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5 Ways Professional Grooming Is Preventive Health Care for Pets

Dog grooming as pet health care depicted by young groomer with an australian shepherd on a grooming table
As professional dog grooming educators, we teach a simple truth: dog grooming is health care you can see. Beyond the pretty finish, consistent, professional grooming supports a pet’s skin, coat, comfort, and overall well-being. When pet parents make grooming part of their routine—just like balanced nutrition, vaccinations, and exercise—they’re practicing responsible pet ownership. You can build your grooming business by educating your customers on the value of professional grooming for preventative health care.

1) Skin & Coat: The First Line of Defense

A pet’s skin and coat protect the body from heat, cold, moisture, allergens, and parasites. Professional groomers:
  • Use species-appropriate products and correct dilution to protect the skin barrier.
  • Remove loose undercoat to improve air flow and reduce hotspots.
  • Eliminate tangles and prevent matting, which can trap moisture, pull at the skin, and hide sores.
  • Dry correctly for coat type, creating a clean, lifted coat that stays healthy longer.

2) Early Detection: A Second Set of Trained Eyes

Regular grooms give your pet a full “hands-on” check. Pros often spot changes early, including:
  • Lumps, bumps, or skin lesions
  • Fleas, ticks, or evidence of mites
  • Ear redness or odor, excessive discharge, or wax buildup
  • Overgrown nails, cracked pads, or interdigital irritation
  • Dental red flags (odor, tartar, gum inflammation)
  • Groomers don’t diagnose—but they do refer. Catching concerns early can lead to faster veterinary care and better outcomes.

3) Ears, Nails, and Paws: Small Details, Big Comfort

  • Nails: Overgrown nails alter posture and gait, stressing joints and ligaments. Regular trims restore natural alignment and comfort.
  • Ears: Proper cleaning (and, where appropriate, trimming around the canal) improves air flow and helps reduce irritation.
  • Paws/Pads: Trimming excess hair improves traction and hygiene; checking pads prevents cracks from going unnoticed.

4) Comfort, Behavior & Bonding

Mats pull at the skin and make movement uncomfortable. Clean, trimmed coats reduce friction and overheating. Routine, low-stress appointments desensitize pets to handling and tools, so visits stay calm and positive. A comfortable dog is a happier family member—and easier to handle for vets and caregivers.

5) How Often Should A Pet Be Groomed?

Frequency depends on coat type, lifestyle, and health:
  • Short/smooth coats: Bath/brush every 6–12 weeks; nails and ear care as needed
  • Double coats (shedding breeds): Every 4–8 weeks, or more – especially during seasonal sheds or in a deshedding program
  • Curly/wool & doodle-type coats: Every 4–6 weeks to prevent matting
  • Silky/drop coats: Every 4–6 weeks to maintain hygiene and shape
Between appointments, pet parents should practice line brushing (share this video Quick Tip!), keep nails trimmed, and perform quick at-home checks.

Share This Line Brushing Video:

Choosing—and Partnering With—a Pro

Pet Parents should look for a certified professional dog groomer (like those who graduate Paragon’s dog groomer training programs) who follows safe handling, uses appropriate products for skin/coat type, and can explain why each step matters. They should share their pet’s history (allergies, sensitivities, mobility issues), and set a regular schedule. Consistency builds trust, maintains the coat, and keeps costs predictable.

Responsible Pet Owner Checklist

✅ Put grooming on the calendar at an interval suited to your pet
✅ Brush at home between visits (tools and technique matter—ask a pro)
✅ Monitor ears, nails, teeth, skin, and weight
✅ Communicate changes to your grooming and veterinary teams
✅ Reward calm behavior to make future appointments easier
At ParagonPetSchool.com, we’ve trained thousands of professionals to groom with health, safety, and efficiency in mind—because great grooming is more than a pretty picture. It’s a proactive investment in a pet’s comfort and quality of life.
Feel free to SHARE this with your customers!

