# N.J. Woman Pushes For Law Regulating Pet Groomers After Dog Dies



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

When I was learning to groom my own dog, I talked my groomer into allowing me to watch her groom my dog. She arranged a time after hours when she did not have any other customers. One of the things she used to dry my mpoo was a drying cabinet. She had a thermometer taped to the side of this fully enclosed cabinet in which heat was blown in. She told me they didn't come with temperature gauges and could be dangerous if not used correctly. That motivated me even more to groom my own dogs.

I don't think drying cabinets are used as much as they used to be, but I wish they had never been invented. Just to be clear, they are not wire cages with cage dryers attached to one side. Drying cabinets are totally enclosed. From the articles, it appears they don't even like cages used to dry dogs.


----------



## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Drying cabinets are against the law in some states. The same thing could and has happened when using a cage dryer on a solid cage (Wire door and rest is solid) 

Air circulation is all you need. I will put small dogs in crates wrapped in towels for 10-20 minutes, or a larger dog will go into a crate and I will have a fan turned on to circulate air through the crates. My crates are all wire so nobody will overheat, besides no heat is used. I have in the past when I had an extra dryer, turned it on, pointed it at cage and also used a fan at the same time. Again, wire crate, air moves around and through. No way to overheat.

Ask how a grooming shop dries the dogs. Higher volume shops do use some type of cage drying, you have to if you want to move 30+ dogs a day through a shop. Me, I advertise that all dogs are fluff dried by hand. Crate drying time is without heat and used to give the dogs and myself a break from extended time on the table being dried. 45 minutes relaxing in a crate for a big dog, can still leave 30 minutes of drying time before anything else is done. But better than an hour drying time, standing on the table.


----------



## Aubrey (May 18, 2013)

PetSmart doesn't have cabinet dryers, and Shihtzus cannot be kennel dried(cool air fans) per PetSmart regulations. So this dog's death wasn't from either situation.


----------



## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I think it's a good idea and I like the stipulation that incidents would be a matter of public record.

I also agree with the groomer "Dogfather" who commented on pulling the oversight away from veterinarians. They are experts on health and safety but would not be able to regulate the quality of the product, which I think would be an important component. It's a different profession. I imagine there is a professional groomer's association that could take that on.


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Aubrey said:


> PetSmart doesn't have cabinet dryers, and Shihtzus cannot be kennel dried(cool air fans) per PetSmart regulations. So this dog's death wasn't from either situation.


This might be true now but it wasn't always Petsmart's policy. They probably changed their rules because some dogs did die in drying cabinets. I am glad they don't use them now. 

Drying cabinets are still being sold. So some people use them. I think it would be a good idea to ask your groomer how they dry dogs.

Using fans and no heat dryers on wire crates sounds like a good compromise solution.

Would it be a bad thing for groomers to be licensed by the state?


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Having veterinarians regulate groomers would be like doctors regulating hair dressers or nail technicians. I thought there was some sort of certification/licensing program for groomers. What does being a "master groomer" mean? Nothing?


----------



## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Mfmst said:


> What does being a "master groomer" mean? Nothing?


 From International Certified Master Groomer Barbara Bird's blog, October 12, 2014.

BBird's GroomBlog: Groomer Certification - What Does It Mean?
Certification is optional in the pet grooming industry. In fact there is no testing or licensing required of professional groomers. NONE. As in many trades, all it takes is a hammer and nails to hang out a shingle and declare oneself a groomer. There is something very American about this, but there are drawbacks as well. The biggest one being that the pet owner has no way of knowing the skill level of the groomer to whom they are handing their pet over. 

There are several ways a groomer can learn the trade. 

*Apprenticeship. This was the original model of learning. The grooming apprentice is taught one-on-one by an accomplished groomer as a part of an employment arrangement. It is usually a long-term relationship of at least two years. This is how I learned. I apprenticed for four years under the rigorous tutelage of Bill "Scissorhands" North, a grooming artist, show handler and kennel owner. This model served well for decades while pet ownership remained on a slow growth curve. 

* Schools. Grooming schools began to spring up in the 1980's as pet ownership mushroomed and the demand for groomers exceeded the supply. The average program is 12-16 weeks. Figuring a 40 hour week, this would range from 480-640 total hours of teaching/training. Compare to the average of 1500-2100 hours for a cosmetology program. The beautician or hair dresser must then pass a State licensing exam before they can work. The groomer is handed a diploma or certificate and can open up a shop. A few grooming schools offer post-graduation education/training, but this is the exception. It is up to the individual to further their training.

* In-house training. With the arrival of large-scale corporate grooming salons (PetsMart, PetCo, etc.) the strain of supplying qualified groomers became even greater. Corporate stores began their in-house training of their employees. A senior groomer, or groomer with a few years of experience is assigned as a teacher. This kind of training has the advantage of having an unlimited supply of dogs on which to learn, but the fatal flaw is that the value of the training depends entirely on the skills of the teacher. The corporate stores do not always draw the most talented or skilled groomers. Excuse me, but I call this training the blind leading the blind.

