PetGroomer.com Magazine - Fall 2022 by findagroomer

April / June 2022 Vol. 12, Ed. 2 eGroomer Journal January / March 2014

PetGroomer.com Publications

M A G A Z I N E

The Business Side of Grooming

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October / December 2022

INSIDE THE FALL 2022 ISSUE Calendar of Events

The Most Common Grooming Myths in the Business Side

50/50 Commission—Employer vs Employee Shocker

How to Succeed This Holiday Season

How to Easily Set Your Grooming Time Standards

Accurate Time Range Grooming Prices

5 Star Holiday Service

Leashing Back at Hip Pain

Free Comb-Outs Added $15,235 to My Annual Gross Sales

Psychological Problems When Paying by Commission

Teamwork Made Real

Pet Dryers

Keeping Your Clippers Running Their Best

About PetGroomer.com and Surveys PetGroomer.com founder Madeline B. Ogle, entered the grooming industry in 1961 as a grooming salon owner along with her husband, an experienced pet groomer. When she retired she wrote From Problems to Profits: The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Business in 1989. PetGroomer.com was founded in 1997 and GroomingBusinessinaBox.com thereafter. The opinions expressed in the surveys are those of groomers anonymously surveyed and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PetGroomer.com management and staff, nor advertisers. PetGroomer.com welcomes thousands of groomers and career seekers daily.

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INDUSTRY CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 2023 GROOM EXPO WEST February 16 - 19, 2023 Pasadena, California See www.groomexpowest.com

MARCH—APRIL 2023 GROOM’D March 10 - 12, 2023 Atlanta, Georgia See www.groomd.org NORTHWEST GROOMING SHOW March 16 - 19, 2023 Tacoma, Washington State See www.nwgroom.com

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JUNE 2023 PETQUEST June 22 - 25, 2023 Wilmington, Ohio See www.pqgroom.com

AUGUST 2023 All American Grooming Show August 10 - 13, 2023 Schaumburg, Illinois See www.aagroom.com

SEPTEMBER 2023 GROOM EXPO September 7 - 10, 2023 Hershey, Pennsylvania See www.groomexpo.com

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October / December 2022

The Most Common Grooming Myths in the Business Side Here are some of the more popular grooming industry myths presented but not backed with evidence in business plans. Opinions only weakens the plan. You have to reduce wage levels to cut payroll costs.

The myth arises when we accept wage reductions as the only way to cut payroll costs. This user guide shows you how the organization of staff and grooming assignments reduces payroll costs up to 30 percent without loss of quality or humane pet care. In fact, you may be able to increase wage levels for full-charge

Obviously if you reduce wage levels thereeGroomer will be savings for the employer. Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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groomers and still cut payroll costs by 10 percent. Medium or large grooming businesses favor quantity over quality. It is naïve to imply the size of a business indicates determines quality, or implies less concern for quality. Consider this predicament. There are small one person businesses where the groomers do 12 to 18 pets in an average work day without assistance including intake and outtake customer service. They are more common than you may think. They bathe several and then cage dry several at once. Rarely are any pets stretch-dried where it would best support the styles. HV drying does not replace stretch-drying requirements. That’s about 30 minutes per pet including big and hairy pets. The same pets in a large pet salon may average 60 to 90 minutes of hands-on, no cage drying grooming. So why do some groomers put down medium and large businesses? Are they on the defensive? Quality is determined by the owner and management of any grooming business regardless of its size. One groomer must groom pets start-tofinish or quality and humane pet care suffers. 16

October / December 2022

Some special care pets benefit from complete grooming by the same groomer. For the vast majority of pets, what is more important is the quality of the training and supervision of the groomers, assistants and bathers. Compassionate, well-trained staff can make pets feel equally accommodated regardless of them being groomed by two groomers. Many of the world’s best salons for people have separate shampoo staff. The critical issue is the attitude and training of the staff providing pet services, not their numbers. Commission wages originated from employee demand for them. Commission wages originated from business owners, not their employees. Today many groomers think it is just the opposite. It was the financial insecurity of business owners that led to commission wages. The same is true today of thousands of business owners with staff. In the mid-20th century most groomers worked in grooming departments within a pet care business, often kennels. In the 1960’s standalone grooming businesses started to populate Main Streets across the United States. They hired staff. Owners realized that piecemeal compensation was

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not going to last long except for bathers, and even that faded away. They were uncertain if they could guarantee salaries. It actually increases the pressure on owners to take marketing far more seriously in order to be confident there will be adequate work to support guaranteed salaries. Commission was the solution for the insecurity of owners unwilling to create and maintain adequate pet owner demand keeping their salaried staff busy. As a result they transferred risk to their employees working on commission.

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July / September October / December2022 2022

nothing extra for carrying the burden of that risk. Anyone paid by commission is an independent contractor. Commission is simply a formula for calculating wages. It is not a determinant for either employment or independent contractor status. A 60 percent commission groomer earns more than a 50 percent commission groomer. Sometimes this is true, and sometimes it is false. When a business paying 50 percent commission charges pet owners adequately higher grooming fees compared to a 60 percent commission wages business, the groomers paid 50 percent commission actually earn higher wages. In the chapters ahead we will provide examples of this often overlooked factor.

We hired many of the best groomers in our area because they wanted steady paychecks guaranteed in the form of salaries. Today’s pet groomers are uninformed on the benefits of salary positions where the salaries are fair, even equivalent or more than commission wages. Every job offer must be examined. Salary or commission is no guarAn employed groomer owns the clienantee of earning higher wages. Yet tele they groom for their employer. thousands of groomers today believe that commission wages pay better. The Employees do not own the clients of salary basis does indeed offer the adtheir employers. The financial liability vantage of a steady income to meet lies with the employer and therein due regular household expenses. When pet to the risk they are exposed to retain groomers accept commission based ownership of the clientele. If an employwages they free their employers of risk ee brings established clients to an emmeeting what would otherwise be salaployer when hired, an exception may ex(Continued on page 18) eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 17 ry requirements. Groomers get paid PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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ist for those clients. An independent contractor generally owns their clientele list since they are self-employed. If the business contracting them provides them with leads the parties may decide among themselves who owns the clients originating in this manner. In all cases, employment contracts whether employed or independent contractor should state how ownership of clientele is determined, including what happens when employment ends. Employers should have confidentiality agreements signed by all employees making it clear who owns the clientele and their records, and access arrangements to the records during employment and after termination of employment. Groomers paid by commission control how many pets they groom.

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October July / September / December2022 2022

ber of pets they grooming because they are self-employed. However, a contract covering the arrangement between a business owner and an independent contractor may be able to state that the independent contractor groomer is expected to be on-site working “x” amount of hours or days of the week, or the business owner can terminate their contract. Commission paid groomers don’t have an equivalent hourly wage. Absolutely false, and we are going to show you how to calculate the average hourly wage of a commission groomer. Imagine that. Almost no commission paid groomers today know how much they are earning hourly. Once you know that average hourly wage you can make a salary offer knowing that no matter if they are paid hourly or by commission, their paycheck would be identical if they groom the same pets in the same time. Amazing, but true, this is a revelation for use in employment negotiations and converting commission groomers to salaries. They earn the same, what is the problem?

This statement is possible. However, an employment contract should be in place stating the expectations of the owner providing employment. Commission is not a determining factor. It is simply a formula to calculate wages. A job offer and agreement signed by employees is the determining factor and should state descriptions of the producPet Grooming Business Owners That tivity expected of hired employees. InDon’t Groom Can Make Lots of Money dependent contractors generally have in Grooming. more freedom in controlling the num(Continued on page 19) 18 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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Rarely is this true. When a business only sells grooming services it must be a large, efficient operation in order to offer the managing non-grooming owner a moderate return. It is more possible when the owner establishes a professional pet bathing department and substantial bath-only grooming demand, and all of the bath-only services are done by experienced pet bathers. As you will see in the chapters ahead, the gross profit of bath-only pets groomed entirely by pet bathers or assistants is typically double the gross profit of pet groomers grooming bathonly pets start-to-finish. Many of our consultation clients described as nongrooming business owners changed their financial fate by developing major bath-only pet demand and assigning the demand entirely to professional experienced pet bathers and assistants.