Holiday Magic: How Rebooking Builds Your Grooming Business

Rebooking dog grooming appointment shown by customer with poodle and dog groomer in front of computerBy Melissa Verplank, CMG

It’s hard to think about “Next Year” when your grooming operation is preparing to go into Holiday Rush mode. However, it’s a great time to remember what you might leaving on the proverbial table besides fur. You can take steps to boost your business during the slow times by promoting add-ons, rebooking, and incentivizing repeat business through loyalty and referral programs. Prepare now and you can beat the January business blahs!

ADD-ON Service Menu

 If you went to a restaurant and the server did not hand you a menu, how would you know what to order? Pet grooming is very similar. Pet Parents know they’re coming to you to get their dog cleaned up, but they probably don’t know all the Add-On services that you offer. Add-Ons that could help them keep their pet looking and feeling great.

A well-organized Add-Ons menu makes it easy for the client to select a service. As a bonus, it also makes it very easy for you discuss optional Add-Ons such as de-shedding treatments, shampoo upgrades, skin conditioning treatments, tooth brushing, nail filing, or other add-ons.

Rebooking on the Spot

Offering to schedule an appointment at checkout is the best way to get a client to rebook and pre-book. Develop a couple different scripts and use the one that best fits the needs of that client. For best results, use the tips below.

  • Ask every time. Think of fast-food chains. They ask you every time if you would like something else with your order – every time. When the client checks out, offer to rebook their next appointment to ensure their pet continues to look amazing.
  • For the busy or in demand pet stylist, reschedule a number of appointments at once or book the entire year. This will guarantee the client will get the premiere dates they are looking for.
  • In areas that are price sensitive, offer incentives. Maybe it’s a small discount off their next grooming if they book within six weeks or less. Or maybe you offer them free add-ons like tooth brushing or a spa package upgrade.  Better yet, offer something special for their pet such as a bag of cookies!  After all, they probably care more about what you are going to do to reward their pet, not necessarily the few bucks they will save.

 

Consider Creating a Loyalty Program

The Holiday visit is a great time to offer clients a “loyalty program” incentive for pre-booking future visits and/or referring their friends. If you haven’t developed a program, you can use the post-holiday lull to create a package for 2024 and then reach out to your customers to generate winter traffic.

 

  • Connect with a Customer Experience Message

Whether you contact a recent client via phone, e-mail, text message, or through groomer software automation, you can take this opportunity to check on their satisfaction at the same time as offering a loyalty program incentive.

 

  • Connect through Wake-Up Calls/Contacts

Actively call (or email, or message) clients that have not returned to the salon in 8-12 weeks. In this case, you may wish to offer them an incentive to schedule the next few grooms.

 

  • E-mail Blasts and Social Media Posts

This is a great way to market incentive details to existing clients. If you are going into a slow day or week, offer an incentive to get clients in the door for those days. The key is to stay top-of-mind early in the year and schedule out as far as you are able.

 

Partner with Pet Professionals

Have you created a referral network to generate new clients for your business? If you have, the year-end is a great time to offer a thoughtful thank you note or gift.

If you need to expand your network, look for ways to connect with the following professionals in your area:

  • vets
  • pet supply businesses
  • rescue organizations
  • trainers
  • pet sitters

Create or update a welcome package that your referral partners can hand out to potential clients. Participate in, support and cross-promote their events. They are more likely to refer and support you in return.

Put these strategies to work now for a thriving grooming operation in the New Year!

 

Need to add Groom Techs to your team through industry-leading guided groomer training? Start here. Want continuing education so you or your team can keep your skills sharp? Join Paragon’s Groominar Network™ and unlock a stream more than 1,200 video Groominars™ designed for every level of groomer.

Why Should I Schedule Holiday Appointments in September?

dog groomer scheduling client for holiday rush depicted by young dog groomer with woman holding dogIt’s hard to think about scheduling for the holidays with apples still growing bright on the trees and pumpkins still turning orange in the fields. Warm weather makes it hard to start thinking about holiday plans. What if I told you that this is the perfect time to avoid holiday stress?

The secret to avoiding holiday madness is to put your festive season pre-booking plans into gear before the chill hits the air. Are you surprised? It’s true! Here is an added perk to pre-booking holiday appointments. ‘Tis the season to guarantee the typically quiet months of January and February are lively and robust. This is the perfect time to ensure you have a holly, jolly, and profitable grooming season.

