Diary of a prospective groomer - K9Mania.com

Howler · 10-14-2009, 06:46 PM

4 sessions along

Well to paint a picture its a small busy salon that caters mainly to pets but also brings along dogs for show and grooming competitions so we learn to groom to kc standards as well. There is a 'no restraint' policy, so its all about handling the dogs correctly to keep them on the table, some times its easy, but a crazy day with a floor diving collie has taught me it has its ups and downs

every session ive had a different breed, after two days of brushing and bathing i was handed a pair of clippers, it was a dicey moment lol, i was surprised how hard it is not to leave lines and get a nice even finish. on that day i also got to have a go at trimming and shaping the ears on the spaniel i had for the day, it was scary but very satisfying

i have already decided feet are a complete pain after having a dog that did everything but eat me to try and stop me trimming her feet, but as i kept being told, they are the four corners of the trim so are very important. of course my dog disagreed

im quite excited to start on scissoring but it will be a while until i can complete a trim on my own, the prep work that goes into it before you can cut anything is staggering, especially on breeds that have to be fluff dried. now i know why i have short haired dogs!!!!

currently i am thinking hard about business opportunities for the future but am currently undecided

keep tuned for updates

Howler-in-training

2dogscrzy4ball · 10-14-2009, 11:37 PM

AH!! I had flash backs of school!!

Hang in there and before you know it it will all be second nature. The hardest thing for me was just learning how to hold the shears correctly. It's hard to believe that all through my life I was holding my scissors incorrectly!!

Wolfwalker · 10-16-2009, 10:32 AM

Glad it is all going well so far Howler.

If you need to learn hand stripping I have a Giant Schnauzer here that you could practice on.

cockermom93 · 10-16-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2dogscrzy4ball

AH!! I had flash backs of school!!

Hang in there and before you know it it will all be second nature. The hardest thing for me was just learning how to hold the shears correctly. It's hard to believe that all through my life I was holding my scissors incorrectly!!

Yes it wasn't so much hard for me to re learn how to use the shears but I had been holding them wrong my whole life too LOL.

Howler, no Grooming is definatly not as easy as it seems, but 2 dogs is right, you keep it up and practice sure will make it easier for you. I don't know how much I agree with giving you a pair of clippers on your second day but to each his own. When I learned I was a bather/dryer for 6 months before I got to do a hair cut!

Then after that I only could do Shave downs for about 6 months, I didn't get good at sissoring untill about a year and a half into my grooming career. So just hang in there if it is still something you want to do.

NoodlezxMama · 10-16-2009, 03:46 PM

Glad to hear all is going well. I start my school on Tuesday..and I'm pretty excited.. I already do alot of stuff here for my Paps, but I am scared to you know, do a poodle clip and stuff like that..like I don't want to mess up someone else's dog? LOL, is that stuff running through your mind too? How long is your course? My school is 9-5 Mon-Fri..for 7 weeks. I can't learn all of this in 7 weeks..put me in a grooming shop, I will pee my pants!! LOL

Howler · 10-17-2009, 06:56 PM

it works out as 35 days all together, and i know what you mean about the scissors! its hard! i got sent home with an old pair to practice my 'scissor hands' and yesterday i scissored a terrier! my mentor did the head but the rest was all me and the owner was very pleased.

i get shown how to do it then have a go myself then get it checked, blending is hard! ive had a little go at hand stripping, but only ears etc, i am waiting for that next as my mentor mentioned it was about time i hand stripped a whole dog lol.

Momto3 · 10-17-2009, 11:34 PM

Have never been through grooming classes myself but at $40 per dog times 5 dogs I've learned pretty quickly! Mine are sure not professionally done but I like them the way they are. Wishing you much luck on your venture! It's so nice to pay someone else to do it sometimes... You will earn every penny of your pay! Plus some sometimes when you get a little one like Merlin who's over-caffeinated for sure! At least I have the luxury of putting them on the floor and resuming tomorrow if one has decided today's not quite right thank you very mutts! I have actually trimmed exactly half of Monte when he decided this was not his night and had to suffer looking at a half-groomed dog until he decided (braced himself) for the finishing touches! Geez - sometimes I think theythink I'm castrating not trimming hair!

