SmartStyling

WAPPS hosts Rover Makeover Rescue Dog Competition!

For the first time ever, pet grooming will be featured at this year's Great Lakes Pet Expo! 

For more information, please visit our Registration site at:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2mgxngpf056e10e

3rd Annual Pet Stylists Fair (13 photos), by Chris Sertzel

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1398439016/a=138648892_138648892/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Creating a Scissored Trim in a Flash!

Most of us enjoy scissoring.  Most of us enjoy charging a bit more for all of our skill and effort as well.  What about being able to charge for a hand scissored groom, but still creating one in less time and with excellent results?

Does it sound like working smarter instead of harder?  Yes.

Below I have a BichonPoo mix that comes in regularly for a scissored groom.  The owner wanted a full neck and head, nice full legs, a cute “sassy” rear and long tail & ears, and he likes “the look of a nicely tailored and scissored groom”, but is not good about brushing. I on the other hand, need to do the groom in a unique and flattering way, yet I need to make it easy for me and do it in a reasonable amount of time!

So, instead, I clipper all of the dog that I can, and scissor the parts of the dog that get the best finish and look when scissored. This makes the trim easier for the owner to care for, and easier for me to do each time they come in. 

I still play up parts of the dog’s structure to compliment his form, and I still spend a fair and honest amount of time doing scissor work, but not so much that this one groom takes up a full three hour slot, and the dog is happier getting in & out a little faster as well.

Below you can see the dog that I have to work with upon arrival.  This is 10 weeks of growth (simply cannot get this one to rebook every 6 to 8 weeks…).  And there are all sorts of matts in there; under both front arms, the tummy and groin, through the chest, and under his ears. Enough is enough!  It is time to take off all of the coat that he doesn’t need to look handsome, and still be comfortable!

                         Doesn’t he LOOK like he’s unsure if he’s going to enjoy this?

                                                              Poor kid!

So, the first thing I do?  I resist the urge to just clip it all off, and instead go to a good bath with a clarifying shampoo. I dry him from very wet, squeezing the coat to take out most of the water (not rubbing!), and then I follow up with an overall drenching or Ice On Ice (or Detangle, or Simple Solution, etc.), giving it all a good squeeze to work it into the coat before I turn on the HV dryer.  I dry a section at a time, loosening the tighter matts with a Poodle comb first and then a bit of tapping with a small soft slicker while the hair is still damp.  This method saves breakage of the hair and pulling on the skin.  Most of the matt pieces blow right out and the tangles that are left are very easy to comb thru.

Below you see the clean dog full of coat, that I then have to work with.

                                          Alright, ready to start clipping! 

So then, I set in the topline with the dog standing squarely. I lift the tail over the back as he would normally carry it to be sure he is nice and level on top.  I then clip down his sides across his rib spring (widest part of his ribs), down his shoulder, down the muscle of the hip and thigh, up tight under his chin (you want a tight throat to accentuate a longer neckline and you want no throatiness under the chin as it will make your dog look chubby and front heavy- taking away from your dog’s overall profile) down to just above his chest bone all with a #3 ¾ blade. The blade you use is up to you, but the point is that you can clip the majority of a dog down in a shorter length, and still scissor finish the dog to a great style with minimal work.

Here is a photo of all the areas that are actually clippered on this style of trim.

                                           Not too much left over to scissor!

It is still important to blend all of your clipper work well into your scissor work to make it look well tailored and tight. And you may find with some dogs that you need to also scissor in the topline if they have very poor structure, but most owners will not notice if the dog’s topline is completely level…

 Next I will well hollow out the groin and sanitary areas.

There’s no sense in leaving all that hair under the legs and inner thigh just to matt back up.  The overall look if the trim will not suffer from having the per inner leg and groin clippered tight with a #7 blade.  See also that the back of each leg is clippered tightly with a #3 ¾ blade as well- to about 3 or 4 fingers above the point of the hock.

Next I will do pads tightly and as neatly as possible- here I used a #30, but a #40 is fine also.

