Grooming

Good Saturday morning all; hope you have a wonderful Saturday. I've been grooming for nearly thirty years (yikes). Of course in the beginning I was pretty awful but I have to say now 29 years later I can do a mean poodle groom. I started with a terrier; Mandy to be precise and at first it was the clippers and then I learned to strip a terrier coat. Not something I ever plan on doing again as it is such a pain. I'd much rather just shave it off; but you then ruin the terrier coat texture, so there you have it.

From terriers I quickly moved to poodles; somewhat easier as it just involves scissoring and clipping, no plucking (except for ears). And having gone from the terrier to grooming a show poodles then to the "poodle" clip to now has been a huge transition. I don't waste my time on fancy clips anymore; basically it all comes off with one swoop, one blade, that's it that's all. At this time of year it takes a bit more time because I like to have some coat on the dogs. It gets cold at night and I like my patio door open so, a little coat helps to keep them warm at night.

I clip them now with the 3/4" blade which gives them a beautiful length but the coat must be blown out and brushed well if the blade is to go through all that hair. It is much easier to just shave it all off like in the summer. So yesterday was a bath and blow out for both poodles and a little Jack Russell. Jessie (my JRT) is a quick wash and wear time gal; in, out and we're done. The downside to the wash and wear is the hair all over my house; so there is good and bad with all coats. The poodle doesn't shed but it must be clipped or scissored.

Grooming is a great bonding time; if you have done your positive association time with grooming your dog will enjoy it. There are parts that they are fans of; like the bath but other than that they seem to like the one on one. I have a new forced air dryer that really helps with the speed in which everything is done; I love it.

So it's off on a run and the clipping time; maybe. It might wait until tomorrow. Have a great day.