The Doggy Parlour

09/08/2024

Did you know that pet grooming is a completely unregulated industry? There is no requirement for formal education, no required continuing education, and no required testing or certification?

Anyone and everyone can just pick up a pair of clippers and start advertising themselves as a groomer and charge people for a service they aren’t trained to perform.

It’s completely up to you, the owner, to do your research and make sure the person you are trusting with the health and safety of your pet is qualified to care for them.

Every groomer should be trained, and that very basic training takes months.

It takes years to truly master the ins and outs of grooming and everything that goes along with it.

Pet grooming is so much more than just a hair style.

*It’s knowing dog behavior and how to safely handle all the different personalities and quirks.

*It’s recognizing health conditions that would be better suited seeing a vet such as skin or ear infections.

*It’s being prepared for any and all emergencies that can happen, from seizures to allergic reactions, to nicks and cuts and quicked toenails without panicking.

*It’s knowing how to best deal with a variety of coat types properly.

*It’s being able to know when to stop a service on a particular dog due to behavior or health.

*It’s having the knowledge and patience to handle a different species while holding razor sharp clippers or 8 inch long scissors.

At the very least, the groomer you use should seek out continuing education to make sure they are current on the changes in the industry, from upgrades in products to tools that make the process easier for the pet and them.

They should be current on their pet cpr/first aid certification which needs repeated every couple of years.

They should be able to answer your grooming related questions with knowledge and confidence and if they don’t know the answer they should know where to find it.

They should have an emergency plan in place with a local veterinarian in case anything happens, because when working with animals it’s not a matter of if something happens, but when.

They should come recommended by other pet owners and pet professionals.

And it’s worth noting that there is nothing wrong with using a groomer that is still in training, but they should be working alongside an experienced groomer and under their direct supervision.

Ask the questions, after all you are paying them for a service. A groomer who has spent time and money to be as educated as possible is excited to share their knowledge!

04/08/2024

🎶 I'm a matted girl ... 🎶 by Daisy


Thought was worth a reshare ...
Happy Saturday 🙃

02/08/2024

Mia and Mario Roussouw are two of our favorite yorkies. They have been coming to us for many years a couple of times a month and are really pampered and loved by their owners. They do such a wonderful job of keeping them groomed all year round 👌💓🐾💞🐩🐕

30/07/2024

25/07/2024

25/07/2024

What a kind gesture from Sanette Bosman and SPOT - Sunny's Pet Outreach Team NPC - Brakpan

24/07/2024

Itchy dogs

1985 likes, 148 comments. “Allergies everywhere it seems !! Here are some solutions you must try out !”

24/07/2024

The magnificent and much loved Maya Ross was adopted from the Spca as a youngster. She has drop dead gorgeous looks and is most likely a cross husky old English sheepdog . She really enjoys her monthly grooming and often goes to sleep while we are brushing 💘💞💫🐩🦄🐾

26/06/2024

This picture shows the importance of regular nail maintenance not only to prevent injury but it can also be uncomfortable for dogs to stand when their nails get overgrown.

The photo on the left is before, this dog was leaning on the back of his foot to compensate for the extra nail length. The right photo shows that his weight is now evenly distributed to all his foot pads. Much more comfy😉

19/06/2024

Senior gentleman Max has been coming to us for grooming since he was a puppy. He has always been a firm favorite with us and he loves his grooming sessions. Such a sweet old man. His love of treats is clear to see in this pic as he will pose like a runway model to get some 🥰😍

18/06/2024

One of my absolute favorite regular grooms is little Jing Jing. She was adopted from Peke Haven and lost both of her eyes because of being pushed outside and was bitten by much bigger dogs . Although she is completely blind she is always full of the joys of life and will do flick flacks to get her treats that we always give her during the groom. She is an enchanting delightful little princess 👸 😍 💕

15/06/2024

Finding a groomer you and your dog love & trust & sticking with them is not just convenient, but can be crucial. Here's why:

This is Bert the Scottie. He was diagnosed with diabetes about 5 months ago, and in a matter of about 6 weeks has gone almost completely blind as a result of the diabetes. 💔

Bert has been a Canine Cosmuttology client for almost 4 years now so he knows his groomers voice and routine very well by now. He knows the smells of our products as we do not change them. He knows the sounds of our tools and how they feel. And he knows the common cue words his groomer uses to prepare him for procedures such as asking him "are you ready?" to let him know we're about to proceed with something.

"The Name Game" is a common technique used by fear free and behavior specialist groomers alike to put a name or "cue" to a tool or procedure that the dog is able to understand and predict what is about to happen to them during the grooming process. For example, the groomer will name a slicker brush for the dog and may say "are you ready? We're going to brush" and the dog within a few grooming appointments learns what the "brush" is and what to expect.

This becomes crucial in cases like blindness. Bert won't have to be afraid and worry about what we're going to be doing now that he suddenly can't see during the grooming process because he knows many of the tools and procedures by name now and knows the order in which they are done for his individual comfort level. Beyond that, he knows his groomer loves him deeply, that he can trust her, and that she will respect and pay attention to his subtle body language cues of discomfort or fear.

When you find a groomer you and your dog love and trust, rebook and stay with them for your dogs sake. It means more to your dog than you know. 💚🩶🖤

14/06/2024

Lovely large double sided comforters . Various colors. Fully washable

14/06/2024

The very cute Mia Naude, 16 week old Biewer yorkie in for her first grooming. It's so important for puppies to have calm force free introductions to grooming 😍🥰

12/06/2024

09/06/2024

Wishing the mighty Ahron all of the best for the upcoming IGP Nationals. He is a dog with the looks and temperament to die for 💥🦄☀️🌟🌞⭐️🌠

07/06/2024

The magnificent Viqo with his adoring mom Daniella Koszewski
What an angel of a dog for grooming 🥰😍🤩

07/06/2024

Stunning winter range just arrived. Jackets (fleecy and shweshwe horse style) fleecy blankets, duvets, cushions, beds, from small to extra large
Large range of tasty boredom busting teeth cleaning chews

01/06/2024

The adorable 12 week old wire fox terrier Katryn in for her first force free pamper to get her desensitized to grooming

23/05/2024

Big range of fleecy dog jackets from xxs to giant size. Soft fleecy warm blankets various pretty colors
084 661 7520

12/05/2024

There are so many deep rooted myths about clipping double coated breeds. Here is the factual science that will dispel the myths that so many people mistakenly believe
https://theeducatedgroomer.com/shaving-double-coated-breeds/amp/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2TVyIkOCP-8WU_uZ727v6e-5cOVrRC4LA9_-uOTqqbwuFuECvuOzqJEiw_aem_AWnk3OIg91puDy1u7gIPOZ1RsCIcd9pMt5J7UA-PLirAiuenOpsAYkgnkiYihw4o7OkVH2vFewOfOwWeOlWDCELB

I have done a new updated version of this post with even more links to scientific studies relevant to the subject.