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Julia The Groomer

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Julia The Groomer

Helping your pup love grooming, one fabulous hair cut at a time! Luxury holistic pet grooming services ~ prioritizing the emotional experience of your pet!
(10)

11/16/2023

Good morning from this great lookin fella!

10/31/2023

I haven’t posted in awhile and this seems like the perfect post to break a long streak!

Please do not email me casually saying that no one else will groom your dog because ‘they say he needs to be shaved with a 50 blade and it’s not safe’, and ask me what I’d charge

I am of the unpopular opinion that sugar coating reality does a disservice to the dogs we pledge to prioritize

I don’t hesitate to use language like ‘severe’, ‘unsanitary’, ‘inhumane’ and ‘neglect’, because these clients are adults who made irresponsible choices

How many times is a customer told they need to get their pet groomed more often, before the situation shifts from ‘they just don’t know better’ to ‘they’re not choosing better’?

Always criticized for prioritizing the dogs and not holding back in being honest with clients…this is my caring face 😚

10/12/2023

Two weeks ago, we suddenly lost our sweet and salty boy, Greazy (aka Sucky Boy aka Bad Boy aka Little Bastardo)

Our home lost a big personality. I lost my little man

I’ve finally started to shift from anger to acceptance, and am able to look back over our lives together with gratitude and love

I never wanted cats, and here I am all f*cked up over a cat 😅🥹

10/11/2023

ISO one, just ONE way that de-matting a dog, benefits *the dog*…

*crickets*

So, why ya doin’ it?

09/19/2023

Your dog is a brilliant little idiot, not some domineering room mate seeking a constant power struggle

09/16/2023

Dogs have a 5x higher cancer rate than humans

Cancer rates in humans as well as dogs continues to rise

Cancer has begun to affect the young at the rate normally seen in folks over 50, and this data is the same for dogs

Veterinary medicine is not cheap. Unlike us human Canadians with health care paid for in advance by our tax dollars, canine cancer is costly

So, what is the true cost of feeding economically priced grocery store kibble? What is the true cost of conventional cleaning products in the home? Conventional pet shampoos?

A dog Walker is an expense that enriches my dog’s psychological life and increases his physical activity. What is the comparative cost of ignoring those needs?

Essential oils and incense and non toxic cleaning products and organic pet shampoos…sure, they’re costly, compared to their conventional peers. But what is the true cost of choosing otherwise?

We may not have the cure for cancer, but we have an excess of established medical science showing us quite clearly just what exactly CAUSES cancer. What is the cost of continuing to ignore this research?

09/15/2023

Slip lead placement 🙌🏼🫶🏼👌🏼🤌🏻👍🏻

07/17/2023

Uuuugggghhhhhhhhh….this discussion….🤣😅🧐🫣

YoU cAnT sHaVe dOuBLe cOaTeD dOgS oR tHeY’ll (insert dramatic warning here)!!

I’ve heard and read it all. The people who have shaved double coated dogs for forty years and never seen issue. The fur-is-insulating factoid. The photos of dogs with clipper induced alopecia symptoms (the hair never grows back) or the ones where the whole dang dog turns into one big ingrown hair

Shaving your double coated dog is not without its risks but yes, it can offer relief, especially for those poor dogs who belong to folks who make zero effort to brush out dead undercoat (isn’t it strange how some pet owners only care about their pets’ welfare when they’re arguing with you once a year? So weird…)

Anyways the one thing that stands out to me the most, with regards to shaving double coated dogs, is the one thing I never see pop up in these heated conversation…

The f^

07/04/2023

Dogs and gurus embody presence

‘Be here now’

Living in the moment ~ gurus preach it, but dogs are naturals

When you catch yourself in a thought loop of anxiety, worry or stress, be like dogs and gurus and zap yourself back into the present moment. We can lean into our senses to help us here ~ bring yourself back to the present moment by paying attention to what you smell, see and hear

You can also use your breath to anchor back to the present moment. Box breath is an easy to remember and powerful tool ~ breathe in for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, hold empty for a count of four, and start again with another deep inhale for a count of four

If you find yourself doom scrolling, put your phone down and call to your dog to pull you back into the present moment ~ they’re happy to help!

