PetGroomer.com Magazine Summer 2020 by findagroomer

eGroomer Journal January / March 2014

July / September 2020 Vol. 10, Ed. 3 PetGroomer.com Publications

M A G A Z I N E

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PetGroomer.com Magazine Summer 2020

Common Misconceptions Concerning Mobile Pet Grooming

Petco Grooming Salons

To Credit, or NOT to Credit

The Role of Water In Canine Skin & Coat Health

How to Choose the Right Clipper

Covid-19 National Survey for Grooming Employees and Business Owners

Balance Your Payroll Risks

Benefits of Counter Drying

Heads & Tails with Jodi Murphy

Getting to the Bottom of it: Groomers and Their Glutes

Problems with Comb Attachments

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

January July // September March 20192020 PetGroomer.com Publications

Dates Shown Below Were Accurate at the Time This Issue Was Published

Pet Quest Wilmington, OHEvent Monitor www.barkleigh.com

Dates Carefully in 2020 Due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Some Shows May Be ZOOM Online Events - Contact Show Producers AUGUST 2020 CANCELLED Coming March 2021 Northwest Grooming Show Tacoma, WA www.nwgroom.com SEPTEMBER 2020 ZOOM EVENT September 10 to 13, 2020 Groom Expo Hershey, PA www.groomexpo.com

OCTOBER 2020 October 8 to 11, 2020 New England Grooming Show Sturbridge, MA www.newenglandgrooms.com October 29 to Nov. 1, 2020 PetQuest Wilmington, OH www.pqgroom.com NOVEMBER 2020 November 9 to 12, 2020 Pet Boarding & Daycare Expo Hershey, PA www.petboardingexpo.com DECEMBER 2020 December 6 to 9, 2020 Intergroom Secaucus, NJ www.intergroom.com

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Common Misconceptions Concerning Mobile Pet Grooming By John Stockman In this article, I hope to dispel some of

Mobile grooming is driven by many im-

the common myths we hear from time

portant factors; the most significant of

to time. At Wag’n Tails, we understand

those is the client’s need for conven-

how some may have conflicting ideas

ience. These clients can mow their own

about what it takes to be a successful

lawn, but they don’t. They can maintain

mobile pet groomer, and it’s under-

their own pools, clean their own hous-

standable until you look closer at the

es, drop off pick up their own dry clean-

facts. 12

(Continued on page 13)

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July / September 2020

ing, etcetera, but they don’t.

ually, or you can use one of the low cost

Why? Because they have a busy sched-

computerized systems like Navigroom.

ule and that makes their time much

People won’t pay the higher price.

more valuable than their money. Their pets will be taken care of because they’re members of the family! Mobile groomers give their clients a very precious gift…the gift of time! Now, on to the misconceptions about mobile grooming.

Another one that is easy to understand because some stationary salon clients

won’t pay the premium mobile groomers charge for their services, but there are plenty of clients that will. It is not uncommon for a new mobile

You spend all day driving from appointment to appointment.

groomer to be full in 6-9 months and in

You can waste a ton of time driving

Mobile grooming clients understand

around if you fail to plan. Remember

that prices are higher for this premium,

the old adage; if you fail to plan, plan to

at-home service. They see it when they

fail. Routing your van isn’t hard to do, it

have their pool cleaned and their lawns

just takes some planning to group your

manicured.

appointments in clusters. That way, you

You have to do 12 dogs a day to make any money.

cover one small area of clients that are in close proximity to one another.

many cases, much less than that.

This one is surprising to us because it’s It simply comes down to routing and scheduling your van in the most efficient manner possible. Routing and

hard to see where the math comes from. The whole concept is to groom fewer pets for more money. The busi-

scheduling efficiently can be done maneGroomer Journal

(Continued on page 15)

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ness model calls for only 6 dogs per day, 5 days per week. You only need 150-180 pets to fully book a mobile van.

July / September 2020

You can’t do big dogs in a mobile grooming salon. Another one we find perplexing. Wag’n Tails mobiles have full-size stainless

You would have to groom 10-12 dogs in

steel tubs with electric lift tables and an

a salon to make the same money as

integrated bridge to walk the big dogs

you would grooming 6 pets in a mobile!

into the tub. St. Bernard? No problem!

An average mobile grooming operation

Great Dane? Yep! Husky? Mastiff?

covers the entire monthly expenses in

Yes, and yes!

one week, leaving the next 3 weeks of

These are the misconceptions we hear

the month for profit.

about most often. What are the ones

A mobile grooming salon is too expensive to buy.

you have? Call us and we’ll discuss it.

Expensive is a relative term and the price for a mobile salon must be

Even more often, and by a long shot, what we hear from our clients is: I wish I had gone mobile sooner!

weighed against the revenue it gener-

John Stockman is the National Sales

ates. A mobile salon generates excel-

Manager at Wag’n Tails Mobile Conver-

lent income that puts you in an elite

sions and can be contacted at 800-513-

class of groomers.

0304 or john@wagntails.com ▀

Groomers that are business entrepreneurs make great income. Plus, they set their own schedule, control their own lives and they have time for family

and friends. eGroomer Journal

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As pet parents’ trusted partner in caring for the overall health and wellness of their pets, Petco offers a variety of premium pet care services right inside most Petco stores that are designed to help pet parents save time, money and stress – from pet grooming and training to Vetco vaccination clinics and fullservice veterinary hospitals. Petco’s grooming salons are open seven days a week, offering early morning, afternoon, evening and weekend appointments to best fit pet parents’ lifestyles and busy schedules. This gives Petco the ability to have a flexible work environment for their talented grooming partners. There are numerous opportunities for career growth at Petco, as the leading pet specialty retailer offers several different salon roles based on experience level to help meet pet parents’ needs and provide their employees (they call them Petco partners!) with continuous opportunity for career advancement. • Petco’s Jr. Pet Stylist position is ideal for candidates looking to be pet bathers. To set individuals in this position up for success, they’re taught everything they need to know including Pet16

co’s Seven-Point Pet Care Check – performed prior to any grooming service to assess pets and recommend the most appropriate service – customer engagement, veterinarian-approved basics on skin and coat, and information on parasites, behavior and most importantly, safety. Based on individual productivity, each Jr. Pet Stylist has the opportunity to increase their personal compensation by being eligible to earn a weekly bonus. • If a Jr. Pet Stylist partner is interested in becoming a Pet Stylist, they have the opportunity to be promoted to Pet Stylist Apprentice and placed in a 12-week program carefully crafted to teach all apprentices how to successfully groom all breeds of dogs. Pet Stylist Apprentices are placed with one of Petco’s amazing academy instructors or approved mentors to learn all the tips and tricks to successfully grooming dogs. • Once the training program is completed, the Pet Stylist Apprentice has the opportunity to be promoted to the Pet Stylist role. This position is also available to experienced external candi(Continued on page 17)

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dates. All experienced candidates must complete a 3-breed technical test with a tenured stylist in order to remain in role, which offers a compensation plan that helps drive individual performance and rewards with a robust incentive program. • As Petco groomers continue growing their careers and fine tuning their expertise, they’re offered the opportunity to be promoted to a Pet Stylist Pro position. This role is for Petco partners who have been with the company for a minimum of one year and have reached and maintained great targets. Pet Stylist Pros are offered an enhanced incentive plan with vast earning potential. • Those who seek to not only expand their grooming skills but also become strong leaders of their own salon have the opportunity to become spectacular Petco Grooming Salon Leaders. This position is available to experienced internal and external candidates. Although Petco Grooming Salon Leaders still interact with pets via grooming appointments, their primary role is to grow the business, lead and develop their team. In turn, they can grow their salon team’s ability to earn incentives. eGroomer Journal

July / September 2020

This team growth mindset is rewarded with a strong incentive plan directly related to the fantastic efforts of the collective team. • Salon Leaders looking to train the next generation of Pet Stylists also have the opportunity to become a Petco Grooming Salon Mentor. With added responsibility comes an increase in the partner’s financial compensation. • For the most experienced grooming salon partners, Petco offers the Grooming Salon Academy Instructor role. This position is dedicated to and responsible for training Pet Stylist Apprentices from multiple districts, allowing Grooming Salon Academy Instructors the ability to step into a multi-unit, influential role. The position provides partners with the opportunity to influence the next generation of incredible groomers!

