Grooming your dog at home is not the easiest thing to do. Without the proper restraints and tools groomers use, the pet owner is frequently frustrated at his attempts to groom his own dog at home. Many professional groomers' clientele are people who have attempted grooming at home, given up, and called the pros. Some have actually taken their clippers and handed them over to the groomer, swearing they will never touch their dog again! But sometimes you have to wonder — why can groomers get the job done but you can't? What's the secret?
Grooming dogs is part training, part dog psychology, part use of professional tools, and most of all, hard work. Groomers earn their pay! Granted, not all dogs are difficult to handle — some are sheer joy — but there are always special cases. Some are more challenging than others, but most dogs can be handled with relatively little difficulty as long as the dog understands that this is something that must be done.
Most dogs enjoy being groomed because they love the attention. After a dog is groomed, she will walk with her head held high and her tail up, showing off for you and her public, as if to say, “Look at me! I am gorgeous!” She has a twinkle in her eye and a spring in her step, no matter what age she is.
This book is designed for those of you who want to groom your dog at home and learn how to do it right. Grooming your dog will help your human-animal bond, and even if you use a professional groomer, brushing and maintenance between grooms is essential. Learn how to properly maintain your pet to keep him clean, healthy, and more “pet-able.” Learning dog handling and control is half the battle with dog grooming.
Moreover, dog grooming is an art — the art of sculpting hair into a style that defines the breed, grooming for the pet's comfort, or just for fun. You've seen dog shows on TV showcasing Poodles with massive hair styles, Yorkies with hair to the floor, and the Old English Sheepdog with a massive bouffant of hair over her eyes and rump. Those styles may be a little too exaggerated for pets, but making a pet cute, comfortable, and easy to care for is just as much of an art as show grooming — but a lot less work!
Many professional groomers started out with meager beginnings and outdated tools and equipment, yet still became great groomers because they had the desire to learn more. No matter what your profession or age, you never stop learning.
You may decide, after reading this book and grooming your own dog, that you want to take the next step and look into becoming a groomer as a new career. You may decide that grooming your own pet is enough, but you've learned some new techniques for handling or grooming to help you. Or you may decide that grooming isn't just playing with puppies all day; it is hard work and you will leave it to the pros!
Whatever the case, this book is meant to be an enjoyable way to gain a new appreciation for professional groomers and trainers, and most of all, learn more about your dog to strengthen the bond between you.