For most dog owners, their four-legged companions are far more than just pets. They are members of the family. It’s natural to ensure your dog receives the best possible care, whether it’s taking it to the vet for a checkup or getting it groomed thoroughly. Like any other business out there, not every pet grooming service is created equal. It’s one of the many reasons why you need to be careful when choosing a groomer to service your dog.
While looking through reviews of the groomer's service with other customers is possible thanks to the internet. Not every review will offer you a clear picture of how well the grooming service they provide is. Some of those reviews could even be fakes made by the owner of that particular page using a proxy account or asking friends and family members to give them a boost in reviews.
That is why you need to be vigilant when hiring a dog groomer for your dog. There’s no 100% guarantee that the person you are making an appointment with is suitable for your dog's personal needs. The best way you can get an idea of whether or not they are fit for helping your dog out is by asking them some questions.
For this post, let’s go over the top questions to ask a dog groomer during a grooming session.
You’d think that every dog groomer would provide a similar service, but that isn’t always the case. While there are some commons services that groomers tend to give, such as brushing, bathing, and trimming as a standard service, not all of them offer nail clipping, express anal glands, or check for potential heal problems like tooth decay or skin and ear infections.
Depending on the services you need, it makes sense to ask the groomer what services they offer and how much it costs. If your current groomer doesn’t provide these services, you may need to search for another groomer that does.
You could ask your groomer if they know anyone who knows how to clip nails, and they may refer you to someone who provides such services, but it may also concern them that you are switching over to someone else. So, it all depends on your circumstances whether to look for another full-time groomer that can provide these services or switch back and forth between groomers.
The groomer you are hiring is going to be in charge of taking care of your canine companion for a duration of time. This means you want to ensure that you can place trust in them to not only get the job done but do so in a manner that is pleasing to your dog. That means you’ll want someone who has been grooming for a while or at least has received proper training. One of the many reasons why people hire groomers is to take care of some of the more delicate parts that they are incapable of doing themselves.
Trimming the nails of a dog can be an arduous task, and if done incorrectly, could not only hurt the dog but also cause permanent damage.
The damage to their nails could lead to long-standing repercussions that can traumatize them physically and mentally. It’s one reason why someone may resort to hiring a professional groomer to perform these tasks instead of doing it themselves.
Taking your dog to be groomed at a franchise or chain grooming facility will ensure you have someone who is trained to care for dogs. But if you are planning to hire a mobile or home groomer, you won’t know if they are qualified until you ask.
Learn how long they have been doing this type of work and what training facility they learned their trade. If you have any doubts about their answers, look up the name they provided you and get in contact with the training facility.
In addition to knowing how long they have been working as a dog groomer, you want to know if they have any certifications.
There are some certificate programs that a dog groomer can take that help them learn how to take care of specific breeds of dogs. Something like that can be an indicator of whether or not they are suitable to take care of your particular breed of dog.
Other certifications include organizations they may be a part of and awards they may have received over the years. Any of these have a chance of boosting your confidence in their grooming capabilities.
It also offers you another option for checking to see if they are legit in their answers or lying. You could call these organizations or programs to see if they have your groomer's name on their records.
Many factors go into grooming a dog, and the breed of your pup is one of them. Some dog breeds have different types of coats than others. That not only relates to fur but also whether or not your dog has a single or a double coat. One of the many concerns you should have is whether your groomer is experienced enough to groom your dog.
Certain breeds of dogs require specific grooming needs, so you must find a groomer that can cater to your pup's needs. There are no one-size-fits-all methods when it comes to grooming a dog. How to best care for them all comes down to your dog’s breed and coat. Plus, you need to remember the haircut process.
You need to ask them if they are familiar with the standard haircut for your dog’s breed. After all, you want to ensure your dog comes out looking fantastic.
Your dog isn’t the only one who may be nervous about going through a grooming session. You may also be apprehensive about handing your canine pal over to a total stranger, which can cause your dog to get anxious.