With so many groomer positions available, Petco offers their partners many incredible career opportunities within and beyond their grooming salons. Visit careers.petco.com to learn how YOU can become part of Petco’s pet-loving organization, and let your talents shine!

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BATH CLUB MEMBERSHIP New e-Book Now Available for Download by Leel Michelle In the uncertainty of the world in which we live, small business owners must craft new ways to improve our profit margins. Your Bath Club Membership is a great service that your clients need now! It creates a consistent revenue stream month after month and is a win-win for your grooming salon & clients. Through my ebook, I share ways to keep your income flowing while you gear up your business to full steam ahead! You already have nearly everything it takes to implement this additional revenue stream right now! CLICK HERE to learn more & download.

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To Credit or NOT to Credit? During our current pandemic, businesses are struggling with the multitude of opening and closing guidelines and restrictions. Many business owners are looking for ways to cut expenses to get them through the storm. Whether it’s my “Clean Club Memberhship” or other tips I have shared on how to make your business more successful, I am here to tell you why you should keep those credit cards processing & how to keep your employees happy at little cost to you!

percent of shoppers have cut down on their use of cash, while 97 percent of respondents are turning to credit and debit payments instead. Everyone in the United States, including business owners, have at least one credit card in their wallet. As the younger generations mature with their electronic payment habits (Pay Pal, Venmo, Apple) so do their preference for shopping and or avoiding certain businesses that do not cater to their shopping habits. Every year the amount of e commerce taking over traditional brick and mortar shopping increases in the double digits.

Many grooming salons still do not use credit cards as a means of payment. All I can think of when I hear this is all the The current pandemic has shown as lost revenue that business has been formuch as 90% growth in e-commerce saken due to this one single decision. In (electronic) shopping among some of my findings and according to research the largest online retailers. Shoppers by BAI Research and Hitachi Consulting that may have scoffed at the thought of (Continued on page 23) Copyright © 2013 Find41 A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com on 22Consumer Payment Preferences, PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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shopping online were suddenly forced to do so in order to get the supplies they needed for their family. For Jeff Bezos that means an even more luxurious apartment in “The Big Apple” but what does that mean for the rest of us? For small businesses that means we need to get knee deep in e-commerce and electronic payment systems even if it’s tedious and makes us a little uncomfortable.

If you have to make cuts to your operation; make it in other ways that won’t affect your bottom line. Credit card processing is NOT the way to cut your expenses when so many people are relying on their credit cards to make ends meet. In fact, if you want to make your employees happy by giving them a raise you don’t have to pay for… read on!

July / September 2020

cessor add a tip line AND show the formula for a 10/20/30 % tip to the bottom of the receipt/monitor as well. When your clients are shown a tip line and the math is done for them.

They are more likely to tip around 30% more than if they had only tipped in cash! Your employees will be so happy with the increase in income from their tips, and your clients will be happy they can use their debit/credit cards instead of having to get cash every time they (Continued on page 25)

Leel Michelle is the owner and designer behind the award-winning pet groomer apparel brand, Retro Stylist Wear and the grooming salon and boutique; Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe. She is a San Diego native that has also called Los Angeles, New York and Italy home. Formal education in fine art, art history, and fashion design led this animal loving entrepreneur to bring all her passion, talents and knowledge together to create a memorable and beloved retro business for pets and their owners.

We all know how much Pet Groomers love their tips! How about giving them a raise with little time or expense to you? How do you pull this off you say? Call your credit card processor and insist they add a “tip line” to your credit card processing receipt! If you want to go a step further…have your credit card proeGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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(Continued from page 23)

visit your business. Does it cost more you ask? Yes, and it’s worth it! Shop around for a credit card processor and or call your current one and ask for better rates. The credit card processors would much rather keep a current client happy than spend their time trying to find a new one. Be sure you are educated about tipping guidelines and reporting for your city and state. If your credit card company says they cannot add a tip line (this happened to me) tell them it’s the same requirement of a “human” salon or bar tab. If they can’t give you this…threaten that you’ll go elsewhere.

BATH CLUB MEMBERSHIP e-Book Now Available for Download by Leel Michelle CLICK HERE

Those are my two cents for today. I hope you and your employees find these tips useful and profitable for your business. Stay safe and fabulous. Until next time. Leel Michelle

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The Role of Water In Canine Skin & Coat Health Water is a fundamental facet of the grooming process, and yet it is commonly overlooked for its value and effectiveness. It gently cleanses, exfoliates and moisturizes skin and hair coat. Water is expressly important to the overall health and vitality of not only the inside of all living beings, but to the outside as well. Water, in its simplest form, is the most natural and safest vehicle for removal of pathogens and debris from canine coat

By Christein Sertzel

and the best source for adding moisture to the canine skin. If we don’t consider the role of water in pet grooming, aside from its mechanical use to remove shampoo and dirt from coat, we would come up short. Water is the very foundation of the grooming process, just as paint is foundation of the painter and canvas. (Continued on page 28)

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WATER CHEMISTRY Contrary to popular belief water is not pure. Unless a salon has a large filtration system in place, the water from shower heads, in shampoo and topical dilution bottles, and the water applied to the skin of pets all contain microorganisms and trace elements. Environmental changes such as heavy rains, drought, and changes in water table tapping all affect the makeup of water we use in pet grooming. Even the pipes of your water system can add elements to the water before you use it. Trace elements, chemicals and microorganisms in your bathing water can superficially permeate pet skin. The content of your water affects what and how pet skin absorbs. The content of your water affects the ability of the topicals you apply and which you expect to perform their manufactured purposes.

July / September 2020

Softened water is likely to provide optimal performance with many shampoos or topicals when you compare the results of using them with well or city water from a tap. These sources are often hard, or contain trace elements. Don’t overlook how you clean and sanitize your shampoo dilution bottles, mixing bottles and your entire shampoo or hydro-dilution system, may leave residues that affect your water quality. Also there is the issue of proper sanitizing of these systems and bottles, and any residues left in the process. Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria grows in diluted shampoos, and on the inside of bottles, hoses and fittings through which water and shampoo passes. Shampoo, conditioner and other liquid topicals are a feedstock for secondary bacteria to utilize. Once water is added to any bottled shampoo or liquid concentrate, the product’s storage and shelf life becomes quite short. Breaking the seal can also shorten shelf life, but not as greatly when water is added.

As a result, your shampoo dilution rate may change. The outcome of your product may change simply based on your water’s chemistry. 28 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

(Continued on page 29)

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Bacteria can quickly and aggressively populate the surface of such areas and grow into various molds, fungus and secondary bacteria colonies as well. This petrie dish environment is where skin infections like furunculosis begin. It takes your diligent attention to cleanliness to avoid these possibilities and enjoy optimum performance from product for skin and coat beauty and health.

WATER TEMPERATURE The temperature of water affects the comfort of pets. It also affects every pets ability to absorb and moisturize. Warm used during the shampoo process (using warm water to dilute your shampoo for application upon the coat) helps to beef up the cleansing ability of your surfactant formula. It helps by liquefying congealed sebum build up and oil-based dirt on hair shafts and skin.

