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Bring Nature to the Grooming Table

Courtney Ramstack a compassionate stylist with a dynamic personality. She has a strong sense of quality with everything that she does. Courtney has trained over 150 grooming students. She takes great pride to make her shops fun and exciting places to work.

We are proud to have Courtney as one of our Training Partners at Learn2GroomDogs.com. The first time I heard this idea explained by her, I thought she was brilliant!

This vivid grooming tip comes from Courtney. This is her description of how to trim an ear short in her video lessons.

Clipper trimming the ear on a dog can be a dangerous step in the grooming process if it is not done correctly. It is very easy to nick an ear with the clipper blade. The ear leather is thin. If you do not follow the correct direction of the coat growth, the ear leather can feed easily between the teeth of the blades.

Courtney came up with a very clever way to describe how to clip an ear to minimize accidents. The visual clarity of her description makes it almost impossible for student to do it wrong. When she’s training new groomers this is how she talks them through the process.

Think of the ear leather like a leaf. It has veins that you can clearly see running through the entire leaf. Think of the dog’s ear like a leaf.

When trimming, a very close blade, like a #40, is typically used on the inside of the ear leather.

The outside of the ear leather is typically left slightly longer. Blades can range from a #30 blade all the way up to longer guard combs. This technique works well with any blade length when a clipper is being used to style the ear.

When you start clipping, lay the ear across your open fingers. Start clipping from the top of the ear at the center — where the stem would be. As you clip, keep the ear gently braced on your fingers. From that center point of the leaf, clip out towards the edges, following the veins just like on a leaf. Keep your fingers underneath the ear as you move the clipper towards the edges to brace it. This will keep the ear stable and the dog under control as the clipper removes the coat.

On dogs with natural ears, there is a small skin flap on the inside of the ear leather. This delicate skin flap is typically found on the back side of the ear. When you flip the ear over and hold it in your hand, normally you can see it clearly. You need to be careful of the skin flap — it is very easy to catch it in teeth of your clipper blade. Typically, the closer of blade cuts, the less likely it is to catch that inside ear flap. For safety, always know where that skin flap is located.

As long as you clip in the same direction as the veins of the leaf, your risk of injury to the ear leather is very minimal. As you clip — or instruct someone else — imagine following the veins of a beautiful leaf. It’s hard to do it wrong with Courtney’s clear visual image etched in your mind.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Charting Your Progress

I love the saying, “What gets measure gets managed.” If you are not tracking what is getting done, you do not have a record to monitor your progress.

Recently we worked with Jennifer, one of our leading stylists at one of my companies. Jennifer works full-time at Whiskers Resort & Pet Spa. We were filming a Learn2GroomDogs.com video lesson with her. Jennifer arrived on set beaming. She couldn’t wait to tell us she just beat her personal best in grooming sales for one week.

It wasn’t official — yet — but she was pretty confident she broken her old record of $4,056 in weekly sales. I followed up a few days later with my manager. She was correct. She had beaten her old record!! Jennifer’s previous personal best was set during the holiday season of 2011. She had come close a few times but had not been able to break the barrier until now. Her new benchmark was now set at $4,468! Wow. I was impressed.

I was impressed for three reasons.

She was grinning from ear to ear. Jennifer was extremely excited about her accomplishment – as well she should be. Her positive attitude was contagious.
She always tracks her weekly sales. She always knows her targets along the way. If Jennifer is off her mark, she knows it immediately. She knows if she on top of her game. If she sees opportunities to push herself – she knows instantly when they appear and how hard to push. No one has to tell her – she pushes herself.
She helped the entire company reach its sales and growth marks by being so proactive with her own personal success.

If you are a professional groomer or salon business owner, tracking your progress is a great way to grow and learn. Plotting your course and tracking your results can be very rewarding. And fun too! Targets can be set for an individual, a small team of people, or for the entire company.

In order to set a goal in the first place, you need to know where you stand. That’s the advantage of benchmarking. Benchmarking is defined as setting a baseline or standard for your work. It’s the ‘pace car’ for future activities. Once a standard is set, you can measure performance over time, set goals, discover areas targeted for improvement and be proactive when change is needed.