When you count it out, we are not that far out from many prime holidays. In just six short weeks it will be Halloween. In 10 weeks we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. In about 15 weeks we will celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. All of these holidays revolve around friends and family.

holiday-stress-600x300pxOne of the biggest ways to eliminate being frazzled by all the holiday pressures is to get organized, now. The last thing your clients want to worry about is having their four-legged fur baby looking unkempt and bedraggled as friends and family enter their homes to celebrate the season.

Years ago we discovered that pre-booking was a great way to get control of our salon schedule. It offered a great benefit to our customers, as well. We even found a few hidden bonuses. One of those bonuses was shortening the time frame between appointments on our five and six-week clients. Our customers often opted to shave off a week or two from their regular schedule just to make sure their dog was looking fresh and festive. By doing so, the added revenue dropped directly to our bottom line. Another bonus was the generosity of tips around the holiday season. The third bonus was our ability to pre-book into the typically slower January and February appointment time frames here in Michigan. When done correctly, our January and February can be some of our more profitable months.

So how do you kick this off?

Start by going through your client list. Identify your premiere clients. You know who they are – the clients that book regular appointments every one, two, three, four, five, and six weeks. You will start pre-booking appointments based on the frequency your clients typically come into the salon.

Once you have them identified, it’s time to pick up the phone and get them scheduled. I consider it a courtesy call to our most important and regular clients.

Your weekly and bi-weekly clients should have automatic standing appointments throughout the entire year. Those clients are your most valued premier customers. Confirm all of their appointments. They should be dropped into the schedule first, getting premium appointment choices. Once all your one and two-week clients are booked, move to your three-week clients. If they do not already have pre-scheduled appointments through the holiday season, pick up the phone to get them scheduled. Continue to move down the list to the four-week clients. Finish up with your five- and six-week clients.

By the time you are done, you will have very few appointments left. Why? Because you’ve done such a good job taking care of your most valuable clients. If you do have any appointments left, you can be selective about what you take. You will have the control and confidence to know what can be done or what needs to go on to a cancellation list or when you simply need to say, “I’m sorry, but we are full.”

Once the schedule is set – stick to your guns. Sure, the holiday season can be extremely profitable for grooming establishments, but do you really need to push yourself beyond your limits?

No. Not if you value your mental and physical health.

istock_83916991_mediumOnce you get into the final countdown in November and December, looking forward six weeks will be January and February. Before those clients leave, they should have their January and February appointments pre-booked. If you struggle to get clients to pre-book during the colder months, think about incentives to help encourage pre-booking. Maybe it’s a discount off their next grooming. Maybe it’s a free add-on, upsell, or spa treatment. Get creative – but make sure you’re ready to offer the incentive at checkout to get those deep winter appointments booked.

Don’t forget, the holiday season is about friends and family. You have a right to enjoy them, too. How can you fully enjoy family time when you’re totally drained? Some of you may miss festivities altogether! I can’t tell you how many Christmas Eve’s and even Christmas days I totally missed because I was simply exhausted. Most successful groomers have to learn this lesson the hard way – including myself!

When you have a pre-booking priority system, you are in control. You’ll be able to recapture your holiday spirit and sanity – and so will your team!

Remember, as the holidays draw closer, the dogs get easier. Typically, these are the one- to three-week regularly scheduled pets. Simple spruce-ups are usually all that’s needed to make them look amazing for their families.

This system works best when you start pre-booking in September. Don’t wait. You’ll thank me later when you have time to enjoy loved ones and some holiday cheer.

What steps do YOU take? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us about it!

Happy trimming!

~ Melissa

Grooming Business: How to Prepare for the Holiday Rush

Want to delve deeper for tips on surviving the Holiday Rush? Check out this roundup of links to our archive on the topic.