July / September 2020

hot and it irritates and drys skin. It may cause heat stress reactions in pets such as listlessness, swaying, unsteadiness and drowsy expressions. Bath (with shampoo) water is the warmest temperature. Subsequent rinses should progressively be adjusted cooler. Water for rinsing conditioners from the coat should be the coolest. Here are some reminders. Water warm enough upon your skin that you would use to bathe in is far too warm for a canine. Water that feels quite warm should never be applied to open, irritated or aggravated skin as it will enhance pain skin and likely worsen symptoms due to damaged or sensitized epidermal nerve endings. Water temperature when treating skin symptoms certainly affects benefits upon the skin, or just the opposite. The process of temperature change begins with using the appropriate warmth to both dilate or open the follicles or pores, and increase circulation and plump up the skin. Thereby you more easily release lodged sebum and oilbased dirt on skin and hair surfaces.

You are likely to use a variety of water temperature settings for any given pet client based on their needs. Overall, the bathing water for a pet with no open sores or medical issues should always be tepid-warm. Hot water (but not scalding or eGroomer painfulJournal of course) may still be too Copyright ÂŠ 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Warm water helps tp swell and lift built up dead skin cells of the stratum corneum and aids dead hair up and out from the dilated follicle cup, and to help lift the hair cuticle depending solely on topical pH levels.

Cool water used as the final rinse calms epidermal nerve endings which can help alleviate generalized itching. It also helps to congeal skin oil and set the topical coat conditioners upon the skin.

SOAKS AND WRAPS

Cool temperatures on the skin helps Soaks can soften layers of buildup. It is constrict blood vessels and capillaries best to do these soaks warm and adand tighten the skin sealing moisture justed to a pet’s needs and age. For exwithin the skin, and to help seal active ample, older or ill dogs, pregnant or (Continued on page 33) ingredients on hair shaft.Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com 32 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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nursing females, should not be allowed to have an elevated core temperature so that the pet does not become chilled. When applying an oil treatment where appropriate use a warm rinse prior to application making the skin more open to treatment, and then a warm towel wrap for maximum absorption. Do not leave pets alone at any time during treatments. Stay with them in the tub. Monitor their comfort and reactions. Pets should remain alert.

PRESSURE AND FLOW Coat hairs grow at an oblique or slanting angle to skin. The water flow you apply has an optimal direction potential. The force of the water on the skin of the pet is important too. Force can alter the lay of the coat and applies pressure to the arrector pili muscle and phylosebacous unit in general. Therefore, apply rinse water through the coat in the direction you also you wish the coat to lay.

July / September 2020

Furnished dogs can be rinsed with the growth of coat on the jacket, and against the coat growth on the furnishings. Stand up coats can be rinsed against the growth of coat. For double-coated dogs, rinsing with the growth of coat but using an elevated water pressure will help to lift up and out dead packed coat if the skin beneath is healthy. Warning. The pressure of the water application can be abrasive and damaging to irritated skin and brittle coats if the pressure is set too high. Use less pressure and higher volume of water when rinsing coats. Pressure set too high will not only irritate skin, but potentially press pathogens more deeply into hair follicles and cause possible undesired reactions. Squeezing hair with the shower spray held closely to the coat is safest, with minimal aggressive rubbing since hair is most vulnerable when it is wet and elastic.

Water is an effective and gentle tool for Drop-coated dogs can be rinsed with the canine skin and coat health. Let water pressure and flow be one of the tools lay of coat even though they typically you have at your disposal to more easily have a more lax arrector pili reaction. achieve your goals to optimize skin & eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer All rights reserved 33 coatInc.health. ▀ PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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July/ June / September April 2020 2020

You’ve recently decided to begin groomOn your quest to become an at-home ing your dog at home – awesome! groomer, you’ve started researching pet Grooming your pup is a great way to clippers. Whoa, there are a ton of opdeepen your bond while also staying in tions! It can be overwhelming, but this tune with any changes in their fur or guide is here to help break down the difskin, which can indicate potential health ferent clipper types to help you make issues. (Continued on page 36) 34 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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the right purchase for your dog’s needs. In order to determine the best clipper for your pup you’ll first you need to identify their coat type. Dog coat types can be broken into several different categories but, to make things simple, let’s use the following four classifications: Smooth/Short, Medium, Heavy, and Curly. We will also talk about which areas on the dog are referred to as “Trim Only.” It is important to note that prior to any clipping, you should always bathe and brush your dog first. Not only will this help provide your pup with a stress and tangle free clip, but will help keep your blade from having to work in overdrive to power through dirt, debris, and mats. SMOOTH/SHORT Dog breeds that fall into this category include Jack Russell Terriers, Boxers, Great Danes, French Bulldogs, Smooth Fox Terriers, Dachshunds, and all other breeds with similar coats. For breeds with smooth and/or short coats, you will not need a heavy-duty professional clipper. You can certainly purchase one if you’d like, especially if you plan to groom often, but will not need a heavy duty motored clipper for smooth/short coated breeds. When purchasing, look for clippers with a standard adjustable blade or a 5-in-1 adjustable blade to assist grooming your pet. 36

July / September 2020

Look for the orange and blue icons to help you find the right clipper. MEDIUM Breeds in the medium coated category have a wide range of types, including Shih Tzus, Malteses, Bichons, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels to Scottish Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Airedales, Cocker Spaniels, and everything in between. These are small to medium sized dogs with manageable coats. If your pup falls into this category, your clipper options are plenty. Standard adjustable blade clippers will do a fine job clipping and trimming through a medium coat, but a 5-in-1 adjustable blade clipper will do even better. An adjustable 5-in-1 blade clipper is a professional style clipper that assists in finesse and precision cutting due to the number of cutting size adjustments which aids in leaving a smoother, more professionalgrade finish to your pet’s coat. Look for the orange Adjustable icon and blue 5-in-1 icon to help you find the right clipper. HEAVY Heavy coated dog breeds include Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, Great Pyreneeses, Samoyeds, and Sheep Dogs. If you have a double-coated dog, such as an Australian Shepherd, German

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Shepherd, Siberian Husky, or Newfoundland, please contact your groomer or vet before shaving. A double coat means that your dog’s coat has two distinct layers – a fluffy undercoat that provides insulation and an overcoat with longer hair that serves protection from the elements. Double-coats protect your pup from the elements, keeping them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Improperly shaving a double-coated dog can have unintended consequences such as sunburn, overheating, and can even damage their fur and cause it to grow back differently. A regular de-shed brushing routine can help curb unwanted shed and will help cool your pup in the warm months.

To shave down a heavy or thick-coated dog, you will need a powerful clipper. A common mistake owner’s make is purchasing a lower powered clipper intended for light use coats. If the clipper isn’t powerful enough, the blade can catch and pull your dog’s coat – causing grief for both you and your dog. When searching for a clipper, look for one that specifically calls out that it is for thick coats or heavy duty use. Often, a good indicator is a corded clipper that uses detachable blades, such as Wahl’s KM10™ which uses Wahl Competition Series or Ultimate Competition Series detachable blades. These are clippers built for professional use and tackling big jobs every day.