turfgirl · 10-18-2009, 12:20 AM

Reading all of your posts I say to you all you have more gumption than I do. This is why I have no problem paying $55 every 4 - 5 weeks to get Lexcee done. You all earn your money so no one should begrudge you a single penny. I truly admire your profession as you do what some of us cannot or are too chicken (as in my case) to do. Hugs Susan and Lexcee (trust me she is happier to have someone else do it lol)

Danielle · 01-14-2010, 12:55 AM

Keep it up Howler and Leesa, you guys will get there. Not sure how I feel about these 7 week or 35 day courses....there is no way you can learn it all in such a short space of time, but oh well, try to learn as much as you can during your course and then if you get placed in a job you can continue inhouse training if possible.

My course ran for 12 months and at the end of it I was (in my opinion) still not good enough to be called 'qualified' regardless of my certificate that said I was. Luckily I was employed by an old-school groomer who had been grooming and breeding showdogs for 50 years and she made me what I am today. She was actually Napoleon's breeder and I give her full credit for teaching me how to be a great groomer.

Hopefully you guys will be lucky enough to find a mentor as I was.

Howler · 01-17-2010, 08:08 PM

well im about half way through, and absolutely loving it though i am so tired its unreal, im working 5 days a week then the other two im doing this course lol.

im prepping, bathing and trimming dogs now and can complete trims from start to finish. i absolutely love doing ears for some reason, and my mentor has me doing as many feet as possible because she knows i dont like them haha. ive done lots of spaniels, and a few different terrier breeds, westies are without a doubt the hardest their heads are hard to trim to the correct shape. i also recently did my first shih tzu, he was cute as anything and the owner was very pleased with the results. over the next few weeks i have two spitz lined up, as well as a kerry, bichon, another westie, springer and if she thinks im good enough a miniature poodle.

its hard work and take a heck of a lot of reading and research in my spare time, two books ive founds invaluable are 'notes from the grooming table' and theory of five'. 'all breed grooming' is quite a good one though if you are in the uk be warned as it is an american book and some of the trims are different. ive found drawing diagrams and drawing on the trim lines is a great reference guide as well as making lots of records both written and photographic

i will keep you updated

Howler

10-14-2009, 06:46 PM	#1
Howler Been Around A While Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South West UK Posts: 349	Diary of a prospective groomer 4 sessions along Well to paint a picture its a small busy salon that caters mainly to pets but also brings along dogs for show and grooming competitions so we learn to groom to kc standards as well. There is a 'no restraint' policy, so its all about handling the dogs correctly to keep them on the table, some times its easy, but a crazy day with a floor diving collie has taught me it has its ups and downs every session ive had a different breed, after two days of brushing and bathing i was handed a pair of clippers, it was a dicey moment lol, i was surprised how hard it is not to leave lines and get a nice even finish. on that day i also got to have a go at trimming and shaping the ears on the spaniel i had for the day, it was scary but very satisfying i have already decided feet are a complete pain after having a dog that did everything but eat me to try and stop me trimming her feet, but as i kept being told, they are the four corners of the trim so are very important. of course my dog disagreed im quite excited to start on scissoring but it will be a while until i can complete a trim on my own, the prep work that goes into it before you can cut anything is staggering, especially on breeds that have to be fluff dried. now i know why i have short haired dogs!!!! currently i am thinking hard about business opportunities for the future but am currently undecided keep tuned for updates Howler-in-training

10-16-2009, 03:46 PM	#5
NoodlezxMama Been Around A While Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Meriden, CT Posts: 1,622	Glad to hear all is going well. I start my school on Tuesday..and I'm pretty excited.. I already do alot of stuff here for my Paps, but I am scared to you know, do a poodle clip and stuff like that..like I don't want to mess up someone else's dog? LOL, is that stuff running through your mind too? How long is your course? My school is 9-5 Mon-Fri..for 7 weeks. I can't learn all of this in 7 weeks..put me in a grooming shop, I will pee my pants!! LOL
	"We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." M.Facklam