Highlights:

  • Equipment – consider investing in the best but must maintain all very well
  • Schedules – Organize schedules NOW! Get commitments from staff now! Commit to your manager now! Ask clients to come early! Can they come in a week or two before the busy weeks? To balance the load?
  • Dress rehearsal! Work with the team to iron out any kinks and ‘who is doing what’ during busy weeks.
  • Manage the Flow – If you don’t stagger your grooming client arrivals, consider doing this for the Holidays for traffic flow (people and pets) in and out of your facility and to mitigate log jams and extended wait times.
  • Stock up on supplies and holiday extras
  • Have a contingency plan for surprises; staff outagaes, power outages, water issues, dog or people injuries, etc. Plan for the worst, hope for the best!

Resources for Preparing for the Holiday Rush

How to Make Learning Something New Stick in Your Mind

Do you enjoy learning something new? Figuring out how to do something easier. Faster. Give you a more satisfying result? Expand your knowledge base. Build your confidence.

Sure you do. We all love learning when it’s easy right? But most of the time learning takes work. Effort. And sometimes it’s difficult and confusing.

I mean – really learn. Absorb it. Get it. Can do it and achieve results you are happy with?

So, what’s the best way to learn?

There are lots of different learning methods, but most fall into two categories. Passive or active learning.

What’s the difference?

Passive learning is when communication is mostly one-way for the sole purpose of gathering information.

Active learning includes doing anything interactive with the content to enhance your understanding of the topic and/or skill.

Passive learning examples:

  • Listening to a lecture
  • Reading
  • Audio visual
  • Watching a demonstration
  • Watching a video

Active learning examples:

  • Group discussions
  • Practice by doing
  • Hands-on workshops
  • Visualization
  • Activities apply the new material
  • Present the freshly learned material to others

Which is best? It depends on what you are doing and how you need to apply the information.

Not everyone learns at the same pace. Nor does one technique work the best for everyone. Learning is a personal effort. Your level of involvement combined with a variety of learning techniques will greatly influence your long-term results.

Think back to a time when you learned something.

I’m talking about a time when you were curious about something. You wanted to know more. You researched it. Maybe you watched a few videos on the topic. Talked to people. If it was a skill, you tested it and practiced it, right?

You thought about the topic a lot. You wondered how it related to you or how you could apply it in your life. As you explored, you uncovered more and more on the topic. Connections were made. Dots were joined. You discussed the topic with friends and co-workers. You strengthened your understanding even further.

When it comes to learning retention, hands-down active learning is far more effective than passive learning. However, both have their place in your learning toolbox. Personally, I like to use more passive methods of learning first to familiarize myself with a topic. However, I almost always tuck a bit of active learning into it to ensure I can recall the information more readily.

Active learning promotes a deep, understanding of a topic. For most people, this is how we learn the best. In an active learning environment, you are engaged, empowered, and excited to learn.

Active learning occurs through collaboration, discussion, critical thinking, problem-solving, and connecting new knowledge with your own world.

Passive learning is all around us. But it’s not the best way to truly understand a topic or test your skills.

8 Learning Methods to Turn Passive Learning into Active Learning

1. Highlighting & Write Comments

While reading, you can highlight, tab important passages, take notes, or write your own comments. When you do this, it becomes more of a two-way conversation in your head instead of passively reading the material.

2. Take Time to Question

After learning, take some time to think about how you can apply the information. Ask yourself questions to obtain the most out of what you just learned. Here are a few thoughts to get started with to help cement the learning in your own mind.

  • “How could I apply this?”
  • “What benefit would it give me?”
  • “Why would it help me?”
  • “What would it look like if done perfectly?”

3. Tracking Your Progress

When you are working on a new skill, break down the steps. Think about how you could follow you progress. Track you progress by simply jotting it down, use an app or create a spreadsheet to monitor your progress.

This is a great way to improve your speed, track your progress when mastering a new skill or learning a new breed, or ensure the effectiveness of new sales techniques. You could even make a game out of the learning.

4. Immediately Apply What You Learned

The sooner you can apply a new skill or technique, the better. Test it out while it is still fresh in your mind.

Studies show even within 20 minutes of learning something new, you will forget about 40% of the details! After 2 days, you will forget up to 70% of what you learned.

The saying, ‘Use it or lose it’ certainly applies when learning a new skill!

