degree of difficulty.

#2.      Do your largest and furriest dog first. Something that can be bathed and then lightly high velocity dried to lift and separate the fur. By spending a few minutes with the high velocity dryer on each pet, it allows a clear view of any special needs of that animal while enhancing airflow to the coat once it is placed in an inactive drying situation. Bathe and set up the coat on all the bath and brush pets first, starting with the largest and most time consuming dogs, working down the line of difficulty to the least difficult of the bath and brush pets. Once all the bath and brush pets are bathed, then proceed with dogs that need active drying to yield the best results.

#3.      Your goal on all trim dogs is not only to get the pet clean, but the coat needs to be tangle free and as straight as possible for the finished trim. After all the B&B pets are bathed, start washing your trim dogs. Start with the pet that has the heaviest and straightest coat – something that can sit for a few minutes while you bathe your other haircut pets without risking the coat drying before you get to an active drying method. Let the pet sit in a warm place wrapped in a towel. Proceed washing the next pet based on size, coat density and curl factor – less curl hits the tub before a curly coat – curly coats such as Bichons or Poodles go to the tub last. Once all the trim pets are bathed, start drying. The first pet up on the drying table should be the one that has the curliest, but lightest coat since that coat type will dry the quickest. If the coat dries before an active form of drying can take place while the coat is still damp, it will be impossible to remove the curl unless you re-wet the pet. Once the curliest coats have been fluffed dried so they are absolutely straight, move to the next kinkiest or wavy coat type – also weigh in the coat density factor. A lighter or shorter coat will need to go before a heavier or longer coats. A typical example would be that you have two dogs of equal size and similar haircuts like a 1.5 on the body and a fuller leg style. One dog is a Lhasa and the other is a Maltese/ShihTzu mix. Normally the Maltese cross would have a lighter density of coat than the Lhasa, thus the Maltese mix gets dried before the Lhasa. Continue this process moving from the curliest coats down the line. The key is to get to a coat before it is dry so the heat of the dryer can straighten the fur out. Remember, the goal is always to have a straight, fluffy, mat free coat to finish. Curls and kinks in the fur make it impossible to execute a trim that is smooth and sleek. If a coat gets too dry, it must be re-wetted and the drying process started over.

There are many variations to how this game gets played out to be effective. It is what makes a day interesting to a professional pet stylist. The better you get at this game, the faster you will be able to get through multiple pets without sacrificing quality. Think about what we do in the terms of food. An average home cook should be able to get 2-3 dishes on the table at the same time. A first-class home cook should be able to handle a meal with 4-5 dishes and at least 6 people. Seasoned home entertainers can handle an elaborate holiday meal for 20 with ease. A professional chef will master an entire shift serving over a 100 meals and all their side dishes with it all arriving to the table hot and beautifully prepared.

How far can you push yourself – before you get lost in the order of bathing pets? Test yourself and see how you do. It’s a fun game that can be challenging yet really invigorating. The more dogs, the more fun, and reward when it goes smoothly!

Happy Trimming

Melissa

There are five basic drying techniques that professionals use on pets. They are based on size, coat condition, coat type, and personality of the pet. The coat type often will dictate which technique is used to produce the highest quality result. The different drying methods are:

• Towel Drying
• High-Velocity Drying
• Stretch Drying
• Kennel Drying
• Blanket Drying

Today I’m going to focus on the most important drying method to master – stretch drying techniques. The term ‘stretch drying’ is also referred to as ‘fluff drying’. The two terms can be used interchangeably. Becoming proficient at this drying method will increase the quality of your grooms while decreasing the amount of time it takes to groom each dog. Bottom line: that’s money in your pocket!

Stretch Drying

To get a quality finish on most clipper and scissor finishes, the coat needs to be as straight as possible. The goal with stretch drying is to remove the natural wave or curl from the coat. Typically, stretch drying is used in conjunction with high-velocity drying. It removes the last bits of stubborn curl while getting a coat dry. It is also a good drying option for those pets that do not tolerate a high velocity dryer well, especially around the head area.

Stretch drying uses mild, warm air with rapid, light brushing only where the air is striking the coat. It’s like the reverse of using a human curling iron, where you want to hold the hair around the iron for long time to get a tight curl. There should be between one and four brush strokes per second depending upon the length of the hair. The brushing technique together with the warm air sets the coat straight and gives the fluffy appearance. The better the stretch dry, the faster and easier it will be to finish the trim. A well-executed stretch dry is the only way to get a beautiful finish on a hand-scissored coat.

Dryers used in stretch drying will have a heating element that creates air temperatures from warm to very hot. Always be aware of the air temperature out of the dryer. Air that is too hot could be uncomfortable for the pet and, at worst, may burn its skin.

There are stand dryers designed for this process or a small, hand-held human hair dryer with side air vents can be used. The small, hand hair dryers normally are attached to the stylist’s waist or held in a bracket that hangs from the neck to place the dryer at chest level.

Brush selection is based on the coat texture of the pet and the length of the fur. On most pets, a heavy slicker brush used with light strokes is preferred. If the pet has extremely delicate skin and/or a short fine coat, a soft slicker will be the brush of choice.

Start on shortest coat on the body that needs attention, moving forward over the body of the dog towards the head. Next, work on fluffing the rear legs. Proceed to the front legs and finish with the head, ears, and tail. Work only in the area where the air is striking. Make your brush strokes swift and light, one to four strokes per second based on coat length. When dealing with a heavy coated pet, line brush the area where the air strikes. Remember, the goal is to straighten the coat. Don’t move to the next area until the coat is as straight as possible and the fur is bone dry. Straightening some coats will prove more challenging than others.

