Dog Grooming
One of the things we know about Christies Direct groomers, is that they have passion in bucket loads. Not only are our customers passionate about animal welfare but they also love showering their customers’ dogs with affection, and are devoted to creating the most gorgeous finish for every customer. Our groomers are not corner cutters, they are perfectionists, and you can be sure that they are not only using the best tools and products but that they are also keeping themselves educated on best practices for grooming and update on new techniques.
When we speak to our dog groomers they tell us they've always had a passion for animals
Meet Saoirse
We were delighted to chat to Grainne, who has been a customer of Christmas Direct for 4 years, about her 5-year-old daughter who is following in her mum’s footsteps and is a mini groomer in training.
Mum, Grainne started grooming when she was 8 years old. She was lucky enough to receive a dog as a gift for Christmas, a gorgeous show dog that she competed with for many years with her family around Ireland. When she left home, she opened a dog care facility and after having her two kids branched into grooming. It was a natural progression as it was part of the care for her own pet and imperative for showing her dogs.
Saoirse was exposed to dogs almost from birth as her mum carried her a sling while she worked in her salon. Saoirse is growing up not only to be a passionate dog lover, but also with a natural flair for grooming. She loves helping her mum in the salon and mum Grainne says she is also great at calming more anxious dog. Saoirse says she wants to be a dog groomer so she can help her mummy, and clearly the pair are inseparable.
Saoirse loves combing and brushing her own dogs, two miniature poodles, Lulu and Dougal, and even gets to practice scissoring techniques on the dog mannequin her mum has bought for her. Saoirse told us her favourite cologne is Groom Professional First Love and we also hear that when it comes to clipping, she is an absolute pro with the limited-edition pink and paw print Heiniger Saphir on her mannequin.
Grainne hopes that Saoirse’s passion will continue, and, in the future, they can not only work together but that Saoirse could take on the business.
Getting into Good habits
We can see Saoirse learning from her mum and if she continues with the good habits and best practices she is learning now it will help her as a professional groomer when she is older.
They say that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic so here are some of our top good habits to start in your salon today.
- Always put your equipment away after using it – equipment left on a table could be stepped on by a dog or knocked off a table and damaged. Abandoned equipment could also lead to injury for you or a dog in your care.
Dog Grooming Bags
Scissors
Always store your scissors carefully when not in use and invest in scissor inserts to ensure your scissors fit snuggly and don’t slip from your hand – Dropping scissors will damage and blunt them, but you could also be unfortunate enough for them to land point down on your foot – ouch!
- Cleaning your clippers, blades and comb attachments – it is completely normal that your clippers, blades and comb attachments will end up with a build-up of dander and product which will not only leave them less efficient, but over time can cause damage. Rubbing alcohol, antibacterial soap and coolant spray are three essentials that you should always keep in your grooming kit or close by. With these three products, you can wash and sterilize each of your tools between appointments. Always make sure that your equipment is properly dried after cleaning as metal parts can rust and the moisture can breed bacteria.
Clipper Care
- Clean, clean, clean – Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of proper sanitation, and it can be a quick process. Using a spray disinfectant between customers will kill germs and prevent the spread of diseases. Products like Groom Professional Hyperclens can be diluted for use on floors, surfaces and even in water and food bowls.
Grooming Salon Disinfectants 
- Organise your grooming kit – Keeping your kit organised will cut groom times as the items you need will always be where you expect them to be.
- Share Your Work – We understand that there is never a moment’s rest when you work in a busy salon, but a great way to promote your business is social media. It can be a full-time job in itself managing social media accounts – we have a team at Christies Direct who do just that - so instead of jumping in headfirst and trying to cover all platforms consider who your target audience is, and how best to reach them. Instagram is a great platform to share your gorgeous grooms – Pets are a huge crowd pleaser on Insta, but it might be that Facebook will bring you more business. We recommend posting something to your social media account once a day, whether it’s an Instagram story, or post to your grid or Facebook feed.
Look ater your physical health - Pet grooming is extremely physical and there are some long-term injuries that could affect you if you don’t look after yourself. Being physically fit, watching your weight, and having a good working knowledge of proper manual handling procedures will all help you avoid some of the common issues that affect groomers such as back and neck problems or pain in shoulders, hips, and knees. It’s also important not to overexert yourself as you can end up burned out and with injuries which may stop you grooming for long periods or may result in you having to stop grooming altogether.
Groomers Health Products