July / September 2020

CURLY Dog breeds that fall into the Curly category include Poodles, Portugese Water Dogs, Haveneses, Terry Blue Terriers, Lagotto Romagnolos, and every type of “Doodle”. Technically, some of the smaller breeds such as Bedlington Terriers and Bichon Frises also have curly coats, but since these coats tend to be much lighter and easier to clip, we put them in the “Medium” category. Like the heavy coats we mentioned above, for these breeds with thick, curly coats, you are going to need a clipper with a lot of torque to drive blades though your pet’s dense fur. You will want to look for a professional-grade clipper that uses detachable blades, such as Wahl’s Competition Series or Ultimate Competition Series. Options such as the Wahl KM10™ or Power Grip® have a built-in feature that provides extra power and torque when you need it most. Look for the green Detachable icon to help you find the right clipper. TRIM ONLY When researching grooming products, you might see the words “clipping” and “trimming” used interchangeably. Technically speaking, they are not the same in definition, but many products can be used as both a clipper and a trimmer depending on the size of the animal you’re grooming.

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(Continued on page 38)

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Trim work often refers to trimming hair around eyes (so they can see), trimming the fur that grows between their paws (so they don’t slip or track mud on your floor), or sometimes even trimming long hair around their private parts to help keep these areas clean and sanitary (referred to as a sanitary trim). Trimming does not include body clipping or shave downs. For small breeds, a pocket-sized trimmer such as the Wahl Super Pocket Pro® or the Touch-Up® trimmer will help you access and trim these niche areas.

July / September 2020

the BravMini+ and the Mini Arco, that have a little more power behind them to trim up larger areas quickly. Bonus – they’re quiet AND rechargeable! For large or thick-coated breeds, you may want to consider a full-sized clipping for your trimming needs. An adjustable 5-in-1 blade clipper will be able to tackle trim work on large dogs, as well as trimming bridle paths, ears, muzzles, and fetlocks on horses. Look for the purple Trimmer icon and blue 5-in-1 icon to help you find the right trimmer. ▀

For medium-sized breeds, there are larger, professional-grade trimmers, like

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Balance Your Payroll Risks

Step-by-Step Instructions to Find Your Balance We have published several articles on the problematic issue of independent contractor (IC) classification in the past. Now it is time to go where no grooming authors one have gone before. This study does not address classification er42

rors. Instead this article is a wake-up call about the financial impact of both W-2 and IC forms of compensation for groomers, and employers. Is it true that an IC groomer working the same hours, (Continued on page 43)

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grooming the same pets, same services and same commission as an employee is likely to earn less net pay? Is it true that an IC groomer renting a work station, grooming the same pets at the same service fees and working the same hours actually makes nearly twice the personal net income as an IC groomer not renting a station? Yes. We have the numbers to open eyes wide. Introducing three groomers, Laura, Dan and Meg. 1. Laura is an IC groomer working on 50% commission from her employer. Her grooming performance skills are the same as Dan and Meg.

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2. Dan is an employed groomer (W-2), and again, his grooming performance skills are equal to Laura and Meg. Dan grooms his employer’s clients. 3. Meg is an IC. She is only willing to rent work station in pet business in order to operate her business. Meg solely grooms her clientele, and not the clientele owned by an employer. This difference is key to her being more accurately classified as an IC. Laura primarily grooms clients of her employer who ask for her services. They are not legally her clientele. One final reminder, Meg’s grooming skills are equal to Dan and Laura.

Today there are thousands of Laura’s

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and Dan’s in the United States. Hiring trends of the last 10 years have turned more and more Dan’s into Laura’s. Large numbers of W-2 employed status groomers are now IC groomers like Laura, usually not by their choice. Few corporate stores hire IC’s bucking the trend. Independents created this trend. Does it make you wonder why the corporate world bucks it?

Is this state of employment for the grooming industry good or bad? Our an-

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swer would simply be an opinion, and your opinion is more important. Instead we prefer to let the numbers tell their story. Done fairly, numbers do not lie and avoid opinion. Refer to Table 1 on the following page. Laura’s (IC) numbers are shown in the top half of Table 1. She produces $70,000 annual gross sales of grooming services for her employer, and gets 50% or $35,000 a year. Annually her employer sends the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) a 1099-MISC reporting the (Continued on page 47)

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income paid to her. There are no payroll deductions. Laura reports the $35,000 on her Schedule C filed with the IRS. She deducts operating expenses of $4,000 lowering her taxable income to $31,000. On a Schedule SE (SE is an abbreviation for “self-employment”) Laura pays 15.3% FICA/Medicare taxes on the $31,000, or $4,743. Why is her Federal SE nearly $4,800? Employees pay 7.65% of their gross wages for FICA/Medicare. Laura is not a W-2 employee, and IC’s pay two shares, their self-employment share (7.65%) and their share at 7.65%, total 15.3%. Laura is left with $26,257 from the $35,000. She must still pay federal and state income taxes. In some US states there are state and local taxes assessed on self-employed (IC). Those taxes would lower her bottom line even further. There are thousands of Laura’s in the industry paying taxes as shown in Table 1. What if they were W-2 employees? The bottom half of Table 1 represents this scenario. Dan grooms the same pets earning the same 50% commission rate as Laura. Dan is a W-2 employee. What happens to Dan’s $35,000? eGroomer Journal

July / September 2020

Unlike Laura, Dan is not a business (IC) and takes no deductions for business expenses. He receives a payroll check with payroll tax deductions. Table 1 shows his deduction of 7.65% for FICA / Medicare. His employer pays the other 7.65% share, not Dan. He is provided worker’s compensation at no charge, as well as unemployment coverage. To compare Dan fairly with Laura we have not deducted federal or state income taxes for Dan, as well as Laura. What is the result? Dan’s $35,000 is reduced by $2,677.50 for his share of FICA / Medicare. His adjusted total is $32,322.50 (prior federal and state income taxes). Compare that to Laura’s $26,257. Grooming the same pets and the same work schedule Dan’s bottom line is $6,065.50 greater than Laura. She has no worker’s compensation coverage and no unemployment security. Why does Laura make so much less? The answer is simple. Laura is self-employed (IC) and pays self-employment taxes, and another $4,000 for business operating expenses. There is more to Laura’s fate. She must (Continued on page 49)

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(Continued from page 47)

maintain daily records of income and expenses which may be audited. She needs business insurance, and must inventory and order supplies. Laura must maintain business licenses and advertising. Laura has daily client duties such as appointment scheduling and reminders. Do you know how many tax forms a business owner must file every year? Many. Laura manages a business checking account and reports financial activity on quarterly and annual basis.

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Dan grooms full-time (2,080 hours a year) the same as Laura. Unlike Laura, When Dan finishes grooming he is done for the day. The bottom line for Laura is this. All of her self-employment extra tasks and expenses doesn’t add up to a better financial bottom line. In fact, her personal net income is thousands less than Dan. Not all, but most major and growing chain stores hire Dan’s, not Laura’s. Why do you think that is? (Continued on page 51)

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(Continued from page 49)

Table 1 has made clear the imbalance between the Dan’s and Laura’s of the grooming industry today. Next, Table 2 explores one reason for the tilted scale. Financially there is a steep advantage for employers to hire “Laura’s.” Refer to Table 2. Laura’s numbers are in the middle of the table earning $35,000 from 50% commission. Her employer simply writes a check for the amount without payroll deductions since she is not a W-2 employee. Her employer pays no worker’s compensation or coverage for unemployment, and any other state and local payroll taxes. At the bottom of Table 2 we examine

July / September 2020

the cost to her employer if Laura was classified a W-2 employee. Additional costs for her employer are $5,849.50 on top of her $35,000 gross wages. Saving nearly $6,000 a year per “Laura” is a major financial advantage for any employer. The financial misfortune for Laura is serious. She does not have to pay the entire $5,849.50 saved by her IC employer. She is liable for a second share of $2,677.50 for FICA / Medicare normally paid by W-2 employers. Her $4,000 deduction for operating expenses reduces her two shares to $2,371.50 each, or a total of $4,743 (see Table 1). Dan the W-2 employee pays a fraction of that and did not spend $4,000 on operating expenses. For this reason alone (Continued on page 53)

A 60% IC commission will generally compensate IC groomers for the extra tax burdens of selfemployment. It will not compensate them for having no coverage for unemployment or worker’s compensation provided by their employers. eGroomer Journal

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the employers of Laura’s come out way ahead by hiring IC’s, and transferring their employer tax burdens to their Laura’s. The numbers make it clear. Hiring IC groomers is to the advantage of employers who find groomers willing to accept the burden and make less than if they were “Dan’s,” (W-2 employees).