At the same time, I will comb out the dog’s feet and set the curve of the foot from the underside with my shears,  neaten up all of the hairs on the underside of the foot that will collect dirt and tangle easily, and double check for toe matts with a fine comb.  You want to clip the hair up and away from the pad so that the foot is tight, yet does not show nail when the dog is standing. After setting the hair back from the pad with the foot lifted, place the foot down and stand the dog squarely to set in its bevels on each foot with your shears. I will use either straight or curved shears (curved shears make this easier!), at a 30 degree angle up from the table to scissor right around the foot, making the dog look up on toe and as if it is “elevated” from the table. A pancake foot will ruin the outline of the groom, make the dog look dumpy and give an disproportionate base for the dog to stand on.  Round, tight feet and straight legs are the pedestal for your groom to be displayed on- and therefore the foundation for the groom itself.

Then I will move on to the rear angulation. I will scissor in lightly at the point on the hip to accentuate the angel there, and a little tighter right at the point of rump- along the croup to give a tight angle there.

Next I will scissor the bend of stifle at a soft curve to accentuate and good bend of the leg.  And then I will blend the tuckup into the flank and across the top of the hip to remove e the clipper marks.  Notice the tight and lifted foot as well.

A well let down hock as see here can easily be set at the proper angle…

 By lifting the rear leg to a 90 degree angle from the table top, so that the pastern is completely horizontal. Then all you do is scissor straight up and down along the pastern.

When you reset the foot down, soften the point of hock and neaten up any strays at the back of the foot with your scissors, and the rear angulation is set!  All you need to do then is to bring the line off the top of the thigh straight down to the line at the edge of the foot and create a neatly cylindrical leg.

 

                 Back view                                                 

Front view

 

          And side view

*Remember that if you want a tighter rear leg, you can also use a clip comb attachment to fall off the top of the hip straight down towards the floor to set the length of the leg hair!

  

Next I set in the front angulation.

I have clippered all the way down the chest on this dog due to matting, but you could also leave a little hair at the point of chest and scissor the chest into a nice soft curve across the breastbone as shown here. 

A slightly round chest creates depth of chest and creates a better overall spring of rib, giving the dog the look of being well developed thru the chest and shoulders add adds to a well developed barrel and therefor a tighter elbow.

Next I will scissor down the sides of the neck and across the withers to blend the clipper line into my scissored neckline.

So you can see that here I am really only blending in my clippered areas into my fuller areas across the should and the sides of the neck.. I personally always work from the top of the dog towards the floor when scissoring.

The next thing I do is to scissor the front legs. I actually clipper the front of the leg with a clip comb as shown here, 

scissor the angle of the elbow with the leg lifted slightly…

and then drop the foot and stand the dog square to scissor the back of the leg straight towards the floor.

  So again, I am only scissoring the elbow and rear of the front legs, and then creating a round foot across the top of the foot to create a cylinder shaped leg with a tighter foot that is up on toe. *Remember that by leaving more hair on the back of the front leg and taking more hair off the front of the  front leg, as well as leaving more hair thru the tuckup, more hair on the front of the rear leg, and tightening up the hack of the hock, you are giving the illusion of the dog being shorter and more compact in body length. this helps give a better overall outline by drawing the eye away smoothly fromthe center of the dog to the front and rear of the dog, and keep the dog looking tight and nicely angled.  This breed of dog per breed standard should be squarely built and well angled- so our clip style should reflect that as well, even if it is a pet trim.

Next I will tighten the side of the neck and the topline of the neck to create a nicely angled crest and to give length of neck.

Note that all that hair under the ears and the side of the neck has been clippered off. The actual shape of the hair that is left to create a neckline, if viewed from the top of the dog, resembles a teardrop shape, with the point of the teardrop at the middle of the withers.

Here is a photo of the dog’s topknot set and neckline.

Notice that his chin and throatlatch area are clippered tight to give a good strong jawline to the head and create a nice headset.

And here is a photo of his face.
The owner does like a fuller head than I would ideally keep, and a little more beard and ear hair than I would keep, but the face is soft and sweet in expression, and the eyes are clear of overhanging hair.  Remember to snip back all of the slurpy hairs from the lips and to clean up the flews of the lip with your thinners to minimize buildup of dirt around the mouth.

That is it!  The whole groom takes me about 1 and 2 half hours of work, and the dog is handsome, well tailored and easy for them to brush—if they ever decide to!