  • If you have just listened to a lecture – Have an immediate follow-up discussion with your friends, co-workers or colleagues.
  • If you have just read a book – Highlight the pages and make detailed notes. Discuss what you have just learned with others. Imagine yourself applying the skill successfully.
  • If you have just watched a video – Make notes as you watch. Stop and listen to important points again. Or following along by DOING the skill as the teacher teaches.
  • If you attend a dog show or grooming contest – Sit ringside. Focus on the best in the ring. Study what it looks like when done right. Take photos. Take detailed notes. Critically analyze how YOUR work or knowledge stacks up against what you are seeing.

5. Work with a Coach or a Mentor

Coaches or mentors can help you fast track your learning.

Why?

Because they give you instant feedback helping you improve your skills immediately. A great coach will help you take years off the learning process verse trying to learn on your own.

  • Attend hands-on workshops and clinics
  • Study firsthand with someone more skilled than yourself
  • Train with a master
  • Shadow a master as they work
  • Work with a virtual mentor or coach

6. Create a Vision Board, Notebook or Collection

If the learning revolves around a skill, a technique or a thing – collect images of what it looks like when done correctly. Assemble the images into a grouping you have easy access to. Actively work on building your collection. As you add images, think about HOW the results were achieved and visualize yourself achieving similar results.

7. Test Yourself by Explaining

To find out if you have really absorbed the knowledge, explain it to someone else.

Go step-by-step. Describe the details of the lesson. Keep it streamlined and simple so whomever you are talking with can absorb correct information.

If you struggle anywhere, go back and review where there are gaps in your own understanding. Continue to share with others your new knowledge until you can explain the topic confidently and the listener understands clearly.

8. Validation

To verify you have positively progressed in your learning or mastered a skill, go for validation. How? There are many ways.

  • Graduate from an established training program
  • Earn promotions at work
  • Aim for certification testing via recognized national organizations
  • Enter grooming contests
  • Exhibit at canine or feline conformation events

You need discipline and nerve to admit what you don’t understand. What you find hard to do.

Ignoring those things is the worst mistakes a learner can make. You’ll need a strong foundation before you move on to a more advanced level.

When you’re self-learning, you’ve got to go the extra step to gauge yourself. It’s the only way you can learn improve and develop faster. Validation is how you’ll find your strong and weak points, so you know what to focus on.

Learning a subject or skill takes time and effort. You will never thoroughly understand something if you only use passive learning.

By utilizing a few of the active learning method outlined above, you will create shortcuts to your own growth. Mix and match these methods based on the skill or subject you want to learn – or come up with other ways to retain new information.

8 Reasons Dog Grooming is the Perfect Second Career

By Team Paragon

If you’re ready for a fresh start in a career that offers flexibility, creativity, and real job satisfaction, professional dog grooming could be your perfect second act. Many people are discovering that grooming provides the freedom and fulfillment they’ve been seeking — without years of retraining or costly education.

1. Fast Training, Faster Transition

Unlike careers that require years of schooling, professional grooming skills can be learned in a matter of months through reputable training programs such as Paragon Pet School. Many second-career students start earning an income while still completing their coursework, making it a practical and efficient pivot.

2. Flexible Work That Fits Your Life

Groomers can work in salons, mobile vans, pet spas, or even from home-based studios. Whether you want part-time hours to balance with other commitments or the excitement of running your own business, grooming lets you tailor your schedule to your lifestyle.

3. Creative, Hands-On Work

Grooming is a beautiful blend of art and science. From sculpting a perfect poodle trim to safely de-shedding a husky, every day offers a chance to create transformations you can see and feel. For those leaving desk jobs, the hands-on, active nature of grooming is a refreshing change.

4. High Demand and Job Security

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 16% growth in the animal care and service industry between 2022 and 2032 — much faster than average. The surge in “designer” breeds like doodles, which require regular grooming, means a steady stream of repeat clients. In short: pets keep growing hair, and they’ll keep needing skilled groomers.