When working on the head, always cover the eye with a finger to prevent an accidental scratch from the brush. There are cases of pets receiving eye scratches from stylists who were careless with the slicker brush. This is obviously painful to the pet, and in the worst cases, can lead to blindness.

Where light matting is still left in the coat, the coat can be de-matted and stretch dried at the same time. If for some reason the mat cannot be removed, make a mental note to return to that area and remove it after finishing the drying, but before the finish clipping and scissoring.

On many coats, a pet hair spray will hold the coat straight, just as it does for people, and allows for more effective clipping and scissoring. Apply the spray as a final step in stretch drying. Lightly spray the section. Set the spray with the warm air as you quickly brush it in. Make sure all mats are removed before applying the hair spray.

It is important to master drying skills. There are several drying methods and combinations to choose from, based on coat type, trim, and pet tolerance. Incorrect techniques or careless attention to drying will waste more of a professional groomer’s time than almost anything else.

An active form of drying always will yield the best results. Having a beautifully clean and dried coat also will lessen the amount of time it takes to execute the final grooming procedures on a pet. It will help you earn you the highest scores in certification testing. It will help you win grooming competitions. But most importantly, pets that have beautifully prepared coats will create return clients for your business and save you time.

Marc LaFleur and Melissa Verplank enjoying the 2013 Bissell Blocktail Party             Photo by Michael Buck – Wood TV8

For those of us that work in the pet care industry, my guess is a lot of you are just like me. You’re a softy. When you see an animal in need, you just want to reach out and help. Dogs. Cats. Horses. Birds. Wild animals. Heck, I think my husband has lost track of how many times he stopped to assist a turtle crossing the road! Bet you’ve done it too.

Today there are so many animals in need. Did you know that according to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), half of the dog’s that end up in shelters are destroyed? It’s even worse for cats. Well over 50% are destroyed. There just are not enough homes for these animals.

This was the eighth year for the Bissell Blocktail Party. It’s a local event hosted by The Bissell Pet Foundation and Cathy Bissell (of the vacuum cleaner fame). It is a fund-raising event for local animal welfare organizations in West Michigan.

The Blocktail Party is the biggest fundraising event of the year for this organization. Participants enjoy music, ‘yappetizers,’ a silent auction, and mingling with fellow animal lovers and their four-legged friends. Last year the event raised $173,000 to help homeless pets in West Michigan.
My Whiskers Resort  & Pet Spa team has always been very active with this fundraiser. This year, Whiskers was a “Best in Show Sponsor.” Plus, many of our Whiskers team members were volunteers at the party, helping make the evening go off without a hitch.

And the best part – this year Marc and I were actually in town so we could attend the event! What a blast. We got to attend with all three of our ‘white dogs.’ The girls even got to sport their festive collars — something that doesn’t happen very often when they are patrolling the property on our farm.

The event was held on the grounds of Mangiamo, a wonderful Italian restaurant situated in the historic district of East Grand Rapids. At one time it was a lumber baron’s home. Then it went on to become a monastery. And later it went on to become a restaurant. A little known fact; before my husband became involved with the pet industry — he was a sous chef. He spent four years working in their kitchen!

When we got there, dogs and their owners were coming from every angle. They must’ve had close to 1000 guests at the party! I was amazed at the volume of silent auction items up for bids. Pets and people were mingling. Food and drink was plentiful. It was shocking that almost all the four legged guests were extremely cordial and exceptionally well-behaved.

The variety of dogs attending the event was immense. You could immediately tell dogs that came from rescue organizations. They got to sport a bright orange bandanna. It was remarkable how many orange bandannas were floating through the crowd – pure-bred and mixed breeds alike.

Cathy Bissell and her team have definitely had a very positive impact on pets in the West Michigan area. Even if your community does not host such an elaborate event as the Bissell Blocktail Party, there’s still lots you can do in your local area.

• First and foremost, as a pet professional, you are at the forefront of educating owners about the importance of staying and neutering.When a client adds a pet to their family, encourage adoption/rescue – giving a homeless pet a second chance.
• Donate your skills to make pets up for adoption more appealing with a fresh grooming.
• Make your business a donation drop site for items they need; food, towels, blankets, litter, cleaning supplies, etc.
• Designate a certain percentage of your sales or a particular service to be donated to one of your local rescue organizations. (flea baths, nail trims, simple upsell items.
• Become a foster home for pets in need.
• Volunteer at animal welfare organizations within your community
• Encourage microchipping for your clients so if a pet is lost, it has a higher chance of finding its way home.
• The majority of pet welfare organizations operate strictly through generous donation — donate money. (Donating the price of 1 grooming dog a week or 1 dog a month could go a long way in helping these organizations)

It was an honor to be a part of this event. It was a perfect night – the rain even held off for most of the evening. I hope the foundation was able to raise even more money than last year!

I’m proud of our Whiskers Resort team. Every time I turned around at the Blocktail Party, we ran into them… (It was extremely hard to miss Megan who has embraced creative styling.  At the end of her leash were brilliant orange and pink dogs! )  Many of our team members were wearing the official volunteer tee-shirts supplied by the Bissell Pet Foundation. Way to go gang!

Happy Trimming,
Melissa

P.S. Check out the clip below. Marc and I are interviewed at the party with the ‘white dogs.’