A Cut Above by Vero

Guidelines for Cage Dryings Pets

Recently at one of Pam Lauritzen Sympossium, one of our subject was about Cages Drying Pets in our Salon.

Here the Guidelines recommended by the ISCC.

 

 

International Society of Canine Cosmetologists

Guidelines for Cage Drying Pets

 

ISCC recommends the following safeguards when utilizing cage dryers:

 

1. Evaluate the overall health of each pet (age, weight, cardiac/respiratory impairments, skin/hair condition, etc) to determine whether cage drying should be considered.

 

Very young or elderly pets may not be able to regulate their temperature as readily as a healthy, mature animal.  Extreme temperatures will affect them more quickly and they are less likely to recover.

 

Unhealthy, injured or overweight pets are less able to tolerate heat.  They may be rapidly overcome by heat exhaustion and have a diminished capacity to recover.

 

Pets with physical characteristics which restrict or hinder breathing such as airway obstructions or a collapsed trachea are at higher risk of heat exhaustion.

 

2.  CONTINUOUSLY evaluate the well being of every pet while cage drying.  NEVER leave a pet unattended during any drying process.

 

3.  LIMIT the exposure to a dryer airstream to ONLY the time necessary to remove excess moisture rather than to achieve total dryness of the pet’s coat.

 

4. Maintain a safe distance between the dryer airstream and the pet enclosure to avoid potential injury from heat transfer should the pet position itself too closely to the airstream. Moreover, the dryers and/or hoses attached to a cage or crate must NEVER directly contact a pet since they may well achieve temperatures greater than the airstream itself.

 

5. The temperature of the dryer airstream MUST accommodate the comfort and safety of each pet.  Furthermore, the air temperature within the drying enclosure must be measured CONTINUOUSLY to assure that it does not exceed 75-78 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

6. The velocity of the dryer airstream must NEVER be so excessive that it poses a potential injury to the eyes, ears and skin of the pet.

 

7. Make CERTAIN that the drying enclosure (cage, crate, etc) is well ventilated and allows the airstream to safely circulate and escape from within the enclosure.

 

8.  The ambient room temperature MUST be cool and comfortable for the pet.  NEVER cage dry a pet in a warm or hot room environment.  Think about it!  Imagine that you are locked into a small closet with warm-to-hot air constantly blowing in and you are unable to escape!

 

Remember! The health, safety and well being of the pet must always be the primary consideration during the grooming/styling/drying process.

 

 

Copyright© 2008, 2009, 2010.  All Rights Reserved. No reproduction, publication, distribution or any other use without the expressed written permission of Pam Lauritzen.  Any permission granted shall be upon the stipulation that Pam Lauritzen is credited as the owner and ISCC as the source of this property.

Dallas January Symposium…how it went?

It is always amazing to go and have the opportunity to watch and work with Pam Lauritzen – Top Leader in our Grooming Industry - from the ISCC, the Pet Pro Classic and recently with her new line of products Super Coats.

It was 4 full days of Educational Programs with 3 of our Masters in Industry: Pam Lauritzen, Melissa Sirianni and I (Vero).

This was designed for all Stylists at levels from beginners to experts; all with one goal learn from the Best and become the Best!

From Skin and Coat Care with Case Studies to Scissoring Techniques with Mechanics and how to choose the right scissor to fit your hand, to Hand Striping Techniques with the different tools to use and how, to understand and create the Ideal Image for different breeds standards using  all types of  techniques and methods as well as learn how to control and place our body during styling (as a lot of us do not know  body position) etc… All from Pam Lauritzens Research and Authored Education Library.

Breed presents: Poodle all sizes, Terriers like Mini Schnauzer, Cairn, Wire Fox, Mix Breeds, Pomeranian as well as  Brussels Griffons etc…All size, all colors but with one common point: Great Dogs!

Our Stylists came from all over the Country, they were all very excited to learn and they were great!

To teach and learn from Pam Lauritzen symposiums are by far the best form of education out there.

I know all attendees left thrilled that they came and felt they learned a lot.

I cannot wait for another one.