October / December 2022

a multiple department pet business draws regular foot traffic from pet owners patronizing the groomers, and then spending more in other departments. Non-grooming owners going ahead to buy grooming-only businesses do best when they buy existing grooming businesses employing three or more groomers with positive bottom lines backed by solid financials and tax returns. These businesses should also demonstrate the ability to support expansion in the future. Independent contractors boost profits. Many states have limited or even eliminated 1099 basis for on-site pet groomers. We wish there was a way to send a shout out to every grooming business owner still employing independent contractors.

Our message would be simple, “Do you realize that independent contractors We regularly recommend non-grooming can drain your profits?” These owners business owners to forgo opening new enjoy the savings of not having to pay grooming-only businesses. We guide employer taxes, worker’s compensation them to consider multiple department and other employer related costs. How formats, such as pet boutique with a can they possibly drain profits? We had grooming department. They should exto write an entire book on that subject pect most of their personal income available from Grooming Business in a from the business to be derived from Box®. It is titled, Pet Groomer Wage supplementary non-grooming departSystems. It provides eighty pages of ment(s). Offering grooming services in eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rightsopinions. reserved 19 proof, not ◄ PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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50/50 Commission Formula Employer vs. Employee Shocker Employees understand payroll deductions stated on their paychecks. Before their employer gets a paycheck likewise subject to personal payroll deductions the business must pay employer taxes and contributions, and operational overhead. In the example on the next page, a parttime employee knows they groomed pets totaling $720.00 gross sales, and their 50% commission share is $360.00. The employee knows their employer retained $360.00. The hidden story is that after payroll deductions the employee received a paycheck in the net amount of $253.26, but the owner’s $360.00 equal share was whittled down to a paycheck in the net amount of $53.04.

owner would get less than their $253.26, but most thought 20% to 30% less. Realistically, the owner gets around 80% less. Don’t misunderstand. The employee is not overpaid! The frustration of grooming employers often sources to this seeming distortion that employees don’t understand. Grooming Business in a Box® can show employers ways to use The Madson Management System to improve this disparity without lowering wages, even raising wages. Quality of pet care will never suffer, in fact, we can improve it.

We cannot expect employees to understand this disparity without explaining it. For this reason we create the illustration on the next page. Some employers Very few employees understand this have displayed it to staff at meetings to dramatic difference. We asked groommixed results. Some employees got it ers in surveys to project just how much and saw why expecting 55% to 60% lower the owner’s share would be in can simply be unrealistic to some opersuch as case. ations, especially if the business is paying even higher rents than we accountNot one groomer surveyed estimated here. ◄ Subscribe www.egroomer.com 20 © 2013 Find A Groomered Inc. for All rights reserved less than $100.00. TheyCopyright did think the PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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October / December2022 2022 July / September

50/50 Commission Formula Employer vs. Employee Shocker

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How to Succeed This Holiday Season The past few years have been a retail roller coaster! Thank goodness we’re in the pet industry where we’ve been able to not only fair but succeed better than most industries! Going forward for the 2022 Holiday season, you may have to adjust your retail engagement in order to satisfy the state of the economy and Holiday shopping for 2022. Below are some tips to help you succeed in the 2022 Holiday Season! Amazing Customer Service

chatbox feature to your online presence and dedicate a staff member to be responsible for a timely response. This would include messages, dm’s emails, phone calls, and more. Making your team available for the needs of your clients wherever they find you is the key to amazing customer service! Ecommerce for the Win According to Adobe, internet sales will be up 2.5% between November 1st and December 31st. The rise in online shopping has catapulted internet sales 10 years ahead of normal projections due to the Pandemic. Many stores are afraid to make the online jump. Since most research is done on a handheld pocket supercomputer (smart phone) it’s important to get your store and inventory online. Even if you have not allo-

After years of remote work from home, job loss, and minimal travel… clients are hungry for the “human experience.” Adding additional customer service staff members and salespeople are quick ways to improve customer service for your clients. Ecommerce shopping has had huge increases in the past couple of years. In order to reach your eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find online clients; we recommend adding aA Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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October / December 2022

cated capital and time for an online shopping experience, post as much information online about your service and retail offerings. This will let potential shoppers know where to get the products they’re searching. Services are Up The last couple of years people shopped a great deal from home to fill their homes with items that kept them busy and brought them comfort. Now that we can exit our homes once again; we want to “experience” as many quality services as possible. In the pet industry this may mean adding themed photo experiences such as “photo with Santa” or “fill your own stocking.” Already established pet service businesses like pet grooming must find ways to add on to your existing services. In my past pet boutique and salon; we offered a premium “Puppy & Pinup '' experience where clients get glammed up, made up, and photographed pin up style with their pup (embarrassing photo attached.) The price of entry also included complimentary cocktails, hair, and make-up by (Continued on page 25)

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professionals. This was an “experience” with photos to last a lifetime. Many grooming salons add a monthly themed photo experience upsell for their freshly coiffed pup clients every time they complete their grooming appointment. Dedicating a photography corner with themed backgrounds, props, and costumes is not only a great way to upsell the “before & after” photos you’re already taking in your salon; these photos will up your social media game as well! A freshly groomed pup in costume with a fun backdrop or “selfie-wall” will look far better than the typical “pup on a grooming table” photo that is prevalent on social media today. There are many ways you can add services and experiences. Have a meeting with your staff to come up with even more ideas. The Early Sales Bird Gets the Worm According to The National Retail Federation or (NRF) consumers will spend an average of $1050 this Holiday season with 40% of shoppers starting the last week of October. This means that putting your efforts into sales marketing slowly then ramping up closer to the eGroomer Journal

October / December 2022

Holidays could extend your Holiday sales even further. This is especially important this year because consumers are not banking on previously issued government checks to get them through the Holidays which means even less expendable income to spend in your store. Deliver the Competition Many small businesses can look much larger by offering competitive delivery strategies. Consumers are used to the free shipping model offered by Amazon and many other corporate online retailers.

Smaller businesses can offer a price matching policy or even set up delivery services for their clients. A smaller store can set up their own delivery system or employ one of the several delivery apps that have become prevalent with younger shoppers. Our younger, tech savvy shoppers have convenience in mind when shopping. Allowing your clients to order ahead online for quick and convenient curbside pick up is another way you can make shopping in your store far more convenient. If you can list your retail (Continued on page 26)

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items available on delivery apps such as DoorDash or Uber Eats then you can compete with big box stores by literally delivering the competition. Online Marketing Must

October / December 2022

copy, sales coupon graphics, and product photography will make your Holiday marketing snap so you can focus on sales, customer service, and your hard working staff. Don’t Forget January Many businesses are so focused on Holiday sales they often forget how important it is to start the new year off on the right foot! The added Holiday traffic gives you an opportunity to share your business with new clients and offer them an “after Holiday” promotion.