Tracking your progress does not have to be hard. There are four areas that can simplify the process;

Make charting your results fast and easy .
Record progress on a regular basis.
Keep your eye on the target by reviewing results frequently.
Provide positive feedback when results are achieve.

Tracking and charting results provides a gauge on how well your efforts are doing. They paint a clearer picture when it comes to hitting the targets. If a target is fuzzy or does not exist, it’s extremely difficult to hit a bull’s-eye. It’s critical you know what you are aiming for!

It’s also amazing what people will aim for. The reward does not have to be large. Sometimes just knowing is enough to see results. Other times it’s as simple as adding a star or smile face to the chart. If the results are larger with clear cut objectives, larger recognition prizes might be attached to the end goal. Get creative. Build enthusiasm. Have fun rewarding yourself and your team.

We all want progress to be positive. That’s the exciting part. However, the best time to make changes in what you are doing is BEFORE you get too far off track. Before you get into trouble. By monitoring changes, you will clearly see when you need to alter your course. When an area is stagnate and needs adjustment or when you are exceeding performance standards.

Measuring your successes and failures is one of the most important things you can do to enhance your career or business. No matter what you are doing, if you are looking to improve, remember this phase. “What gets measure gets managed.”

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

The Importance of Rebooking Appointments

Rebooking clients is one of the easiest ways for groomers and pet stylists to boost their income. Encouraging clients to rebook on the day of their service will help keep a steady stream of pets coming into your salon.

It’s a fact that clients who rebooked before they leave, return on a much more frequent basis than those who do not. Let’s face it. Life gets busy. Personally, if I did not rebook my own hair appointment before I left the beauty salon, I’d be there a lot less frequently than every five or six weeks! Our pet owning clients are no different.

Many groomers don’t push their customers to rebook their pet’s next grooming. They think the client will come back when they are ready. That might be true. But it’s more likely the client will not return as often as they should.

As a professional, it is up to us to educate our clients how often they should return based on;

hygienic needs of the pet

coat condition

trim style

activity level

level of home maintenance between appointments

Most pets that are considered a ‘part of the family’ require regular grooming. These owners share their lives, their homes, and sometimes even their bets with their four-legged family member. These pets benefit from weekly or biweekly bathing. Ideally, pets that require haircuts should be trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks. How often you handle handstripped pets will vary greatly. Based on the coat type and the technique used to strip out the dead coat, they will need to be groomed anywhere from weekly appointments to a couple times a year.

Pet professionals who understand the impact of rebooking realized that is not just a courtesy, but more importantly, a business building strategy. Educate your clients about the rebooking process. Encourage them to setting aside time to keep their pet’s coat in peak condition.

Client retention is equally important to the salon owner and pet groomer or stylist. It is significantly less costly to keep a current client than find a new one. So if you’re going to invest time, money and effort to attract new clients, follow through with excellent customer service that will pay off in client retention.

Rebooking Benefits

Benefits to the Pet Professional

substantially increase your revenue stream

minimize natural peaks and valleys in your schedule

develop a positive bond with the pet and its owner

gain control over your schedule

reduce advertising costs

Benefits to the Pet Owner

keep the pet consistently looking, smelling and feeling great

maintain a healthy skin and coat for the pet

reduce shedding

schedule at their convenience

offer premier appointment slots around major holidays and events

plan around social and business events

Here are 4 Tips to Ensure Your Clients are Rebooking with Every Visit

1. Stress Maintaining a Schedule — As a professional pet stylist, it’s your job to educate your client. You know what it takes to keep their pet’s coat in peak condition. Find out how the client would ideally like their dog to look and their budget. Talk to them about how much at-home care they are willing to do between grooming appointments. Discuss the lifestyle of the pet. Once you know the answers to those questions, you can suggest the ideal number of weeks the pet should go between professional grooming’s.

2. Suggest Dates — Don’t just ask the client if they would like to ‘rebook their next appointment.’ Tell them. Suggest an ideal appointment date when you should see their pet next. Have your calendar ready to book that appointment, including a time. If the client is on the edge about rebooking, politely letting the client know your schedule is already getting booked can help tip them over the edge of booking their next grooming appointment.

