Pawsta Pet

Grooming The Wet Dog

One of my favorite things to do is to Groom dogs while they are wet. Afterall when do hairdressers cut your hair?… when it is wet.

Clean hair is less likely to ruin your blades due to dullness being caused from oil, sand and debris.

There are three things to do while the dog is wet:

1. Deshedding- Deshedding is a great way to use your brains and not your braun. Start by heavily conditioning the pet, use your force dryer to work the conditioner into the hair. You can also use a coat king, long needle pin brushes around chest area and britches to get those areas that are packed. You will find by deshedding the dog wet it will prevent hair from going everywhere since it is weighted down.

2. Dematting- Use shampoo (conditioner is designed to help moisture penetrate hair shaft making the hair thicker) since shampoo cleanses the hair shaft it actually makes it thinner and easier to dematt. You will also need a slicker brush, pin brush (wooden pin) and force dryer. I know we have all been told "don't wet matts" when they actually mean "don't wet and DRY matts". Every time a matt dries it tightens and can actually start to pull the dogs skin up into the matt. I bathe my dogs regularly then add a generous amount of shampoo to the matted area, sometimes I may use my force dryer to actually push that shampoo down and help it to break up the dirt and move it out of the way. I then use a slicker brush or my personal favorite a wooden pin brush to dematt. Since the matt is coated with slicky shampoo the matts work out much easier.

3. Wet Shaving-  Wet shaving will leave about 2 blade lengths longer once the coat is dry (ex: a 2 comb wet will dry the length of a 0c). Use for dogs that the parents want longer than an e comb or for dogs that have dense coat even if you keep it short (cockapoo) and matted mess shave downs. Wet grooming is actually healthier for your lungs since you aren't breathing all of that hair in and is less likely to damage the hair.

To wet shave you bathe the dog as you normally would, lightly towel dry them and then groom. A parent who is dreading having their dog shaved due to matting will be happy when the pet comes home a little fluffier. Wet shaving helps your blades to glide through the hair easier.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my Laube clippers for grooming wet dogs- the are cordless, the moter is encased so water/moisture can't get to it and they go through anything. I use them on the St.Bernard yearly shavedown and on the full coated thin hair Maltese. They do it all!

Adding a Pet Oral Health Care Program

Would you be happy  if clients willingly paid you more money for each groom In spite of the economy and without having raised your prices? Creating a pet “oral health” program will give your more revenue and please your clients. A few years ago I discovered a product that I fell in love with and so have my clients. Nothing is worse than dogs with yucky breath and gross teeth, but we have all seen it and smelled them.  PetzLife alleviates this problem without the unnecessary anesthesia associated with “PetDentals”. PetzLife coats the teeth to fight plaque, gingivitis and periodontal disease plus freshens the breath.  I offer pet “oral health” for $5 to my clients and it includes: 1 brushing of teeth during the bath, then I swab the teeth with one more time prior to going home with PetzLife. One bottle of PetzLife retails for $29 and I can brush about 60 dogs teeth with one bottle. Just one application begins the process of fighting plaque, gingivitis and periodontal disease but I have discovered that my clients were so excited by the results that they are buying PetzLife to use at home in between grooming as well.

So, every pet that enters my salon is willing paying me $5 more for this great product which nets me more than  $300 for every single bottle I use. To me this is a WIN-WIN situation!

The Puppy Report Card

I know that most of us pride ourselves on being honest but there is such a thing as being “honest to a fault”.  Our clients trust their little “fur-baby” into our gentle hands. This is the same trust that they place their children in when they go to school. As a parent I never wanted to hear “your child is horrid” and neither does the pet parent.  

I am a firm believer in using Pet Report Cards but there are some great ways to get your point across that is gentle and encouraging. I decided to write on this topic after flipping through a magazine with report cards that read “demon dog, tyrant, etc”. I thought to myself “that would be sad to tell a Mommy that their baby was a demon”. If you spend money on buying or making Pet Report cards make sure you earn your money back by using them to encourage repeat and referral business.

So, how can we use these cards and why should we use these cards?

1.       Let parents know that their dog is loved while in your care.

2.       Make parents aware of coat, skin or other possible health concerns. How many times have you wanted to tell a client something but forgot when they came to pick up their pet? Cards will help you make that note.

3.       Give parents suggestions and recommendations for a healthier and happier pet.

4.       Encourage clients to rebook.

5.       Put your name and contact information.

6.       Conversation starter- clients tell their friends “you won’t believe what my groomer sent home with Fido…”.

 

You may click on my website link to download a copy of a great “pet report card” that I designed. Customize it to make it your own.

What's In Your Pawlicy?

Having a Client Policy is vital to your business, but covering everything is the hard part. Here are some great "idea starters" to help you build your policy. It is always suggested that you take your finished project to any attorney for final approval.

· Pet Injuries– time window to contact you, which vet to use. Do they first need approval from you. What if it is weekend.

· Closing Time– clients must pick up within — of call, pick up before closing time. What if they are late, how much per minute, when do you board over night, how much for over night.

· Client Satisfaction– what if client is unhappy with groom, too short, left too long. What is the time window in which they can complain. How can they complain/ call you email you, etc.

