Finding a Groomer

Mobile Dog Groomer for the Tampa Bay Area!

Serving: Bloomingdale, Brandon,

Fishhawk Ranch, Riverview, and Valrico.

Small Dogs, Nervous Dogs, Older Dogs, Happy Dogs,

Curly Dogs and Squirrelly Dogs!

Choosing a Groomer

Need not be a Grrrueling Experience!

Whether you are new to this community or whether you are longtime resident,

who has a new member of the family with grooming needs,

finding the perfect match for you and the professional groomer

who you will entrust your Fur Baby to for their grooming needs, can be challenging.

Asking the "right questions at the right time" can make finding 'the groomer that is right for you and your dog' an educational and interesting experience.

“How much?” and “When can I get my dog groomed?”

are not necessarily the most important questions but are often the first ones asked.

How long have you been in business?

How many different people work at the shop or salon?

Who will be grooming, bathing, and handling your dog?

Will your scheduling procedures work with my daily routines?

If you call a shop that is new to you and the person on the line sounds very busy,

ask for a time that would be better to discuss your grooming needs.

Any professionally run grooming shop attempts to keep the rhythm of the day as calm as possible for the safety of the groomers and the dogs.

Any time on any day a shop can spontaneously become hectic. At these times the priority of the professional groomer is to be more attentive to the dogs at the shop and less attentive to the potential customer on the phone.

Asking for a tour of the grooming area is a reasonable request.

Is the area clean, well-lit, peaceful, and clutter free?

Your future groomer should be proud to show off the grooming area as long as “Your Dog” is not being groomed at that time.

Most dogs are fairly content while on the table or in the tub while in the hands of a professional groomer.

Most dogs also become very anxious if they see, hear, or smell their humans when they are at the grooming facility. They think they should be at your side or in your lap. If their human shows up early to pick them up, they become very excited because they think it is time to go home. This creates a dangerous situation since the face is usually the last part of the groom.

Scheduling is an often overlooked issue that can create unnecessary stress for the groomer, your dog, and you and your family. Ask the groomer how they run their IN and OUT process.

Some shops require that you be able to pick up your pup as soon as it is finished being groomed. They may not have the space to hold any dogs for additional time.

Some shops want ALL dogs checked in at an early morning hour to be released in the early afternoon or at the end of the day. If this is too long a time for your dog to be at the groomers they may offer an express service for an additional charge.

If a shop closes at 5:30 and your workday ends on the other side of town at 5:00 it is possible that you may be late picking up your dog. No one likes being charged a late fee. You may be asked to have your dog groomed elsewhere if you cannot pick up you pup on time more than once.

Experience and training is an important topic to cover. Many groomers have apprenticed or learned to groom through showing specific breeds of dogs. Others have begun their careers by attending grooming schools. There is no licensing for pet groomers in the state of Florida. There are many opportunities for groomers to improve there styling skills and handling abilities, and to improve their knowledge of the best equipment and products for the dogs that they groom.

Some Groomers continue their education by attending Grooming Conferences. The collective wealth of knowledge that is available at these three day seminars is beneficial for the groomer, the dogs that they handle, and the owners who are looking for a long lasting relationship of trust and confidence with their dog’s groomer. Ask if the groomer has attended any Conferences lately.

Communication is the foundation of a good relationship between you and your dog’s groomer. Face to face is the best case scenario. Ask to arrange to speak to the groomer before your dog’s first grooming experience.

Changing groomers is not like changing hairstylist as far as your dog is concerned. You will not do your dog any favor by Shop Hopping to save a dollar or two. You may find, that the groomer that pleased you the most, no longer has a place for your dog available on the schedule.

It takes a lot of hard work to become a good professional groomer.

When you find the groomer that pleases you don’t take that groomer for granted.

The pleasure of a clean freshly groomed dog,

is only enhanced by

the comfort of having confidence that your dog

has experienced the least amount of stress in the process.

Emily Pryor

aka

“MISS EMILY”

“That’s Groomer to You”

Mobile Dog Grooming

Serving: Bloomingdale, Brandon,