3. Offer an Incentive to Rebook – Small incentives can be a great way to keep clients coming back. Offer a small monetary discount if they book their next visit within six weeks or less. Or offer them a free service with their pre-booked appointment. If they rebook on a weekly, biweekly or every third week — offer them a special discounted rate to maintain their frequency levels of their visits. (Do the math — you’ll probably be shocked at how steeply you can discount a weekly or biweekly client off their regular grooming price and still make more money on an annual basis.)

4. Train Your Staff — Rebooking clients is a courtesy to them – and a benefit to you. Make sure your entire team understands the importance. The key to success is to ask EVERY client to rebook their next appointment before they leave.

Having an appointment book that is 50% to 70% pre-booked is like money in the bank. It’s a security system that allows you to breathe easily. It insures you will not lose clients or revenue from light client bookings. It is one of the easiest ways to guarantee your income week-after-week, month-after-month and year-after-year.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Independent Contractor or Employee – Who Do You Hire?

A lot of people were asking me about this topic this weekend at the Atlanta Pet Fair. I’ve posted this before but it’s such an important topic, I’m posting it again in my blog this week. If you are a business owner, this is an important topic when it comes to finding people to help you build your company.
I’m just like most of you. My first business was a mobile van. I was extremely successful. Within less than a year I needed a second van. I needed someone to run that unit. I didn’t want it complicated. I just needed help. I figured the easiest route to go was to find the person that could groom and send them out in a second rig. I didn’t need to file all that mumbo-jumbo with the government. Heck, this person was going to run solo — it was theperfect situation for an independent contractor. After all, everybody else was doing it!
Fast forward three years. I now had four rigs. I had hired an accountant. My accountant suggested I hire a CPA to do my taxes. Throughout the years I knew in my heart I was running close to the wire with my independent contractors. My father had been harping on me. My accountant was concerned. My new CPA really set me straight using a very effective tactic — fear.
If you work with independent contractors within your grooming organization, do you really know the current tax laws? The IRS is very strict with its rulings concerning employees vs. independent contractors. Being naïve is no excuse. If you are ever caught, it will be the IRS that makes the ruling on whether you actually have an employee or an independent contractor.
There are a number of different ways to get caught. It might be an audit of your business or one of your workers files an unemployment claim, a disgruntled worker simply turns you in are a few of the common ways but there are many more.
I know — I know. You can’t afford to hire employees. All those taxes you have to take out of the employee’s paycheck and all the taxes that you need to pay into the government both state and federal plus Social Security and Medicare for each employee. Whew – it’s a paperwork and budget nightmare.
But trust me, if you have your workers misclassified, you can’t afford not to have them as employees if that’s what they truly are. The IRS has no qualms about coming in, slapping you with heavy fines and penalties equal to the amount of all the back taxes owed plus all the interest on those back taxes. Plus, the IRS may turn you in to your state government as well. In one single sweep, your business and your livelihood can be destroyed.

Shortly after I switched from independent contractors to employees I started hearing real life horror stories from within our own industry. One of my personal idols virtually lost everything due to incorrectly filing with the IRS. They lost their business, their home, their personal relationship — everything. They confirmed the fear that placed into me by my CPA years before. The IRS will – and can – destroy your life if you do not play by their rules. The stories that were shared much later only reaffirmed I had made the right decision years before.
So here’s the scoop. The laws are complex, subjective, and inconsistently applied, but knowing the rules can keep you and your workers safe. So here they are, in a nutshell: Under United States common law, a worker is an employee if the person for whom he or she works has the right to direct and control the way he or she works, both as to the final result and as to the details of when, where, how, and in which sequence the work is to be done. It is the IRS’ view that the employer need not actually exercise control. It is sufficient that it has the right to do so.
Here’s a list of 20 questions the IRS uses to determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. A ‘yes’ answer to any of the questions except #16 may indicate your worker is truly an employee. Take a look. Be honest with yourself — you can’t afford not to. (and yes did raise my grooming prices!)
IRS 20 Questions: Independent Contractor OR Employee