Federal SE taxes. The red-shaded fields compare adjusted incomes of Laura and Dan. Laura is no longer at $26,257 (see Table 1). Instead, she is now at $32,186 from 60% commission. Dan remains at $32,322.50 or nearly the same as Laura. Our compensation scale is essentially balanced between the two.

The Really Big Question

Our answer to the really big question is this. A 60% IC commission will generally compensate IC groomers for the extra tax burdens of self-employment. The continue to lack unemployment security and worker’s compensation coverage. Dan has it best. Laura’s employer retains financial advantages even at 60% commission. There is no unemployment and worker’s compensation coverage for them to pay.

Hundreds of groomers have asked us what recourse they have if they do not want to be a Laura-type IC groomer when they cannot find a W-2 position. The answer is simple. Negotiate your commission rate! Of course the next really big question is, “How much?” If this describes your predicament the financial method shown in Table 3 will reign supreme. We can better balance the scale between Laura and Dan by fairly increasing Laura’s IC commission rate above 50% yet retain some savings to help appease IC employers.

IC’s offered 50% should target 60% and purchase self-employment insurance covering worker’s compensation (or an alternative), and loss of income should they not be able to work. IC employers and IC groomers should have business liability insurance covering both sides of their working relationship.

The bottom half of Table 3 are figures for Dan from Table 1. The top of Table 3 is Laura earning 60% commission, not 50%. Look what happens. Her gross is $42,000, no longer $35,000. She still deducts $4,000 for her operating costs, and then figures her doubleCopyright share© of eGroomer Journal 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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What About Meg the Groomer Meg rocks. Very few groomers are aware why. We have the financial proof to explain why (see Table 4). “Meg’s” are the most likely to hold up to scrutiny by the IRS determining if their independent contractor status is proper. In our opinion, most Laura’s are not. Refer to articles on IC classification in the archives of PetGroomer.com Magazine to know why. Meg works the same hours grooming as both Laura and Dan. Grooming the same pets we have assumed she generates the same sales income of $70,000 a year as Laura, but Laura was paid 50% commission of that amount, or $35,000. Meg stands out, she keeps the entire $70,000. Meg pays rent for a work station in a pet business, which may be a grooming business, or day care, boarding facility or veterinary clinic. Where does her $70,000 go? Table 4 is all about Meg and her selfemployment finances. First, Meg pays $200 a week for a work station, or $10,400 a year. Second, Meg accounts for $4,000 a year (same as Laura) for other operating expenses.

July / September 2020

$47,093.20 a year. Now wait a minute! Meg is grooming the same pets as Laura and Dan. Meg is working the same grooming hours as both, and all generate $70,000 gross sales before commission deductions. In Table 1, Laura’s similar bottom line was $26,257 and Dan’s $32,322.50. Holy Bichon! Meg does indeed rock at $47,093.20. Like Laura, Meg as an IC needs to pay for insurance for loss of income and worker’s compensation or alternative. Because Meg is about $21,000 ahead of Laura, Meg won’t blink. Meg does not have a W-2 employer, she is commercial renter. Pet business owners advertise work station rentals in the Classified Ads at PetGroomer.com but there numbers are not large. We hope to see more. Perhaps there would be if more groomers understood the state of compensation presented in this article. The hairstyling world for people has many thousands of work station rentals, why not grooming?

Remember state laws can override IRS IC regulations, study both federal and state laws before investing in IC selfemployment. We prepared Table 5 as a Once you deduct these expenses Meg summary of the conclusions of this artiadjusted self-employment gross income cle. We hope we are sending out a wake is $55,600. Because she is an IC she -up call to thousands of groomers to expays 2 shares of FICA / Medicare, same plore better compensation for the hard as Laura, or $8,506.80. Her bottom line work performSubscribe as pet groomers. ■ 54 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All they rights reserved www.egroomer.com prior federal and state income taxes is PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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AFTER THE BATH

Benefits of Counter Drying Thousands of groomers have never worked in a grooming business furnished with drying counters. Instead pets are dried on grooming tables, in tubs or cage-dried. We know from decades of hands-on experience that hand -drying on drying counters was the best experience for us. As grooming business owners we served over 400,000 pets and their owners. Some say quantity means no quality. We hand-dried over 400,000 pets, every pet we ever groomed. They were never left alone in a cage to dry. How is that worthy of negative grooming-related colloquialisms? It isn’t of course. eGroomer Journal

There’s nothing wrong with drying pets on tables, or in cages or tubs. However, we know counter drying outperforms other methods with advantages in addition to hand-drying. It may cost more to hand dry every pet but we were never known for charging high prices. Counter drying cut the cost of the luxury of hand-drying because it is faster and easier for most pet bathers. Taking care of our bathers was an important business goal and many stayed with us as employees for eight or more years. Drying counters defined the perimeter of our bathing department supporting our Contain-Abate-Prevent (C.A.P.) objectives. Here are the key benefits of

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drying counters: FASTER DRYER TIMES Assume you have a dog on a drying counter along a wall of your bathing department. Face the counter and wall. The pet is between you and the wall, and positioned parallel lengthwise with the wall. Some of the heated or room temperature air blown onto the dog spreads around and past the dog and bounces back off the wall. The coat facing the wall is simultaneously drying at a slower pace. BOUNCE EFFECT We found the bounce effect so pronounced we kept spray bottles of water handy for stretch-drying pets. By the time groomers finish the front side with stretch drying, some areas of the back side may be curled and almost dry. Quick sprays of water wetting the curled spots solved the problems. This minor problem is testimony to how fast counter drying works. CONTAINMENT & ABATEMENT WORKS

July / September 2020

walls prevent these problems from spreading throughout the grooming environment where it is not desired or useful for any reason. TABLE DRYING CONSEQUENCES Drying on a grooming table is counterproductive to C.A.P. goals to contain, abate and prevent. In fact, drying on grooming tables in open areas is one the worst environmental quality practices for professional grooming environments. It’s not wrong for pets. When you dry in the open on a grooming table there is no containment. Blown air, heat and humidity travel across the pet and across the room. Groomers working on any adjacent tables may receive blasts of air and noise. Groomers trying to “stay in zone” concentrating on the art of finish grooming get plenty distracted. Why do stylists have to overlook and have their zone challenged by noisy equipment including dryers, nozzles and vacuums? Resolving these issues creates natural productivity, and less stress.

