Choosing A Groomer Part 1

Choosing a groomer for you dog can be quite tricky task. Here are some tips to make the easier for you.

Even if you usually do your dog's grooming yourself, or if you have a low maintenance breed, you may decide to use a professional groomer from time to time. Finding one who fits your criteria and your dog's needs can take some investigation, but the time spent looking for the right groomer is well invested. Especially if you consider the consequences of choosing one that's not so good.

Many veterinarians now incorporate grooming into the list of services offered on site, and if you have a vet you like and trust, that's often a great choice, especially if your pet is comfortable there and at ease with the staff. Being able to have the grooming done without adding the additional stress factor of another facility and more new faces can really smooth things out, especially for animals that aren't naturally gregarious. Having that option can take the stress out of choosing for you, as well.

Not all vets offer that option, though, and even some who do offer it on a limited basis, with a circumscribed list of very basic services.

Choosing a groomer wisely is almost as important as choosing your vet. You're trusting your loved one to a stranger. Your dog or cat is going to be left alone with this person, away from your direct supervision and you have to trust that the groomer will handle your pet firmly but gently, reassuringly, making him comfortable during that most dreaded of events . . . THE BATH. Then there are noisy, potentially frightening gizmos like dryers and clippers; uncomfortable procedures like expressing anal glands and the trauma of nail clipping. Without a competent, compassionate groomer, it can add up to a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day for a dog or cat!

A good place to begin is with referrals from people you know and trust. The vet's office is a good place to start, especially with the staff; the vet techs and receptionists can be great sources of information. If you frequent a dog park, ask around there, and you can always resort to approaching a stranger with a well groomed dog, complimenting their dog and asking who their groomer is. You might even contact any local rescues or shelters and ask them, as well as checking with non-pet selling pet supply stores.

Failing referrals, check in the Yellow Pages and online. The online sources are likely to have pages where clients can post comments and ratings, but remember to view those -- both good and bad -- with a critic's eye, since it's easy to have one's friends load your listing with rave reviews and just as easy for a disgruntled employee or former client who has left on bad terms (maybe their pet savaged one too many groomers) to slam someone with rants.

Once you've developed a list of potential groomer it's time to get down to the real work.

First things first: go visit the grooming salon. Park a little distance from the doorway so you can watch, unobtrusively, as other people bring their dogs to the salon. Are they happy and eager to go in? To greet someone inside? Or are they fearful or show other signs of dread, like having to be dragged through the doorway, whimpering or having submissive urination before going in? If it's just one dog, take into consideration that some dogs just loathe a bath that badly, but if it seems to be a trend, leave, you've seen enough.

If you're satisfied with what you see from your surveillance, it's time to go in and scope the place out. You can do this with or without your dog. It's reasonable to assume that a grooming salon or pet supply store that has grooming services is going to welcome visits from potential clients and their pets!

The staff's greeting to you and your dog will tell you a great deal you need to know, as will your dog's reaction to the staff.

So, if you've made it this far and are favorably inclined, it's time to dig a little deeper . . .

Provided by Brian Spilner, a freelance writer for www.pet-super-store.com: Where you can find great deals pet gates and pet stairs.

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