Asking them if you can observe the grooming session isn’t an unreasonable request, at least for the first time. It’s also an excellent way to watch your dog’s behavior for future visits.
However, keep in mind that some groomers may turn you down simply because they don’t want your dog to get overexcited.
That could give them a hard time in grooming your dog in the long run, especially if you hired them to deal with some of the more delicate parts, such as trimming their nails. If they do turn you down, ask them if you could at least pop in every once in a while to get a quick look that can be a more reasonable request they’d be willing to agree on.
Another critical issue that comes with handling your dog over to a groomer is the possibility of them getting scared. Some breeds can be challenging to deal with during the grooming session, so you must find out if the groomer you hired can handle the situation.
Fear and aggression are common issues among any dog, so don’t be surprised if your canine pal starts to feel weary about the grooming session.
The groomer you hire needs to know how to deal with these problems before they get out of hand. So ask them how they handle a scared dog and consider if that answer is satisfactory.
If the groomer you hired has nothing to hide and everything is as it should be, then there shouldn’t be a problem with them letting you check the space. Even so, you need to remember that in-home groomers do not require a frequent inspection like you would a grooming facility. That’s not necessarily a negative thing since plenty of in-home groomers are great at what they do. If you don’t like what you see, then consider hiring a different groomer.
This is a question that is not relevant for all dog owners, but there is a chance you may need to ask if your dog has allergies. If that’s the case, you want to make sure that the shampoo the groomer is using won’t cause your pup any type of harm during the grooming session. If possible, ask him if you can provide your shampoo instead. Some groomers may already offer alternative shampoos for pets with allergies, but it never hurts to have yours on hand.
The prices for a grooming session will typically depend on several factors, such as the size of your dog, the breed of your dog, and of course, the services being done. On average, you should expect somewhere between $40 to $75.
That price may even go higher if you decide to use a mobile groomer, house groomer, or have a specialty breed.
Some groomers out there do offer packages that include a variety of services, such as fur trimming, shampooing, nail clippings, while others may charge individually. Knowing what’s included in these services will ensure you are not paying for services you don’t need and possibly swap something out for another service. That way, you’ll be getting a better value for your money.
There are times when accidents will occur, but it helps to have a groomer that you can place your complete trust in. After all, you are handing them a precious member of your family, and you want to ensure they are in any capacity.
Don’t hesitate to ask them about what type of precautions they take to ensure your dog remains safe throughout the grooming session. Are they keeping the sharp implements far enough away from your pop?
Find out what type of restraints they are using to keep your dog on the table during the grooming sessions. Do your own research on the restraints they use to see if they are known for preventing dogs from spinning, getting tangled in the loop, jumping, and falling from the table.
The more you are aware of the safety precautions they have taken, the more at ease you can feel with leaving your dog with the groomer.
It is also sound to ask them if they have a first aid kit or if they know how to use one in the case of an injury. The first aid kit should contain gauze, bandages, peroxide, and antibiotic cream to treat your dog. That way, if something does occur, they can prevent the injury from getting infected or worse.
Additionally, some places tend to have weather that can get a bit out of control. It’s a good idea to find out if your groomer has any emergency or disaster plans in the case of fire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or any other type of emergency.
If an emergency like this does happen, you need to find out how they are going to communicate with you in the event of an evacuation. Doing so ensures you know where you can locate your furry friend.
While this may seem a bit too much, it never hurts to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. If you are hiring a professional home groomer, you should let them know where you keep your first aid and what to do in case of a weather emergency.
Asking your groomer these questions is an essential part of taking care of your dog. These questions will reveal the truth behind the groomer and let you know if they are fit to take care of your canine pal grooming needs. If not, you’ll need to search for another and potentially warn others about them if you discover that they have a dubious background. If you want to find professionals that have been vetted to groom dogs, check out our app.