      

 

Overview for Rolling A Coat

Equipment needed:

Rubber fingers to fit thumb and index fingers

                 (instead of bare fingers)

Grooming stone

Comb

Coarse stripping knife

Fine stripping knife

Flat, natural bristle brush

Witch hazel in spray bottle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Britmor's "Witch"

Two things to remember before you begin rolling the coat: number one- know your pattern well before you begin, and number two- it could look worse during this process before it starts to look much better and you may feed pretty discouraged.  A nicely rolled coat does not happen overnight and may take several months to get all those hairs rolling in the right cycle.  Start rolling the coat when they are puppies maintaining it will be easier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are some rules when working on a rolled coat, they are:

#1.  Never, ever cut the coat with shears, thinning or otherwise.  Put them away to avoid the temptation when getting ready for a show.  No thinning and cutting a coat only defeats the purpose and it will be regretted for months to come.

#2. The coat must be worked religiously at least once a week.  Set a specific day aside to work the coat.  Nothing else matters that day but getting your dog’s coat worked. Not working it once a week will only prolong the process and could have to start again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Devata's "Chelsea"

Here is the general procedure for working a rolled coat (keep in mind that others have their own techniques … once again, there is no right or wrong way…  the end result is the only thing that matters):

 First:  Rake over the entire dog using both the coarse and fine stripping tool.  This pulls out some of the undercoat and also some of the longer top coat that are blown.  Do this until you're not getting any coat to come out.  Some groomers calls this “mucking”.

Second:  The next step is to go through the longer parts of the coat using only your fingers.  Have you ever watched how a beautician cuts hair?  This is basically the same procedure.  Catch up a small amount of hair between the index and middle finger of your hand (you will be able to see the layers in a properly rolled coat) and pull out only the longest hairs. You can use a comb to comb the hair up off the body.  Always try to work from the front of the dog back towards the rear and work your way down the dog’s spine first.  Whenever working on the dog’s sides, you'll find it easier to have the dog lying down on his side so that I can do a more thorough job.

~When you feel that your finger work is complete, work on all the shorter areas that you pulled with the stripping knives, never pulling more than two times in the same area.

Third:  Take a grooming stone and go over the entire dog.  This removes some of the longer hairs that may have been missed and a bit more undercoat.  Be very careful not to injure the dog’s skin while stoning in the areas where the coat is short or might be thinned out.  Very light pressure is used.

Fourth:  Then comb through the entire coat looking for bumps in the coat.  These bumps are areas where the hair is longer than the hair surrounding it.   Attend to any areas you may have missed.

Fifth:  Spray down the coat with witch hazel and brush it through it by using either a hound glove or a flat, natural bristle brush.  This helps remove debris and stimulates growth and skin regeneration.

overview from Devata Kennels

ANNOUNCEMENT! Available NOW!

“The Competition Grooming Guidebook” by Christein Sertzel is now in print and ready for industry ordering.

This book is an all encompassing guide for stylists of all grooming experience levels who are just starting out, or are already active in the competition grooming circuit and want a leg up on the competition. 

With topics and chapters which cover every aspect of trade show competitions and any question that a reader could have about their journey, this book was designed with the purpose of being the mainstay tool for competitors to refer to and gather information from. 

Within this 114 page book, chapters cover everything from starting out in planning and preparation, and go all the way through to explain how classes and points are structured, acquiring dogs, contract templates that can be used for borrowing dogs, what to expect in the ring, sportsmanship, packing lists, advice from industry icons and pros, grooming tips & tricks, what your judges are really looking for, an entire chapter of site links and contacts for more even information, journalling pages, and pages and pages of photos for reference. 

You are sure to find this book at your side as one of your most important tools and references for all of your competition journeys.

  Get your copy today by emailing directly at competitiongrooming@gmail.com

Here is an excerpt from the book!

Chapter Three: Finding & Preparing Your Competition Dogs

 

How and where do I find good quality dogs that are up to breed standard?

          The easiest dogs to compete with will almost always be your own.  The many bonuses to owning your own competition dogs are that you know this dog’s entire personality, how to bring out its best, there are no liabilities to someone else in the event of a mishap, and you are solely in control of its grooming-meaning you aren’t costing yourself grooming sales nor are you at the whim or an owner’s decision to pull out after you’ve given them free or discounted grooming. 

