Finding the Right Groomer for Your Dog

Finding a new groomer for your dog is always difficult.  You want someone that understands dogs and does a good job.  You also want your pet to have a reasonably pleasant experience while being groomed.  How do you find the right groomer for your dog?  Here are some tips to finding the ideal groomer.

1. Ask around. Ask your veterinarian if there is a groomer that he recommends.  Some veterinarians have a policy about not giving recommendations. Try more specific questions such as,” Have you treated any dogs groomed by this person for cuts or clipper abrasions?” and “Have you heard any complaints about this groomer?”

Any time you see a well groomed dog ask the owner where they get the dog groomed.  Most people are more than happy to tell you.  You can also visit the local dog park and ask the owners there for some names of good groomers.

2. Interview Groomers. After you have some names of groomers, call and ask them questions.  How did they become a groomer?  Did they apprentice with someone or are they self taught.  How many years have they been doing this?  Are they a member of any groomer associations?  Do they sedate the dogs they groom? (Some groomers do, often without the permission of the owner.) There is a national organization called National Dog Groomers of America Association and many states have their own groomers’ organizations.
3. Ask them to Call Back. Because groomers are on such a tight schedule, they may not be able to talk to you right away.  Ask for a time when you can call them and take more time to get to know them.  Or ask them to call you back for such a chat.  You should be able to develop a rapport with the groomer over the phone.  If you don’t, move on to the next name on your list.
4. Certification. Some states require groomers to be certified in giving dogs flea and tick treatments, such as a bath in flea soap.  Ask if the groomer is properly certified and be sure to look for that certification on the groomer’s wall when you take your dog in.
5. 5. Trust Your Instincts. If you take your dog to a groomer, and something doesn’t seem quite right, go with your instinct.  Most groomers are caring animal lovers, but there a few bad apples in the bunch. You should also see how the dog is doing when you get him back.  Does he seem to be acting out of character for him over the next day or so?  If so, you might need to find a new groomer.

If you follow these tips, you should be able to find a groomer that suits you.  If one groomer doesn’t prove to be satisfactory, try another one.  Your dogs are your babies and you don’t want anyone to scare or hurt them.  Instead, you want them to look forward to spending the day with the groomer.