Strategize your online marketing as early as possible. Many small businesses wear so many hats that having your Holiday marketing strategy completed as early as possible will allow a business to focus on more important things You can either ofsuch as customer fer an actual couservice and sales. pon pre-stuffed in their shopping bag, Your online marketing should include advertise an after Holiday sale or in social media posting, search engine opstore experience to get them back to timization (SEO) newsletters, sales proyour business after the Holidays when mos to name a few. Even location based there is less marketing competition. marketing such as Radar can deliver a January is a great time to run after Holicoupon for in store shoppers via a store app. Setting up a calendar and (Continued on page 27) “scheduling” your marketing promos, ad 26 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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(Continued from page 26)

day promos especially with an elongated Holiday shopping season. Many consumers look forward to after holiday sales and have to shop stores to exchange or return Holiday gifts. The added after holiday foot traffic is a great way to get rid of older inventory by running clearance sales. Whatever your after holiday strategy is; planning these promotions in advance is a great way to build loyalty with return customers. Have a jolly Holiday season & happy pet retailing! Leel Michelle ABOUT THE AUTHOR An Entrepreneur in the Pet Industry since 2006; Leél Michelle previously owned an award winning brick & mortar pet boutique (1st Place "America's Coolest Store; Pets+ Magazine,) grooming salon, and pet bakery. Leel sold her grooming salon & boutique to former employee and "Pooch Perfect" semi-finalist; Gabriel Feitosa to scale her commercial dog bakery business. Dog Cake Bakery was created to provide the pet industry & pet parents a collection of premium, Instagrammable dog treats, and dog birthday cakes. Leél was inspired by her own pets to create brands that utilized her skills, creativity, and passion to build memorable businesses catering to pets, pet parents, & retailers nationwide. Leél enjoys giving back to the pet industry with trade show speaking engagements such as SuperZoo, Barkleigh Productions, and Global Pet Expo. Leél also consults with pet stores and grooming salons to improve their pet retail merchandising & grooming salon operations. Leél Michelle loves sharing her passion for animals in the pet industry and looks forward to sharing her passion with you! eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 27 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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How to Easily Set Your Grooming Time Standards Our goal as employers should be to pay the best wages in return for the best grooming labor we are fortunate to hire. “Best” includes productivity, quality, humane pet care, teamwork, steady attendance and good adherence to policies, procedures and performance standards.

Grooming is all about handson labor. We sell pet owners our labor based on time spent and a share of our operating costs. If we hire groomers we pay them for their time. Time is a huge factor in grooming!

There are tens of thousands of grooming businesses yet few have written grooming performance standards for their employees (or independent contractors). Fairness requires grooming employers to set and apply performance standards to avoid the risk of bias and confusion when judging the performances of their employees. There are several types of standards to set for grooming performances. In this article the focus is productivity and its standards based on the fairness of expected grooming times. eGroomer Journal

So why do most grooming businesses lack written grooming time standards to ensure fair and accurate grooming prices and wages? Once documented, you can use the Time Range Grooming Prices system to ensure profitability on all grooming dogs, tall and small and cats too. Here

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October / December 2022

training with small to moderate sized dogs.

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is how to easily document your time standards. We expect high grooming quality and humane pet care from all grooming staff. Faster, meaning shorter grooming times, is never acceptable where there is a loss of quality or humane pet care. Don’t be fooled by those who feel they must defend their significantly extended grooming times as better quality. Extended grooming time alone is no guarantee of better quality grooming or humane pet care. In fact, the longer the groom the more time the pet is separated from its owner. Well-being declines. Very slow grooming opens the door to more separation anxiety. Setting reasonable grooming times and productivity levels requires a common sense approach. 1) Well-trained, healthy, and experienced groomers should have the highest productivity. 2) New groomers have the lowest. 3) Groomers with temporary or permanent disabilities require adjusted productivity expectations. For the benefit of pets, it is better for new groomers naturally taking more time to complete grooms to start their

Some job candidates want to work on a basis of productivity to which they feel comfortable. If it matches their employer’s expectations, it can work. Use common sense. Productive employees delivering quality grooming and humane pet care deserve the recognition and compensation that matches their standards. They deserve the best wage levels. New groomers require more time to groom pets while they safely raise their productivity levels with hands-on experience and supervision. They should expect to earn less during this phase until they reach milestones you set for time productivity. When done properly all employees are classified according to fair time performance standards. They earn fair and balanced wages based on their grooming productivity. As a result none of the employees should feel rushed or expected to groom more than the productivity basis for their compensation. Employer expectations should be documented in personnel job descriptions and agreements (see From Problems to Profits book for samples). Changes will (Continued on page 35)

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can accurately determine average grooming times for their pet clientele.

(Continued from page 34)

occur. For example, new groomers will reach milestone increases in their productivity and overall performance. Their personnel files should note evidence of the progress and the adjustments made in compensation and sometimes job titles. Unfortunately almost everything discussed thus far does not exist in many independent grooming businesses. Where it may exist in practice, it may not be in documented form. It must be both or employers are needlessly at risk of employment-related problems. Let’s move on the setting fair and variable standards for grooming times. Setting Standards for Grooming Time Time plays a major role in both groomer wage and customer pricing systems. Grooming is all about hands-on labor.

Time is something the effective grooming business manager can easily document daily. The operations forms and computer software used by employees should document time spent on every grooming. Using actual figures, instead of estimates or guesses, owners of businesses eGroomer Journal

October / December 2022

Using average grooming time standards employers can more accurately set standards for the job positions they offer. For example, here are some timebased standards set by Madeline Ogle, author of From Problems to Profits, in her business during the years 19611986. Please consider that during this period high-velocity dryers were not common or available yet, as well as the benefits of quick dry products. Experienced Pet Bather Average of 12 pets a day in 8 working hours. Pet bathers prep pets including ears, nails and de-matting when necessary. They bathe pets and hand-dry them, no cage drying. Experienced bathers do Poodle feet clipping where required. They can finish bath-only pets as needed with “bun and bows,” scissor neaten round feet and between pads as required. They note physical and sometimes behavioral observations of pets on their respective Madson Pet Groomer’s Report and Health Alert forms. For every service, groomers and bathers are identified in permanent written or computer records. They also contact the

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manager when observations indicate a potential health condition which may require veterinary care. The manager signs the Madson Pet Groomer’s Report and Health Alert form when conditions warrant a medical advisory recommendation advising pet owners to seek veterinary care. Bathing Department Supervisor Average of 10 pets a day in 8 working hours. The supervisor does fewer bathing services in order to closely supervise the bathing operation. New pet bathers receive instruction and supervision from the supervisor. Other supervisory duties included restocking bathing supplies, mixing shampoos and conditioners and ensuring the department was thoroughly cleaned and in order for the next working day.

The position provides assurance for business owners that all people and pets in the bathing department are safe at all times, and quality control guaranteed. Entry-Level Pet Bather Average of 4 to 6 pets day in 8 working hours. 36

October / December 2022

Entry-level pet bathers do not do Poodle feet, special care pets, scissoring pet feet or intensive de-matting unless they are in training and under active supervision. Today business owners tell us Madeline’s performance expectations in terms of pets groomed are relatively moderate. Why? Madeline’s business operated before the advent of high velocity dryers and improved bathing products. In the end you as the owner will have to evaluate and set your standards for grooming time. Breed Based Grooming Time Averages We suggest you compile a chart of grooming time averages for your operation. A completed sample is provided is here (page 38), and a blank you can copy on page 40. Keep in mind in the next article of this two-part series we use your completed chart to set your Time Range Grooming Prices system in place. Every business should have a list of primary breeds and their expected average grooming times by an experienced pet groomer, or pet bather as applicable. State a range of time not spread by more than 15 minutes. For example, (Continued on page 38)

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Bath-Only Grooming Time Standards Breed Afghan