At times breeders are also looking to home retired breed stock.  You just have to take the first step and go up and introduce yourself and talk with them.  Tell them who you are and what your plans are and most of all- WHY you are competing.  i.e. - For the continued education and love of that breed.  By taking the time to approach these breeders and making contacts at local dog shows, this gives you another outlet by which to possibly acquire a great quality dog for competing with, either as taking a new dog into your home or just by working with the breeder as you would a regular client at your salon.  At other times some breeders are comfortable after they’ve met you, with placing the dog in your home while you are working on your competitions, like a host family.  This is a great situation as long as you are both protected for liability issues, because you have a beautiful dog with which to learn their habits and personality ahead of the competition day, and when you are finished the dog (usually!) returns home and you’ve made a life long contact with that breeder. 

By the way, you would never want to approach a breeder to talk who is actively competing- wait with respect to the hard work that they are doing to talk with them in the benching or exercise areas.  This trade of information needs to be done with respect, cordiality, and time to spare or you may waste your effort.

            If you aren’t able to take on the responsibility of another dog, again, you may want to either talk with breeders about grooming their dogs as clients for the ring, or to your grooming clients about giving their dog a try.  Most clients are thrilled and flattered at the idea that they will be getting discounted or free grooming in return for their pet being the center of all that attention and up for a possible trophy!  Many owners even like to go along to watch and get great pride from being involved.  Again, the most important element to any relationship is to be sure that you are both protected against liability issues and your extra work is guaranteed by your having that dog, fully coated and ring ready when you need them.  It is hard to fully protect yourself against the people who will work with you for free or discounted grooming and then pull the dog or cut their hair at the last minute because they never intended you to actually take the dog into the ring. It happens, rarely, but when it does, you NEED to have kept a record of the money that would then be owed to you and have that signed contract in order to collect on your end.   And you need to remember that it is a lesson learned, but to keep trying!

Another resource for attaining dogs worthy of and also having experience with competing is from other stylists.  Many times, when you are beginning to compete, you may be on your own for finding dogs unless you have a friend who is already competing. But as you progress with you experience, you may find other stylists contacting you for dogs for themselves and that they may in turn offer to share certain dogs or breeder contacts with you as well. 

At times, some of your trade show sites will list a contact for available competition dogs at the show destination or with other competitors that have dogs and contacts available- this can work out well since traveling with the dogs would be minimal and the dogs would be of good quality.  The only issue again could be that you are unaware of this dog’s personality, so you want to spend some time with these and any dog that you are meeting at the competition for the first time. 

Remember that there is always some risk involved in accepting competition dogs on site. Especially if you are newer in competing and not familiar with many other competitors who are reliable and experienced.  You never know the condition of the coat, their upkeep, their personality, and most of all- after paying expenses to get there, if the dog will be there at all!  So, if you can locate dogs ahead of time, this is always safest.  But, if you really want to compete but have a lack of dogs, don’t let this keep you from it as there are many ways to locate dogs.  

 What about competing with dogs not up to breed standard?

It can and has been done!  Most dogs that we see in our salons as clients have certain or multiple conformational flaws, but in choosing a client dog, one would just need to find one with the best conformation and the best coat to work with to accentuate or hide characteristics.  Remember that the more flaws a dog has, the more work you have just made for yourself.  But at times-especially in a beginner’s class, you may place higher if you’ve successfully achieved making that dog look as close to perfect as it can after having successfully hidden these traits.

 The elusive 6 weeks of coat growth- is more better?

 Every stylist should know the specific policies, rules & regulation for each class at each show they will be participating in.  You will always want to find your show addendum and read it thoroughly to have your guidelines set in stone before you start.  Every show that I have contacted for this book requires a minimum of 6 weeks growth.  So we know then that aside from sanitary clipping around potty areas, no clipping of the dog should be done.  Many stylists think then that if they come into the ring with double the coat required that they have a leg up on the competition for a placement.  Well, not usually- unless you are entered in an Extreme Makeover competition.  You are certainly welcome to come in with a huge crop of coat on your dog, but remember that you have to get that entire coat off & finished to superb detail just as the rest that only have 6 or 8 weeks of growth when they come in.  Certain breeds do grow coat at different rates as well as do individual dogs have genetic predisposition for how quickly they grow coat, so it is important to pay attention to how your dog looks when you are maintaining it while readying for the show.  Either way, too much coat can be difficult to effectively and skillfully wade through, especially if you are just beginning competing.  There is a point of acknowledgment that your judges will most usually give you if you make a sculpture out of a huge mound of hair, but you have to do it well or you will end up running out of time and finishing with an unfinished dog.  On the other hand, if there isn’t ENOUGH of a difference between your before & after, you may not place as well, and certainly if you do place against others that worked down far more coat, the actuality of how long you allowed your dog to grow before the competition may be questioned. Now, what your judges see and think is most important, but, one must always strive to be honest and fair when competing.  This way, when you do place, you never will second guess what you’ve earned, and if others do, you still can hold your head high.

