As a professional dog groomer, you can also be, or even should be, an educator.
Being able to educate your clients in basic health checks, you can do so much to help enhance the health, happiness and welfare of their dogs. Most people are not cruel or neglectful when it comes to the care of their dogs…..they just don’t always have the knowledge to perform a few small visual checks which can make all the difference to their dog’s lives.
Dogs cannot tell us that they are in pain, or something is wrong……they rely on us as professionally trained dog groomers, boarding kennel owners, dog walkers/sitters and owners to take care of them, and to check them over regularly to make sure that all is well.
In order to do this effectively, your own underpinning knowledge and experience is invaluable. That’s not to say that we are allowed stray into the world of veterinarians because we’re not qualified to do so. We cannot diagnose…..but we can report our observations and findings.
But as dog groomers, we should be able to teach our clients about the things that we need to deal with on an everyday basis.
Here at Abbfabb Academy of Dog Grooming Training, teaching the health check is one of the most important parts of our Level 2 and Level 3 dog grooming courses.
Here are a few things you can teach your dog’s owners about.
Overgrown Toenails
We can help the wellbeing of most dogs by trimming a dog’s toenails as part of a routing haircut appointment. But if overgrown nails are an ongoing issue for a dog, we can advise a client to make sure that their dog has some exercise on a hard surface, such as a pavement or on gravel. We can show the dog’s owner how to check the nails and where the dewclaws are located….many owners don’t even know where these are and often aren’t aware of rear dew claws. And we can offer a short appointment in between grooming appointments for toenail trimming only.
Naturally you need to be safe and confident when trimming nails and this should be part of a dog grooming training course. And if a dog has had it’s sensitive quick nicked by a groomer or owner or vet, then you will need to take time to gain the dog’s confidence.
Long, misshapen toenails can also occur because of a problem the dog has with it’s feet. If the feet can’t be put down comfortably when walking then the nails will not touch the ground properly. So you must always encourage your clients to check their dog’s feet to make sure that nothing is stuck underneath them.
Please remember though that any signs of soreness on nails or feet, or if a dog is limping, the client must ALWAYS be advised to take their dog to a vet…..groomers mustn’t diagnose anything….we just report our observations.
Knots and Mats
This is probably the most common difficulty that professional dog groomers will encounter. The combination of a knotted coat and a client that wants a fluffy trim is something that we all have to deal with every day. Time after time I hear about groomers who have clipped down a coat and a client has taken deep offence and doesn’t come back.
But the fact is The Small Animal Welfare Act states that all animals have “ The Need To Be Protected From Pain, Suffering, Injury and Disease”.
Professional dog groomers can do so much to help when a customer can’t or doesn’t know how to keep their dog’s coats brushed and knot-free.
We can show a customer how to use a brush and comb correctly. We can advise on the right tools and where to purchase them. We can recommend a bathing and drying appointment between trims to help keep the coat in good order.
But what we must NEVER do is cave into a client who demands that we inflict pain and suffering on a dog by ripping out knots in order to keep a fluffy appearance. That coat needs to be clipped off and a regular grooming programme set up.
You need to be diplomatic when tackling this with your clients….it doesn’t serve any purpose to humiliate or speak rudely to them. A confident explanation of the problem, your legal obligations and, perhaps most importantly, a solution worked out, is by far the best way forward.
Remember also that fleas, ticks and a variety of skin problems can cause a dog to scratch and create knotted areas in the coat.
Like everything else, if you encounter any of these problems, you must not diagnose…your job as a professional dog groomer is to report what you have found and advise your clients to make an appointment with their vet.
Ear Problems
Dogs can suffer from a range of ear problems.
Ear mites, yeast infections, canker and aural haematoma are quite common. Aural haematomas are large collections of blood under the skin and can often affect dogs with long ears, like the Spaniels, when they are matted on both sides. Once the knots are removed, the collection of blood is released forming a large mass under the skin. This needs IMMEDIATE veterinary attention.
As a professional dog groomer, your role is to check a dog’s ears during a routine grooming appointment and clean them if they are clear and free of any discharge, heat and redness. Any abnormalities found should be immediately reported to the owner and a visit to the veterinarian recommended.
Also you could show your clients how to safely check their dog’s ears regularly, what to look for, and when to go to the vets.
Eye Problems
These tend to be instantly visible……redness, swelling, one eye closed, discharge, pus, painful blinking.
ALL these observations should be IMMEDIATELY reported to the client, grooming should stop and an immediate vet appointment should be advised.
Generally, you can explain to your clients what eye abnormalities can be and that they should consult with a vet if anything is found.
Teeth and Gums
This is an area in dogs that many owners and groomers overlook.
A routine health check at the beginning of a grooming appointment should always include a check of the gums and teeth.
The most obvious sign that something isn’t right is a foul smell. And if the issue is causing the dog any pain, he or she will understandably not want their mouths handled.
Other signs that there is an issue are red, swollen gums, teeth that have a build up of black or brown plaque on the gum line, pus discharge, and loose teeth.
The most serious effects could be that the dog can’t eat properly, and that infected gums could deteriorate into gingivitis or worse, pyorrhoea.
ANY obvious gum or dental signs of abnormality should be reported straight away to your clients with a definite recommendation for a visit to the veterinarian.
Encourage your clients to check their dogs teeth and gums at least once a week and make sure it’s part of your health check protocol before you begin grooming.
The above scenarios are just a few of the reasons professional dog groomers should routinely perform a health check.
Dog owners are not generally neglectful or abusive, but many have busy lives and days turn into weeks with the result that general care of their dogs can be overlooked.
You, as a qualified dog groomer can help by gently giving guidance and advice to help your clients take a few minutes to check their dog over for visible signs of health abnormalities. If problems are spotted early enough, there is an added bonus that the vet bill may be smaller than if a problem is allowed to develop to a more serious stage.
At our salon we have created a small brochure for our clients. Included is a part which explains in simple terms how to do a health check and advice about home brushing. We would recommend all salons have advice literature to help educate their clients.
All of us, groomers and owners alike, have a responsibility to work towards making the lives of the animals in our care healthy and happy. Grooming professionals see their client’s dogs far more often than the vets do, so we are in a great position to be educators as well as creators of wonderful haircuts. And professional, properly trained dog groomers can lead the way.
Remember your value
Eve Somers
ICMG ( International Certificate in Master Grooming ),
LCGI ( Licentiate of the City and Guilds Institute )
GMG ( Guild of Master Groomers )