# Hats off to Groomers!



## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

I know many of you groom your own poodles and many are professional groomers. I have been lucky enough to have a master groomer close to me who I have used for over 20 years and aside from a bath, or trimming face and feet, I have not really attempted.

Well, my groomer is in between assistants so I offered to help her for a couple weekends in exchange for Sunny's groom, since she is so very busy. Today I was in for 5 hours -- getting "trained" and my first subjects were two 65 pound labradoodles (brother and sister, an apricot and a brown), followed by a not to thrilled to meet the new kid male standard schnauzer (boy was he stubborn). I learned the shampoo/rinse/shampoo/rinse/cream rinse/rinse and on the doodles (who have long coat by the way) by that time I was ready to collapse!! Blowing them dry was something else, too as their winter coat is about 2"!!!! 

I guess I passed the training.....even though there were only 3 dogs I did today (she did the clipping of course). 

Makes me appreciate my little easy to groom Sunny for sure!!!


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Exhausting, isn't it? How sore are you? lol

Chamomile tea is good for sore muscles.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

There was a time I groomed six poodles, family friends though. very tiring especially the Standard oi


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I have respect for groomers,after taking me 6 hours to do my little ones. By the way if any groomers are looking to relocate please send them to the eastern shore of MD. If I weren't so old I swear I would go to school for it. Lots of dogs here.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

That was so nice of you to pitch in. I have a lot of respect for professional groomers and when you find a really good one, it's like winning the lottery.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

Hi
What a GIFT your groomer gave you! I wish EVERYONE who owned a poodle and employed groomers could have such an introduction to a grooming process. 
BTW, LilJaker mentioned the process of bathing. If you are ever in doubt about 'when do I know the soap/conditioner is out of the coat?' Answer is: when the water runs clear and all bubbles are gone, THEN your coat is rinsed!


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

My record, which isn't that high was bathe and dry 19 dogs in a day. Probably half were big. It was the day before Christmas. My daughter had done a LOT more in a day and she has 10 bulging discs in her back and neck. I think everyone should try it for a day. It is not for the weak! 

I remember once I bathed a very large Golden Ret with a huge coat. Got him dry and was walking him to his crate to wait for his mama....he got away from me, ran to the back and jumped into a soapy tub of water. I wanted to cry!


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

BorderKelpie said:


> Exhausting, isn't it? How sore are you? lol
> 
> Chamomile tea is good for sore muscles.


Stacey warned me, "when you get home be sure you have what you need to get done before you sit down.....since you will be exhausted." Well, I was pretty tired - not too sore, but it does help when you have the professional equipment, tables, etc.

Still those 2 labradoodles were like two ponies -- and they were huge with very long coat. Guess they are in every 4 weeks.


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

It took us exactly one disastrous attempt to bathe and dry Beau at home for me to swear, "Never Again!" He's gone in to see Madeline every three weeks ever since. In fact, he goes tomorrow, which will make me happy, if not him. She does have bathing help, but grooming a dozen or so dogs (many of which are spoos) every day represents a feat of super-human strength as far as I'm concerned.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

My groomers are men It's every three weeks for Buck, too. He is compliant with them and I get a few hours off. I am lobbying for an outside dog washing station. So far, unsuccessfully


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Interview 3 groomers today for a puppy cut (NO NOT TOUCH ANAL GLAND) all 3 said they did not. Wish me luck, prices I received to my 3.1 lb and my 7 lb monthly was from 35 to 65 does that sound ok, I was paying 56 for a bad job. One is a retired show groomer, might be the way I go, as in the summer I cut there back end and legs down, no pomp pomps though


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## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

Oh absolutely - tough job that I am very happy to pay to have done! I'm sore from the in between baths even with the elevated tub / grooming area that DH built me. I can't imagine doing this all day especially with large dogs!


