Mobile grooming should be all about convenience.
The more convenient we become to the pet owner the more often they will have their dogs groomed. I can remember many of my clients that started their dogs on a six, eight, even ten-week grooming schedule.
After just a few appointments they came to realize just how convenient this service truly is and then gradually moved to a four to five week schedule. The fact that they did not have to be home was even more appealing. Now we have them on great schedules, let’s modify their trims to fit their individual lifestyles. Many of my client’s dogs are cute little lap dogs that very rarely touch the grass.
Then we have the majority which are very busy outdoors. There are many breeds that love to be in the water during the summer months. Many people love to bring their dogs to the beach and even camping. You have to take all these things into consideration when putting trims on their dogs. In these situations I will tighten my trims for the summer.
Leaving hair in the wrong places will only contribute to matting. You can put style in your trims by leaving hair in the right places. I prefer to maintain stylized trims rather than spend endless hours dematting and setting lines all over again at each visit. Maintenance is the key word here. Maintaining a good trim is my goal.
Adding style to your work is easier said than done. It takes an artistic eye. Groomers are very artistic people in nature. Although it does take time, experience and practice to develop that artistry. It is very important for groomers to visit dog shows to see how these breeds should look as well as how the breeds are being stylized. Just as our hairstyles are always changing, so are the breeds. Our objective as mobile groomers should be to custom tailor our trims to bring out the best qualities in our pets as well as keeping our trims practical and manageable for the pet owner.
If the client’s pet is consistently matted every time you go to their home, than adjustments need to be made.
The first thing I recommend is to modify the trim. It may take a few visits to find the right trim for their dog. If you are still having problems with matting and the client is happy with the trim, at that point I would recommend changing their schedule by one week or possibly even two weeks.
You may also want to take a hard look at the products you are using. Products will make a big difference in how your trims hold up. If you are using a shampoo that is deep cleansing at every visit and you are not using some form of conditioning the coat may become dry and begin to mat. There are many leave-in conditioners that work great on areas that are prone to matting, i.e. tails, ears, and beards to name a few.
Your bathing, drying and coat preparation can either make or break your trims. Everything from bathing systems, dryers, clippers, blades, brushes and scissors all play a major role in your efficiency. Investing in good equipment is vital in the grooming industry. When your grooming appointments become lengthy, you will become inconvenient to that client.