Is the worker required to comply with instructions about when, where and how the work is done?
Is the worker provided training that would enable him/her to perform a job in a particular method or manner?
Are the services provided by the worker an integral part of the business’ operations?
Must the services be rendered personally?
Does the business hire, supervise, or pay assistants to help the worker on the job?
Is there a continuing relationship between the worker and the person for whom the services are performed?
Does the recipient of the services set the work schedule?
Is the worker required to devote his/her full time to the person he/she performs services for?
Is the work performed at the place of business of the company or at specific places set by the company?
Does the recipient of the services direct the sequence in which the work must be done?
Are regular oral or written reports required to be submitted by the worker?
Is the method of payment hourly, weekly, monthly (as opposed to commission or by the job?)
Are business and/or traveling expenses reimbursed?
Does the company furnish tools and materials used by the worker?
Has the worker failed to invest in equipment or facilities used to provide the services?
Does the arrangement put the person in a position or realizing either a profit or loss on the work?
Does the worker perform services exclusively for the company rather than working for a number of companies at the same time?
Does the worker in fact make his/her services regularly available to the general public?
Is the worker subject to dismissal for reasons other than non-performance of the contract specifications?
Can the worker terminate his/her relationship without incurring a liability for failure to complete the job?

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Scissors Are Like Shoes

Hello!

We are excited to have Colin Taylor with us this weekend at the Atlanta Pet Fair where we will be selling his new book “What Would Colin Do?”. If you are in the area, please stop by the Melissa Verplank booth and get your copy signed by Colin. This is such a great book, I’ve included an excerpt to give you an idea of his unique and humorous style! Enjoy!

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Excerpt from the book “What Would Colin Do?” by award winning British pet stylist Colin Taylor. Used with permission.

I admit it. I’m a sucker for good scissors. I know I’m not alone. Male or female. Young or not-so-young. Gay or straight. Scissors are like shoes. We just can’t resist a wonderful pair. The shapes. The curves. The colors. My fingers twitch with excitement when I come across a new set. I start to see them in my dreams. Creating beautiful shapes.

Yes, like shoes, scissors come in an array of sizes. Colors. Makes. Models. But, like shoes, they also need to fit. However much you might need that particular pair, right now, if they don’t feel right, don’t try to convince yourself you have to have them.

The color of the scissors won’t improve your scissor work. And after a few days, the euphoria of our purchase will reside. We might still love them. But, fundamentally, scissors have to be comfortable. They have to be practical. We need to be able to use them with ease. They are the extension of our hands. The instruments of our talent. Our training. Our expertise. So don’t be swayed by the salesman’s perfect pitch. Go with the feelings in your hands. But also your gut.

Let’s say you have acquired that prized pair of scissors. You have to keep them in good working order. You have to make sure you use them only in ways that will protect their balance and sharpness. It’s hardly any wonder that heated arguments break out when a pair of scissors is borrowed without permission. And fights over scissors — sharp tools, remember — can be a frightening thing.

Use a wider bladed shear for scissoring dirty hair. These blades can take the wear and tear of cutting heavy dirty coats. And then go for a lighter or Japanese style shear as your finishing scissors. The technology of scissors, the materials used in the construction, is complex and scientific. Look out for the ‘Rockwell’ hardness of the metal used. A harder Rockwell hardness means stronger metals have been used. Which is what you’ll want.

When I buy a pair of scissors, this is what I do: I always feel them in my hands first. To check for a good, natural fit. I check the Rockwell hardness. I want something that is going to be strong and durable. I don’t get distracted by how glamorous or pretty they look. I concentrate on the potential performance. But it takes enormous self-discipline.

I try to go for an off-set shear when buying a pair of scissors. This means that the thumb hole is higher than the finger hole.

My collection of scissors include:

Curves: To get nice angles and lines.

Straight Shears: All purpose.

Thinning Shears: To blend in lines.

Texturizing Shears (chunkers): Create a more jagged/textured look.

Scissors also have tension screws. Adjust this so it feels right. But resist fiddling with it too much.

When I store my scissors, I make sure they don’t bang against each other. I also don’t store them in the wet room area of the salon. There is a lot of condensation here. I need to put them in a cool, dry place.

I have so much experience buying and using scissors, I should create my own pair. I’ll call them ‘Precious.’

To get a copy of Colin’s book, follow the link to MelissaVerplank.com or catch us at select trade shows in the United States. Colin Taylor will be in Melissa Verplank educational booth at the following grooming shows.