10-17-2009, 11:34 PM	#7
Momto3 Been Around A While Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,214	Have never been through grooming classes myself but at $40 per dog times 5 dogs I've learned pretty quickly! Mine are sure not professionally done but I like them the way they are. Wishing you much luck on your venture! It's so nice to pay someone else to do it sometimes... You will earn every penny of your pay! Plus some sometimes when you get a little one like Merlin who's over-caffeinated for sure! At least I have the luxury of putting them on the floor and resuming tomorrow if one has decided today's not quite right thank you very mutts! I have actually trimmed exactly half of Monte when he decided this was not his night and had to suffer looking at a half-groomed dog until he decided (braced himself) for the finishing touches! Geez - sometimes I think theythink I'm castrating not trimming hair!
	Sharon - Mom to Mozart, Monte, Merlin and Mylee! my boyz!

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10-14-2009, 11:37 PM	#2
2dogscrzy4ball Been Around A While Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,280	AH!! I had flash backs of school!! Hang in there and before you know it it will all be second nature. The hardest thing for me was just learning how to hold the shears correctly. It's hard to believe that all through my life I was holding my scissors incorrectly!!

10-16-2009, 10:32 AM	#3
Wolfwalker Been Around A While Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 307	Glad it is all going well so far Howler. If you need to learn hand stripping I have a Giant Schnauzer here that you could practice on.

10-17-2009, 06:56 PM	#6
Howler Been Around A While Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South West UK Posts: 349	it works out as 35 days all together, and i know what you mean about the scissors! its hard! i got sent home with an old pair to practice my 'scissor hands' and yesterday i scissored a terrier! my mentor did the head but the rest was all me and the owner was very pleased. i get shown how to do it then have a go myself then get it checked, blending is hard! ive had a little go at hand stripping, but only ears etc, i am waiting for that next as my mentor mentioned it was about time i hand stripped a whole dog lol.

10-18-2009, 12:20 AM	#8
turfgirl Been Around A While Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,705	Reading all of your posts I say to you all you have more gumption than I do. This is why I have no problem paying $55 every 4 - 5 weeks to get Lexcee done. You all earn your money so no one should begrudge you a single penny. I truly admire your profession as you do what some of us cannot or are too chicken (as in my case) to do. Hugs Susan and Lexcee (trust me she is happier to have someone else do it lol)

01-14-2010, 12:55 AM	#9
Danielle Been Around A While Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia. Posts: 1,495	Keep it up Howler and Leesa, you guys will get there. Not sure how I feel about these 7 week or 35 day courses....there is no way you can learn it all in such a short space of time, but oh well, try to learn as much as you can during your course and then if you get placed in a job you can continue inhouse training if possible. My course ran for 12 months and at the end of it I was (in my opinion) still not good enough to be called 'qualified' regardless of my certificate that said I was. Luckily I was employed by an old-school groomer who had been grooming and breeding showdogs for 50 years and she made me what I am today. She was actually Napoleon's breeder and I give her full credit for teaching me how to be a great groomer. Hopefully you guys will be lucky enough to find a mentor as I was.

01-17-2010, 08:08 PM	#10
Howler Been Around A While Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South West UK Posts: 349	well im about half way through, and absolutely loving it though i am so tired its unreal, im working 5 days a week then the other two im doing this course lol. im prepping, bathing and trimming dogs now and can complete trims from start to finish. i absolutely love doing ears for some reason, and my mentor has me doing as many feet as possible because she knows i dont like them haha. ive done lots of spaniels, and a few different terrier breeds, westies are without a doubt the hardest their heads are hard to trim to the correct shape. i also recently did my first shih tzu, he was cute as anything and the owner was very pleased with the results. over the next few weeks i have two spitz lined up, as well as a kerry, bichon, another westie, springer and if she thinks im good enough a miniature poodle. its hard work and take a heck of a lot of reading and research in my spare time, two books ive founds invaluable are 'notes from the grooming table' and theory of five'. 'all breed grooming' is quite a good one though if you are in the uk be warned as it is an american book and some of the trims are different. ive found drawing diagrams and drawing on the trim lines is a great reference guide as well as making lots of records both written and photographic i will keep you updated Howler