Tips & Tricks

A year ago, I adopted Dakota. She is a Pomeranian and Husky mix. At the age of three years old, she was surrendered to a local rescue. When I saw her image on the rescue’s site, I knew I needed to adopt her. She was showing your typical signs of stress, lowering her body, wide whale eyes, tail tucked, panting, and ears pinned back. At that time, I was in the animal care field for six years and knew how to read body language.

Since opening up on my Instagram (@truevibesunleashed) about taking my newborn to work with me, I have received an outpouring of love and support from the Groomer-Mom community! I usually post very cute pictures and videos of my son and I at the salon figuring out how to keep him happy, calm, sleep, and entertained while I finish pups for the day. Other mothers began in-boxing me saying I make it look fun and easy. The honest truth is: it's not easy at all!

As a professional cat groomer choosing tools for feline grooming can be difficult in a dog groomers world of tools. It’s true, most tools for the professional groomer are meant for canines and grooming them. I have been a professional grooming cats for over 7 years now. What works on dogs, is not necessarily the best for felines. I was a dog groomer for many years, but many tools, let’s face it, are truly designed with a dog’s skin and coat needs in mind.

In September 2020, just shy of my 30th birthday, I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I had already been negotiating the terms of my lease, and it wasn’t too late to back out. I could stay where I had built a full client list, had guaranteed work and not nearly as much responsibility. I was so close to everything I had worked so hard for that I decided there’s no way I can stop now. It was scary and exciting all at the same time.

What does being healthy mean to you? Okay, we’ve gotten the eye rolls out of the way. Now, let’s ask a different question: what does holistic health look like to you? Was your first answer the same as your second? Because to me, health is holistic. Holistic health is health. In other words, all parts of you (“whole”-istic) are being cared for consistently.

The way you present yourself IS your brand. Not only through videos or photos on social media, but in the salon too! We all want to make money doing what we love. But, more importantly, to get there, we need our clients to

see the value and quality in their grooming experience with us as groomers as well.

Heal what ails your furry friend by choosing a medicated shampoo! Medicated dog shampoos can be used to treat all kinds of conditions, from dermatitis, to yeast, to everything in between. At Ryan’s Pet Supplies, we carry a variety of products that you can use to keep your dogs happy, healthy, and looking their best.

Do you know what the four main types of brushes are? What makes one type of brush different from the other can be confusing, especially when brushes of the same type can vary so much in size, shape and color.

After working many years in retail, I simply became bored of how redundant the days became and how corporate upper management treated hard working individuals. I was working at a High-End store on 5^th Avenue (New York City) a job I DREAMED of; and I honestly worked for a woman who was so degrading, but people tolerated her because of how much status she had within the company. It was the worst job of my life. I knew I needed a change. I quit and took a few months to regroup.

It’s about to be springtime and you know what that means: Flea & Tick season. There are several pests that pose a threat to our pet buddies but the worst of them can be treated with simple topical treatments or pest collars. At Ryan’s Pet Supplies, we carry a variety of products that you can use to keep your pets pest free!

As we scroll through Instagram, we see all these beautiful groomers displaying their magic. I used to hesitate posting my personal grooming pictures because I felt like they weren’t good enough in comparison. (If you feel this way keep reading!) 

While you’re here and I have your attention, I wanted to talk about all things aesthetic, style, beauty and yes *vibes* (side note - I love that word so much, I don’t even care how overused it is). Recently you may have seen that I was generously awarded the “Aesthetic as Fluff” award from the lovely Britt Johnson. Things like online style is something that Britt and I have talked about quite a lot over the years. To some, online “vibes” may not be a priority, they just enjoy posting photos and videos and I’m here to say that is 100% cool. This is not a place of judgement; this is a place to uplift and to celebrate individuality.

Jason aka @GroomerWithMuscles blessed us last week with an interview on his experience being on HBO Max’s Haute Dog. Well, this week he blesses us with his favorite products that groomers can find at yours truly: Ryan’s Pet Supplies. Let’s jump right in!

Photography is a groomer’s best friend. It is one of the best ways to create a client connection, showcase your talent and keep track of your personal progress. Your patrons will remember the extra time you took to take that beautiful picture of Fluffy. Every single one of them deserve the one-on-one attention that we can offer at the end of their groom. The few moments we take to put on their bow or bandana, spray them with some delicious perfume, sneak in a couple kisses, and set them up for their photo can create some of the most amazing memories with your clients. Here are 5 tips that will help create better quality grooming photographs:

When creatives haven’t developed a strong sense of self, haven’t accepted ourselves as perfectly imperfect, and use others as a mirror for self-judgement, it’s a recipe for self-destruction. I don’t take it personally when my dogs slink off to bed instead of watching Well Groomed with me; and I no longer take stock in what other people say or do. How much time do you waste analyzing others instead of trying to better understand your beautiful imperfect creative self?

We’ve all been there before. Clients can be upset for a number of reasons. They’re mad the groom is wrong. They’re angry their dog had to be shaved when they didn’t brush them. They didn’t even show up to the groom and now you’ve lost money. Their dog has blood in their stool and are possibly trying to blame you. Whatever the reason may be, we can give you this advice: don’t let it get to you. And your groomer community is here to support you with words of wisdom.

Price increases are inevitable no matter what, in any business. When your utilities go up in cost or the cost per gallon of shampoo goes up, what do you do? You can make that up a few different ways!

This time of year, especially, as our hands feel aches and swelling starts to appear, our bodies feel like a truck ran over it TWICE! and our hearts are tired, the thoughts of wondering “what if I tried something else?” get loud.

It’s ironic how the holidays can be a time of great joy and completely anxiety-provoking at the same time. The holiday spirit does a fantastic job of fueling us up to give the best of ourselves. Much like a car, it doesn’t matter how much gas we have in the tank. If we don’t maintain our bodies or push ourselves too hard too fast, we will crash right into a wall.

Happy holidays groomers! This time of year is one of the busiest, yet joyful times of the year for us at the salon. Clients are racing to get their fur babies in to look especially beautiful for holiday cards and gatherings, tips are generally much more gracious, and of course- tons and tons of baked goodies line the counters for staff members to enjoy.

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.

You’ve been there before. Client comes into your shop and is trying to explain away some problem with their dog that usually boils down to they weren’t taking time to brush their dog, etc. No shade, that’s why we as groomers are here to help! But wouldn’t it be nice if the owner DIDN’T try to lie their way out of their shame? Wouldn’t it be nice if they were just honest? However, it does make for some pretty interesting stories …

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!