The Atlanta Pet Fair March 7-9

Intergroom April 4-6

GroomExpo Sept 19-21

by Guest Blogger, Colin Taylor

Groomers for Hire – What to Look For in Job Candidates

Hiring pet bathers, groomers and stylists is one of the most challenging responsibilities a pet salon owner must face. But rest assured you’ll eventually find them. Even if you are desperate, don’t hire just anybody. In the long run — it will hurt you way more than it will help you. Trust me on that one!

Even though they are difficult to locate – they can be found. Ideally, you would be looking for someone experienced in dogs – and better yet – grooming dogs. All shapes and sizes.

But that’s just the starting point. You’re also looking for someone who is reliable, punctual, compassionate, honest, and a team player. Ideally you are looking for someone who enjoys both people and pets. Plus, they have to have a personality that will help your salon attract more clients.

With a very specific job market that has few candidates, it makes the hunt even more difficult. It would be wonderful if you had an entire file of resumes of experienced groomers to choose from. However, in our field, it just doesn’t happen very often. Most likely you’re going to fill the position with someone who will need training. You will need to teach them and mold them into your ideal employee.

So what do you look for? Here are four things I look for when seeking a new pet grooming enthusiast to join the team.

#1. Compassion & Passion – No matter how talented a person may be, without compassion and passion, they she won’t be much of an asset for your salon. Look for someone who can easily identify with your business goals and its mission.

#2. Commitment – Seek out a pet enthusiast who is eager to learn more about the grooming industry. Do you see the potential in that person to be dedicated and committed to his job? This is a field where learning can be never ending. Are they receptive to increasing their skill level?

#3. Problem Solver – All businesses face problems every day. Your grooming salon is definitely not an exception. Hire someone who can be relied on to analyze, address and solve problems effectively.

#4. Professionalism – Do they present an image of professionalism in their personal appearance, their mannerisms and their speech?

Here are a few items that always impressed me when I’m interviewing prospective groomers.

They are punctual. They show up five minutes prior to the interview.

They present a well pulled together look. It doesn’t need to be fancy but it does need to be well thought out.

They smile and shake my hand firmly as we introduce ourselves.

They supply a full resume of their experience including references.

They have brought a photo portfolio of their work. Is it well presented?

If they’re a recent graduate, they supply copies of their certificate, report card, and attendance records from grooming school.

They have a proven track record of applying themselves.

They are prepared to discuss their abilities and goals at the interview instead of just reciting it from the resume.

In most cases you’ll have to do a three-step process when interviewing candidates. If a candidate does not meet your expectations at any point during the interview process, do not move on to the next step.

The first step is generally a telephone interview focusing on basic topics about the person.
The next phase would include a personal in-depth interview.
The final phase would be a practical demonstration of basic skills including; handling, prepping, bathing, drying, and executing a simple haircut on a small to medium-sized dog.

Hiring is never easy. It takes time and effort to find the right candidate for your team.

As you’re going through the hiring process always remember this. Here is most important element to look for when hiring. Look for someone who is compassionate and passionate. No matter how talented a person may be, without compassion and passion, he or she will not be much of an asset to your grooming business.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

How to Get the Most from a Hands-On Grooming Clinic

Caption: Workshop participants learning how to clip the belly of a cat with celebrity pet stylist, Danelle German at The Paragon School of Pet Grooming.

One cruise through the TV channels and you’ll find all kinds of celebrity chefs sharing their skills. Pick your cuisine or cooking style and you can find someone to inspire you – whether it is via TV or by attending a class hosted by a local celebrity chef.

In the pet grooming industry, we have the same thing! There are many stylists that have proven their skill level on a national and on an international scale. This is the crazy part. Most celebrity pet stylists can still be found at their grooming tables every day, just like you, grooming regular clients. However, many enjoy teaching seminars, clinics and workshops around the world.

Have you ever had the opportunity to train with a celebrity pet stylist? It’s a great way to improve your skills and get super energized!

Many of the top professional pet stylists love to help up and coming pet groomers and stylist. Sometimes those teaching opportunities are just demonstrations or lectures. Other times, they are workshops –which are really fun! You supply the dog or cat plus the grooming tools. As you groom, you’ll have the opportunity to be personally coached by a celebrity pet stylist.