Mins

N/A

Full Groom Grooming Time Standards

N/A

Breed

Mins

60 / 75

Afghan

90 / 120

Airedale

35 / 45

Airedale

90 / 105

Beagle

30 / 40

Beagle

40 / 50

Bichon Frise

35 / 45

Bichon Frise

60 / 75

Chow Chow

60 / 75

Chow Chow

75 / 90

Cocker Spaniel

45 / 60

Cocker Spaniel

90 / 105

Collie

60 / 75

Collie

90 / 105

Dachshund, Long Hair

30 / 40

Dachshund, Long Hair

50 / 60

Dachshund, Short Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Short Hair

30 / 35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Wire Hair

45 / 60

German Shepherd

45 / 60

German Shepherd

70 / 90

Golden Retriever

40 / 50

Golden Retriever

60 / 75

Great Dane

40 / 50

Great Dane

60 / 70

Great Pyrenees

75 / 90

Great Pyrenees

120/135

Husky

45 / 60

Husky

70 / 90

Irish Setter

40 / 50

Irish Setter

60 / 75

Irish Terrier

30 / 40

Irish Terrier

60 / 75

Kerry Blue Terrier

45 / 55

Kerry Blue Terrier

90 / 120

Labrador

30 / 40

Labrador

60 / 75

Lhasa Apso

40 / 55

Lhasa Apso

60 / 75

Malamute

55 / 70

Malamute

70 / 90

Miniature Schnauzer

25 / 35

Miniature Schnauzer

60 / 75

Newfoundland

75 / 90

Newfoundland

120/135

Old English Sheepdog

60 / 75

Old English Sheepdog

100/120

Pekingese

25 / 35

Pekingese

45 / 55

Poodle, Toy

25 / 35

Poodle, Toy

45 / 60

Poodle, Miniature

35 / 45

Poodle, Miniature

45 / 60

Poodle, Standard

60 / 75

Poodle, Standard

90 / 105

Portuguese Water Dog

55 / 65

Portuguese Water Dog

90 / 105

Samoyed

60 / 70

Samoyed

90 / 105

Scottish Terrier

25 / 40

Scottish Terrier

60 / 75

Sheltie

45 / 60

Sheltie

60 / 75

Shih Tzu

40 / 55

Shih Tzu

60 / 75

Soft Coated Wheaten

55 / 70

Soft Coated Wheaten

60 / 75

Springer Spaniel

40 / 55

Springer Spaniel

60 / 75

Welsh Terrier

30 / 45

Welsh Terrier

60 / 75

West Highland White

25 / 40

West Highland White

60 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

30 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

60 / 75

Yorkshire Terrier

25 / 40

Yorkshire Terrier

55 / 65

MIXED BREED

Mins

N/A

N/A.

MIXED BREED

Mins

Cockapoo

25 / 40

Cockapoo

55 / 65

Goldendoodle

45 / 60

Goldendoodle

75 / 105

CATS eGroomer Journal Cat, Long Hair

Mins 30 / 45

Cat, Short Hair

25 / 30

Mins 55 / 65 45 / 55

N/A

PetGroomer.com Magazine

state the time in this format, 45 to 60 minutes. Ranges account for variables in the sizes of pets. There are small Shelties and large Shelties. Ranges are not only required due to pet sizes. • • •

•

How modern is your equipment? Are you using high-velocity dryers? Are you using products that speed up the drying process? Are you using low quality scissors instead of high grade scissors? We know excellent groomers including ourselves that found scissoring time was cut by up to one-third when they used better quality precision shears. These are but a few reasons why grooming times must be stated in ranges. Are you distracting your groomers by having them answer phone calls or do front reception duties too? If groomers or bathers are allowed unlimited access to personal use of their cell phones doesn’t that affect your grooming time standards?

Don’t use another business’ chart of grooming times without updating the times specific to your state of operation and expectations.

October / December 2022

book. Have job candidates review copies too. Refer to the chart when you state expectations for the number of pets to be bathed or groomed on personnel documentation. If you state 12 bath and dry services in 8 hours (480 minutes) your expectation is an average of 40 minutes per service. Refer to your chart. How possible is that goal on a regular basis when many of your bath and dry times are well over 40 minutes? Be reasonable. Time Range Grooming Prices Once you set your grooming time standards it’s time to look at your pricing system. Remember you are selling grooming and we have to cover our operating costs too. Using the Time Range Grooming Prices many groomers discover costly errors in their original pricing systems of which they had no idea. Many find prices do not fairly match the time spent by groomers on groomers. It can be an eye-opener. In the next article just ahead in this issue learn more about the Time Range Grooming Pricing System. ▲

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Bath-Only Grooming Time Standards Breed

Mins

N/A

Full Groom Grooming Time Standards

N/A

Breed

Afghan

Airedale

Beagle

Bichon Frise

Chow Chow

Cocker Spaniel

Collie

Dachshund, Long Hair

Dachshund, Short Hair

Dachshund, Wire Hair

German Shepherd

Golden Retriever

Great Dane

Great Pyrenees

Husky

Irish Setter

Irish Terrier

Kerry Blue Terrier

Labrador

Lhasa Apso

Malamute

Miniature Schnauzer

Newfoundland

Old English Sheepdog

Pekingese

Poodle, Toy

Poodle, Miniature

Poodle, Standard

Portuguese Water Dog

Samoyed

Scottish Terrier

Sheltie

Shih Tzu

Soft Coated Wheaten

Springer Spaniel

Welsh Terrier

West Highland White

Wire Fox Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier

MIXED BREED

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

MIXED BREED

Cockapoo

Goldendoodle

CATS Journal eGroomer

Mins

Cat, Long Hair

Cat, Short Hair

Mins

N/A

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range 39

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October / December 2022

Time-Range Grooming Prices How Accurate is Your Profitability for Every Groom This is the second article of a two-part series starting with Benefits of Setting Your Grooming Time Standards, see page 33 of this issue. Groomers primarily sell their grooming time to pet owners. Their prices also recover a share of their operating costs for every groom. Since time is the primary commodity sold by groomers there must be an accurate relationship between the amount charged for services relative to the amount of grooming time sold for every groom. Sometimes the accurate characteristic of that relationship is not evident. It also tends to undercut the profitability of the affected groomer. Examples: •

Miniature Poodle, full groom (bath and style). No dematting. “Lamb” style. Time to complete: 60 minutes. Fee: $60 eGroomer Journal

•

Great Pyrenees, full groom (bath and style). No dematting. Even length all over style. Time to complete: 115 minutes. Fee: $100

Compare time and fees. The Miniature Poodle is easy to calculate. The price is $1 a minute for the groom. The groomer did not actually charge by the hour. The pricelist simply says Miniature Poodles are $60 for a full groom.

On the other hand, the price for the Great Pyrenees full groom is not $1 a minute. At $100 for a 115 minute full groom the fee by minute is 87 cents. Most pricing studies indicate that the larger the dog some groomers simply don’t charge the same grooming rate if (Continued on page 42)

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(Continued from page 41)

you break the price down by minutes of grooming time required. Are these groomers shy to charge higher fees based on equivalent time? Many of us think so. It could also be the pricing system didn’t take into account accurate grooming times. Even if this happens once a day over a year period the groomer could easily lose $2,000 or more. Groomers working 5 days-a-week groom 260 days a year. If the groomer doesn’t adequately charge for large dogs and loses $10 a day, that is $2,600 a year. Providing hourly grooming services could the resolve the problem. However, most pet owners don’t want to pay by the hour for grooming. There is an alternative. How grooming time accurate is your pricing system? There is an easy way to better align your grooming prices with the amount of time you spend for each groom. We call it Time Range Grooming Prices. The first step is to prepare a chart of your grooming time standards. We 42

October / December 2022

showed you how to do that in a previous article of this magazine, Benefits of Setting Your Grooming Time Standards (page 29). These standards are essential to personnel management duties. Entry-level groomers you hire can see the reasonable productivity levels you expect of them as they gain experience. When setting pay rates higher productivity should be compensated more. In other words you could prepare one of these charts for entry level personnel and one for experienced groomers. On the following page is a copy of a completed Grooming Time Standards chart showing a range of time for grooming services by breed and organized by bath-only or full-groom services. Keep in mind these are average ranges of time for pets in reasonable condition not including time for dematting, special bathing procedures such as a veterinarian prescribed shampoo let sit for 10 minutes or special care charges for behavioral pets. Notice the chart has two available columns per table marked “N/A.” We are going to take advantage of both availa(Continued on page 45)

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Bath-Only Grooming Time Standards Breed