Deaths in Pet Styling Salons

I was this weekend at a Sympossium organized by Pam Lauritzen for the ISCC in Dallas. I did have the occasion to discuss with her husband Chuck Lauritzen, who's also the Assistant Director of the ISCC about  injurys or deaths happening in our Salons. He did accept to let me wrote his article here as it is one of the main issue in our Industry.

Deaths in Pet Styling Salons

Perspective of a Professional Pet Stylist

The incidence of serious injury or death of any pet within the environment of a pet styling/grooming facility is a very tragic and regrettable event that demands to be in the spotlight of public and professional scrunity. Let there be no doubt that it is a conscious decision to leave a pet unattended, or to subject a pet to be confines of a cage/crate that is heated by a dryer, or to intermingle pets into groups without constant and rigorous supervisionto cope with their unpredictable reactions to one another. There may be explanations for accidental occurrences, but the reputations of professional pet stylists/groomers are deteriorating into that of an Industry that is replete with incompetence and negligence for which there can be neither excuses nor any acceptable vernacular to dismiss their culpabilitty for the absence of commmon sense and judicious decisions.

The best safeguard against incompetence and negligence is the due diligence of prudent, conscientious, educated and properly trained pet stylists/groomers who adhere to the unwavering protocol that a pet may be unattended for not more than a few minutes and only then if that pet is confortably and safely secured within a cage/crate, that the use of tools, equipment and techniques will never be excessive, that neither abuse nor neglect nor harsh methods and practices will be tolerated and the condition of the pet will be continuously evaluated to assure its well being. Pet owners should expect that reputable pet styling/grooming professionals will be forthright with information pertaining to their qualifications and credentials of training, their experience and their efforts to improve their educational and technical skills as well as their attitude and philosophy regarding their love of animals.

Should a pet stulist/groomer be reluctant or unwillling to provide pet owners with straightforward answers to their inquiries, then it is incumbent upon the owners to seek another pet salon for the humane care and treatment of their pets who cannot speak for themselves. Owners and their pets deserve protection and redress from any unscrupulous, incompetent and negligent members of the pet styling/grooming Industry who pose a threat that may end badly with the sudden loss of a beloved pet and companion.

Pet stylists/groomers must be imbued with the character and the integrity to be accountable for their actions and the consequences thereof, while also recognizing that their methods and practices demand a critical evaluation of the parameters that will strictly define their continued usage. This prescription is a very subjective interpretation, but it behooves the pet stylists/groomers to endorse and adopt the ethical standards that will govern their conduct and behavior to eradicate the preventable injuries and loss of life that have become a blight upon the reputation and public image of the entire pet styling/grooming profession. Should the pet stylists/groomers be unable to invoke the incompromising guidelines by which safe, effective and humane methods and practices become the minimal standard of care, then the intrusion of government regulations and the judiciary system into the daily activities of our businesses and our lives is inevitable.

Pet styling/grooming must be measured not only by the aesthetic, cosmetic and styled appearance of a pet, but also more significantly by the intangible dedication of its practitioners to the humane treatment of their pet clients. While it is presumed that the licensure of pet stylists/groomers would improve the level of expertises and the quality of care provided by a totally unregulated profession, it is no more of a panacea against the injury or death of a pet than the licensure of a physician is against malpractice. The repetitive failure of groomers licensure legislation that has been introduced in many states is attributable to the punitive rhetoric and oppressive content that was designed to penalized an entire profession for the transgressions of a minority of offenders who have brought the negative publicity and notoriety upon the innocent majority of pet stylists/groomers.

Since there are no mandated prerequisites or any governing authorities to impose sanctions upon professional misconduct within the pet styling/grooming Industry, the unsuspecting owners and their pets venture into harm's way if the owner's choice of a pet salon happens to be that of someone who has neither the education nor the experience to compare to the qualified pet stylists/groomers who have devoted their careers to improving and maintaining the health, well being and appearance of their pet clients.

Pet styling/grooming professionals have been striving to oversee and elevate the performance and standard of care of their Industry throught their membership, support and active participation within several organizations whose mission and purpose it is to advance the educational and technical acumen of professional pet stylists/groomers via advanced continuing and technical education courses, seminars and voluntary testing/certification of their academic, artistic and practical skills that will directly benefit the pet clientele they have chosen to serve.