 

 What is the foundation of a great groom? 

Understanding Prep Work is Power!

If you take anything away from this book, let it be that prep work will make or break your entire groom and therefore your placement.  You cannot get an award winning style on a dog that hasn’t been properly and diligently prepped.  So give yourself time to get this job done well because if you cut corners it will show, and you don’t want to waste your time or money trying to fix things that hold up showcasing your true ability.

Remember these tips:

*If you usually bath once- bathe twice. 

*Get your curly coated breeds as close to stick straight as their genes allow!  

*If you are allowed to do pads & sanitary work ahead of time, do it with great attention to detail and thoroughness. I have heard during judge’s critiques where they point out an untrimmed pad or a sanitary that is sloppy. And if the competition is fierce or you are looking at a “Best Groomed” placement, sometimes it is such small things that can make the chips fall in one direction or another. 

*Do not load up your coat with product the morning of your class as it will likely fall apart well before the groom is finished.  A firm understanding of your breed’s coat type and care will eliminate relying on product to do your work for you.  What topical products are SUPPOSED to do is to overcome the shortcomings of the coat such as density and texture which are best restructured immediate to the groom with little rest or movement before judging.  With the exception of densifiers like “Jazzing” or any body building or protein growth treatments for the coat, your coat should be a clean slate when you step into he ring.  Grooming in the raw the morning of your class is usually best unless you know for sure the clip doesn’t require it.  What grooming in the raw means is to not load up your dog with product other than your shampoo and conditioners which are normally required.  Keeping the coat “pure” will take away unnecessary variables that can ruin your chance of turning out the best dog your skills can achieve.   This is especially true in high humidity venues.  And remember, what products work well in your home salon, make not work so well in another climate, so another reason to try to keep the dog’s style free of excessive reliance on products.

*Preserve all the work that you just did!  Remember not to pet your dog excessively or allow others to pet them.  But, BE NICE when you ask others not to pet!  To preserve a straight and fluffy coat, on potty breaks or if it is raining, be diligent and get out & in quickly, and take your last potty break with enough extra time before your class to re-fluff & straighten your dog if it is needed.

 

What characteristic should I look for when choosing a competition dog?

.......ETC, ETC!!!

Remember, you can order your copy today by contacting me directly at competitiongrooming@gmail.com

Canine Aromatherapy

In the past 5 to 8 years, there has been a growing list more & more pet care professionals & pet owners that have begun to implement aromatherapy into their alternative pet care list. For us as humans, we can clearly see the benefits of aromatherapy, but for our canine counterparts, who cannot directly tell us how they are both physically & emotionally feeling or how they feel about something we are doing for them, a simple and gentle method of supportive care such as aromatherapy, can be greatly beneficial.  You can now read of Veterinarians who offer holistic services including aromatherapy and flower essence therapy, Animal Massage Therapists who implement herbal & flower therapies into their care, and pet stylists or groomers who offer these services for a wonderful spa experience for their clients. Aromatherapy is especially important for calming nerves and focusing and directing positive energy, so one can easily see that aromatherapy and herbal therapy has a multitude of applications for your pets, all of which are positive and beneficial.   

For canine massage, I have a few blends that I keep on hand for all types of massage, but often I will add a couple of essentials to them or make a simple mix at the massage session.  The reason for this is because yes, no massage and no canine are ever exactly the same. More importantly however, I believe that for the most part, massage in itself isn't nearly so much about the essentials used as it is the practitioner properly reading the animal's movement and structure and energy with their eyes and their hands, to read the dog's body like a map and decipher where there are issues and what they are. We have to do this is a fairly short amount of time, with limited explanation from their human counterparts, and if we have traveled to the pet’s home, as a new addition to the pet's living environment this always has them acting differently than they otherwise would.  So, we have a lot to overcome to even get to the beginning of a massage session in hopes of having it be a productive one.  Essentials can help to bridge these gaps so each session goes smoothly and positively.