Afghan

Mins

N/A

43 41

July / September 2022

Full Groom Grooming Time Standards

N/A

Breed

Mins

60 / 75

Afghan

90 / 120

Airedale

35 / 45

Airedale

90 / 105

Beagle

30 / 40

Beagle

40 / 50

Bichon Frise

35 / 45

Bichon Frise

60 / 75

Chow Chow

60 / 75

Chow Chow

75 / 90

Cocker Spaniel

45 / 60

Cocker Spaniel

90 / 105

Collie

60 / 75

Collie

90 / 105

Dachshund, Long Hair

30 / 40

Dachshund, Long Hair

50 / 60

Dachshund, Short Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Short Hair

30 / 35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Wire Hair

45 / 60

German Shepherd

45 / 60

German Shepherd

70 / 90

Golden Retriever

40 / 50

Golden Retriever

60 / 75

Great Dane

40 / 50

Great Dane

60 / 70

Great Pyrenees

75 / 90

Great Pyrenees

120/135

Husky

45 / 60

Husky

70 / 90

Irish Setter

40 / 50

Irish Setter

60 / 75

Irish Terrier

30 / 40

Irish Terrier

60 / 75

Kerry Blue Terrier

45 / 55

Kerry Blue Terrier

90 / 120

Labrador

30 / 40

Labrador

60 / 75

Lhasa Apso

40 / 55

Lhasa Apso

60 / 75

Malamute

55 / 70

Malamute

70 / 90

Miniature Schnauzer

25 / 35

Miniature Schnauzer

60 / 75

Newfoundland

75 / 90

Newfoundland

120/135

Old English Sheepdog

60 / 75

Old English Sheepdog

100/120

Pekingese

25 / 35

Pekingese

45 / 55

Poodle, Toy

25 / 35

Poodle, Toy

45 / 60

Poodle, Miniature

35 / 45

Poodle, Miniature

45 / 60

Poodle, Standard

60 / 75

Poodle, Standard

90 / 105

Portuguese Water Dog

55 / 65

Portuguese Water Dog

90 / 105

Samoyed

60 / 70

Samoyed

90 / 105

Scottish Terrier

25 / 40

Scottish Terrier

60 / 75

Sheltie

45 / 60

Sheltie

60 / 75

Shih Tzu

40 / 55

Shih Tzu

60 / 75

Soft Coated Wheaten

55 / 70

Soft Coated Wheaten

60 / 75

Springer Spaniel

40 / 55

Springer Spaniel

60 / 75

Welsh Terrier

30 / 45

Welsh Terrier

60 / 75

West Highland White

25 / 40

West Highland White

60 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

30 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

60 / 75

Yorkshire Terrier

25 / 40

Yorkshire Terrier

55 / 65

MIXED BREED

Mins

NOTE: Times shown for the purpose of illustration. Set your own times please.

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

MIXED BREED

Mins

Cockapoo

25 / 40

Cockapoo

55 / 65

Goldendoodle

60 / 75

Goldendoodle

90/ 105

CATS eGroomer Journal Cat, Long Hair

Mins 30 / 45

Cat, Short Hair

25 / 30

Mins 55 / 65 45 / 55

N/A

NOTE: Times shown for the purpose of illustration. Set your own times please.

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

$ Rate

Est. Price Range 43

Worksheet for Bath-Only Service Rates Breed Afghan

Mins

$ Rate

Worksheet for Full Groom Service Rates

Est. Price Range

Breed

Mins

60 / 75

Afghan

90 / 120

Airedale

35 / 45

Airedale

90 / 105

Beagle

30 / 40

Beagle

40 / 50

Bichon Frise

35 / 45

Bichon Frise

60 / 75

Chow Chow

60 / 75

Chow Chow

75 / 90

Cocker Spaniel

45 / 60

Cocker Spaniel

90 / 105

Collie

60 / 75

Collie

90 / 105

Dachshund, Long Hair

30 / 40

Dachshund, Long Hair

50 / 60

Dachshund, Short Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Short Hair

30 / 35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

20 / 25

Dachshund, Wire Hair

45 / 60

German Shepherd

45 / 60

German Shepherd

70 / 90

Golden Retriever

40 / 50

Golden Retriever

60 / 75

Great Dane

40 / 50

Great Dane

60 / 70

Great Pyrenees

75 / 90

Great Pyrenees

120/135

Husky

45 / 60

Husky

70 / 90

Irish Setter

40 / 50

Irish Setter

60 / 75

Irish Terrier

30 / 40

Irish Terrier

60 / 75

Kerry Blue Terrier

45 / 55

Kerry Blue Terrier

90 / 120

Labrador

30 / 40

Labrador

60 / 75

Lhasa Apso

40 / 55

Lhasa Apso

60 / 75

Malamute

55 / 70

Malamute

70 / 90

Miniature Schnauzer

25 / 35

Miniature Schnauzer

60 / 75

Newfoundland

75 / 90

Newfoundland

120/135

Old English Sheepdog

60 / 75

Old English Sheepdog

100/120

Pekingese

25 / 35

Pekingese

45 / 55

Poodle, Toy

25 / 35

Poodle, Toy

45 / 60

Poodle, Miniature

35 / 45

Poodle, Miniature

45 / 60

Poodle, Standard

60 / 75

Poodle, Standard

90 / 105

Portuguese Water Dog

55 / 65

Portuguese Water Dog

90 / 105

Samoyed

60 / 70

Samoyed

90 / 105

Scottish Terrier

25 / 40

Scottish Terrier

60 / 75

Sheltie

45 / 60

Sheltie

60 / 75

Shih Tzu

40 / 55

Shih Tzu

60 / 75

Soft Coated Wheaten

55 / 70

Soft Coated Wheaten

60 / 75

Springer Spaniel

40 / 55

Springer Spaniel

60 / 75

Welsh Terrier

30 / 45

Welsh Terrier

60 / 75

West Highland White

25 / 40

West Highland White

60 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

30 / 40

Wire Fox Terrier

60 / 75

Yorkshire Terrier

25 / 40

Yorkshire Terrier

55 / 65

MIXED BREED

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

MIXED BREED

Mins

Cockapoo

25 / 40

Cockapoo

55 / 65

Goldendoodle

60 / 75

Goldendoodle

75 / 90

CATS 44 Cat, Long Hair

Mins 30 / 45

Cat, Short Hair

25 / 30

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Mins $ Rate Est. Price Range Subscribe www.egroomer.com 55 / 65 45 / 55

PetGroomer.com Magazine

ble columns and label them for calculating accurate time range grooming price ranges. We will rename the first N/A column to “$ Rate.” Then we will rename second N/A column “Estimated Price Range.” You can see a sample illustrated on page 42. The $ Rate column header has many cells below it. Fill them with the same hourly rate for grooming. In this case we will use $60 an hour. For each row with breed names you multiply the minutes time range by the hourly rate and the result is the Estimated Price Range. It is a simple calculation when done this way. For example. If the rate is $60 an hour ($1 a minute), and the grooming time range is 60 to 75 minutes, multiply each minute by $1. Therefore, a groom taking 60 to 75 minutes has a price range of $60 to $75.

October / December 2022

mixed breed, charge the higher end of the price range. How to Calculate Your Hourly Rate Enter your hourly rate in the $ Rate column. We used $60 an hour in the illustrated example. It made the math easier. Let’s assume your rate is $65 an hour. Enter $65 in all table cells in the $ Rate columns. Figure the minute rate relative to the hourly rate. Here is how to do that. Divide the rate, $65 an hour by 60 minutes. The rate for one minute is $1.08. Now we can complete the Estimated Price Range columns. Let’s assume thegrooming time standard range is “45 to 60” minutes. Multiply 45 minutes by $1.08 = $48.60

Multiply 60 minutes by $1.08 = $64.80 Round the prices as follows:

Ranges help account for variations in $48.60 = $49.00 pet size, weight and coat conditions, af$64.80 = $65.00 fecting grooming time. If the pet is very dirty requiring an extra bath or two, you Put both numbers in the appropriate Escan charge the higher end of the price timated Price Range cells for bath-only range. If the pet is abnormally large for or full groom services with a stated eGroomer Copyright (Continued on45 page 47) the breed orJournal dominant breed for ©a2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

Worksheet for Bath-Only Service Rates Breed

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Afghan

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Airedale

35 / 45

$60 Hr

Beagle

30 / 40

Bichon Frise

Worksheet for Full Groom Service Rates Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Afghan