If you find your blood pressure rising in response to the anticipation or memory of a tense situation, stop, and pet your dog

Dogs and gurus 💚

06/16/2023

How to show up for your dog’s grooming appointment

~ fed but not within two hours; you don’t want your dog to be hangry, but you also don’t want to risk stomach flipping or discomfort during handling or getting on and off table / in and out of tub

~ exercised but not exhausted; you don’t want your dog to be hyperactive when he’s expected to stand still around sharp objects for the next two hours, but you don’t want him to be cranky from exhaustion (don’t bug me when I’m tired, either, thanks!)

~ relieved; imagine trying to stand still for two hours when your bladder is going to burst!

~ on time (not early!); don’t forget about the standing still around sharp objects part ~ you don’t want to walk in and start a dog while he’s getting his face trimmed! And then of course we always want to avoid being rude and wasting your groomers’ time by being late (they may not even be able to groom your dog in the time remaining)

~ ignore the other dogs; especially if they’re on the grooming table! Please don’t fuss over the other totally adorable dogs in the salon, as we don’t want to get them all wound up 💚

06/14/2023

Good call on leaving the city ✨

06/12/2023

Established science concludes that core vaccines provide sufficient protection for almost the entire life of the animal

The veterinary industry uses annual vaccination to ensure pet owners bring their pets in for annual *physical exams* in the interest of preventative medicine

The assumption in the industry is that without pushing annual vaccines, owners won’t get their pets vetted until they’re sick and there’s no opportunity for prevention

Now, as a groomer, what role do I play in the process? If I am insured, my insurer wants to know that I require pets be up to date on vaccines. Instead of requiring a certificate as proof of vaccines, I personally have a ‘yes or no’ check off on my form, which is sufficient for insurance but allows the owner to make their own choices, whether or not they want to be honest, and I’m not contributing to the over vaccination issue. To me, ‘up to date’ means sufficient antibodies, not ‘date of last vaccine’

I am sure to encourage clients to engage in proactive and preventative health care for their pets

Titer tests are good tools for determining whether a booster shot is necessary

The over vaccination issue is more concerning in cats than in dogs, based on the studies we have at this time

Rabies vaccine is of course a whole other matter in terms of annual bylaw requirements, but titer tests are available and accepted by most regions’ animal control offices 💚

06/06/2023

😍🥰🌼 🌼🥰😍

06/05/2023

Owning a dog that needs hair cuts is expensive

Congratulations, you chose the most expensive breed you could!

Most of us will experience tough times throughout life, and often it looks like a tight budget. Financial struggle is not an excuse to cease meeting your pets’ basic needs ~ you can make adjustments to fit your temporary needs while you get back on your feet (if the situation isn’t temporary you need to consider a difficult decision that may be best for your pet…)

When life gives you lemons and your dog needs to be groomed while you figure out your lemonade recipe, please start by letting your groomer know that you need to try to make some adjustments and conserve funds for awhile

I ask that you start by being transparent with your groomer because every groomer will have varying ideas for how you can save money. You don’t need to explain your life situation and please fear judgement ~ trust me, your groomer understands fluctuating income

The best way to save on grooming costs is to adjust the hair style to something fast and easy. Your groomer should be priced at an hourly rate (let’s modernize those business practices, guys), and so a hair cut that can be done faster, will be cheaper

Another way to cut costs is to do as much maintenance as you can at home, because this will also cut down on time at the salon and subsequently price. This looks like brushing your dog, it could even look like trimming at home if you have the tools and the know-how

Again, start by communicating your temporary needs to your groomer, trusting their expert guidance, and being willing to make adjustments

Please bear in mind that grooming prices are going to increase as the cost of living increases, and the overall quality of this unregulated industry increases. It’s always good to think ahead and crunch numbers to check that you can afford a dog that needs monthly grooming 💚