Essentials in a carrier oil are not nearly as important to canines as they are with humans because we are not covered in fur and our skin makeup is obviously quite different. So, oil as lubrication of the practitioner's hands can actually be a disadvantage as the animal's natural oils really work best to offer the correct amount of "drag" or resistance of the fingers moving freely through the fur.  Too much fluidity can make a practitioner have to work harder to create the right amount of pressure or friction and make a mess of the pet’s coat.  Therefore, essentials in their pure form become our tool for setting the very important mood of the dog and our own energy, and not so much a tool for the physical application of a massage. 

Essentials do obviously play a role in the animal's receptiveness to the experience and overall willingness at times to receive a massage as well as their perception and therefore their memory imprint of the experience.  We have, as professionals, a clear disadvantage that the pets' owners do not: we are a stranger to their daily activities, their daily schedules and their behavior cycles that ebb & flow and make dogs either more or less receptive to massage at different times.  So, coming from their owners, educated massage sessions will usually be far more successful at a faster rate as the circle between an owner and their pet is, for obvious reasons, much more relaxed and mutually receptive. Not that we as CCMTs or Aromatherapists do not build a bond with our canine clients, we certainly do, but we would rely more on the ability of essentials to help align the environmental energy and set the outcome of the sessions by way of emotional state.  So, with that fact, essentials for us are quite important because they help to align both our moods and secondary responses to the massage session as well as the emotional state of our canine clients.  In essence, aromatherapy becomes a bridge of senses and energies between the pet and the caregiver.

For topicals used in massage, there are a few different blends that can be used, and they are both for different types of massage (addressing different care needs) as well as different types of personalities, and a pet owner may have to tweak them a little, nearly every session entered into, because both the dog and yourself might be in a different mood that day.  Or that you will be caring for your pet for slightly different care each time, even though you may be working on the same issues for many sessions.  

If your Canine Massage Therapist is caring for your pet, they would likely be implementing aromatics in the same ways, but along with their licensing and certification, they have applied their taught medical knowledge to how to use aromatherapy, herbal remedies, and many other modalities for wellness and treatment of the pet’s physical and emotional self.  As one so compliments the other in terms of overall health, well being and quality of life.

~First an Aromatherapist would address the emotional state of the dog and secondary to that, the physical needs.~

Overcoming massage anxiety- for initial meetings or with dogs that are overwhelmingly fearful of new surroundings or experiences:

Please note here that dogs that are fearful or internally coping with their own reaction mechanisms are much more harder to have a productive session with.  If you think about it, a dog that is happy and excited to meet you is FAR more receptive to seeing what you have to offer it in terms of  "What have you got that I can have”?, or “What do you have for me today that I can have fun with"? Basically, they are much harder to "win over".  Here flower and herbal essentials can help you a lot more on deeper levels than what you would implement to just calm or relax simple anxiousness or play energy. And they are important to use whether you are helping your own dogs to overcome certain emotional hurdles, or for treating physical ailments of your pets.

Here are some of those essential blends- addressing first the emotional state and secondly the physical needs of your client.

Emotional

Relaxing and aligning energy: Chamomile, Bergamot, Ginger, & Geranium.

Calming and supporting: Chamomile, Lavender, Eucalyptus & Clary- sage.

Stronger sedative effect: Lavender, Chamomile, Clove & Frankincense.

And follow up the massage with a neat drop on each cheek of this blend-

Energizing: Rosemary, Lemongrass, Thyme & Basil.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relaxing the playful dog: Lavender, Chamomile, Vetiver, Clary- sage, Marjoram.

Focusing the excited dog: Geranium, Chamomile,  Lavender, Clary- sage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* There are more but these are the most important!*
Physical

Circulation, anti-inflammatory, muscle tension, muscle fatigue active sports recovery massage: Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Geranium, Rosemary & Clove.

Skin irritations and muscle atrophy due to lack of circulation: (also hot spots if they are not open) Helichrysium, Evening Primrose & Naiouli.

Deep tissue, tendon fatigue and sprains:  Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Thyme, Vetiver & Black Pepper.