The most notable among these are: The International Society of Canine Cosmetologists (ISCC), based in Garland, TX, The National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA), based in Clark, PA and International Professional Groomers (IPG), based in Elk Grove, IL. While these organizations dictate differing degrees of compliance and achievement, The International Society of Canine Cosmetologics (ISCC) has unquestionably the most stringent and comprehensive criterion to attain their multi-faceted certifications that culminate in the status of Master Pet Stylist, Meritus.

The pet styling/grooming Industry bears an intrinsic responsibility to the memory of Murphy and Binky and Phoebe and Toby and to all of the innocent pets entrusted to our care to ensure that our impeccable professional conduct is so beyond reproach as to leave no uncertainty that our pet clients will be returned safely to their owner's embrace.

 

 

27-28 of June, New Jersey “Hands on” Seminar.

Mini and standard poodles, bichon frise, mini schnauzer and mix breeds were groom during our 2 full days “Hands on” Seminar. All levels Pet Stylists were present, from the beginner to the advanced including competitor as well. Everyone was there to learn, grow, and work together.

My goal was to cover breed specifics and techniques with every dog our stylists did groom. Topics like breed standards, grooming techniques, handling were include as well. Another of my goal was to help each of them to improve and increase their knowledge and performances in their everyday work as a pet stylist and competitor as well.  Assisting them to pursuing their expectations and challenges was important to as I did. I wanted them to achieve their goals with high standards and qualities.

 During these two days, each Pet Stylist did have the chance to learn more, getting more confidence and guidance in their grooming performances.  Despite the difference in training, grooming techniques, knowledge, all of us were working in a great and pleasant harmony.  Adding to, a bit of fun…as we all should have a little bit of it every day!  

I would like to thanks Lisa for organizing these two great days, Jayne our host and all our attendees present. It was a great weekend and I hope other ones will follow soon. Keep the good work Ladies and Gentleman, you all made me proud to be a part of this “Hands on” seminar. I wish all of you good luck in your everyday work and in the ring!

 

My First Grooming Competition

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I still remember many years ago, actually 15 years ago my first time as a contestant during a Grooming Competition.  It was in France, July 1994, at Saint Gervais d’Auvergne during the Selective of the French Grooming Championship that was held in November that same year. I was going to School at this time too to learn grooming. It was a course of 6 month starting beginning April 1994 to the end of September 94.

For my first weekend “out” I decided to groom a terrier:  “Lucie” an 11 month old female black Scottish Terrier. She was owned by a breeder who provided some of her own dogs for the Grooming School I was learning from. On the conformation side I was still learning and not have enough knowledge on breed standard. She was long; sway back, straight shoulders, lack of neck, big ears and bad tail set. Her furnishings were not full as some other dogs in this breed especially black color ones can have as puppy.

The way I did learn to hand strip a Scottish terrier in France was different than here in the US. The breeder did teaches me to use only knifes for hand striping techniques on the body lines. Other areas of the dog like the head, checks, neck, shoulders and ears  with clippers, with a #7 or #10 blade depending on the coat type. The feet, under tail, underline with straight shears.

The class was a 2 hours time frame; all the contestants were competing together without different levels.  9 contestants were in the ring grooming Terrier like Westie, Scottish, Wire Fox and Lakeland. No clipped Terriers were being groomed like Kerry Blue or Wheaten only hand stripped dogs.  I remember I was looking everybody else hand stripping their dog like they were doing it every day. Lucie was very good but was not very fond of grooming!  She was laying, sitting down and moving around on the table all the time. The breeder didn’t “work” a lot with her as she told me before I take her to the competition with me. I didn’t really understand what she meant until I start to groom her! But I did the best I can, I kept my calm and tried to remember on the same time the little bit I’ve learn before about this breed. I hand strip her body, clipped what need it to be clipped. After a while…I saw that I did make a mistake, I shaved too much one side of the back of one ear. It was too late to fix it I tried to correct so it didn’t look to different from the other side. I remember still other mistakes I made during the grooming. Her eye brows…well I left them too long and instead of trimming them to “fit” with her muzzle I left them too long so the overall head was really looking short! I did trim her feet around way too short that I was seeing every nails to the paws. Her tail was long and fine and I made it longer taking too much coat off! I didn’t do enough attention when I did hand strip her back and she end up with a bad dip behind her shoulder blades. Oh another mistake I did and I was not alone, everyone has done this,  instead of leaving enough coat between her ears to make them closer and smaller I took off most of it! Now after many years on learning more and more about this breed, I do smile when I look and think about that class and the photos that were take during the competition. You and I can really see what I am talking about when I said I did make mistakes! I can go on and on about that first class with my first Terrier and just said I did the best of my knowledge and that what was counting. I was proud when I was done with her, she was looking very nice for me...but I don’t think it was for the judges! They went on every detail about the grooming –the good, the bad. I remember them telling me: “your Scottish look very nice but…” One think they like was that my table cover was matching my shirt and the dog:  white and red plaid! Things that I kept doing for many years during my competing career.