90 / 120

$60 Hr

$90 to $120

$35 to $45

Airedale

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

$60 Hr

$30 to $40

Beagle

40 / 50

$60 Hr

$40 to $50

35 / 45

$60 Hr

$35 to $45

Bichon Frise

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Chow Chow

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Chow Chow

75 / 90

$60 Hr

$75 to $90

Cocker Spaniel

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

Cocker Spaniel

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

Collie

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Collie

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

Dachshund, Long Hair

30 / 40

$60 Hr

$30 to $40

Dachshund, Long Hair

50 / 60

$60 Hr

$50 to $60

Dachshund, Short Hair

20 / 25

$60 Hr

$20 to $25

Dachshund, Short Hair

30 / 35

$60 Hr

$30 to $35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

20 / 25

$60 Hr

$20 to $25

Dachshund, Wire Hair

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

German Shepherd

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

German Shepherd

70 / 90

$60 Hr

$70 to $90

Golden Retriever

40 / 50

$60 Hr

$40 to $50

Golden Retriever

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Great Dane

40 / 50

$60 Hr

$40 to $50

Great Dane

60 / 70

$60 Hr

$60 to $70

Great Pyrenees

75 / 90

$60 Hr

$75 to $90

Great Pyrenees

120/135

$60 Hr

$120 to $135

Husky

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

Husky

70 / 90

$60 Hr

$70 to $90

Irish Setter

40 / 50

$60 Hr

$40 to $50

Irish Setter

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Irish Terrier

30 / 40

$60 Hr

$30 to $40

Irish Terrier

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Kerry Blue Terrier

45 / 55

$60 Hr

$45 to $55

Kerry Blue Terrier

90 / 120

$60 Hr

$90 to $120

Labrador

30 / 40

$60 Hr

$30 to $40

Labrador

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Lhasa Apso

40 / 55

$60 Hr

$40 to $55

Lhasa Apso

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Malamute

55 / 70

$60 Hr

$55 to $70

Malamute

70 / 90

$60 Hr

$70 to $90

Miniature Schnauzer

25 / 35

$60 Hr

$25 to $35

Miniature Schnauzer

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Newfoundland

75 / 90

$60 Hr

$75 to $90

Newfoundland

120/135

$60 Hr

$120 to $135

Old English Sheepdog

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Old English Sheepdog

100/120

$60 Hr

$100 to $120

Pekingese

25 / 35

$60 Hr

$25 to $35

Pekingese

45 / 55

$60 Hr

$45 to $55

Poodle, Toy

25 / 35

$60 Hr

$25 to $35

Poodle, Toy

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

Poodle, Miniature

35 / 45

$60 Hr

$35 to $45

Poodle, Miniature

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

Poodle, Standard

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$65 to $75

Poodle, Standard

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

Portuguese Water Dog

55 / 65

$60 Hr

$55 to $65

Portuguese Water Dog

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

Samoyed

60 / 70

$60 Hr

$60 to $70

Samoyed

90 / 105

$60 Hr

$90 to $105

Scottish Terrier

25 / 40

$60 Hr

$25 to $40

Scottish Terrier

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Sheltie

45 / 60

$60 Hr

$45 to $60

Sheltie

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Shih Tzu

40 / 55

$60 Hr

$40 to $55

Shih Tzu

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Soft Coated Wheaten

55 / 70

$60 Hr

$55 to $70

Soft Coated Wheaten

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Springer Spaniel

40 / 55

$60 Hr

$40 to $55

Springer Spaniel

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Welsh Terrier

30 / 45

$60 Hr

$30 to $45

Welsh Terrier

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

West Highland White

25 / 40

$60 Hr

$25 to $40

West Highland White

60 / 40

$75 Hr

$60 to $75

Wire Fox Terrier

30 / 40

$60 Hr

$30 to $40

Wire Fox Terrier

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Yorkshire Terrier

25 / 40

$60 Hr

$25 to $40

Yorkshire Terrier

55 / 65

$60 Hr

$55 to $65

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Mins

$ Rate

Est. Price Range

Cockapoo

25 / 40

$60 Hr

$25 to $40

Cockapoo

55 / 65

$60 Hr

$55 to $65

Goldendoodle

60 / 75

$60 Hr

$60 to $75

Goldendoodle

75 / 90

$60 Hr

$75 to $90

MIXED BREED

Mins

Breed

MIXED BREED

CATS 46 Cat, Long Hair

30 / 45

Cat, Short Hair

25 / 30

$60 Hr

$25 to $30

Cat, Short Hair

Mins $ Rate Est. Price Range Subscribe www.egroomer.com $55 to $65 55 / 65 $60 Hr 45 / 55

$60 Hr

$45 to $55

PetGroomer.com Magazine

Minimum Grooming Service Charge

(Continued from page 45)

range of 45 to 60 minutes. Write in “$49 to $65.” Do the same math for all breeds in both the Bath-Only and Full Groom tables. I Don’t Know My Hourly Rate

Start by adding up how much you gross a day in dollars from sales of grooming services only. Next, divide the gross figure by the total time worked. For example, you worked 8 hours grooming. Total sales of grooming services was $400. Divide $400 by 8 hours, the rate is $50. Some groomers then add $5 or $10 to the computed hourly rate to recover some additional business overhead costs. In this case the hourly rate would be $55 or $60. In our 2018 national survey of grooming prices groomers we asked the hourly rate of groomers that charge for grooming strictly the hour. Their 2018 average rate was $48.50. Remember that figure is a weighted average for all 50 U.S. states. Overall the range was about $39 (low) to $76 (high) in urban, upscale regions with higher cost of living conditions. eGroomer Journal

October / December 2022

You may want to adjust a few price ranges before you make a final price sheet discussed just ahead. Do you have a minimum grooming charge? The groomer who made the charts illustrated here did “nudge” the prices for a few breeds because she has a minimum charge for any bath-dog. Based solely on grooming time and hourly rate, the range for a short haired Dachshund shown on page was $20 to $25. Her minimum grooming charge is $30. In this case her final price sheet, created from the time-based worksheet, showed to customers that shorthaired Dachshunds are $30 to $35. Finalizing Your Price Sheet Using the worksheet illustrated on page 47 you created all the numbers you need. It is a “busy” sheet. Simplify it by removing the columns for Minutes and $ Rate to create a separate finalized price sheet. See page 49. It is easy to read, and some groomers make copies for the public, or a sign. It’s up to you. Keep all your documentation. Next time you raise prices you can simply update the $ Rate column on the backup worksheets with your new, higher hourly rate.

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Bath-Only Prices (includes nails, ear check) Breed Afghan

