5 Common Grooming Mistakes Made by Professionals

1. Using tranquilizers.

This is illegal in many states but other groomers
still use them. It may be that the groomer is
afraid of aggressive dogs but it’s more likely
to be that the groomer is running a production
line and has no time to calm nervous dogs.

I never recommend tranquilizers – no matter how
mild – for small dogs. Ask your groomer if she
or he does this.

2. Leaving dogs unattended.

You might be surprised at how many dogs are
harmed and even killed at salons. The problem
is many groomers use a grooming noose (not as
bad as it sounds!) or collar to attach the dog
to the grooming table.

If the groomer leaves the dog alone, it’s easy
for a dog to try to free himself and wind up
choking or damaging his neck.

3. Taking shortcuts that violate breed standards.

It’s more time consuming and requires more skill
to scissor rather than clip dogs. However, if your
breed standard or style requires a scissor cut,
you should tell the groomer you want this.

If you don’t speak up, they’ll most likely use a
clipper. And if you expect hand stripping,
you better call ahead to make certain there’s
a groomer in the shop that even knows how to do that.

4. Not having facilities for dogs left all day.

This is only partly the groomers fault as many
shops are not set up to provide day care
for dogs, but owners use them that way. Some
shops do not have sufficient cages, fresh water
supplies, or staff to walk dogs.

If you want to drop your dog off on the way
to work, visit the salon in advance and ask
to be shown where the dog will be housed while
he’s waiting for you and what care he will given.

5. Using dog dryers improperly.

Many dogs every year are injured or killed by
groomers not watching closely enough while the pet
is in an enclosed dryer.

As a result of poor airflow and high temperatures,
pets get overheated in enclosed cages. The heat
simply builds up and the dog is overcome or in
extreme cases the dog may be burned by the pans
and the cages themselves as they get hotter and
hotter.

I think enclosed dryers should be illegal but if
your groomer is going to use one, ensure s/he
watches the dog, uses a timer, avoids high heat
and has another fan at the front of the cage to
encourage proper airflow.

Also a groomer should not use a hand-held hot
dryer on a dog drying in a stainless steel cage.
There is not enough ventilation for the air
to flow properly and the bottom of the stainless
cages get hot quickly.

These dryers are best used with wire cages that
have plastic bottoms or grates to keep the pet off
the hot floor of the cage. The grooming room should
be open and airy when using heated dryers
to prevent the room from overheating.

All the fans in the U.S., however, are no substitute
for watching the dog while he is being dried and
the mechanical devices are in use!

Louise Louis is a long-time dog person and
operates http://www.ToyBreeds.com