05/24/2023

The new face of the CBD industry may have you believing that CBD is a safe and effective remedy for dogs for everything from pain relief to getting them to stop chewing your shoes

I’ve got some bad news, friends… CBD is not a panacea and not all CBD is holistic, clean or effective for everything

Firstly, please note that CBD, whether from h**p or cannabis, *is a controlled substance and can still only legally be purchased from a licenced retailer*. You may choose to buy a CBD product from your pet store or your dog walker, but please note that is still illegal

CBD products can be from h**p (a cousin to cannabis with negligible trace amounts of THC) or isolated from cannabis plants so that all other cannabinoids are removed

H**p is an industrial crop, which means it has different growing standards from good grade crops and can be sprayed with stuff we don’t allow our food crops sprayed with. H**p is also a soil remediator, meaning it pulls toxic chemicals out of the soil. For these two reasons, I insist that you only ever purchase ORGANIC CBD PRODUCTS. Any toxins in the plant become highly concentrated in the final product, and not all of these toxins are tested for

Speaking of testing ~ only purchase CBD products that have been *third party* tested for contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals and mold

Lastly and more controversially, I only recommend full spectrum products, meaning all naturally occurring cannabinoids are present ~ yes, even THC! The synergistic effects of the full plant product are stronger than the isolated components on their own. There isn’t enough THC in h**p to intoxicate your pet, but just a wee bit is necessary for a holistic therapy

Lastly, CBD is only mildly effective for pain. For anxiety, CBD is fabulous. For extremely mild pain, CBD can take the edge off. If your pet is in significant pain, please use a THC product WITH the guidance of an expert, or use the meds your vet recommends

This advice is generated by approx 10 years of research, working in the cannabis industry, being an active member of veterinary cannabinoid organizations, and my background in holistic nutrition, canine nutrition and herbalism

05/20/2023

Are we woke-ing ourselves to death? What’s up with the oppression Olympics?

There’s a spectrum for Woke culture, and I think at one end you’ve got straight up progress and at the other end you’ve got straight up tyranny

I also believe that the pendulum always swing from one far side to the other extreme, before settling in the middle, so this liminal space of navigating Woke culture is pretty understandable and imo not threatening

But it’s pretty fu***ng annoying sometimes, and I do believe some damage is being done

If we can cultivate our logic and practice discernment while we s**u and listen to others opinions, thoughts and feelings, we can sift through the bu****it extremes at either end of the pendulum, and secure ourselves a place in the middle

Some folks want to change everything. Some folks refuse to learn anything new. Maybe we can meet in the middle, over an organic non alcoholic locally brewed vegan fair trade cider?

05/12/2023

*adds tweezers to first aid kit*

05/04/2023

Reducing toxic load in the salon ~ something to consider for both groomers and pets

*Pet care products are not regulated
*In North America, toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde, alcohol, isobutane, propanol, dimethicone, and perfumes are allowed in products despite their being scientifically proven as toxic
*When a product starts causing problems, it must be proven on a massive scale and legal action taken before the ingredient is banned or regulated

‘Okay, but it’s just a little bit’

This is true. It’s just a little bit of poison in your shampoo. And conditioner, and soap, and spray, and lotion. And the air, and the clothing, and the food, and the makeup, and the drink, and in the furniture, the rugs. What is the sum of this toxic load?

Did you know that these ingredients are known as carcinogens (cancer causing), neurotoxins (brain toxic) and endocrine disrupters (throw off hormone balance)?

‘Well I’ve been using these products for thirty years and have never had an issue’

This is fair. You have great skin, you sleep like a champ and rise well rested. Your mood is perfectly stable and consistent. Your menstrual cycle is a breeze. You breathe like an Olympic athlete. Your mind is clear. You s**t 2x a day, every dang day. You hold a healthy body fat percentage. Beyoncé ain’t got nuthin on your hair. You’ve never seen a dog in your salon with a skin issue or cancer. Should I keep going?

