Grooming is a demanding craft. A professional groomer must be knowledgeable in many facets from animal handling to customer service. He/she must be proficient in hundreds of different breed styles, profiles, and handling various coat types.
Last fall, Superstorm Sandy devastated the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Earlier this year, parts of Canada experienced massive flooding, and a massive tornado tore through Oklahoma, carving a path of death and destruction as it went. Many groomers were hard hit by these events and saw everything that they had worked their entire lives for disappear in an instant.
The Groomers Emergency Assistance Fund Read More
Over twenty-five years ago I met my best friend and wife, Tracy. Those of you who know us understand how I owe my passion for the pet industry and career to her. That’s because behind every good man is a loving woman, and in my case, talented pet groomer. She introduced me to the joys of dog companionship, pet grooming as a profession, and ultimately my job in pet products sales.
Where Mindfulness & Innovative Technology Meet Read More
Groomer Stories
Every groomer’s story had to start somewhere. Even the top groomers had to awkwardly hold shears for the first time; practicing holding their hand steady. Before we become great at anything, there are many hours spent practicing and studying. It doesn’t happen in one moment, but over time,
A Career That Still Feels Like a Hobby Read More
Grooming Matters
May I ask you something? You take care of pets all day, and maybe a partner and/or children, or other family members. Who takes care of you? Often that job falls to us, too. Have you ever heard the expression, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it?”
“Where does the money from the silent auction go?” It’s a question inevitably asked at each of Barkleigh Productions’ grooming expos, where attendees can bid on everything from dog beds and pet-themed welcome mats to cordless clippers and bottles of shampoo.
This past June saw another record setting year for PetQuest. Total attendance was up 13% for a total of 1,469 attending groomers. This year also saw 76 different groomers competing, making it the most contest participants in the show’s history. PetQuest took place June 23rd-26th at the Roberts Center in central Ohio. The Roberts Center is known to be a very dog friendly hotel / convention facility.
As people who work in the service industry, we’ve all been there. Times when you have to be the adult and deal with things that you really don’t want to deal with. I’ve heard the phrases, “Suck it up,” “Gird your loins,” “Pull the Band-aid Off”, or “Draw a Line In The Sand.” But, no other phrase seems to empower me more than “Putting my Big Girl Panties On.”
Time for the Big Girls Read More
For the past several years, I have been invited to host and emcee the Fall Festival for my home show at the NEPGP. It has been an honor and so much fun. It has also been an eye-opener to be privy to how hard the board members of this organization work all year leading up to the show and then the show itself.
Our New England Grooming Family: Part 2 Read More
1949 – 2016
On Saturday, April 23rd 2016 Gary lost his battle with cancer. As the Service and Repair Manger at Ryan’s Pet Supplies, and an industry fixture for over 30 years, he offered his “Tips” and knowledge in the way of videos, seminars and articles in Groomer to Groomer.
The All Breed Dog Grooming Guide 4th Edition
By Sam Kohl
Sam Kohl has been an industry legend since before I was even old enough to hold a dog brush. Earlier editions of his All Breed Grooming Guide were the standard “bible” for groomers for a great many years. Not one to leave well enough alone, he completely revamped and updated the guide in 2012.
Jodi Murphy and her daughter, Mackensie Murphy, have both earned memberships on GroomTeam USA. They are the very first mother and daughter in the United States to accomplish this incredible feat.
Jodi & Mackensie Murphy Read More