A Real Job??

I had a women ask me the other day if I was ever going to get a real job or if I was just going to keep on grooming through my working years. WHAT?? I thought grooming was a real job. Granted, I didn't have to go to college for years like a doctor or a Lawyer to become one or make the kind of money they get either. But I work very hard and did practice over the years to have the skill and knowledge it takes to make a matted dirty dog cute again. Not everyone out there can do what I and other groomers do and deal with every day!

It was kind of frustrating to realize that my chosen profession is somewhat looked down upon by others in the community. Just because I have decided to work with animals instead of people-I suddenly have a career that isn't considered just as respectable.

Do human hairstylists have to put up with remarks like this one? I doubt it. I would like to see a human hairstylist put up with getting bit, peed on, pooped on, anal glands exploding everywhere-not to mention the fact that the one they are trying to give a haircut to never sits still and squirms constantly.

I am a business owner and can now decide on my own hours and days I want to work. I am making better money than I ever did working in any of the other professions I have done over the years. I am happy and have become very successful-business is constantly growing and I now work six days a week. Not to many other people can actually say that they are happy in their jobs or have some of the freedoms I now enjoy.

So I guess a real job is whatever you decide to make of it. I think what I do is just as respectable as any other job that took years of college education to get-plus it is something I enjoy and am content to keep doing. Someone has to keep those dirty puppies clean-it may as well be me!  :)

I'm Not Really Sure What I Want???


 Some people know just what they want when they come in to get their dogs groomed. Those types of owners are pretty simple to work with-I can accommodate most of their requests prettily easily as long as they aren't to outlandish. Then there are those other owners who for whatever reason, have absolutely no idea how they want their pooch to look when they are finished.

Me: What kind of a groom would you like me to complete for your pup today-Just a bath and a brush out or shorter summer cut to keep him cooler?
Owner: I am not sure. I just got this dog recently and have never had a long haired dog that requires so much grooming. I like him long and love the fluffy coat, but think that it should be shortened some-he pants all of the time. But not shaved. I love his face with the beard, but don't like that its always dirty and wet all of the time. I also love his long ears, but they are always matted.
Me: So you love his coat long, but really want it shortened. Would you like to try and have me take off the beard and ears this time and see if you like it? They will always grow back if you don't like them.
Owner: Oh I don't know-my husband may hate that. I just want him cleaned up and look nice. But he definitely needs a haircut.
Me: So you just want the coat shortened all over in a puppy cut so its the same length all over?
Owner: Will that keep his beard clean and his ears from matting up if they are longer? Is it okay to clip this breed of dog shorter? I heard it would ruin his coat and not grow back right if we cut it?
Me: Clipping him won't ruin his coat. Its very beneficial for his skin health to keep him clean and mat free. It won't keep his face completely clean and dry or his ears from matting up, unless you are willing to make a little effort with combing and brushing at home.
Owner: No I don't have time to do any grooming at home, plus I really don't know how to anyway. I guess go ahead and do whatever you think will work for him. Just make sure he looks cute when he's finished!
Me: Okay, I will make him look pretty for you.

I then go ahead and do a puppy cut with shorter ears and a shortened beard. A very cute look on her little dog. Plus she loved it as well, despite her not really knowing exactly what she wanted to begin with. Drives me batty sometimes-I just never know if they are going to love it or flip out and hate it. I have become much better at trying to read peoples minds since I became a dog groomer!

I Guess Dogs aren't for everyone!

I just got off the phone with a pretty distraught lady. She called wanting to get her boyfriends dog into today for a grooming. Of course I am booked out three weeks right now-so that isn't possible. She went into telling me the whole story about how they had been together for three years and the only problem in their relationship was his lab mix dog. Apparently she isn't a dog lover and this dog has been making her life miserable. She doesn't like the shedding or the constant smell that this dog is spreading around her house. I gave her some grooming advice about how she could help with the smell in between grooming and also recommended that maybe she may want to go to the vet and have the ears and anal glands checked. She wanted to know if I knew of any other groomers in town that may be able to get this dog in sooner. But since I am not privileged to all of my competitors grooming schedules, I was only guessing at how busy all of them might be right now.

I guess I can be somewhat sympathetic to her plight-I myself have three dogs in my house and know how much work they are. I am used to the dog hair stuck to my couch, buying Swiffers and lint rollers,constantly sweeping the floors, vacuuming, washing smelly bedding, and the monthly grooming I give to each of my dogs. I mange to keep our home looking and smelling ok, despite our doggy household. If you could look past the raw hides, squeak toys, and all the dog beds placed strategically around our living room, you may never know that I live with so many canines.

This poor lady doesn't want to have this type of commitment in her home and told me she has never been much of an animal lover. I can't imagine my life without a couple of dogs draped over my lap every night while I am watching tv or reading. They make our house the happy place that it is. I feel for anyone not touched by doggie love-it is the most pure and honest love out there. Dogs never judge us or care about our flaws-they just love and want to be with us no matter what. I feel truly blessed to have my furbabies!

What a day!!

My first groom this morning didn't show up-not surprising really-it was a new client. I never know if they will actually make it or not. No one on my cancellation list could come in on such short notice-so that was money lost out of my day.

