Finding a Good Dog Groomer

Finding a good dog groomer is critical to the safety and well-being of your dog. Unlike professional hair dressers for us humans, there are no licensing or training requirements for a person to operate as a dog groomer in any of the US states. As such, there is no standardization, or legislation protecting your pets from careless grooming practices, or plain-old inexperience.

Now, that does not mean that there aren't wonderful, experienced groomers out there, it just means that you should be careful and selective when picking a groomer.

PetAmore has compiled the following list to help you find the perfect groomer for your dog:

1. References: Ask your vet, neighbor, friend or family member which groomer they recommend and why.
2. Visit: Stop into the Groomer's shop unnanounced before booking an appointment, and explain that you are looking for a new groomer and would like to see the facilities and grooming room. Look for cleanliness, overcrowding of dogs in kennels, pay attention to how the staff interacts with the dogs, and look at the equipment being used. Does the equipment look new, or up-to-date? If the groomer does not want to allow you to look in the back - you might want to ask yourself why not?
3. Interview: Speak to the groomer that will be taking care of your dog - not just the owner of the shop. Ask what they will be doing to the dog, how many years they have been grooming, and determine whether or not this person makes you feel at ease. Chances are if they don't make you feel comfortable, your dog won't feel comfortable with this person either.
4. Instinct: Refer to your instincts - was there anything about the groomer, or facility that raised a question in your mind? Was that question addressed? Did you feel that the animals in the facility were being well-supervised, and cared for?
5. Honesty: If your dog is difficult when being groomed, let the groomer know in advance. Ask her/him how she would handle various scenarios with your dog. After all you are asking the groomer a number of questions - they to have the right to know that your dog might bite them, or be overly difficult as they may have to book extra time.

You should also consider the following:

• Is my dog Socialized well enough to visit a traditional groomer's shop? If your dog is agressive it may be wiser to have a Mobile Groomer, or House Call Groomer visit you instead.
• Would a mobile groomer be better for my dog? A mobile groomer can generally only visit private residences as their vehicles need to connect to a water supply, which isn't usually available in an apartment complex.
• If your dog doesn't need a lot of special equipment it may be best to have a groomer that comes into your home. This is perfect for dogs with limited mobility, for those that get car sick, or have compromised immunity, (older sick dogs).

See the below video about selecting a Good Dog Groomer, and why it is so terribly important.