So how do you get the most out of one of these coaching sessions?

#1. Make sure your core skills are strong. Core skills are also known as foundation skills. The two terms are interchangeable.

Core or foundation skills would include;

proper coat preparation

1. bathing
2. drying
3. nails trimmed
4. ears cleaned
5. 100% tangle free coat

knowledge of basic anatomy
basic (and correct) usage of tools; brushes, combs, clippers, scissors and carding tools and stripping knives

#2. Supply the best pet to learn with.

If you do not come to the session with an adequate pet to work on, you only hurt yourself.

select a dog or cat with enough coat to demonstrate your skills
they have a temperament that is easy to work with
they are a good representative of the breed

Like celebrity cooking chefs, there are a wide variety of very accomplished pet stylists. Many specialize in a certain breed, grooming technique or topic. The better prepared you are to participate in the hands-on workshop; the more you’re going to get out of it. Step into the session with a very open mind.

If you are young and fresh to the industry, sometimes these clinics can be almost overwhelming with the amount of information shared. Be the driest sponge that you can be — soak up every bit of knowledge that you can.

As your knowledge and skills advance, the clinics won’t be intimidating. They become a great tweaking session for your skills. They will keep you abreast of advance grooming skills and trends. Plus, these types of functions are a great way to invigorate your career.

These principles remain valid for many forms of advanced learning in the pet grooming industry. Maybe you don’t have the opportunity to do a hands-on training session. There is a wealth of information to learn from these all-star pet stylists. You might be in the audience at a trade show, pet grooming competition or watching a grooming video lesson featuring one of these top stylists. The better you can execute the core skills with your everyday grooming, the easier it will be to successfully transfer their lessons to your own grooming table.

If you are not as accomplished as these award-winning and highly successful pet groomers are — take note. You can learn a lot from their well-developed skills. Learning new skills, tips and tricks make grooming pets all that more fun!

Happy Trimming!

~ Melissa

The Westminster Dog Show is Just Around the Corner

This time a year I always get excited. The Westminster Kennel Club dog show is just around the corner! For almost as long as I can remember, I have firmly planted myself in front of the TV for two nights. I would watch the show in its entirety. Why?

Because, the Westminster Kennel Club dog show is the “Superbowl” of the dog world. It is the best way to stay up to date with the latest trends and styles. I would throw a Westminster party. I loved inviting my entire grooming team over to be glued to the TV for two nights as the show aired. For days after the show, we would talk about the newest breeds that had been accepted by the AKC. The unique haircuts we saw. The latest style trends on established breeds.

The show was important for me. I was actively competing in the pet grooming contest arena. In the old days, we would record the show. I can’t tell you how many times I would review those tapes before I stepped into the contest arena. By watching some the most spectacular dogs in the country compete at this level, I was able to get a clear image etched in my mind before I stepped into the ring at a grooming competition. Visualization is a key to success.

Secondly, I used the Westminster Dog Show as a way to help keep my grooming staff up-to-date with the latest styling trends. Once I opened The Paragon School of Pet Grooming, we continued to use the show as a key learning tool for students. The annual dog show was instrumental for students learning breed identification and trim styles. Today you can order a high quality DVD of the entire Westminster Dog Show — commercial free.

Tune in this year and enjoy the 2014 show. The Westminster Dog Show airs Monday, February 10 LIVE ON CNBC from 8-11 p.m. and Tuesday, February 11 is LIVE ON USA from 8-11 p.m. For streaming videos of each individual breed class, visit: http://www.westminsterkennelclub.com. All Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding breeds will be judged on Monday, February 10 with their corresponding groups being televised LIVE on CNBC from 8-11pm. All Sporting, Working and Terrier breeds will be judged on Tuesday, February 11 with their corresponding groups being televised LIVE on USE from 8-11pm.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Ten-Year Anniversary of Notes From the Grooming Table – Time for an Update!

Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday Lisa and I were buried within the creation of Notes From The Grooming Table. Notes was designed to be a reference guide for the professional pet groomer. With every breed, I identified the “correct” grooming method for the AKC confirmation show ring. However, in the book, I gave basic pet grooming directions and how to maintain the integrity of the breed using pet grooming techniques with clipper’s and scissors.