After all of this I still did smile and told myself that it was the first time I was competing.  I did the best I can and will do better next time now that I know what I did wrong and learn from that first time and the judges. If you ask me what was my placement after all of this and the final judging what do you think? We were 9 contestants in that class, I finish last…9^th place! Yes I got a 9^th in that class and if you ask me how do I know it’s because I went myself ask the judge after the final placement were announced.  

Everybody’s a winner in his own way, you win you lose but remember one think never stop to learn and be proud of yourself; hold your head up with everything you do. Like everybody I did win but did lost too but always try to keep focusing on what went or was wrong and make it better for the next “round”. We all start somewhere someday with or without all the experience and knowledge needed just remember…today’s over…tomorrow is a new day.

What has Vero Da Sylva been up to?

Hello everyone, this is Vero and I am so honored to be here blogging for you. For everyone that has been wondering where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to! Well I moved to San Antonio, TX and started my own Consulting Company. I have also begun to work with Pam Lauritzen and the ISCC.

I look forward to my future blogs that will cover breed specifics and techniques along with tools and skin and coat care…and here is my first blog, I chose this subject because  I get ask allot about certification and I get asked about my member pin and bars.

Why did I choose the ISCC as my Certification Programs?

ISCC stands for The International Society of Canine Cosmetologists. It is one of the different certification Programs offer in our Industry with IPG, NDGAA, PCGAA and others.

During my research I was looking for different aspects:

Comprehensive certification programs,

Level of expectations,

Different Standards require,

Level of educations,

Level of opportunities,

Level of expectations.

My conclusion was to go with the ISCC. All programs succeeded in meeting my needs and interest in continuing my education in the Pet Styling Industry. All of the educational programs proposed are quite extensive and covers an important numbers of topics concerning not only pet styling techniques but other ones like:  focus on all aspects of knowledge of the different breeds in each group, grooming the various breeds of dogs, the art of scissoring – clipping - hand stripping, behavior and handling difficult dogs, skin and coat anatomy and care, canine geometry and anatomy, clipper maintenance and repair, first aid and CPR and more.

The ISCC’s composed of a great team always ready to help anytime during a trade show, a seminar, hands on clinic, by phone or email. I was allowed to have a mentor as all members are. I can work one on one with this person. It is called the “ISCC Mentor Program”: these persons are knowledgeable, experienced with the different certifications. They can guide and give you motivation as well.

The ISCC has developed a very complete educational program along with seminars, workshops, educational tools and skin and coat care line for every level. These will help to improve and increase your skills, learning, and education, knowledge in a manner that you will expect and respect.

These programs are designed to improve and increase my knowledge and performances in my everyday work as a competitor, pet stylist, speaker, judge and consultant. They do assist me in my challenges of pursuing my personal expectations. ISCC requires strong and high standards and qualities, but they are exceeding my goals. From the beginning the ISCC helped me to learn more, guide me and give me more confidence. The ISCC is an exceptional educational program in and for our Pet Styling Industry and I will recommend to everyone to join ISCC and start to learn with and from them now.

Vero Da Sylva

ISCC DPS, MPS…I’m doing my Meritus in Dallas, TX, at the US Pet Pro Classic August 29, 30, 31, 2009