Counter drying within a bathing departBlown air sends big and little hairs out ment enables the building design to into the open adding to cleaning duties noticeably contain and abate noise, in all departments. Some groomers flip moving air, heat and humidity. The 56 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com

(Continued on page 57)

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the drying nozzle around, up, down, here, there, left and right and heat and humidity are being shot everywhere. Dirt, dust and dander already at rest on objects, furniture and fixtures become airborne again and sail throughout the business. If you have a retail area, you are forever dusting. Dryer and nozzle noise fans out 360 degrees too. Overall, C.A.P. directives fail when drying on tables in traditionally designed shops. PREVENTION IMPROVEMENTS Prevention safety improves with counter drying. A dog securely looped to a fixed position on a walled drying counter has more security, and security makes for calmer pets. It’s easier to dry a pet that feels protected. The groomer stands on one side of the dog and the opposite side is a wall. Some pets love to rest against it. The wall reduces visual pet distraction. It prevents looped pets from moving sideways. Fortunately the pet retains forward vision, the most important direction if they are to feel comfortable and less restrained. Counter drying done properly by pet bathers supports pet satisfaction with the grooming experience. eGroomer Journal

July / September 2020

Pets on open grooming tables receive 360 degrees of distraction. Information comes at them from all sides. They can more readily struggle away from groomers even when looped to a grooming arm. Pet positioning becomes more of a task when compared to counter drying. Missing counter walls are like third arms helping groomers to keep pets positioned comfortably. In summary, what are the advantages of drying pets on grooming tables? Absolutely none. It’s not wrong. It’s simply without advantages. Counter drying done correctly successfully allows pets to dry faster with hands-on attention, contain noise, heat and humidity and loose dirt, dander and haircoat. What more can a professional ask for? Well, how about a lot of extra storage space without taking up more floor space? TIPS FOR CONSTRUCTION Construction. Drying counters may be mounted on walls leaving open space below them. There’s no problem with that design. However the empty space below the counter could be used for significant storage, and additional counter support. Construct storage

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cabinets and secure them to the walls of the bathing department as indicated on your floor plan. Build countertops secured to top of the storage cabinets and the result is a very stable drying counter solution with plenty of storage. Some of our floor plans incorporate more than 100 cubic foot of storage under drying counters. What does that mean? You need less square footage and that lowers rent. COUNTERTOPS They should extend about six inches forward from the front face of the cabinets. This air space is also leg space for pet bathers sitting on stools while they dry pets. It also allows some room for dryer stand bases and rollers. Don’t use cabinet hardware that sticks out from the face of the cabinets, such as handles and knobs. Bathers could bruise their knees on them, and cords can catch on them. Instead use hardware that is flush with the surface of the cabinets. Raise the cabinets on feet creating some air space between the bottom of the cabinets and the floor.

July / September 2020

der cabinets with solid bottoms resting on floors. Seeping water can rot wood and harbor sanitation problems. PET POSITIONING SAFETY Secure very strong eyelets into the studs of the counter wall. Strong but comfortable grooming loops should be able to attach to the eyelets. Never allow pets of different families to commingle on drying counters. Space pets on your drying counters so they cannot touch one another. Then attach their grooming loops maintaining the separation. The pets are now safe at all times from touching or harming one another. Pets should never be left unattended on grooming tables, and the same is true for drying counters. Grooming loops attached to a counter wall should never be relied upon when a bather needs to temporarily step away. Instead, bathers should place pets in temporary holding cages within the bathing department the same as groomers in other departments. Until next time, Stephen

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HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

This is my Shih Tzu client, “Curt.” He is a personal favorite to groom. He has a beautiful coat. His head has nice straight hair and that’s why I chose this head style for him. Over the years I discovered styling heads and tails is the greatest challenge for many groomers.. First, I trim the hair under the eyes with my “Detailer” thinning shear in order to leave the area looking natural, and not shaved. When a dog has a very deep stop, the area between the eyes at the top of the muzzle, stretch the skin on the forehead back to help clean out the stop. I scissor a visor from the outside corner of the left eye to the outside corner of the right eye with my curved shears.

Using a ½” snap-on comb over a 15 blade I set the top of the head from the visor to the back of the skull over the occiput, the bone at the back of the skull. With the same snap-on comb I continue to set the length over the ears. eGroomer Journal

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July / September 2020

HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

I lightly run the snap-on comb over the ears to blend into the ear hair. I do not take the snap-on comb against the grain or come from the occiput to the visor, otherwise the top of the head will be too short. I set the length of the top of the head with the snap-on comb and use a long comb to lift the coat. Tip the ends with “Shaper” thinning shears to eliminate any uneven coat. The softened head looks very natural.

I continue to lift the coat over the ears with the comb and tip the ends with my thinning shears. When using this technique the head will be very well blended without scissor lines. Blend the back skull into the neck hair with thinning shears. I want this area to be very well blended into the 4F neck/body work. It should flow from the back of the head to the neck without any visible difference in length. 62

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HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

Setting the chin line on Curt can be tricky. First, I set the length of the chin with my straight shears. You don’t want to leave too much length under the chin. I prefer to leave it about 1 ½”. Next I scissor the ears and side of the chin. I treat ears as part of the chin, not separate. I start at the back of the ear a bit higher and swoop down to meet the line that I set in front of the chin. This gives a really nice look and transitions the back of the ear nicely into the chin.

With this much straight coat it is very easy to see scissor lines. I go over the entire chin line to the back of the ear with my “Shapers.” I lightly thin the edge of my scissor work to rough the edges of the coat. This eliminates any choppiness you may encounter. eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved And finally the finished product on the right. ▀ PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

This is a little Yorkie mix of mine. My client with two Yorkies recently adopted him. This was his first haircut by me. Using a 1/2 inch snap-on comb I set the top of his head. I clip from the front of the head towards the back.

Using the same snap-on comb I set the coat over his ears. I then trim the hair from outside corner of the left eye to the outside corner of the right eye creating a visor. continued on next page eGroomer Journal

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July / September 2020

HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

The visor is almost done. I set the bottom of the chin being careful not to leave too much length. Because this is a little dog with a petite head I only leave about 3/4” to 1 inch under the chin.

Holding the ear up and out of the way with my left hand I scissor under the chin all the way under the ear. Now that I have the top of the head and chin set, I scissor the cheeks. I comb up the coat from the chin line to the top of the head. 66

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July / September 2020

HEADS AND TAILS with Jodi Murphy

By doing this I can see the coat that needs to come off. By setting the top of the head and chin first you are creating two points. Now you can remove the coat between the two points with thinning shears. The result is a well-blended cheek. Using my “Detailer” thinning shears I neaten the hair under his eyes and in the stop area.

Trim the ears from the back of the ear down toward the front of the ear. You want to trim the ear shorter in the back. The owner requested not to cut the black tips off his ears so they don't’ appear as short as I would have liked. And the finished product. ▀ eGroomer Journal

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July / September 2020

Getting to the Bottom of it By Vera Needham

Groomers and Their Glutes Is grooming a Terrier a pain in the derriere? A stubborn Terrier can indeed be a pain the asset we are talking about today. I am here to talk about the importance of glutes in the grooming parlor.

back of your thigh bone. Gluteus Maximus is very important for balancing the pelvis and maintaining upright posture. Having strong, functional gluteal and hip muscles can help you avoid and recover from injuries in your low back, hips, knees, and ankles by creating proper alignment and stability.

The muscles along the backside of your pelvis are commonly referred to as your glutes. The glutes consists of your Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and The Gluteus Medius is a deeper muscle your Gluteus Minimus. These muscles (Continued on page 71) attach from the top of your pelvis to the 70 Copyright ÂŠ 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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whose role is to move your leg out to the side (abduction) and also to turn your leg out (external rotation). Its injury prevention powers lie in its ability to keep your pelvis level and stop your leg from turning in when you walk. Groomers with weak glutes show signs of ‘dynamic valgus’ at their knees which cave in towards their opposite legs when walking or lowering into chairs. This common dysfunctional pattern can lead to knee osteoarthritis or patellofemoral syndrome. In the grooming parlor glutes are responsible for assisting us with walking, lifting, carrying, climbing stairs, and standing for hours at our tables. I worked for 25 years in a mobile grooming parlor and for me sitting was required most of the day. Sometimes we can’t avoid it.

