Health

As a long time, homeopathic pet groomer, I have always happily been on the outside of the “regular” grooming circle. I have been called the granola groomer, the hippy groomer—I prefer The Oily groomer. As a certified aromatherapist, essential oils and plants play a central part in my practice.

Casey licked my scissors while I was trimming up her feet. Tongues bleed. A lot. My grooming manager pulled out the pet first aid kit and thankfully took over.

One of my clients now refers to me as her dog’s “dealer”. As in, making sure I bring the weed treats when I come for his appointment. However, I make it clear that the “weed” treats are not medical marijuana but CBD oil infused treats.

Grooming products come in every conceivable size and shape of container. Gallon jugs, tubes, jars and bottles are some of the many ways our products are delivered to our shops and salons.

How are your hands? Your wonderful, capable, creative hands. Is your skin rough, dry, cracked and irritated? Healthy skin is our first line of defense against bacteria, and maintaining healthy skin is important.

Every year more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs and cats. Have you been one of them? It is a rare groomer indeed that can answer ‘no’. The very nature of the work we do exposes us daily to the risk.

There are not many things that are more rewarding to me than caring for an elderly pet that has given their life in service to their companions. Caring for them is one of my greatest joys and pleasures.

“Dear Michell, I have been grooming for about 11 years and I went to the doctor the other day.  I was telling my doctor about my various ailments.  My Doctor said to me, “sounds like you need to find a new profession”, and then he laughed.

In the old days, us groomers used Dawn dish soap, Johnson’s baby shampoo, Goop, alcohol and other unhealthy ingredients on cats. Thankfully we have come a long way and shampoo manufacturers have stepped up to the plate and designed safer alternatives for us to use.

You’ve been grooming Fluffy since she was a puppy. Now she’s 12 and the last couple of grooms you noticed that she is a little agitated when you turn on the high velocity (HV) dryer. Maybe her vision is not as good or her hearing is deteriorating.

There is an ongoing battle raging. Shaving down dogs and cats is probably one of the most controversial topics there is in the grooming industry so I wanted to shed some light on the scientific side of the debate.

The first thing that a person notices when they enter your salon or mobile unit is how it looks and smells. Good or bad— that first impression is never forgotten.