Arthritis and Rheumatoid: Clove, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg & Black Pepper, Clary- sage, Birch, Rosemary, & Juniper, Frankincense, Marjoram, Chamomile, & Lavender (3 different blends for symptoms from severe to mild).

All over relaxation massage & pathway massage for geriatric pets: Geranium, Clary- sage Lemongrass, Bergamot & Lavender.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~You can see, there are so many essentials whose properties compliment each other- it is also just as important to mix oils that are simply pleasing to your personal tastes as this will affect how you give the massage and therefore the physical benefits for your client.

Suggested reading materials to learn about aromatherapy:

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann WorWood.

Essential Aromatherapy by Susan & Valerie Ann Worwood.

The Aromatherapy Bible by Gill Farrer-Halls.

*Remember to educate yourself thoroughly on any holistic or alternative care methods before working with them with your pet.*

Canine Paw Soaks

~If your dog has excessive pad hair, you may want to trim it back first to allow for faster drying and aeration between the toes and paws.~

 Soak the dog's paw- one at a time if using a soaking tray for about 5 to 10 minutes in warm purified water and a ½ teaspoon of Epsom salts. If you are standing the pup in a tub fill the tub with enough warm water to cover most of the paws but below the top of the foot. Add about 2 Tablespoons of Epsom salts per gallon of water. Allow the pup to soak for about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on their tolerance for standing still!

Lift each paw carefully and gently scrub the paw pads and nails with a nails brush. Remember that dogs have many nerve endings in their feel so they are sensitive and vigorous scrubbing isn't necessary. This is a good time to lift back the hair from the very bed of each nail and address any red stains and oily saebum at the nail base. Many dogs have reddened hair and staining here from oxidized paw and skin oils that have interacted with enzymes in their saliva, causing a rust color and some odor. If you suspect your client may have some definite allergies, either contact allergies or internalized allergies, be sure to get the owner's approval and possibly even speak with their Vet before scrubbing or applying topicals to their feet and bodies as this could aggravate the matter for some dogs. At this time take special notice to see any cracks or breaks in the nails, excess nail growth that could cause sore toes and feet, swelling, hot spots, excessive or "yeasty" odor, cuts or debris attached to the foot hair, etc. Address any issues with the pet's owner when they return unless there is an open cut or sore on the foot, at this point you should stop and call the owner & do not scrub the affected foot.

After the dog's foot soak, lightly squeeze and pat dry the foot and pads. Gently apply and rub well in, a mixture of a few drops of fresh olive oil and pure shea butter into each pad individually especially while they are still lightly damp. You can scent the cream if you like with just a drop or two per ounces of cream with pure essential oils like marigold, myrrh, palmarosa, peppermint, ylang ylang, sandalwood, or of course lavender. Be very careful to study up on the use of essential oils before applying them to any pet for their safety and yours. Rub this cream in softly and with a kneading action to get both good penetration and to massage the pet's foot. If the pet seems excessively tender or sensitive of their feet, a foot massage may not work for them, but you can still try the soak, and always apply an emollient after your soaks to help seal in moisture and treat the freshly sloughed and tender skin.

Creating a nice client display with a nail brush, soaking bowl, pretty towel, a nice jar of your cream and a stoppered bottle of your olive oil (which can also be infused with certain herbs and essences) for your clients to view while offering the service suggestion, will give your new service a focal point to refer to for both you and your client, as well as it allows them to see the products that you will be using and discuss their purpose. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