* Self-taught. Although I've known a few self-taught groomers who achieved success, this can be a rough start, especially when venturing from grooming one's own pets to working on other people's "babies". It is in the first six months that most grooming accidents occur and the thought of someone working with clippers and scissors without an experienced person looking over their shoulder makes me shudder. Fortunately, there are many online video supports that are providing demonstrations and instructions to groomers. 

* Competition Grooming. Grooming competitions offer opportunities to have one's work assessed and judged by top groomers in the industry. Most grooming judges are at least Master Groomers themselves, or have undergone special training for judging credentials. 

* Because of the different learning paths for pet groomers, the average pet owner has no way of assessing the skill level of the groomer. National certification provides a level of confidence and validates the professionalism of the certified groomer. In the USA, there are three certifying organizations: National Dog Groomers' Association of America (NDGAA) which leads to a NCMG (Nationally Certified Master Groomer), International Professional Groomers, Inc (IPG) which offers an ICMG (Internationally Certified Master Groomer) designation, and International Society of Canine Cosmetologists (ISCC) which designates a MPS (Master Pet Stylist) degree. All three organizations have post graduate opportunities and degrees. 

Although the exact requirements of the three certifying have some distinct differences, the process is similar. The applicant must a number of written tests as well as rigorous practical testing on four dogs.

Written exams require knowledge of breed identification, AKC breed standards, safe handling of animals, safe use of pesticides, canine anatomy, and much more. Practical exams Posted 12th October 2014 by bbirdgrade the groomer's ability to bathe and prepare the coat, interpret a breed standard on a pet, scissoring skills and how animals are handled. Grooming of different types of dogs is required, such as a sporting breed, a non-sporting (usually a poodle or a bichon), a terrier and a mixed breed. Testing is usually broken into segments relating to AKC groups (terriers, non-sporting, sporting, and others), and groomers work their way through the different segments. Once all written tests are passed with sufficient scores, and the practical exams are complete and scored sufficiently, the degree of "Master" is awarded. Groomer certification also carries a responsibility to maintain a high level of professionalism and a commitment to continuing education and learning. All three national organizations have a Code of Ethics to which members pledge that include promises for the care of animals in our care and respect towards clients and other grooming professionals. 

National certification is not to be mistaken for school graduation certification. Not to belittle a school certificate, it is certainly a mark of accomplishment, but few in-house diplomas rise to the same standard as do the national certifying organizations. The path to certification is arduous, time consuming, and can be expensive. It can involve traveling to testing sites, borrowing dogs, seeking out critiques from colleagues, and any number of twists in the road. One of my twists was that the Cocker Spaniel I had been working on for years and was to use in my certification died just days before the testing. Instead of the lovely "Lady", I tested with an unruly Springer Spaniel brought off the ranch in New Mexico to fill in at the last minute. I passed my Sporting Breed practical - barely. In my mind, however, my Sporting Breed dog will always be Lady. Certification requires the groomer to really work on achieving perfect breed trims. Lady was a willing a cheerful partner in this process and she helped me learn to groom cockers. 

After 30 years of grooming, I did not really NEED to become certified. But I wanted it for my own inner professional validation. And there was no better way to take my own grooming up another level. Certification pushed me yet again to critique my work and strive to improve. I am very proud of this achievement. 

The author, Barbara Bird, ICMG, is owner/operator of Transformation Pet Center, Tucson, Arizona, where she practices the art of pet grooming by appointment only. She can be reached by email at [email protected], or phone at 520-795-5743.


----------



## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Dogs die. We can't pass laws to prevent that. So get over it, lady. You and your dog are not sacrosanct. 

Anybody who tries to pull the noose of regulations tighter around my neck will be fought tooth and nail.

Maybe I should have wrapped that opinion in some flowery language, eh?


----------



## Aubrey (May 18, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> This might be true now but it wasn't always Petsmart's policy. They probably changed their rules because some dogs did die in drying cabinets. I am glad they don't use them now.


I have worked for PetSmart for over 12 years and it has always been the policy since I have been there. This incident is from 3 years ago.

_____

I personally don't think that regulating groomers would have any affect on amount of casualties or injuries. 

Dogs and cats are living animals who cannot speak. Living animals have underlying health issues, have disorders, have disease. Most death cases are from underlying health issues that activity/stress exacerbate. This stress can happen at a pet store, at a groomer's, at a vet's, on a walk. Or even just trotting out into the yard to pee.