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## Moeman1955 (Jan 31, 2013)

I really LOVE my groomer. Lord knows I better since it is my wife. She is great with the boys and I actually will pitch in and bathe them for her while she is grooming one. I can not imagine doing more then our two standards and little Coco in one day. We normally do one standard and Coco one day and the other standard the next. Buying the "professional grade" dryer was one of the best moves we made along with the adjustable grooming table. Next time we do a grooming I will post some pics of my wife's work.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

When I started grooming my own dogs, I realized how hard groomers work! Big time hats off to groomers:adore:


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## Rusty (Jun 13, 2012)

There's nothing like spending some time in someone else's shoes to make you truly appreciate them (even if you thought you already appreciated them).  I always had a groomer cut my mini's hair, but when I got a standard puppy I decided to do it myself. And after grooming my dog myself for a few years, the prices charged by good groomers seem very, very reasonable (I know I wouldn't cut someone else's dog's hair for the rate charged by a good groomer, and I'm not even all that good at it!). Even though I always tipped the groomer of my mini, I'm now pretty sure that I should have tipped her more.


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## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

Thank you so much for all that you do! I hope to one day be able to 'keep up' Naira's grooms. However, I want to take her to a professional groomer to get her sensitized to grooming while I get my skills down. Both of us learning at the same time may not be the best idea :afraid:


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## Moeman1955 (Jan 31, 2013)

*Rossi Groomed 020315*

Rossi got groomed today in advanced of his trip to the vet on Thursday to get his stitches out.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

My groomer has not raised her prices in awhile. I'd say your poodle would be $55 or $60, which is the norm. Sunny is $60. With the amount of time it takes from start to finish, that is very reasonable IMO. Some of the big dogs (doodles, etc.) come in every 4 weeks for bath, dry and trim (not lots of scissoring) and they are $50; they are more for a full clip.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

So, Sunny gets to come with, sort of Doggie Day Care at Stacey's and I think it's good for him -- he does stay close to me although he has run of the place.

So, Stacey has been watching Sunny and said she wants to grow out his TK -- a neighbor of mine tried to "even out a little a few weeks ago" and it really does look flat. She is all about the balance, etc., and thinks it would look better and also wants to grow his legs a bit more. I have been watching her creations and she is just great. I think I have seen every terrier breed that was in Westminster.....and think I must have bathed all of them and wow are they lots of work, to say nothing of the blow dry.

What do you think about growing the TK more?


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

liljaker said:


> So, Sunny gets to come with, sort of Doggie Day Care at Stacey's and I think it's good for him -- he does stay close to me although he has run of the place.
> 
> So, Stacey has been watching Sunny and said she wants to grow out his TK -- a neighbor of mine tried to "even out a little a few weeks ago" and it really does look flat. She is all about the balance, etc., and thinks it would look better and also wants to grow his legs a bit more. I have been watching her creations and she is just great. I think I have seen every terrier breed that was in Westminster.....and think I must have bathed all of them and wow are they lots of work, to say nothing of the blow dry.
> 
> What do you think about growing the TK more?


In your picture, is it lying down anywhere or flopping at all from the dampness of the snow? If it will stand up, I'd grow it a tad taller so it's well above the level of the top of his ears. 

Yes, doing my own dogs makes me appreciate groomers and they do deserve every penny they charge. (in most cases) It is very hard and tedious...takes a long time, even with my wee tpoos. I can't imagine doing that all day long with big dogs thrown in the mix too. Holy cow!


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Groooming Sunny is such a breeze..........after some of these terriers (feisty) or large doodles.......lots of arm wrestling for sure. Actually had a 4 pound yorki maltese mix and honestly, it was really difficult to blow dry, etc., since she was so small. I vote for the minis here.

Sunny's TK is finer, but she has it feathered into his neck (hard to explain) and I am going to defer to her here since yes, it is sort of pancake-like now. Can always cut it. I nixed the idea of banding......


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I meant to feather the back of Matisse's top knot into his neck more gradually but messed up and got it too short back there. Oh well. 

It will be cool to see pictures when Sunny's top knot gets a little higher...if that's what you end up wanting to do. Good luck!


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> I meant to feather the back of Matisse's top knot into his neck more gradually but messed up and got it too short back there. Oh well.
> 
> It will be cool to see pictures when Sunny's top knot gets a little higher...if that's what you end up wanting to do. Good luck!


In this pic the hair might have been a little flatter since it might have had some snow on it, can't remember, but Sunny's TK is currently blended so there is no "definition" of the TK, etc. and it is thicker on his back neck (you really can't see his collar). Stacey has always kept him fuller -- it's just that when the TK gets too long, it parts and he looks sort of goofy....... but we'll see.


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