5. Recession-Proof Industry

The pet industry is unique in its resilience to economic recessions and downturns. In comparison to other consumer goods and services, the pet industry has held up remarkably well during recent market declines. Despite the financial crisis of 2008, the pet industry experienced a 5.1% growth in sales. During the more recent 2020 COVID-19 recession, sales of pet products and services continued to grow at a faster rate than the overall U.S. economy, with a 16.2% growth compared to 4.3%.

6. Emotional Rewards

Few careers allow you to directly improve a living being’s comfort and happiness. Groomers form long-term bonds with their furry clients and their owners. Many say that seeing a wagging tail or a happy pet parent is the best part of the job.

7. Scalable Earnings Potential

Entry-level groomers can expect to earn $30,000–$35,000 annually, with experienced groomers and salon owners earning $60,000+ depending on clientele and specialization. Adding skills like cat grooming, hand-stripping, or creative grooming can increase your rates and income.

8. A Career You Can Grow With

Whether you’re looking for a fulfilling part-time role or dreaming of owning your own grooming business, the skills you gain will serve you for years. Dog grooming isn’t just a job — it’s a lifelong trade.

Ready to explore a career that’s as rewarding as it is sustainable?
Our professional training programs are designed for beginners and career changers alike. In just months, you could be building a flexible, creative, and profitable second career you’ll love. Start here!

 

Listen In: Paragon Pet Pro Coach Joe Zuccarello Interviewed on the Pet Boss Podcast

Paragon Pet Coach Joe Zuccarello just had an incredible conversation with Candice D’Agnolo, aka @petbossnation on the Pet Boss Podcast!

Candice of Pet Boss Nation went on an incredible journey from struggling pet retail store owner to respected industry leader. Her journey shows what’s possible with the right support and strategies, and is now a sought-after speaker and consultant in the pet industry. Visit PetBossNation.com to get the full scoop! Read the rest of this entry »

Managing Your Schedule

How is your summer going? Busy?? Overworked? Feeling stressed? Not being able to ENJOY your summer because you are too busy?

Having too much work can be just as frustrating and scary as not having ENOUGH work. I get it. As groomers and service providers, we want to keep people happy. That’s how you build a thriving business. However, if the business is thriving – and you are not – how can that honestly be good for your business? How can that be good for your customers and pets in the long run?

We all have the same number of days, hours and minutes each year. Everyone wants to maximize their time to make the most out their lives. How you schedule appointments, how many hours and days you work each week and how much time you allot for yourself will contribute to how you feel at the end of the day.

Read the rest of this entry »

Training Grooming Assistants

Melissa Verplank discusses how assistants can make or break your grooming day. Tune in for some solid advice on how to train staff, break down tasks, and build a stronger team!

Want more inspiration? Check out our Online Dog Groomer Training Certification courses or the World’s Largest Collection of Groominars™ at GroominarNetwork.com, where you can find hundreds of instructional videos by industry experts, all organized by Skill Level. While you’re there, sign up to be notified when enrollment opens.

Transcript
Melissa Verplank: Hey guys, Melissa here and today I want to talk to those of you that work with assistance and in the grooming salon assistance can absolutely make or break you. When they work up to the quality that you expect there is nothing better than seeing a well oiled team work together to be able to turn out quality dog after quality dog after quality dog. And the root of everything that we do in the grooming salon is in that bathing and drying area. We call it the wet area. And if somebody is trained properly, they can make your grooming day go so much smoother and there is nothing better than having a dog placed on your table and getting started to do the finish groom when it is absolutely prepared beautifully. And so unfortunately most assistants, they don’t come to you trained, you have to do the training and there’s a lot of different ways to do that.

Obviously I’m in the educational field, so I’ve got a lot of different materials with notes from the grooming table, theory of five, learntogroomdogs.com in the core skills or the just getting started videos at the Paragon school. We also have a home study program which a lot of salon owners are working with right now to help them get assistance trained rapidly and utilizing quality techniques to get that end result. But whatever you program or however you go ahead and teach, I want you to think about teaching in incremental steps. You’ve got to start at the very bottom and then work up and work up and work up. And you need to paint a picture for the new learner of what does it look like when it’s done correctly? And then show them samples of what you would accept or what are you looking for when it’s done correctly so that they have a very clear picture in their mind of something to aim for.

