The right groomer is more than just a pet care professional providing a much-needed service for you and your pet. They’re also a big part of your pet’s life— providing care, comfort, and deep cleaning.
A good groomer will not only help you keep your pet clean, but they will also contribute to a longer, happier life. In addition, your groomer will educate you on best practices for caring for your pet, which will help deepen the pet-owner relationship.
So, how do you choose the best groomer for your pet? Here’s 7 tips.
Take These Steps Before Hiring a Groomer
When choosing a groomer for your pet, make sure to do your research first. Too many pet owners trust their pets to underqualified staff, substandard facilities, and potentially dangerous conditions because they aren’t sure how to screen a groomer.
Here’s how to gather the right information ahead of time to make an informed decision about who should be your pet’s groomer.
#1 Talk to Your Pet’s Other Care Providers – Veterinarians, pet sitters, and dog walkers are tuned in to the local pet services community. They’re a great resource for recommendations and warnings when you’re looking for a new groomer.
#2 Visit with Other Pet Owners – Friends, relatives, and coworkers can offer recommendations for the people they trust their pets with. You can also take the opportunity to make a new friend by complimenting a pet owner walking a dog and asking about their grooming professional.
#3 Check Their Qualifications and Experience – It takes more than a professional grooming tub and set of clippers to be a groomer. You want a groomer who has the training needed to properly handle your pet’s care. Be sure to ask about any experience working with your pet’s breed. While every groomer must start somewhere, you want to make sure that anyone with little training or experience–however low the price–has a mentor on hand to help them grow.
#4 Find Out What Services Are Offered – Different groomers may offer different levels of care, and the services included in a package at one groomer may be far different somewhere else. In addition, find out what other products they may offer and if they have any recommendations for your pet’s care or enrichment between grooming appointments.
#5 Ask About the Grooming and Waiting Areas – Even if your pet is well-behaved, it could be stressed by unfamiliar animals, humans, and the environment. Improperly housed and managed animals can be a danger to themselves and others. The groomer should have plenty of space for animals and owners to comfortably wait for their appointment, and to separate animals of different species, breeds, and sizes, and to allow for feeding or play as appropriate.
#6 Verify They Have Emergency Procedures and Liability Insurance – Any animal care professional should have liability insurance that helps cover hospital, vet, or damage charges should a preventable accident or injury occur on their premises. In addition, you want a professional groomer who has a close working relationship with a local vet they can call in case of an emergency.
#7 Schedule a Visit to Their Facility – Finally, take the time to schedule a visit to their grooming facility yourself. While they may be able to answer your questions suitably over the phone, a visit lets you see their credentials, grooming and kennel area, and professional grooming equipment for yourself. It also gives you a chance to introduce them to your pet with a short, low-stress visit, and you may even get to see them in action providing care to another pet while you’re there.
Keep Your Pet Looking and Feeling Their Best
Professional grooming is a great way to keep your pet feeling healthy and loved. Do your research, make your appointment, and enjoy introducing them to a new human with their best interests at heart.
Our pet-care experts are proud to make commercial-quality animal care equipment that’s trusted by professionals coast-to-coast. Order your pet care supplies from Direct Animal today.
