Speed. Safety. Sanitation. I hear those words bantered around a lot in our industry. I experienced a lot of mixed messaging while learning this trade, even before social media but still prevalent today. I warily view social media with non-stop posts about “grooming hacks” as related to our industry with so much misinformation peppered in with helpful ideas and products.
I saw the industry back then and even now from a unique perspective. I was a former veterinarian technician/hospital administrator at a large veterinarian emergency and specialty center before opening a retail store with my husband. We added a grooming salon to our second store but needed more exposure to grooming. To understand it better, I enrolled in a grooming academy while working with a mentor who was a second-generation professional groomer who also showed and bred standard poodles. Both were task masters that pushed me for high standards with my scissoring and styling skills but not as much with safety and sanitation. That aspect, I luckily understood from working at a veterinarian clinic.
I remember at school the floor was carpeted and only vacuumed a few times a day. We had Barbacide, cooling spray and learned about equipment maintenance but were not allowed to utilize products that would help the pets stand on the table easier or conditioners to help optimize skin and coat health. On the weekends, my mentor would also never use grooming safety aids but did talk about learning to sit on a stool during
some of the groom to save your back. I also never saw her clean any blades between dogs. Meanwhile, when I talked to fellow professionals at tradeshows, I found out many were required to stand while grooming or they would be viewed as “not working” or better shampoos or conditioner were not provided because they were considered too expensive for the bottom line. I heard countless stories of how safety and sanitation have been sacrificed to gain more speed at the expense of the professional or furry client.
At the grooming academy, we were taught that a consistent workflow pattern and muscle memory increase speed. We always followed the same routine of prep, bathe, style. Within each division, we followed the same routine. And, as with all trades, as one got use to each method and routine, speed increased. This timeless method does allow for one to eventually speed up in their methods however, for new professionals’ speed means the difference between a living wage and not making ends meet. Our trade wages are directly dependent upon number of dogs per week.
Fast forward from over a decade ago, the progression of safety and sanitation products and techniques have been directly influences by advancements in animal behavior, technology, and science. Today, utilizing these advancements, one can shave off major amounts of time from the grooming process without sacrificing coat style or health or using styling speed tricks.
One of the most innovative materials to be utilized in the industry is BioThane. This material is actually manufactured and processed in the United States and has been a revolutionary material used to craft grooming loops and table safety accessories. BioThane is a waterproof material made from polyester webbing coated with TPU or PVC which is easy to clean and odor resistant. Now one can quickly prep on the table and advance to the tub without having to change out and clean different loops shaving off time. BioThane safety tethers extend the grooming loops with various chain links allowing one to avoid adjusting the table arm. Again, shaving off minutes. BioThane belly bands used correctly give hip support to seniors or help dogs stand on a table for various grooming aspects saving valuable time. No more up-down-up-down while physically trying to help with support. Belly bands not only aid the dog but help prevent various grooming injuries the professional could sustain.
Combining current animal science with advanced cosmetic technology, a few manufacturers of shampoos and conditioners have pulled ahead of the pack providing products that are not only healthier for the skin and coat but produce better results with allergy issues, drying and scissoring.
Healthier skin and coat allow for faster drying, smoother brushing and easier detangling. Companies such as Iv San Bernard, and Botaniqa incorporate animal science to tailor products that work with the various genetic coat structures producing fast results for dry, flaky skin and coat.
Advanced conditioners Both, as well as a newer product produced by Nkita, use unique natural ingredients and proven state of the art cosmetic ingredients that provide superior cleaning and intense moisturizing and conditioning benefits.
Nexderma uses nano-particle technology. According to the Dr’s desk at Clinikally“ Nanotechnology offers better delivery for skin products because it allows active ingredients to penetrate deeper into the skin, enhancing their effectiveness. This technology stabilizes sensitive ingredients and provides controlled release, ensuring that they work more efficiently compared to traditional distilled processes.” Thus, the colloidal silver, a natural antifungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial ingredient, is an alternative to traditionally used Chlorohexidine which can cause skin irritations. Safe for dogs, cats and horses, Nexderma offers a wide range of products that work with skin issues..
Unique innovative designs such as drying robes such as the Ultra 2-ply Microfiber Drying Robes can help reduce stress since it hugs the body but also absorbs quite a bit of moisture while keeping the coat flatter as it dries. I have used these drying robes and have in some cases reduced dry times by 5-15 minutes per furry client. Even 5 minutes per pet with 6 clients in a day saves 60 minutes. These robes can help seniors or those pets that don’t work well with velocity driers dry faster.
The Happy Hoodie®, the original Head Hug for Pets™ was developed by two groomers to muffle loud noises from velocity driers and keeps the high-pressured, air away from the ear canals. A calmer dog that doesn’t try to move away from the dryer constantly allows for faster drying. A side benefit is that it speeding up dry times around the head since it absorbs water and provides a safer environment.
My new favorite products are wide blades and blade attachments. The extra width alone saves tons of time because the amount of surface area they target. Geib extra wide blades and metal combs are a great option. They use the same quality production as seen in the company’s scissors. The metal mounts have a lower profile to fit easily within a drawer.
Now that I have described some of the product innovations, lets discuss a real-life scenario putting them all into action. I groom two doodles, size 45 and 55 pounds, every four weeks. Both are active and swim so the owner has asked that they be kept in a 5/8” length all over with round head. Meet Oliver and Pippa.
Oliver has a Wooley style coat where Pippa has a flatter, softer coat. Oliver is a dream with drying. He stands, handles the velocity drier, and relaxes for stretch drying. Pippa, naturally more timid, is not a fan of the drying process. She tends to want to curl in a ball and avoid it. Usually, it takes me 1.5 to 2 hours per dog start to finish. Why the variation? Sometimes there is light matting in areas that needs detangling or they need extra bath/dry time.
Many groomers are taught various methods from start to finish but I am detailing for this specific groom what was taught at the grooming school I attended (my mentor was old school and always used the two-bath method, conditioner and stretch drying after velocity drying) to serve as a bench mark. Each dog is prepped first (nail trim, sanitary areas clipped and pads clipped). Second bath/dry time (double shampoo, separate conditioner, velocity dry and stretch dry while brushing detangling). Third, finish work on table.
With the use of staging in bigger bathtubs (Safer since the dogs could easily exit the tubs via a quick step if stressed), I washed Oliver; let shampoo soak. Then I washed Pippa; let shampoo soak. Rinsed each and repeated with second shampoo and then conditioner. Working on both at the same time allowed the product to work its way to the skin.
After towel drying both, I placed Pippa in a drying towel since her coat would dry slower to begin with via the velocity dryer and let her rest in the large tub. Again, these are bigger style tubs with easy exit for safety. Every salon is different and would have Pippa in the towel elsewhere. I then dried Olive; place in kennel. I then dried Pippa. who was significantly dry and coat flattened more due to the weight of the robe. Her drying took 1/3 of the time as Oliver. Each was then styled using a wide comb attachment. The clipper work was cut in half due to the wider blade/comb attachment. There grooms took me two hours start to finish versus prior grooming times.
Utilizing and embracing the current advancements in science, technology and animal behavior has allowed me to professionally increase my speed. These speed enhancers are not linked to scissoring or styling skills. Instead, they open up opportunities for less experienced trade professionals. Increasing speed is key in an industry in which earnings is directly linked to productivity and precision trade skills.