Full Groom (Bath and Style) Prices

Est. Price Range

Breed

Est. Price Range

$60 to $75

Afghan

$90 to $120

Airedale

$35 to $45

Airedale

$90 to $105

Beagle

$30 to $40

Beagle

$40 to $50

Bichon Frise

$35 to $45

Bichon Frise

$60 to $75

Chow Chow

$60 to $75

Chow Chow

$75 to $90

Cocker Spaniel

$45 to $60

Cocker Spaniel

$90 to $105

Collie

$60 to $75

Collie

$90 to $105

Dachshund, Long Hair

$30 to $40

Dachshund, Long Hair

$50 to $60

Dachshund, Short Hair

$30 to $35

Dachshund, Short Hair

$30 to $35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

$30 to $35

Dachshund, Wire Hair

$45 to $60

German Shepherd

$45 to $60

German Shepherd

$70 to $90

Golden Retriever

$40 to $50

Golden Retriever

$60 to $75

Great Dane

$40 to $50

Great Dane

$60 to $70

Great Pyrenees

$75 to $90

Great Pyrenees

Husky

$45 to $60

Husky

$70 to $90

Irish Setter

$40 to $50

Irish Setter

$60 to $75

Irish Terrier

$30 to $40

Irish Terrier

$60 to $75

Kerry Blue Terrier

$45 to $55

Kerry Blue Terrier

$90 to $120

Labrador

$30 to $40

Labrador

$60 to $75

Lhasa Apso

$40 to $55

Lhasa Apso

$60 to $75

Malamute

$55 to $70

Malamute

$70 to $90

Miniature Schnauzer

$30 to $35

Miniature Schnauzer

$60 to $75

Newfoundland

$75 to $90

Newfoundland

$120 to $135

Old English Sheepdog

$60 to $75

Old English Sheepdog

$100 to $120

Pekingese

$30 to $35

Pekingese

$45 to $55

Poodle, Toy

$30 to $35

Poodle, Toy

$45 to $60

Poodle, Miniature

$35 to $45

Poodle, Miniature

$45 to $60

Poodle, Standard

$65 to $75

Poodle, Standard

$90 to $105

Portuguese Water Dog

$55 to $65

Portuguese Water Dog

$90 to $105

Samoyed

$60 to $70

Samoyed

$90 to $105

Scottish Terrier

$30 to $40

Scottish Terrier

$60 to $75

Sheltie

$45 to $60

Sheltie

$60 to $75

Shih Tzu

$40 to $55

Shih Tzu

$60 to $75

Soft Coated Wheaten

$55 to $70

Soft Coated Wheaten

$60 to $75

Springer Spaniel

$40 to $55

Springer Spaniel

$60 to $75

Welsh Terrier

$30 to $45

Welsh Terrier

$60 to $75

West Highland White

$30 to $40

West Highland White

$60 to $75

Wire Fox Terrier

$30 to $40

Wire Fox Terrier

$60 to $75

Yorkshire Terrier

$30 to $40

Yorkshire Terrier

$55 to $65

MIXED BREED

Est. Price Range

MIXED BREED

$120 to $135

Est. Price Range

Cockapoo

$30 to $40

Cockapoo

$55 to $65

Goldendoodle

$60 to $75

Goldendoodle

$75 to $90

CATS 48 Cat, Long Hair Cat, Short Hair

Cat, Short Hair

Est. Price Range Subscribe www.egroomer.com $55 to $65 $45 to $55

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October / December 2022

5 Star Holiday Service Angela Clark, American Grooming Academy More than any other time of year the holiday season is an opportunity to acquire new customers. By accommodating those struggling to find last-minute holiday appointments doors open with opportunities to secure new regulars. It is also a time to appreciate your loyal customers whose holiday appointments were booked well ahead of time. Let your loyal customers, new and old, know their feelings and needs are important eGroomer Journal

to you and your business. Being there for your customers with grooming services always reflecting the

best wins your customers’ hearts. Holidays are a great time to give your customers more than what they expect. It is the perfect time to exceed customer expectations. Here is how you can provide five-star holiday service as a pet care professional.

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October / December 2022

with you. Diffuse holiday-minded essential oils such as sweet ginger, cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh, sweet citrus, pine, nutmeg, anise, cedarwood, peppermint, Future customer habits can be created

clove and lavender. These scents can

by making rebooking hard to resist. De-

embed you in the memory banks of

sign a holiday-inspired card and en-

your customers.

close a photo of their pet plus a gift card for $5 to $10 towards their next appointment. Set a future expiration date of 8 weeks, such as February 25th, 2020. The limited expiration date motivates scheduling the next appoint-

ment within eight weeks.

Add value with finishing touches such as festive holiday bows and bandannas, red and green (or red and white) nail polish. Many customers love a spritz of holiday cologne, or light essential oil bandannas that serve as a reminder of the positive experience their pets had in

Infuse scents that trigger fond holiday

your salon. Careful, honor those who are

memories. Create an atmosphere of

sensitive to scents. Note preferences in

(Continued on page 53)

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October / December 2022

returning customers smiles say you re-

member them, and are happy to see them and their pets again. Use the customers’ and pets’ names when greeting them. That is really impressive and personalized. Be prepared for them to return. Review your schedule of returning customers ahead of time. “Remember” how they like their grooming styles and services. The services you provide to pet owning customers is as important as the haircuts and comfort you give their pets. Smiles show you know this, and enjoy

serving them. Impressions like this will Excellence under ordinary circumstanc-

keep everyone happy!

es makes big impressions. Your holiday services communicate even the ordinary services you provide year round are special. Your customers will tell friends about your excellent services and return time and time again.

Tune in, listen and communicate with your customers! Effective customer communication is the cornerstone of any successful grooming business. In order to maximize your ability to communicate with your customers, remem-

Smile and let your customers know how

ber these six key points:

happy you are to welcome them. Put new customers at ease withCopyright smiles. ForFind A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved eGroomer Journal © 2011 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

(Continued on53 page 54)

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► Listen Actively Be a good listener. When a customer is

October / December 2022

strate what you are visualizing, or what

the customer is struggling to describe.

finished talking verbally respond to them repeating what you think you heard. This will ensure you clearly understood their messages or requests. ► Do Not Interrupt Allow your customers to finish verbalizing their thoughts before you respond. ► Use Easily Understood Words Steer clear of industry terms or slang. Use words and phrases that your customers can understand and visualize.

Aspire to be the best YOU there is. Be

knowledgeable, courteous, trustworthy and caring to pets and pet parents alike. Provide individual attention to every customer upon arrival and departure. They should feel important for the role they play in their pet’s care. Teach them ways to improve the bond they have

with their pets. Gaining customer trust

► Stay Positive

requires understanding that their pets

Focus on what you can do for your cus-

are family members, and you are wor-

tomer, rather than what you cannot do.

thy of their trust. Once you have truly

By addressing your customers with

earned customer trust with their pets,

“can do” statements, they are more like-

they will be loyal to you for a lifetime.

ly to return a positive response. ► Demonstrate Courtesy Asking relevant and strategic questions in a polite and professional way goes a long way towards demonstrating highquality customer service.

► Photographic Evidence

Responsive groomers are quick to meet the needs and expectations of customers and pets. Be responsive by offering

these elements of good customer ser-

(Continued on page 55) Subscribe www.egroomer.com

vice to your customers all year round. Deliver results quickly. Be reliable, timely and always voice concerns for the

safety and welfare of the customers and pets in your care. Remember when you deliver excellence under ordinary circumstances you exceed customer expectations every time.

They will be inspired by the care you provide for people and pets. Practicing it builds your customer base through loyal customer relationships. Use it with those new customers you squeeze in this holiday season to develop regular clients. Through five-star customer service loyal

Giving five-star customer service means always providing the customer with an

client bonds that may last lifetimes of your clients and their pets. ◄

experience that is better than average. eGroomer Journal

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October / December 2022

Leashing Back at Hip Pain Groomfit with Vera Needham Sometimes back pain comes from the back and sometimes it comes from the hip. Sometimes hip pain comes from the hip and sometimes it comes from the back. Like the chicken and the egg the mystery, hip-related back pain is difficult to unravel.

work, only surpassed by the common cold. Today we’re here to solve this very real problem in the grooming industry. It’s time to shed some insight on the origins of pain you may experience and give you stretches that help reduce pain and get you back to work.

Back pain is the second most common eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved reason for groomers to take time off of PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

(Continued on page 58)

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(Continued from page 57)

Back pain can often be mistaken for hip pain because the hip joint is so close to the spine and share many groups of muscles.

Your lower back and hip are codependent joints. A reduced range of motion in the hip can change forces on your low back. This means if the hip has limited rotation the low back has to compensate. How do you tell if the pain you are feeling is from the spine or the hip? The first indications that the low back pain you are feeling is actually hip-related is pain in the groin on the affected side. Sometimes the pain will radiate into the front of the thigh but very rarely goes past the knee. Groomers who suffer from hip pathology find it difficult to walk after sitting for a prolonged period of time. When you stand up, you will notice a fairly sharp pain and limp for the first couple of steps, but then the pain subsides. 58

October / December 2022

Pain above the belt line is not a considered hip issue. The most common cause of lower back pain is a herniated disk that presses on nerves in the spinal column. This pressure against the central nervous system is the root cause of the pain known as sciatica which can be felt in the hip. You may have a herniated disk if pain is limited to your back, buttocks or hip. Sciatic pain often goes down the back of the hamstring, past the knee, and to the outside or back of the calf. It worsens with sitting or bending and often improves when standing or walking. It all depends on where the pain is shooting from. If pain starts in the buttocks and shoots down the back of the leg past the knee to the ankle, it is most likely a pinched nerve. Patients with a pinched nerve in the back often can’t lie down flat, and they will have use a recliner. If you think you have a herniated disk be sure to consult a physician. If you are experiencing hip-related back pain, the first muscle to consider is the

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(Continued on page 59)

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ing pain. This means every step we take slowly erodes our spine.