We will likely never get straight answers or direct connections from one product to one symptom of dis-ease. But we can make choices that show respect and gratitude and forward-thinking about our health, the animals, and the planet (because everything listed is also an environmental contaminant)

Google the ingredients on the products. I’ve saved screen shots in my story highlight titled ‘science’. You can choose products for your salon and your home that are non toxic

Pet owners - the chemicals your pets are exposed to at the salon come home with them. They continue to wear, breathe and lick these chemicals long after their grooming appointment. Be sure to ask your groomer what products they’re using

04/25/2023

When you pick your dog up from grooming and ask how they did, the most common response is ‘he did great!’. You may get something like ‘he’s a bit nervous for the dryer but he did great!’

The concern among salon owners and many groomers, is that if we are honest with you about how your dog struggles with the process, you may start to think the groomer is doing bad things and you’ll switch groomers and they’ll lose your business. I imagine that’s how it started…

It’s resulted in groomers hesitating to be honest with you because your dog is six years old and if you’re just being told for the first time that your dog is horrified of having his nails trimmed, you’ll think it’s that groomer’s fault because ‘well I’ve been told for 6 years that he’s great for grooming, so you must be doing something wrong’

It also means that when groomers get new clients, and ask ‘any bite history? How is he for grooming?’ and the answer is ‘he’s great!’ and then we get a rude surprise when we work on the dog who turns out to hate some aspect of the process

In one scenario, I had a client with a bulldog who would bite for multiple aspects of the process. I was not allowed to slow down and work on the dog’s tolerance, because we were charging a flat rate and can’t work for free. I was not allowed to tell the owner that the dog was intolerant of the process…

Well, the family figured since their dog was great for grooming, they’d let the kids bathe him at home! The result was a child being bitten in the face. This type of dishonesty can truly be willful endangerment

Groomers - I encourage you to consider the long term consequences of this common dishonesty. Have a talk with your boss about it and if you can’t get on the same page, well…there are a lot of salons hiring, so take a look around and find an employer who is a better fit

If you’re the decision maker in your salon, consider the long term benefits to yourself, the dogs and the entire industry, if we all started communicating effectively and not from fear & scarcity mindset 💚

04/19/2023

Some of my best friends are folks I met in the pet care industry

As pet care pros, we endure and absorb some unique stuff… we’re exposed to a lot of vibes, from dogs and owners. We work a skilled trade, and physical labour that requires a very high level of empathy

On hard days, I lean into my P*P friends and we get each other through it in ways that others don’t quite understand

We also need a bit of a higher level of self care, and a bit of a higher level of self awareness and emotional intelligence ~ the creatures we work with all day don’t speak to us in words, so we have to be more aware and present than most

For these reasons, I’m starting a regular social event for southern Ontario pet care pros who want to connect with other mindful pet care pros, and engage in self care & various means of resetting and replenishing our vibes

Our first event will include socializing, cacao and herbal tea, and a sound bath with crystal singing bowls - a passive and restorative activity that shifts brain waves resulting in a state of relaxation and meditation

Future events will involve conscious collaborations, craft & art nights, feasts and day retreats. I’ll be bringing in some speakers for us on topics like flower essences, aromatherapy, and holistic pet health & care

Link to join the first event, held in South Etobicoke, can be found in my bio!

04/17/2023

This king! 👑

Kicking myself for starting those hips below the hip bone but 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

04/14/2023

A summary of my video explanation of natural flea/tick/mosquito repellants vs preventatives from the vet

I want to reiterate that over the counter flea and tick preventatives are not a sage option, do not buy them

For chemical based flea & tick meds, only purchase from a veterinarian

Natural sprays can be purchased at pet stores or home made, but they require much more attention than the option your vet sells

Research your options and choose what works best for your dog & your lifestyle!

04/14/2023

👑

04/13/2023

There’s just something about shihtzus!

04/13/2023

Groomers, let’s leave our egos at the door when we show up to work!

