Regular grooming is essential to keeping your dog healthy and looking handsome. Some dogs can get by being bathed and brushed in the home, but others, especially those with long coats or specific grooming requirements, or large dogs, benefit from seeing a professional groomer.
Here are a few tips to help you find a good groomer.
Personal Recommendation
Suppose friends or family dogs go to a regular groomer and always look perfect. Then you know where to start. Your vet is a good source of information for local grooming services. Some groomers require vaccination or a good health certificate from your vet to protect their furry clients for added reassurance. Failing that, try the internet; the web is an excellent place to look for grooming services in your local area and sometimes provide customer reviews.
Take Your Time
Even if a groomer is recommended to you, don’t just jump in. Visit the grooming salon first and check it out. Make sure they are fully qualified and insured. Talk to customers and staff members if possible; you can tell if someone is genuinely passionate about the job and animals and when they are just biding time until something better comes along!
Take a good look around the premises and observe:
- Does it look clean and smell fresh?
- Are the staff safety-conscious, or are there grooming tools and scissors left lying around?
- Are the staff friendly and smiling?
- Are other customers’ dogs happy and relaxed, or do they seem frightened or nervous?
Take your dog with you the first time you visit to see how the groomer interacts with him; is she confident, kind and patient with your dog? Don’t be afraid to ask questions; a reputable groomer will not mind this.
Be Sure of Your Dog
Finally, ensure that your dog doesn’t object to being handled by strangers and doesn’t mind being groomed. A dog that won’t put up with this will become stressed and try to bite the groomer. If you’re worried this may be the case, consider a mobile grooming service that comes to you; that way, you can be close by to reassure your dog. Choose a mobile groomer using the same criteria as mentioned above.
Trust your gut feelings – and your dog’s reactions – and you won’t go far wrong.
You may also like to read our dog grooming tips article for home grooming