Client Questionnaires- A Building Block for Your Business Plan

I don't know if any other business owners- especially home based salons- do this, but I send out a client questionnaire once a year, and I can't wait to get the answers back in the mail!  I do it in Spring when business picks back up and the holidays are past, but the weather is still cruddy, so people are thinking about getting their pets in and even the summer OAYs are back to being totally overgrown and muddy, and due for a groom.
I believe firmly that a well thought out questionnaire of short length is a HUGE opportunity to gather much knowledge about your current clients as well as those who may have fallen through the cracks or gone on to another groomer for some reason.  A questionnaire can do MANY things for your business!  One way is for you to gain honest feedback to help form your business plan for the upcoming year.  Another asset is the honest effort you are showing at trying to give your clients a voice in their quality of service and showing genuine interest in caring for and about them.  Also, it gives those who are unhappy, whether they are repeat clients or not, a platform of anonymity to get out their displeasure and for you to digest it with ample time to get over feelings being possibly hurt!  Either way, the factor of being able to give their opinion will get your clients to be open and honest with you and this can only benefit your business by helping you to realize what you are doing well, and what needs improvement. 
I always put in positive and leading questions and keep them short and open ended.  And since I have a smaller clientele, I can afford to make the questionnaire on one side and the salon address is printed on the other side with a stamp provided so all they have to do is seal it up and pop it is the mail- no excuses like postage or finding an envelope for those clients who really dislike taking their time for such things.  All of the questionnaires are anonymous, but they can put their name at the end if they like, and many clients just bring them in with them at their next appointment. 
Here is a copy of the template that I sent out this year to my clients, feel free to use it to help write your own, or you can copy it direct as well.
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In this current state of economy, many business owners are finding it harder and harder to stay afloat and continue to keep the businesses that they love and prosper from, both financially and emotionally.  I personally take great pride in my work and truly love what I do, but, I am also human and therefor make mistakes.
So, with this questionnaire, I am sending to all of my clients, in efforts to give you each an opportunity to give me some input on what you are happy with and especially on the things that you feel need improving. If you'd like to discuss any of your input or concerns, you are welcome to leave your name and contact number on this questionnaire, or you can certainly call me directly at my salon at: 555-555-5555. 
Again, please take just a moment to give your input and contribute to the quality and longevity of my business.  I do need to know that all of my clients are happy, and those that feel I need to make changes have an opportunity to share their thoughts in efforts help myself and my business grow. 
Thank you so much for your time, and please accept this tear off coupon for 10% off of your next groom in return for your time and thoughtfulness. 
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1. Are you the owner of a large or small breed dog or dogs?
_____________________________________
2. Do you own more than one pet that comes to my salon for grooming?  Of so, how many groomable pets do you own?
______________________________________
3. What is the acceptable amount of time for your pet between grooming appointments?
______________________________________(4,6,8,10,12 weeks, etc.)
4. What negative issues, if any, have you even encountered when coming to my salon?
(hours available, days available, location, salon layout or equipment used)
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
5. What do you like about coming to my salon for your pet's grooming needs?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
6. What other services would you like to see offered by my salon?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
7. On a scale of 1 to 10, with one being very unhappy and 10 being extremely happy; how would you rate your overall experience with my salon?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8. Would you like to receive a quarterly grooming newsletter including updates, service notices and offers?  If so, please list your address here:
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

Please feel free to make any additional comments or to add any concerns that you feel need to be addressed here in order to help me help you.  Thank you again for your valuable time and help!
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
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BRING IN THIS COUPON TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF OF THE FEES FOR YOUR NEXT FULL SERVICE GROOM OR SPA DAY STAY!!

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CH Hillwood Dassin DeLovely

How'd you like to groom this gorgeous doll?!!!

Dietary nucleotides improve the immune status of puppies at weaning

Animals have a continuous requirement for nucleotides, especially for systems that present a high rate of cell turnover-like the immune system. Nucleotides may become conditionally essential nutrients under certain circumstances (e.g. weaning period) because endogenous synthesis may be insufficient to sustain normal function. In this case the immune function depends upon dietary nucleotide sources. The aim of the present study was to test the impact of a nucleotide supplement, specifically designed to mimic nucleotide composition in bitch's milk, on the immune function of weaned puppies. A total of 21 beagle puppies weaned at 8 weeks of age were allocated to three balanced groups and fed one of the following diets: standard commercial puppy diet (control diet); control diet supplemented with 900 p.p.m. of nucleotides or control diet supplemented with 1350 p.p.m. of nucleotides. One week later weaning puppies were vaccinated with an heptavalent vaccine. During the study blood samples were taken in order to analyse plasmatic concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), non-specific immunoglobulins and antibody titre against parvovirus. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulation test was also performed. Supplemented groups showed higher antibody titre against parvovirus 14 days after vaccination and higher unspecific immunoglobulin levels. PBMC stimulation test at 35 days also showed higher results in the supplemented groups. CRP 1 day after vaccination and haematocrit after 35 days showed better results for the supplemented groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with nucleotides mimicking nucleotide composition of bitch's milk, improved the immune response capacity of puppies at weaning.