 My next two dogs did get here on time. That was a plus. I brought them right on into my house, where the little female of the two(they were both Lhasas)pooped right on my floor. Another plus to my day-occupational delight of sorts...well maybe not.

So I stopped and got to clean that little treasure up before going to work. I then got them clipped in their summer cuts-leaving their heads and beards longer, but taking off their ears. It was a regular rodeo trying to get the little female(Paris was her name)to hold still. She hates her head touched, so scissoring,brushing,and clipping is a challenge. I managed to finally get them finished on time for them to be picked up promptly at 4 pm. Their owner arrived and was very excited to see them all cleaned up. They looked pretty darn cute once I got all of their matted hair off-so I was pretty proud of my work at the end of the ordeal.

It's been a tiring day-I didn't groom as many dogs as usual, but still feel beat anyway. Wrestling dogs and tending to owners, certainly  can take the zest out of a person at times.

Here is Coco-the little male Lhasa I finished.He's a sweet guy and very easy to work on. I just love his expression! He looks like a little doll in his new summer cut! :)

Too Busy??

 I decided to start a blog to help get some things off of my chest-my way to unload some frustrations about the grooming business and maintain my sanity. Before I get started-I just want to clarify that I do love my new found job. It has given me the freedom to be my own boss and do something that I enjoy and am good at. Writing this is therapeutic for my mind and a way to share this new journey.  I recently just started my own dog grooming business and now work full time out of my home.I specialize in grooming small to medium breeds. When I started this little business-it was supposed to be just a part time job that I did 3 or 4 days a week. It has now grown into a 6 or 7 day a week nightmare at times. I never expected to get so busy so quickly. I just figured that I would have some busy periods and then slow weeks as well. That hasn't happened in months-which is a good thing. I am never bored or have the same day twice-dogs and clients change constantly. I have met many wonderful owners and their furry friends-most of which have become loyal customers that return every few weeks.

But despite my new found success, I still am really missing my ME time-it pretty much has become nonexistent these days. I am constantly fighting exhaustion and tendonitis has flared up in both my wrists and thumbs from working so many long hours. The phone never quits ringing-most with people trying frantically to get their dogs in IMMEDIATELY(that has become a source of my frustration lately). Getting in quickly is now a thing of the past-I am consistently booked up now for 2-3 weeks in advance. I get to hear every excuse in the book about why they didn't call sooner, but it doesn't change the fact that they still will have to wait for an appt like everyone else. Some will go ahead and book an appt, while others tell me that they will have to call around and see if they can get in sooner somewhere else. Since I work by myself, I don't have the luxury of booking 15 or more dogs a day like some of my competitors with multiple groomers working for them. I take only 3 or 4 per day-which is a full day for me I might add. I always allow myself 2 hours per dog-scheduling each one at different time slots throughout the day. I never have all of my pooches here at once so I don't have to have them sitting in kennels all day long in my home. Most are only here for the couple of hours that it takes me to groom them, and then they are picked up and go home. It is much easier that way-plus it keeps my working environment quiet for me and for the dogs. Much less stress in the long run.

I rotate canines and people in and out of here throughout the day. In between all of this-my husband rotates our own three dogs outside and then back upstairs to their crates for lunch. We keep them away from all of my grooming dogs and new people coming into our home-they get way to excited to be running around among the chaos. So my life has become hectic and looks like it is going to stay that way. Taking vacations and planning time with my two teenage boys has been difficult now as well. The clients keep calling and want in ASAP. I try to accommodate them as best I can, but it has become increasingly more difficult to do that. I started a cancellation list and call clients when a spot does open up, but that hasn't happened a lot lately. I am trying to find ways to relax, but the phone keeps me hopping whenever I try resting at home. Some days it almost feels like harassment-especially when some people continue to call late into the evening. Last year I actually had people calling me on Christmas day hoping to get their relatives dogs in for grooming. They couldn't seem to understand why one earth I wasn't working Christmas day when Walmart was open part of the day. I told them that's a big reason why I no longer work for Walmart-I prefer being able to spend the day relaxing with my family. No dirty dog is worth me giving up one of the biggest  most festive days of the year! I am hoping to find a happy medium eventually.

If I want to keep my sanity, I am going to have at least a couple of days off in a row once in awhile. I want to work to live-not live to work. I have been grooming off and on since 1997 and know that this business can be very exhausting hard work! Being busy is great-but I don't want to burn out in the process of doing it either. I want to remind everyone that calls, you are not the only person with dogs I deal with(even though a lot of them act like they are the only ones that should matter)and to be patient. Waiting a few days won't kill them or their dog-especially if they have already let them go without grooming for months before calling me to begin with. A dog that is a shaggy mess didn't get that way overnight-a grooming appt should have been made weeks before they became covered in mud, poop, weeds, and matted to the skin. I can't feel sorry for the owners when they can't get in sooner, but I do feel for the poor dog living in that condition. Call in advance and then get your puppy on a set schedule so you can get the spot that you want.

I am done venting for now I guess-the bottom line is: being a groomer is challenging. I think sometimes the dogs are easier to deal with then the owners! Despite it all...I still feel very lucky to be working in my own home and being able to be my own boss. I am very blessed!  :)