July / September 2020

femur and this causes the wrong muscle groups to compensate for the lack of strength. Substituting muscles can cause a change in our walking pattern which can lead to increased stress and damage on our joints. When hip extension is not available we tend to substitute with lumbar hyperextension. This basically means our low back is shifting back and forth every time we take a step. If you think of your spine like a coat hanger you will understand the negative effect that could have over time. Cumulative breakdown occurs in the spine under this type of stress. Low back pain tends to emerge at this time. In our bodies we have two types of muscles. The tonic system consists of your flexor muscles which are older and more dominant. The phasic system consists of extensor muscles and emerges shortly after birth.

Sitting for many hours can lead to weak or “sleepy” glutes. In a seated position glutes are stretched. Stretched muscles Different muscles work in different are long, weak muscles. If glutes are ways. Tonic muscles are postural weak or inactive they cannot hold your muscles and are active all of the time. pelvis in the right position or help They anticipate movement and keep us (Continued on page 74) maintain correct of your eGroomer Journal alignment Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 71 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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upright. If they weren't constantly awake we would fall over when standing for long periods of time. Glutes work very differently. They are phasic muscles used for short burst activities such as jumping or running. These huge muscles have a lot of power, but don't have a lot of endurance.

July / September 2020

and strength. Bottoms Up! Today we are going to learn how to re-connect our bottoms with our brains with a few simple exercises.

Trendelenberg Test

Most of the time phasic muscles are resting. Think of primal times when we needed to outrun a dangerous predator. Our body needed tonic muscles to be ready for quick burst activities to survive. In the grooming parlor we may go days, weeks or sometimes years without jumping or running. We have a use it or lose it type of brain. If we stop using a muscle it becomes harder and harder to connect with that muscle. The inability to contract or activate your glutes has been called “gluteal Here is how to test glutes primarily for amnesia” by Dr. Stuart McGill, who is a weakness. Begin by standing with your professor of Spine Biomechanics and hands on your hip bones. Next lift the one of the most respected and wellone foot off the ground. Your hands versed back specialists known today. I (see photo) are there for feedback. If attended training with Mr. McGill and he the pelvis cannot stay still or level when stated that one of the most common the foot is lifted that will indicate denominators in his clients with chronic weakness. If you have a difficult time (Continued on page 75) back 74 pain is a lack of gluteal Copyrightactivation © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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July / September 2020

performing this without hip movement this will be your first exercise.

out loud to five and release. Repeat 3 sets of 10.

Pillow or Ball Squeeze

Side Plank

Start with your elbow directly below the shoulder. Make sure the spine is straight and in neutral and the knees bent. Use the muscles of your side to lift your body off the floor. Start by placing a ball or pillow between your knees. One of Stuart McGill’s cues is to “Imagine you have a valuable coin between your buttocks and you don’t want it to fall out.” This may not be a pretty picture but it is effective.

Next squeeze glutes as you push the hips forward so they are in line with your knees and shoulders. Count out loud for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times for each side.

Squeeze the invisible coin as you count eGroomer Journal

(Continued on page 76)

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Think of the movement starting at the back of your body. Open as far as possible without allowing your torso to roll. Repeat 10 to 15 times each side.

Clams Start by lying on your side with your knees bent. Imagine your head, bottom and feet are all against a wall behind you. Next engage glutes while you open and close your knees pressing heels together.

In summary, I remember the “Buns of Steel” DVD’s. In the past we’ve probably exercised for aesthetically pleasing results. That’s just an extra bonus. As groomers we want to be able to enjoy our job and have a pain free career. If we are injured we can’t work. No if’s, and’s or butts about it. ▀

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vera Needham is a Medical Exercise Specialist, pilates trainer and has been a dog groomer for over 35 years. Vera invented the Tubee-Fit training tool for groomers. The Tubee has proven to be a wonderful addition to her older adult classes and in long-term care facilities. If you have any Goomfit question or want more information about the Tubee contact Vera at groomfit@yahoo.com 76

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PetGroomer.com Publications

Northern Tails Sharpening, Inc. You Now Have a Better Choice! Specializing in Animal Care Tools

Mail-in Prices Steel Blades

$7.00

Ceramic Blades

$6.00

Agri Blades

$8.00

3 in Wide Blades

$8.00

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Bevel Thinning Shears

$9.00

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$16.00

Refurbish 5-N-1 Blades

$11.00

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$16.00

Convex Thinning Shears $16.00

Clipper Repair ● Veterinarian Equipment ● Beauty Shears We are an Andis & Furzone Regional Distributor and Repair Center Jeff is a Master Sharpener and Certified Pet Groomer with over 35 years experience. He knows how your tools should perform. He won’t sharpen worn out tools which could harm animals. His office will call you if any of your tools look bad. Long-time member of NDGAA, IPG and the BBB. Please call or visit our website for mailing information. http://www.northerntails.com/

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Comb Attachment Problems by Jeff Andrews, Northern Tails Sharpening Some problems associated with comb attachments can be prevented if you know what to look for. Not all problems are with the blades. Most problems are with the combs and clippers. When hair jams between the blade and comb you might think it is the blade not cutting. Actually it is more commonly something loose in the cutting system. Any movement with the hinge, blade or the comb itself will cause this symptom. If you frequently use combs, especially on an Andis clipper, hinge screws can loosen from the pull and vibration of the comb through coat. Screws loosen because they are screwed into plastic threads in clipper housings, and not metal. Check these screws weekly, and if they turn even a tiny bit it could be sign of a great deal of looseness in the system. You may see cornrows in the coat with or without a comb attachment in this case. Hair can also jam on the comb. Blades can still be behind the problems. Socket ears that stick up must be straight up and down, and not tilted outwards to each side. If not you may hear “blade rattle.” The blade is loose on the clipper causing movement that creates cornrows. Hair may jam between the comb and blade. A worn out blade drive causes the same thing. Using combs frequently reduces the life of the blade drive. (Continued on page 84)

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The deck plate holds the blade and it can get bent from you putting blades on and off. Pulling back on the spring can bend the riser at the rear. It causes the blade not to seat snug on the comb. As you push the comb through coat, the blade is moving around on the comb causing hair to snag between the comb and blade. Make sure your plate looks like the picture. If it doesn’t, get some pliers and bend it back into shape. One popular misconception is which blade to use. Some groomers believe you HAVE to use a #30 blade on a comb. That is false. You can use any blade that will fit on your comb. If hair doesn’t feed into the comb, the hair has to go someplace. Hair is either 1) cut, 2) coursed under the comb or 3) jammed between the blade and comb. Try a #9 blade. As a flatter blade there is more space between the teeth and the hair feeds significantly better. The #9 works better on ANY coat. When you get a new blade, or a blade back from the sharpener do this. Try the blade on the dog someplace (belly) before putting the comb on it. If it cuts hair without a comb, and doesn’t with the comb, the problem is not the blade. Start looking for something loose in your sys(Continued on page 85)