In total, Notes From the Grooming Table took over three years to write. At the time there were 150 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. Those were the dogs that we included with Notes. When we first started working on Notes, we had no idea the global appeal this book would have on our industry. We sell almost as many books abroad as we do here in the United States.

Since Notes was first published in 2004, the AKC has accepted almost 50 new breeds in just 10 years. A number of those breeds come in multiple sizes and a variety of coat textures. 10 years ago, the Miscellaneous Group was so small, we didn’t even opt to include in the book. Today there 15 breeds in the miscellaneous category of the AKC! We have opted to add them to the updated version of Notes From the Grooming Table.

Ten years ago, the Internet wasn’t even close to what it is today. The amount of research Lisa (my illustrator for Notes) and I had to do with individual breeds was mind-boggling. Finding reference material about each dog required book after book — magazine after magazine — and many dog shows. Today, research is much easier via the Internet. But as you know, not everything on the Internet is totally accurate. It still requires an awful lot of reviewing, sorting and double checking before I feel the information is accurate.

I don’t want to think about how many drawings and sketches Lisa created to make Notes come alive. When she felt she was close on the drawing, she would bring it to me for review. I know she hated this, but it worked. I’d pick up my scissors, tape, a red pen and my trusty AKC book. I’d read the standard, measure the dog out and then start cutting the dog into what look like puzzle pieces. Lisa watch from the sidelines horrified. I cut it apart, re-measure it, change body shapes and tape it back together. I’d hand her back her draft drawing and tell her, “Do it this way.” And she always did very willingly – although I’m sure there were times she was cursing me under her breath!

When I first wrote Notes from the Grooming Table, certain tools didn’t exist. They weren’t even an idea yet. Or if they did exist, there have been huge advancements with the piece of equipment. The tools that are high on my radar list are the extensive variety of attach-on guard combs. Wow. Those have come a long way! Battery operated detailed trimmers are another piece of equipment no groomer should be without. Another tool that has gained wide acceptance are the large blending shears. When Notes hit the press, I’d never even seen this item!

Back in 2004, we never anticipated we would have a global market. We never address the different styling techniques and trends depending on what continent you’re grooming salon is located. And not only are the styling trends different, in some countries we are starting to see docked or undocked tails along with cropped or uncropped ears. These variances are sometimes personal preference or laws from the individual countries. Whether the dog has a tail or not is going to dictate how that tail is going to be handled in the grooming salon. Same thing goes for ears on many breeds.

Ten years ago, the art of hand stripping was just starting to take root in the professional pet grooming salons. Today, we see more and more pet stylists applying hand stripping techniques to pet dogs than we’ve ever seen before.

What’s up with all the hairless breeds? We’re going need to put an entire section and how to care for dogs that don’t have any coat to protect their skin. They certainly have different needs than the coated varieties!

How many of you realize what kind of deadline we were under to get Notes published for the first time in 2004? We had done a large PR bit announcing the release at a major tradeshow. Of course, our timing wasn’t going quite as planned with the final printing. There were issues. Lots of issues.

In order to get this book on the press in time to make our debut trade show, we only had 24 hours to proof the entire book. I opted to keep the first run of Notes From the Grooming Table a small run. Good move on my part. It was riddled with typos. If you are one of the early purchasers of Notes, check it out. It’s pretty funny because some of the typos are absolutely blatant. (Like the color of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.)

Luckily, many of you were gracious enough to simply point out our typos. For the first few years, we continued to keep our print runs small. Every time we went back to press, we would fix a couple more typos. One of the typos I can’t believe has totally slid under the radar for all ten years has been the spelling of the breed Schipperke. It’s still wrong today. Whoops. Go ahead – grab your book and check it out – I’ll wait. Needless to say, that will be fixed in our revision of Notes From the Grooming Table!

For our tenth year anniversary, we are working on revising Notes From the Grooming Table. Lisa and I are excited to be able work on this project again. For the first time in years, I am literally going through Notes From the Grooming Table page by page. I have a highlighter, a colored pen and lots of sticky notes. It’s hard to believe there so many new breeds to address. We’re enjoying updating the styling trends that have changed slightly on established breeds. It’s fun being able to share with you so many new tools that make grooming dogs so much easier.

