I would go to the groomers …

How do they become groomers?

In my case, it all started a long time ago, with the movie “Men in Black”. After watching this movie, I just fell in love with pugs and decided that I would definitely have a dog of this breed. And one day my husband gave me a pug for my birthday. We started to participate in exhibitions, got involved, I started learning handling at first, because I understand very well that without studying in any activity you will be a beginner. Then she began to exhibit other people’s dogs, and also learned to become an expert, which made it possible to finally “put the puzzle together”: to see the dog as a whole, evaluate its anatomy and be able to show it correctly. And as for grooming, it has become another component of the correct preparation of dogs for exhibitions. The first time I picked up scissors was when I needed to trim my pug before entering the ring. And I realized that I like to work with scissors, to “draw” a dog.

What is grooming and how to learn it?

Every groomer will confirm that grooming is painting. Because you have to have a clear picture of how the dog will look like as a result. it has its own professional secrets, tricks, and you just need to be able to quickly and accurately cut, if the client is not a star of exhibitions, but a pet. If you want to master home grooming in order to properly care for your four-legged friend, just go to the salon and master basic pet grooming course. However, the salon should be chosen carefully. I do not recommend taking courses if there are 10-12 people in a group – in this case it is difficult to master many skills. The best option is a group of 2 people, then each lesson will turn into almost individual master classes. If you are interested in exhibition grooming, then only breeders (specialists working with a particular breed) can help here. They will “chew” all the nuances regarding this breed and its coat. You won’t get that kind of training in a salon.

Is it hard to be a groomer?

Exhibition grooming is rather a pleasure, even enjoyment of the process and the result. Show dogs are usually well cared for, and the groomer’s job is just to keep fit and “update the picture.” Pet grooming can be hard work, as neglected dogs are often brought in. However, there are notable exceptions in this area. But, basically, it is necessary to “get” the dog out of the woolen “shell” that has fallen down. The duration of the “home” grooming of one dog is an average of 2 hours. I don’t have an assembly line, and that’s enough time to get a Yorkshire Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, or Shih Tzu in order. It takes up to 2,5 hours for a Cocker Spaniel (including washing, drying, cutting, etc.). The duration of the show grooming depends not only on the breed, but also on the amount of work: what exactly needs to be embellished or removed. It can last 3-5 hours. But if you take a Samoyed dog or a Malamute, for example, then it takes 40 minutes just to wash. The “fur” dog is dried for about 2 hours. And another 1 hour is spent on combing, cutting, “decorations”. It takes about 3 hours to prepare a zwergshauzer for the exhibition. For an English Cocker Spaniel – approximately 4 hours. And the features of grooming depend on the type of dog’s coat. Smooth-haired dogs require one care, wire-haired – quite another. But everyone can learn it. It would be a wish!