So make sure you give them lots of examples and the examples aren’t just a challenging dog. What does a lab look like when it’s done correctly? What does a golden retriever look like when it’s done correctly? What does a bichon or a lhasa or a shih tzu or any of the mixed breeds, the doodles, what does it look when it’s done correctly? And focus more on coat type more than breeds because we’re only going to see a couple different coat types and you can train and break that down a lot easier for the individual so that they can get it done correctly. And then once they are in the learning process, whether they’ve read a book or watched a video or you’ve demonstrated something, I can’t stress how important it is to have them do it immediately. The studies show over and over again it is amazing how rapidly somebody loses the detail of what they’ve just been taught if they don’t apply it immediately.

So it’s really important to have them do some type of training, educating, learning how to do it and then have them demonstrate it immediately. And then once you get them to the point that they’re working and they’re starting to provide dogs and going through the bathing and drying process, when they’re bringing dogs out to you, make sure that you give immediate feedback because you can’t fix what you don’t know. And some of the most effective learning comes from making mistakes. So if you don’t point out what was done well and what could be an opportunity area to be done better, they’re not going to know to fix something.

And here’s an idea that seems to work really well for a lot of folks and I love using number systems. It just really helps simplify what we’re trying to achieve. And sometimes it can take a little bit of the sting out of, if somebody isn’t working quite up to snuff by giving a number system to it. And maybe you’re going from one to 10 and one to three would be, you know what, the work just isn’t acceptable. It’s got to be done again. Or maybe you go up to a four to six, it still needs some work. Maybe a seven an eight would be it’s acceptable, still room for improvement but it’s acceptable and then a nine or a 10 would be absolutely knocking it out of the park.

This is exactly what you want to see every single time. And you know, even on one particular dog, they might have absolutely nailed it, knocked it out of the park in one area but there’s another area on the dog that still really needs work or shoot, maybe it needs to be done again. You’ve got to give that feedback and if it needs to be done again, don’t you do it, have them go back and do it correctly. Because if you’re not holding them accountable, they’re just going to start giving you subpar work and that’s not what you’re looking for.

So, is training tough? Yeah, it can be challenging because you’re having to normally teach on the fly. Normally you’ve got a full load already. You’re trying to do all the finish work on the dogs and at the same token you’re trying to train an assistant. And that can be frustrating, but I’m going to tell you when you do it, when you take the time and do it right and you’ve got a willing learner who strives to do it correctly, there is nothing better. And honestly it shouldn’t take that long to get a bather up to the point that they can really be an asset to you maybe doing 80 or 90% of the dogs that they’re working on for you and doing them well and helping you move through your roster a lot more effectively. And really focus on those 80% of typical dogs that you see every single day.

And then as they build skill and confidence, you can start adding little more challenging. Maybe it’s a little different coat type. Maybe the personality of the dog is a little more challenging or maybe you are leaning on them to get some of the mats and the tangles and the dead coat out more and more and more for you so that you can focus more on the finish work. But just start again, just break it into small steps. Allow that learner to feel success, to get the praise that they need that they’ve done a good job, and I’m going to tell you, most of them will really strive to continue to make those dogs look better and better and better for you ultimately making the entire salon run much more smoothly.

Staffing to Scale Your Business

Are you trying to grow your grooming business? Master Groomer Melissa Verplank shares her tips for selecting the right team members to scale your business. She also discusses staff turnover and positive ways to think about and manage the lifecycle of relationships with team members.

Want to train staff to grow your business? Check out our Professional Pet Groomer Certification Program and leverage Melissa’s outstanding educational curriculum.

Want to help your staff get a specific breed groom just right? Check out www.GroominarNetwork.com, where members have more than 600 grooming tutorials at their fingertips.