This is turning into a major undertaking. However, with this revision of Notes From the Grooming Table, we want to take our time. There will always be opinions on what is right or wrong with all aspects of the style and trends of professional dog grooming. We want to make sure we give you lots of options to create a dog that is well groomed – even if you have never physically groomed that breed before. Armed with Notes From the Grooming Table, you will have the most current and up-to-date pet styling book available anywhere in the world. Look for the revised edition of Notes coming out late in 2014.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Leave Your Emotional Baggage at the Door

In a grooming salon, your four footed clients need your full attention. 110% of it. Every day.

Let’s face it, we love dogs. The last thing we would want to do as a pet professional is hurt a dog (or cat), but there are countless dangers lurking around every corner of a grooming salon for a pet if we are not on top of our game. We work with a wide variety of sharp instruments. Tools that can cut, tear and cause abrasions to the skin if used incorrectly. There are many products that can burn or irritate the skin if not used properly or removed thoroughly. If a pet fell from a grooming table or bathtub, it could cause injury or even death to a pet in our care. Improper and unsupervised drying procedures can kill a dog. Incorrect or rough handling can seriously hurt a pet.

Becoming a pet grooming professional can be an enormously rewarding career but it takes training and practice. Lots of practice. Correct practice. Sure, our role is to clean and make the pet look nice but it’s more than that. It’s about keeping the pet safe. Winning its’ trust. Making the grooming experience as pleasant as possible for the animal.

It’s important to remember that our four footed clients are animals. They are going to think and react like an animal. No amount of humanizing a pet will ever change the fact they are hard wired to be a dog (or cat). When a pet comes through our doors, all their senses are heightened. They are on high alert. They live in the moment – and that moment can change in an instant depending on whom and what is happening to them.

In a dog’s world their current environment is either stable or unstable. They have the same senses we do, but do not rely on them in the same order as humans do. A dog interprets the world predominantly by smell, whereas a human interprets it by sight. Dogs also have a highly developed universal sense where they can feel the energy (emotions) of the other beings around them.

Pheromones are chemicals that provide animals with information about another animal’s emotions, mental state or behavior. Both people and dogs release pheromones and dogs are able to smell the pheromones of other dogs days after they’ve been secreted. Dogs can also detect pheromones in people.

Like pheromones, dogs can pick up the scent of select hormones. Cortisol is a hormone associated with stress in both humans and dogs. Pets can presumably detect stress in people because they secrete the same hormones as stressed dogs. People also release hormones associated with a variety of other factors including sexual arousal, anger, fear and illness or disease. Dogs may be able to interpret the meaning of at least some of these hormones.

Both the wild canine species and dogs exhibit complex body language. Small, almost undetectable tail, eye and facial movements give dogs valuable clues about emotions and intentions. Because dogs can’t speak, they are accomplished readers of human body language. A pet may detect that a person is afraid or angry long before people notice. This is not because of a magical sixth sense but rather a result of acute powers of observation.

Dogs are acutely aware of energy. Energy is a combination of many factors but it combines body language and smell. People understand energy too, but dogs sense it at a higher level due to their enhanced levels of observation and smell.

If you work with pets, it’s crucial that your emotional baggage get checked at the door. I can guarantee your co-workers don’t want to hear about your personal woes. And I promise the pets are going to reactive negatively to your penned up emotions. If those emotions are anything other than calm-assertive energy, the dog is going to know it.

It takes dogs only an instant to figure out what kind of energy you are projecting. If you are working professionally with pets, it’s critical you gain full control of your presence. You want to project calmness. You want to instill confidence. There cannot be a question of who is in charge of the situation.

If your personal emotional baggage crossed into the grooming salon – you are in for a rough day. Experts agree that how we feel has a major impact on how our dogs are going to behave.

Yes, being a professional pet groomer can be highly rewarding. But it also is a big responsibility. With every snip, clip, brush and comb, dangers lurk for your four footed clients. They need your full attention 110% of it every day – and every moment – to win their trust and cooperation while keeping them safe. That’s your job.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

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To get a copy of Colin’s book, follow the link to MelissaVerplank.com or catch us at select trade shows in the United States. Colin Taylor will be in Melissa Verplank educational booth at the following grooming shows.

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