Pet Care Club

For those who love their pets...

Choosing a Dog Groomer

So now you have a dog. Like any other member of your family, your dog will need to be groomed every once in a while to keep clean and healthy looking. While grooming your dog yourself is an option, not all dog owners have the time or the knowledge of dog coat styles to do it themselves. So how do you know which dog groomer to choose? If you know what to look for, you’ll find that choosing the right dog groomer is a really easy task.

First and foremost, trust word of mouth. If another pet owner tells you they like a specific dog groomer, then that groomer is worth looking into more. Once someone has recommended a dog groomer to you, it’s still a good idea to check out the groomer for yourself. This dog groomer may not have the right chemistry with you or your dog, and it’s good to find this out beforehand. Also, you may want to check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints filed against this dog groomer.

Always take a look at the facilities that the groomer uses – you definitely don’t want to send your dog to a place that isn’t clean. Does the place smell clean? How does it look? One good hint to seeing how clean the facilities are is to check the tub that the dogs are washed in – expect the tub to be a little bit hairy, but if the tub is dirty, it’s a good indication that the whole facilities aren’t in good condition.

Check out the drying cages that the dogs are kept in; ask how often they are cleaned, and what is used to clean them. You should be looking for something that is cleaned at least once a day, preferably with a product that has bleach in it. Also, are the cages big enough for your dog?

Does the equipment that is used look like it’s in good shape? Are the tables disinfected between dogs?

Most importantly, do you like how the dogs that are leaving the dog groomers look?

After you’ve had a chance to take a look at the facilities, you should still actually talk to the dog groomer, and ask any questions that you have. Some questions that you may want to have answered are:

  • How long has this groomer been in business?
  • What kind of experience has this dog groomer had with your breed of dog?
  • What kind of pet records are kept? (grooming, medical, vaccination, etc.)
  • What kinds of services are available? (shampoo and blow-dry, hair cut, nail clipping, etc.)
  • Are the hours flexible enough that you’ll be able to drop off and pick up your dog around your schedule? Are you able to drop your pet off the night before, if you cannot on the morning of the appointment, or can you pick your pet up the next morning if you aren’t able to after the appointment is over? If your pet is staying the night, what type of food is going to be fed to him/her?
    What do the dog groomers do for pets that misbehave?
  • What happens in the case of a medical emergency?

If the dog groomer has answered all of your questions satisfactorily, there are still a number of things that need to be communicated between you and the dog groomer. If you’re going to be showing your dog, you will want a dog groomer who specializes in grooming your breed of dog. The groomer should want to know a bit about your dog in particular – is your dog aggressive? How old is it? Who is your vet and what is your dog’s medical history? When was the last time your dog was groomed? What is the state of your dog’s coat – is it matted? The dog groomer should know whether your dog has hair or fur, as hair and fur require different procedures to drying and cutting your pet’s coat.

Of course, sometimes the best way to see if this dog groomer is the right one for you and your dog is to actually set up an appointment with them, and see how the appointment goes.

Before the Appointment

Your job isn’t finished once you have the dog groomer chosen, or the appointment set up. There are a few things you should be doing before the actual appointment to make things go more smoothly for your dog and the dog groomer.

You should spend five to ten minutes a few times a week brushing your dog’s coat, in order to keep your dog as mat free as possible, as well as to get your dog accustomed to people brushing/grooming him. It will help him feel a little bit more comfortable once he is at the dog groomers.

Make sure your dog is up to date on all its shots.

Don’t feed your dog right before you take him to the dog groomers – this will help avoid any types of accidents that may happen in the drying cage.

Lastly, when you drop your dog off at the dog groomers, say goodbye to your dog quickly, to avoid creating a more stressful environment for your dog.

After the Appointment

When you’re picking up your pet from the dog groomers, how does your dog look? Do you like the cut? Does your pet’s coat look shiny and healthy? Pay attention to anything the dog groomer has to say to you about anything they may have noticed about your dog (behavioral or medical problems).

Keep in mind that no matter what happened at this appointment, your dog is bound to be a little nervous. That does not always mean that your pet wasn’t treated well.

Lastly, never forget to tip your dog groomer!

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