· Pet safety– how do you restrain (figure 8, nooses, groomers helper) Securing in tub, on table. Keeping safe around other pets.

· Cancelation policy– what time frame to cancel without penalty, do you charge a fee, how do you charge it (send bill or add to next appt) when do you fire a client after how many misses?

· Payments– what if a check is NSF or they deny a credit card charge. What fees do you assess.

· Fees for matted pets, possibilities of injury from matted pelts. Health concerns to matted pets.

· Cats– do you groom them, what do you do differently for cats. Do you groom cats once a month when there are no dogs around. Do you use specific cat shampoo, what about muzzles, securing paws to keep from scratching you.

· Clients viewing, helping, restraining pets. Do you allow it?

· Do you allow clients to bring in an already bathed animal, do you give a price break.

· What are you procedures for bathing pets/ shampoo that you use, do you use any not pet products, puralube or mineral oil for eyes. Do you flea dip? Shampoo– do you dilute, do you leave caps off?

· What do you use for cleaning kennels and floors. Do you allow pets to go into different kennels after being bathed– do you clean the kennels in between dirty dog and clean dog.

· Fees for bad attitude from clients or pets. Do you fire clients? Do you assess extra fees. Do you sedate or allow sedated pets in your shop?

· Do you allow clients to bring toys or treats for pets. Do you give treats, do you know of pet allergies. Do you provide water.

· Do you have clients disclose pet health history.

· Do you walk pets during their time with you.

· What vaccines do you require? How do you verify?

· What is your policy on rebathing pets– do you charge?

 

· If you offer other services what are your policies on

·  Break it you buy it for retail.

·  Opened products that are bad.

·  Boarding

·  DIY/ Self Serve

·  Doggie Daycare

 

· Business Owner– what are you employee policies/ do you have an employee handbook.

 

· Mobile Groomers-

·  Place to park

·  Power or water that you may need.

·  Damage to yard or property.

 

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say!

One of the most common problems in the grooming industry is poor communication, not just from the client but  from the Groomer as well. Let’s look at how we can get our message across and understand our clients more clearly.

 

Client: Leave her fluffy

Groomer: Do you want me to leave her long enough that you must brush her daily or every other day?

 

Client: Make him short

Groomer: Like a Military crew cut?

 

Client: I want her to look like a puppy

Groomer: A new born puppy with no hair or a 6 week old fluffy puppy?

 

Client: My dog hates having his nails done

Groomer: Does he move around a lot or does he try to bite?

 

Here are some other ways to communicate:

 

Find sketches of different dog breeds and make multiple copies. When a client comes in  with  a Shih Tzu and starts to give many directions you can have her sketch them out. Simply hand her a copy and a pencil, go through each part of the body and make notes. Keep this on file for future reference.

 

Have Business Policies– make them available everywhere. Keep them on your website, on a poster in your shop and on the back of receipts. Keeping your clients well informed will keep them happy as well.

 

Business Resolutions

 

Did you make your New Years Resolution yet? It's not too late. Resolutions don't have to be personal goals only, they can involve your business as well. This year I want to challenge each of you to "Set a Monthly Goal" that we can work on together to help you Achieve More!

January- This is a slower time for groomers so we need to be thinking of ways to get more clients. This is a great time to go through your client database and see who didn't come in over the Holidays. In my personal business I have come up with some "deals" to lure new clients and encourage returning clients.

Make flyers to hand out to clients, pay some teenagers to hand them out in parking lots or put on car windows (yes, this is annoying BUT it works).

~~~Get your Pet Groomed at Faux Paws by January 31, 2009 and come back by February 7, 2009 for a FREE bath!

~~~Tuesdays are TWO's DAYS: Have 2 pets receive $2 off each pet and 2 FREE Spaw Extras (Teeth Brushing, Aroma Rinse, Hot Oil Treatment, Hydro-Massage or Nails Painted).

~~~ ALL pets in January get FREE Teeth Brushing and Hydro-Massage!

The idea is to get clients IN and more often! Let me know which one you decide to try and how it works for you.

There is a wonderful website called VISTAPRINT.com where you can make all sorts of promotional items to help boost your busienss for little cost.

Start thinking AHEAD to February with "Fall In Love With Your Groomer" month. Think of all of the ways you can create a "love/love" relationship between you and your clients. In February I personally come out with a "monthly specials" card. On 1/2 of card stock I design and print a punch card with 12 monthly specials- in the center it says "Fall In Love WIth Your Groomer, Because She Loves Your Pet". Then around the card are 12 different items they can receive 1 per month. They bring in the card and I mark out the coupon- this is a great way to keep track of who is coming in each month and what specials work the best. Here are some of mine:

February- Loved Ones, refer a friend and receive $5 off your groom and your friend gets $5 off.

March- March on in for a FREE gourmet cookie.

April- If you pet smells like he got caught in an April shower, receive a FREE aroma rinse.

May- May I help with the shedding? 25% off de-sheds.

June- Summer isn't the only thing that is hot- Pets get a FREE Hot Oil Treatment.

Sometimes we just need to PAWS to achieve our goals,

Kristen