Jeff Andrews is "One of America's Favorite Sharpeners." Along with his years of grooming experience in two of his own shops, he is a "World Class Sharpener" that can sharpen all grooming equipment to better than new condition. Jeff is an author and pioneer of many maintenance and grooming video's and articles. They are for groomers who want to make their equipment last longer and save money on their sharpening costs. These videos and articles are on his website free to download and keep for reference. www.northerntails.com eGroomer Journal www.egroomer.com Subscribe Free PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Maintenance for Andis Clippers tem. ALL clippers require some maintenance. There are no maintenance-free clippers. Parts wear out and groomers have to address solutions for the signs of wear and tear. Whether groomers choose to do the maintenance themselves or hired the services of a technician, it is best for groomers to learn more about their clippers. Knowing how to maintain clippers prevents failures that could happen in the middle of workdays. Groomers are dependent when it comes to clippers so maintaining them only makes sense. While this advice holds true for all clippers, in this article we will look closely at Andis clippers since they are the most popular for American groomers, vets, and trainers. Andis clippers are very straightforward when it comes to maintenance. There is no such thing as a “tune-up.” There are parts that need to be checked, parts that need to be changed and they all need general cleaning. The majority of this work is for the groomers. Not doing them lead to poor clipper performance. The first place to inspect is the head of clippers. Check to see if latches have a hooks on them. Next check hinge screws. If they are loose even one-quarter turn the clipper may drag and leave cornrows in the cut. Hinges loosen from frequent use of comb attachments. Next, look at the black part of the blade drive. Is it chewed up from being in the blades? If so, this causes a loose fit in the top blade of your blade set, and the clipper will drag and cause corn rows. Blades may snag when you attacheGroomer the combs. Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 85 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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Blade Drive The blade drive is the most misunderstood part of Andis clippers. It is also the heart of the clipper. When the blade drive is bad or weak the clipper will not perform correctly. The blade drive is made of plastic with scored plastic ribs. They connect to the tip which inserts into the top of your blade. Plastics fail with continued use and becomes soft. The blade drive in the picture is 4 weeks old, and its completely worn out. This drive is discolored from coolants being sprayed on blades running on the clipper, and the metal bar across the front is lifting off the drive at the ends. When a blade drive wears out completely like this one, the clipper will not perform.

The reason is simple. The plastic of the scored ribs has become so soft the drive bearing pushes the blade drive to one side of the clipper. It hesitates before the drive bearing can pull it back the other direction. As a result there is drag, cornrows and hair sticking in the blade. In this case, change the blade drive and all these symptoms should go away. Change the blade drive routinely. That guidance is in the documentation accompanying the clipper. Bad blade drives will shut groomers down. It is that important. Always have extra blade drives on hand. Hair Hair is an enemy of any clipper. It causes problems in the cutting system when it is not86 cleaned away. Impacted hair around Copyright ÂŠ 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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the drive bearing where it fits into the back of the blade drive is a big problem with Andis clippers. Impacted hair can shorten the back and forth stroke of the blade considerably, which worsens with thick coats or when comb attachments are put on. When changing blade drives dig out impacted hair. Remove all of it from the drive bearing clear down to behind the hinge. Impacted hair behind the hinge blade prevents a tight lock of the comb attachment. Drag increases when you lay the blade on coats. Air Flow Andis clippers breathe through a hole that goes completely goes around the drive bearing. Air flow keeps armatures cool on the inside. It also provides a way for carbon dust from the brushes to move away from commentators where brushes spark. It is extremely important to remove impacted hair from inside blade drives allowing the clipper to breathe. If you don’t keep this area free from hair your clipper can get warm. Copper windings of armatures can start to burn and shorten the life of your clippers. Spray coolants applied to running blades may disturb the air flow too! Your clipper instructions tell you not to do this under the DANGER heading #7. Coolants are nothing more than alcohol and propane gas. The latter distributes the alcohol in a mist. Cooling is by evaporation only. Your clipper instructions state not to use spray coolants because there is no lube in them. It “lubes” only while it is wet on the blade. For this reason blades87 eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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(Continued from page 87)

heat up fast. Coolants have health issues associated with them as well. Warnings advise you to use a safety mask when using spray coolants. The MSDS warns of negative effects to body organs and respiratory systems. You may feel tired and have headaches with constant use unless you wear recommended safety gear. Andis clippers, like so many others, use the two body halves to hold the cord at the back of the clipper. As you walk around the table, bending that cord in different directions, those body halves can bite down on that cord and start it to short out over time. You can help prevent this from happening with a simple “ziptie.” Ziptie your cord to the hanger as shown. This will make the cord bend out away from the clipper and not cause all the shorting. Ultra Edge users will have to straighten the bend in the hanger out with pliers first in order to ziptie the cord to it. ▀

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Journalthat January / March 94 is not commonly known relates toPetGroomer.com It’s eGroomer commonly known all brands of A-52014 blades fit any brand of A-5 clippers. What blade sizes. MostPublications brands of A-5 blades have similar sizes, but how they perform varies. Manufacturers must use design differences in order to avoid patent and copyright infringement. The most common difference between brands is the blade thickness. Similar manufacturer sizes may cut at different heights. You could be in for a surprise if you change brands of the same size blade only to discover the cut is different! For your convenience Jeff at Northern Tails Sharpening prepared the multiple manufacturer reference charts below for blades and snap-ons. Be sure to check Jeff’s web site at www.northerntails.com for more helpful articles, videos and descriptions of his mail-in services. ♦

Clipper Blade Cutting Heights by Manufacturer BLADE SIZE

BLADE CUT

MASTER GRM.TOOLS

LAUBE

WAHL

KLEAN CUT

OSTER

ANDIS

Inches

1/125

0.2

0.5

0.2

1/100

0.3

0.6

0.1

0.3

3/50

—

0.4

1/50

0.5

0.8

0.2

0.5

3/64

1.2

1.0

1.3

1.0

1.2

1/16

1.6

1.5

1.8

1.5/1.6

1.0

1.5

10W

3/32

2.4

—

5/64

2.0

1.5

1.0/2.0

2.0

8.5

7/64

2.8

—

2.0

2.8

1/8

3.2

4.0

3.2

3.0

3.2

1/4

6.4

6.0

6.3

6.0

6.3

3/8

9.5

9.6

8.0

9.5

9.0

9.5

1/2

12.7

13.0

10.0

12.0

13.0

12.0

5/8HT

5/8

15.9

16.0

—

16.0

3/4HT

3/4

—

19.0

T-84

3/16

—

2.4

Snap-On Comb Sizes & Cut Lengths by Manufacturer COMB SIZE

LAUBE SELF ADJ & X-LARGE

WAHL STAINLESS STEEL

MDC ROMANI

OSTER UNIVERSAL

MILLERS FORGE

Inches

1/16

1/8

1/4

1/2

3/4

9/16

1/2 3/4

3/4 0

7/8

5/8

1/2

5/8

1 1/4

1 1/4 1 1/2

1/2

3/8

5/16

3/16

3/8

7/16

1/2

3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/16

1/8

1/16

3/4

1 1/4

1 1/2

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1 3/4

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7/8 1

Charts courtesy of Northern Tails Sharpening 479-498-2367 www.northerntails.com

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Display advertising in PetGroomer.com Magazine is available at no cost to most banner advertising sponsors of PetGroomer.com. Sponsor advertising starts at $1 a day. Learn More http://petgroomer.com/advertise-petgroomer-com/ PetGroomer.com Magazine is published as a download digital file quarterly by Find A Groomer Inc., PO Box 2489, Yelm, WA 98597. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. PetGroomer.com Magazine makes every effort to provide information that is reliable and practical. It is not intended to replace diagnosis or treatment from a veterinarian or other qualified pet or pet care professional. PetGroomer.com Magazine does not assume any legal responsibility. Readers should always consult qualified healthcare providers for specific diagnosis and treatment. Information provided is not intended to replace formal grooming training, pet safety and care. Viewpoints and commentary expressed in PetGroomer.com Magazine do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of its advertisers, the publisher or associates. Use of any content or services of PetGroomer.com and PetGroomerMagazine.com, including both digital and print copies of PetGroomer.com Magazine, is governed by additional guidelines, disclaimers and privacy policies and notices available at:

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Articles inside

How to Choose the Right Clipper

Balance Your Payroll Risks

To Credit, or NOT to Credit

Benefits of Counter Drying

Petco Grooming Salons

Common Misconceptions Concerning Mobile Pet Grooming

The Role of Water In Canine Skin & Coat Health