Never in a million years I’d think that one day I would be an obsessed Doodle Mom. It was not my choice – my husband fell in love with an Australian Labradoodle Dog he met locally and before we knew it, Bruno became part of our family.

Losing your best friend comes in all shapes and sizes. For me, it was my beautiful spotted creature whose soul I named Sprinkles. I first met Sprinkles on an Amish farm as a Sprightly little puppy. She was to be euthanized because she was deaf if nobody wanted her. I instinctively knew in my heart that she was the dog I had always wanted since I was 14, listening to Sublime and them singing about their Dalmatian. It was love at first sight as she ran to my arms and I took her home. Sprinkles inspired me to become more involved in the dog world. Although I was already a dog groomer I wasn’t as devoted to it as I am now. We went everywhere together, from car rides to camping adventures. She always had my back.

As a groomer, when it comes to building a successful relationship with the dog you are grooming the number one step seems obvious, right? Train the dog to act accordingly on the table, in the tub, with the equipment, blah blah blah. Wrong (in my opinion – even though that is very important). Of course you have to train the dog, but you also need to train the owner. Even more so with “doodles” because almost everyone that buys them seem to be first time animal owners. It’s not a bad thing whatsoever! No matter how much learning they attempt to do on the internet – at some point they inevitably need the assistance of a professional. That is our chance to shine, to educate, and to build a relationship that will benefit not only them but us as well.

Everyone loves a clean dog and since Tub Dog Tuesday is a big hit with groomers, I wanted to share some tips that I've found has aided me with dogs, old and young, in the tub. They may just aid you or a friend in a time of need. And as I have said, during this time of high stress in our society, a clean, snuggly puppy is what we all need!

I have been working with dogs and cats since I graduated high school in 2006 as a bather at a local boarding facility and recently got let go from an animal hospital. I started to groom on my own in October of last year. In these few months, I learned a lot about grooming and bathing. I had always stuck to the same tools: a comb, a regular brush, my 2-speed Andis clipper and straight shears. LOL. Now I know about all of the following tools that have greatly helped me refine my grooming techniques.

Connection is the key component to success and fulfillment in the grooming industry. 

I was talking with a friend the other day who also works in the service industry and she mentioned something along the lines of, “When it comes down to it, we’re a business, and we’re selling a product.” Yes, we are a business. Yes, we are selling a product. But we are also connecting with people. We are connecting with animals. We are building relationships and our clients are trusting us time after time to take care of their beloved pets. So how do we reconcile the business aspect with the relationship aspect?

There was a time where the words ‘healthy’ and ‘grooming’ were rarely used in the same sentence. That's because, let's face it- the grooming industry as a whole is a generally UNHEALTHY one! We are constantly trying to master our time booking appointments, bathing, and grooming dogs, checking out clients- ON REPEAT. But, what about YOU? We essentially get lost in the craziness and forget about the greatest asset to keep our businesses running smoothly, which is us- the groomer! And that just simply needs to change.

At Ryan’s Pet Supplies, our mission is to take care of people that take care of pets, and that doesn’t just mean fulfilling your supply orders! We are here to take care of your body and mind and maybe pepper in some humor and self-love along the way 😉. So, we’re here to provide some resources accessible to groomers for self-care. Déja has prepared 3 different yoga poses that are perfect to release all the tension in the places groomers hang onto it most and she would know best – she’s the owner of True Vibes Unleashed and a full-time groomer.

Grooming is a physically demanding career. Between lifting large dogs, standing all day, and the repetitive motions that come with brushing and shearing, you can quickly find yourself in a world of pain. Groomer Deja Pearson, from True Vibes Unleashed says that you can avoid pain in the body with yoga and has even set up her own business to combine all of her passions of grooming and yoga. Follow us on this journey of self-care and self-love for groomers.

Maybe you were put out of a job because of COVID-19. Perhaps you decided you were done with your previous career and it is time for something new! You love animals, so why not grooming? Well, let us tell you, grooming is very hard yet very rewarding work. It takes a lot of training and education to cut it as a groomer (are we right)? But the benefits can outweigh the negatives for certain people. We reached out to the groomer community and we asked you! Here are some things that groomers said when asked “what would you tell someone that is just starting out?”

So, you’re a new pet parent, eh?! Well, let us be the first to say CONGRATULATIONS! You are about to embark on a wonderfully rewarding journey. Adding a new member to your family is such an exciting experience but can be daunting if you aren’t sure what you might need. Well, fret not because at Ryan’s Pet Supplies our mission is to take care of people that take care of pets (and that includes you now!). We have created a checklist to make sure you have all the things you need to become #1 Dog Mom or Dad.

While the global economy has experienced an unprecedented disruption that has affected everyone, including our beloved Groomers, our friends at Andis Grooming, Barkleigh Productions, Inc. and Learn2GroomDogs are aware that many Groomers are out of work yet are at home with nothing to do. That’s why they are offering these classes and certifications for FREE!