The incidents that are not from underlying causes will still happen- ****ty groomers will groom without a license because people don't ask to see their beautician's license  And accidents even in good shops can happen.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> Dogs die. We can't pass laws to prevent that. So get over it, lady. You and your dog are not sacrosanct.
> 
> Anybody who tries to pull the noose of regulations tighter around my neck will be fought tooth and nail.
> 
> Maybe I should have wrapped that opinion in some flowery language, eh?


Being staunchly conservative, I have to agree with you on this. There is so much government regulation, we're losing our freedoms. And I don't mean the freedom to kill dogs. But with a lot of big government involvement in our every aspect of life comes the loss of freedom. It's gradual, insidious but it's happening. There _is_ a price sometimes. You can't have safety (the illusion of safety) and freedom. 

I do believe that when injury or death happens in the care of any kind of provider when it's their fault, they should be punished amply. I've heard of some horror stories too in grooming shops.

But we need to temper regulation...we need to place the burden, not on our government, but on ourselves...in the private sector. 

I believe in these words very strongly:

_*"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."*_

*Benjamin Franklin*

I appreciate the articles here and see what terrible things can happen. But I think dog owners, not big government can take care of ourselves and our dogs if we take some initiative. Laws are fine. They're necessary up to a point. People who are careless, abuse dogs, puppy millers, all that...they should be in deep doo doo. We don't need some bureaucracy gumming up the works and doing their usual inefficient job of it anyhow. I sure don't want them crammed down my throat anymore than they already are. Every time we turn things over to some politicians, we're trading our freedoms for that temporary sense of security. I'm not willing to pay that exorbitant price.


----------



## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Another POV on the topic...
Practicing Self Control | Grooming Business

Practicing Self Control
By Chris Pawlosky on Feb 1 2014
To ensure that regulations put on groomers actually serve their intended purpose without being debilitating to the profession, the grooming industry must be active in policing itself.

For a long time, groomers have been lucky enough to fly under the radar of legislators. There are currently few laws in place to regulate the grooming industry, but that could all change very soon as animal-rights groups and the general public increasingly focus on issues such as licensing requirements for these service providers.

“It’s clear that there is a concerted effort underway to turn the clippers on groomers in states across the country,” says Mike Bober, vice president of government affairs of Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). “This will lead to burdensome bureaucracy, excessive costs and increased liability, all of which will hurt groomers and pet owners alike.” 

While the subject of regulation and licensing can be scary, it is important that groomers look at the issue from the perspective of outsiders. It makes sense that pet owners, who overwhelmingly consider their four-legged companions as family members, would want laws in place to ensure that service providers take reasonable steps to keep their loved ones safe and provide a clean environment. Making sure that pet groomers are licensed and required to take practical and written training to meet educational minimums can go a long way in this regard. 

Without licensing, groomers may have undeveloped skills and incomplete training. They may lack knowledge in product safety, breed-standard grooming, animal-handling techniques, animal behavior, parasite management, disease control and the importance of some inoculations dictated by law. It is easy to see how this lack of education can create a dangerous situation for pets; and unfortunately, it is becoming far too common in the industry today.

Licensing with at least a required minimum of education and hands-on training is a must, says Judy Hudson, NCMG, certifier for National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA), noting that she sees more and more people entering the grooming industry with no experience other than owning a pet dog. “They hear there is good money to be made in our industry and no license required,” she says. “They buy a mobile unit, put an ad out, and they are grooming.”

If this trend continues, Hudson sees more negative press and government intervention in the industry’s future. 

Good Intentions, Bad Effect
When grooming professionals broadcast that they are state licensed and certified, it has a decidedly positive effect on customers’ confidence and trust. In fact, a case can be made that state licensing of pet groomers will not only improve the quality of pet grooming across the United States, it will also raise industry revenue by elevating that quality and increasing demand. However, the industry is often too late to the table or cannot gather the resources in time to help write the laws that dictate licensing procedures. This creates a situation where the people working with legislators are pet owners whose animals have been injured in a grooming salon, or people from other animal-related field. The problem here is that these activists truly do not understand the business of grooming, yet they are writing the guidelines—often with disastrous effects. 

In most cases, the movement behind a particular piece of groomer licensing legislation begins with good intentions, but depending on who is supporting the effort, it can become a platform for activists with little regard for the profession. As a result, rules intended for good can cause a number of issues for groomers. .A simple example would be the size of pet crates in salons. 

In 2009, Pennsylvania enacted a law that states groomers must provide space to allow each dog in their care to turn about freely and to stand, sit and lie in a normal position. While this makes perfect sense on the surface, the law goes on to say the dog must be able to lie down while fully extended without the dog’s head, tail, legs, face or feet touching any side of the enclosure. This leaves a lot of room for interpretation. 

The next section goes on to say the interior height of a primary enclosure shall be at least six-inches higher than the head of the tallest dog in the enclosure when it is in a normal standing position—another rule that can be interpreted in different ways. For example, what about dogs with prick ears?