Transcript
Melissa: Hi guys, Melissa here, and I want to talk to you about staff. Staff is a necessary situation if you want to grow and scale your business. And over the years, I have had absolutely amazing staff members, staff members that I never wanted to see them leave. And I have also had really, really challenging staff members. And so if you are looking to scale your business, to grow your business because you’re successful, and with success comes more opportunities, but also more challenges. And number one, you’ve got to … if you want to scale your business, you’ve got to find those staff members, but then once you find them, you’ve got to cultivate them. And over the years what I have honestly learned is one of the easiest ways when we’re dealing with grooming staff members is training them myself. And that’s really the entire reason why I started the Paragon School of Pet Grooming was because I couldn’t find enough groomers to support my mobile grooming business. I had six vans out on the road, and it was … there was times that I would let vans sit for a year, idle, and no one was in them because I couldn’t staff them.

Melissa: So this is going back into the 80s, and it was the number one problem back when I was first starting my business, and it continues to be really the number one problem today, is finding qualified staff members to join your team. And before I started the Paragon School of Pet Grooming, I ultimately had opened a salon based operation and I used that as a training center for my fleet of mobile vans, and that was really the only way that I could find team members that could groom up to the caliber that I needed them to groom to.

Melissa: So as you’re growing your business, when you’re looking for people, what I say to folks now is look for somebody with that attitude that you know that they have a great work ethic. They smile, they take direction well, those are the types of folks that are moldable, and you’re going to be able to work together with some systems, get the systems in place, and you’re going to have people that mirror what you’re thinking and how you want to treat the customers. But don’t totally put your heart and soul into them, because just when you think everything is going really well, they’re going to up and they’re going to leave, and that’s just the nature of the beast.

Melissa: And so I would never be angry with somebody as long as they were honest with me, told me up front what they wanted to do, what their dreams, what their aspirations were, and I want to help them get there. And if they want to stay with me for seven, 10, 15 years, great, and I’ve had staff members do that and stay with me for that long. But I’ve also had staff members that have only stayed with me for a few years, and I was a little bit … just, you know, like a stepping stone for them. And as long as they were honest with me, I would help them however I could, because we all have dreams, we all have things that we want to do. But what I want each and every one of you to think about, whether you be the owner of the salon, or whether you be the employee, is that do the best that you can do, and be up front and be honest. If you want to move ahead in your life, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you want to open up your own salon, there’s nothing wrong with that. But be fair about it. Don’t open up three blocks, or a couple doors down from your existing salon, move into a different area and start your own business.

Melissa: But as the business owner, I also want to encourage you to always, always be looking for somebody else to come on board. And it’s not necessarily that you’re going to replace somebody, but you have got to cover your hind end. You’ve got to be able to continue to grow your business forward, to move it forward, and it’s great always to have somebody in training, always coming up the ranks so that when that day comes that somebody does leave, that it’s not as painful for you. There’s nothing worse than relying so heavily on somebody else that when a team member does leave, it’s devastating to your business.

Melissa: And so now, today, what we are always doing is we are always cross training our team members so that if somebody leaves, if somebody moves on, that somebody can step in. Will they do the job beautifully just like the former person? Maybe not, but they have already got a head start. And right now, between the different companies that I have … we’ve got probably approaching 80 employees, between Whiskers Resort, and that’s the one that has the most employees, and the educational companies. So I’ve got a pretty good sized team, and I’ve got to tell you, I have had good days, and I have had really, really bad days based on how well the leadership was going at the companies, and probably the days that were some of my darkest days probably a team member caused that, and I let that get to me. But I will also say some of the most rewarding things that I’ve ever done has been based on a team. And to be able to see dogs walk out that look amazing, to see team members get certified, or to go into the ring, or just to be able to pay their bills and not have to look over their shoulder. Those types of things make it really worthwhile and I love being an employer, because I can expand somebody’s horizons, and I can help somebody succeed.

Melissa: And so for me, having team members works really well. But I will tell you, it isn’t always glorious, it’s not always fun. But I love what we’re able to do, and I love being able to help as many dogs in our community as we do, and I love helping people expand their career. And I couldn’t do it at the scale that we do today if I didn’t have an amazing, an amazing team behind me.

Melissa: So don’t be afraid of it. But just know, you’re going to have to buckle down, and you’re going to have to do some work, and if you are one of those team members, I certainly hope your boss, your employee is holding you accountable to a higher level.