For me, it’s the pressure of getting an ‘after’ photo to keep up with and appease the SOMA gods 🤣

But seriously; sometimes the finished groom sucks, and that’s ok - the dog’s grooming needs were met. Let’s not push way past threshold for the sake of a perfect finish!

04/12/2023

Did you know that a dog’s tail is an extension of their spine?

Tail docking is an amputation performed on infant puppies without anesthesia and is a symptom of the unnecessary perpetuation of antiquated breed purist ideology

Some breeds developed a breed standard with a docked tail because they were working dogs whos lifestyles increased risk of injury to their tails. In some cases the tails were docked to make the dog appear more intimidating

In some places, since it was recognized that a docked tail decreased a dog’s athleticism, and as a symptom of classism and elitism, the dogs of poor folks were docked to prevent them from participating in sporting events

Research has shown that dogs with docked tails run and play less than dogs with intact spines. The research shows that dogs with docked tails can struggle to communicate with other dogs - something you could consider a disability to a member of a social species

The largest study to date on the rate of tail injuries to dogs indicates that a dog has a 0.23% chance of tail injury in its life. It is calculated that approximately 500 dogs need their spines amputated to prevent a single injury

In cases of injury to tail, amputation is required in less than 1% of cases

Veterinary bodies around the world have been suggesting that kennel clubs remove docking standards, but there is quite a bit of push back

I would love to see an end to the mutilation of dogs 💚

04/11/2023

Babies are my favourite!

The non human kind, of course 🤣🫣😘

04/10/2023

Every day we get to choose between being their stewards or their captors 💚

04/05/2023

Perhaps dogs help us remember the depth of our roots, reminding us — the animals at the other end of the leash — that we may be special, but we are not alone. No wonder we call them our best friends

~ Patricia McConnell

04/04/2023

You’ve heard it before, and I’m sure I know whom you heard it from 😉

I listened to a webinar the other day titled ‘how to handle difficult dogs’ hosted by a popular online educational resource

The webinar was grossly problematic for a number of reasons all stemming from the educator being uneducated themselves, but one thing they kept coming back to was -

- make sure the dogs you groom are exhausted when they come to you -

In fact it was really the educator’s only tip throughout the over an hour webinar

The key to handling difficult dogs in the grooming salon, in this educator’s opinion, is to have the owners exercise their dog to the point of exhaustion before bringing them in for their groom

Firstly, this advice does not empower the groomer as it relies on owner compliance and therefore I find it useless and irrelevant content for the webinar

Furthermore, I would like to ask how much YOU are willing to tolerate, when you’re exhausted?

Most of the folks I know are pretty cranky when they exhausted and I certainly wouldn’t ask them to do anything difficult or try something new in that state

Human and animal brains are capable of great learning feats, but not in an exhausted state

There are some educators out there who are relevantly educated and rooted in science, with the animal’s experience as their priority. I encourage you to seek out those educators when investing in yourself, and avoid educators who’s credentials are ‘spent a weekend at Cesar Milan’s ranch’

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Videos

This video footage is of Maya, a practitioner with Kissable K9 offering teeth cleaning for dogs. They work out of pet care businesses across southern ontario. I want to continuously remind folks that the pet care industry is NOT REGULATED. There is no one out there making sure this does not happen to your pet; its up to YOU as a pet owner to thoroughly vet your pet care worker. As this footage makes its rounds, youre going to see a lot of pet care professionals out themselves as being uneducated and unqualified to be working with animals. I have already seen a few ‘theres no context to this short video, I’ve had to pin a dog!’ I want you to know that no one ever HAS to pin your dog down. If the animal has surpassed its threshhold for tolerance, you take ten steps back and slowly and safely introduce the animal to the process. It is not acceptable to force them through it. We arent even doing that in vet medicine anymore. I hope this video serves as a reminder that the pet care industry desperately needs to be regulated.

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A holistic approach to pet care

Formally educated and certified groomer with 10+ years of experience in pet care. Offering a low stress experience for pets and stylish grooms to please their parents is my passion!