While this law was meant to protect dogs, it will likely do more to hurt groomers than actually improve their canine clients’ quality of care. Let’s say a groomer uses condos that are 21-inches long by 16-inches wide by 15-inches high for dogs that have an average shoulder height between 10 and 11 inches. While this would seem to be a nice size condo, according to the law, it should be 20 inches or higher. This may not seem like a big deal, but if a groomer has to replace all of the salon’s condos with larger ones, it can be expensive. 

Similar legislation could affect the temporary pet housing in grooming shops, as well as salon equipment. Regulation is needed, but imagine if an outsider decided that force dryers were cruel and should be banned from grooming shops. That kind of change would set groomers back hours in labor. To make up for that, groomers may have to charge much higher prices, and the quality of work would suffer. 

Misguided regulation like this is unfortunate, especially given that there are a number of grooming industry organizations that are ready and willing to help shape sensible legislation in this area. NDGAA president Jeff Reynolds, for example, is an advocate of groomer licensing and says his organization would “love to be stepping stone for the growth of the industry and the licensing of dog groomers.” 

Taking Action
While there are organizations that watch and address legislation for the grooming industry—such as PIJAC and the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) —grooming professionals should be doing a little watch-dogging of their own, so that their voices are heard when these types of bills are being shaped. 

Groomers do not have to sit back and wait for industry organizations to step in on their behalf, they can be effective individually in shaping legislation. In fact, they can even beat activist groups to the punch by introducing regulatory legislation themselves. Of course, this can be an intimidating process, but it can be made much more manageable if you know the right steps to take. 

While watching for and responding to new legislation can be a great way to help avoid damaging regulations, what may be even more effective at stemming the tide of onerous laws is if the industry takes a proactive approach in policing itself. According to Kathy Rose, international grooming champion and IPG, NDGAA and ISCC-Certified Master Groomer, while efforts to self-regulate have been made for years, doing so is no small task.

“Any kind of vocational licensing movement is truly a Herculean effort,” she says. “About 15 years ago, the GLFC [Groomer Licensing Founders Committee] was formed with the initial purpose of educating groomers about vocational licensure and attempting to dispel some of the myths.”

Rose says that it was apparent that to even consider any form of mandatory vocational licensure, the industry must first be unified in how it would self-regulate—a goal that is much more complicated than it might look on the surface. 

“In order to have a licensed profession, there must be a way to educate and test new groomers, as well as grandfather in and test existing groomers,” she explains. “This poses another obstacle in that some form of base curriculum that is standardized must be available. So this means schools need to come together, at least to some extent.

“One more issue is, of course, financing. Who will pay for this? The states are all at their financial limits and may be unwilling to add yet another bunch of dollar signs to their budgets.”

At the end of the day, there is still much to be done if the grooming industry is going to create a system of self-regulation that will effectively protect it from misguided government action. “We as a profession have come a long way and still have a long way to go,” says Rose. “I still feel that we groomers need to take charge of our own legal destiny before someone does it for us.”

_Christina Pawlosky is a Certified Master Groomer, professional handler, breeder, and successful pet store and grooming shop owner (The Pet Connection) since 1985. She is currently is the National Training Manager for Oster Professional Products, where she manages 19 top groomer ambassadors and travels nationwide to speak and demonstrate grooming techniques with Oster’s comprehensive line of grooming tools. She qualified for GroomTeam USA from 1992-1995, earning multiple titles, and she continues to hold the record for most Crystal Achievement Awards ever won (8). Christina produces grooming DVDs through her website GroomerWorks.com._


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I'd like to see a group of responsible, reputable, GOOD groomers advocate for proper care of dogs. The group would set up a code of ethics, such as realtors have, for instance. There'd be certain criteria to adhere to and they could become certified and have a designated title attached. Again, using the example of realtors, there are real estate agents and there are "Realtors." Realtors belong to the multiple listing service, subscribe to a code of ethics and have certain expectations they must meet. No government agency is necessary. If those who do not live up to the high expectations, they would be exposed. This group could visit these shops...even under cover by taking a dog to be groomed, stay and watch. They could get feed back from customers. They could set up inspections with those groomers who want this special designation. Well, that's all very undetailed and I'm sure there is more to it. But in a nutshell I believe a private organization will do a better job or keeping groomers in line than big government. After all, there are plenty of licensed daycares for children that have had children molested and abused. Look at CPS. There are so many cases that slip through the cracks with that. How much better will animals be served when they can't even do a proper job where children are concerned? When government gets too big, too much bureaucracy, things break down. Look at how the post office is run. It's almost bankrupt. The pony express did a better job. Efficiency and good care does not depend on government regulation. Privatization from actual "caring" citizens in the field can do just fine.


----------