(Continued from page 58)

hip flexor muscle or iliopsoas. The iliopsoas is made up of two separate muscles, the iliacus and the psoas. They run from the front of our lumbar spine and hip bone (ASIS) to the front and top of our femur. When you sit your hip flexors are short, or contracted. When your hip flexors tighten, they can tug on the pelvis, pulling it forward into a hyperextended position called and anterior pelvic tilt. This change in posture forces your hip and back muscles to work overtime and places a lot of pressure on the low back. When feeling this type of strain it is important to consciously connect ribs to hips in front by engaging or bracing your abdominal muscles. Tight hip flexors reduce your hips ability to extend while standing or walking. This is a problem for groomers who are standing much of the day. The spine may compensate for this lack of extension, and put extra pressure on the lumbar spinal vertebrae and discs and causeGroomer Journal

October / December 2022

There is another muscle that is often overlooked when considering hip related back pain. The Sartorius is the longest muscle in your body, stretching from the front of the hip to the inside of the knee. It operates on two joints, the hip and the knee. When we lift our foot to tie our shoe the Sartorius is the key player. A tight sartorius can cause acute discomfort at the front of the pelvis. Just like the iliopsoas, it can shorten while sitting, which results in chronic dysfunction. The downward pull of the sartorius on the hip has the potential to cause stress and impingement in the lumbar spine. The Sartorius crosses at the knee, it can also be a cause pain inside of the knee. Who is better equipped than a groomer to leash the bite of back pain? To do this, we must work on flexibility and strengthening for the hips.

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October / December 2022

Sartorius Stretch Reach back for your foot or place a strap around the foot or ankle. Whichever option is comfortable for you. Body positioning is the same as the hip flexor stretch with the enhancement of a gentle pull on the strap to lengthen tight quad muscles. Lying Hip Flexor Start by lying on your stomach propping up on the elbows. Next bend one leg and imagine you are squeezing a tennis ball behind your knee. Next place more weight on the front of the hip on the side that the leg is bent. Now think about lengthening the knee away from your shoulder lengthening the front of the hips. You can enhance this stretch by placing a pillow under the bent knee.

Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 2 times.

Wide Knee Sway Start this exercise lying on your back with knees and feet wide. Let the knees fall to one side trying to let the top leg release towards the floor. 60

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October / December 2022

Hip Bridge Start by placing a belt or pilates ring above the knee so knees are hip width apart. Engage the abdominal muscles, squeeze the buttocks and press against the belt as you lift your hips. Hold for a count of 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times. ◄

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

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Clip Shoppe School of Dog Grooming

New Jersey - www.clipshoppeschoolofdoggrooming.com

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October / December 2022

Free Comb Outs Added $15,235 to My Annual $ales This report is brought to you by Groom-

Madeline Ogle, author of the bestsel-

ing Business in a Box®, a team of con-

ling grooming business book, From

sultants helping business owners with

Problems to Profits. One of their clients

management tasks since 1989 lead by eGroomer Journal

(Continued on page 68)

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is “Brit,” a long-time member of GroomerTalk℠ Community and message board. She is a grooming business owner and approached our team with a successful program she put into place, the Free Comb Out Program. It is entirely her creation and brilliant. Just hearing

the name we were intrigued. We asked Brit’s permission to study it

October / December 2022

PROGRAM ADVANTAGES PET OWNER 1. Far less hands-on pet coat maintenance by the owner. Peace of mind. 2. Cleaner, more attractive pet year round. PET GROOMER 1. Easier to groom, likely bath-ready on arrival for full grooms. 2. Unlikely to be matted. 3. Increased sales of grooming services.

in detail, verify numbers and to share the results with other groomers in the article you are reading. Most grooming businesses could use the Free Comb Out Program to raise their annual sales of grooming services. The benefits are truly outrageous in the most wonderful way for pets, their owners and professional groomers. Talk about a proverbial win-win situation, this is it!

PET 1. More enjoyable grooming experience. 2. More frequent groomer observations of pet health-related conditions.

designer breeds.” What a relief for those owners. Year round their dogs are now clean and well-groomed enjoying 13 free comb outs every year. Owners are less obligated to perform

Consider the types of pets that could

maintenance grooming other than

benefit the most. What about those full-

keeping up with the program schedule.

coated Labradoodles and Goldendoo-

What a joy for the dogs too. No more

dles? Many owners that prefer them in

rigorous grooming experiences with ex-

full coat were delighted with Brit’s pro-

cessive needs of undercoat removal, or

gram. In fact, 27% of the 43 clients that

having to be stripped short in worse

joined her Free Comb Out Program

cases scenarios. No discomfort from

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October / December 2022

SHOW ME THE NUMBERS And Make it Easy!!

Total Customers Who Joined the Free Comb Out Program

Tell Me More About Them

GROUP A ● RANDOM

GROUP B ● REGULAR

Appointment Schedulers

31 of the 43

12 of the 43

Averaged 6 Full Grooms Per Year Averaged 7 Full Grooms Per Year

Ready? Here is their new schedule.

All 43 converted to full grooms every 4 weeks = 13 grooms per year Plus all 43 get 13 FREE comb outs per year (between full grooms)

GROUP A ● RANDOM

GROUP B ● REGULAR

FREE Comb Out Member

31 of the 43

12 of the 43

Each Purchased Each Purchased 7 Additional Full Grooms Per Year 5 Additional Full Grooms Per Year Formula: 31 X 7 X $55 (avg price) Formula: 12 X 5 X $55 (avg price) $11,935 Annual Increase in Sales

$3,300 Annual Increase in Sales

Total $15,235 Annual Increase in Sales

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October / December 2022

SHOW ME THE NUMBERS How Much Did Free Comb Outs Cost the Business?

Total Customers Who Joined the Free Comb Out Program

Number of FREE Comb Outs Per Member

Annual Total Number of FREE Comb Outs Provided

43 X 13 = 559 Ready? Here is the estimated cost.

Comb outs assigned to W-2 pet bathers paid $15 an hour. Average 15 minutes labor per comb out is $3.75 gross wages each.

Formula 1: 559 total comb outs X $3.75 = $2,097. Est. W-2 payroll taxes and other payroll costs is 20%. Formula 2: 20% X $2,097 = $419. Total Gross Wages & Estimated Payroll-Related Expenses Formula 3: $2,097 + $419 = $2,516 Total $15,235 Gross Annual Increase from Program Sales Less $2,516 W-2 Payroll Expense for FREE Comb Outs Adjusted Total $12,719 in Annual Increase in Sales 70

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owner neglect of challenging coats.

Of course we want to know how Brit

The Free Comb Out Program is not only

sells the program. Like any effective

for these designer breeds. We all know

front counter person, she makes sales

the challenges from other full-coated

by looking for the most likely candi-

breeds and mixes that constantly shed

date dogs. She, or her receptionists,

into their coats and build-up undercoat.

ask the candidates if they know the

Every week many of us shave dogs that

benefits of the Free Comb Out Pro-

benefit from FREE comb outs.

gram. Brit said the word “free” also

We asked Brit about the comb out operation schedules. She has a bathing department. Comb outs are assigned to pet bathers, not commission-based groomers lowering the support cost. Members of the program are asked to call ahead at least a day in advance to schedule comb out appointments. Owners may wait, or come back in a hour. Most owners run errands during the comb out appointment. Comb outs include brush and comb services, and a light tidy. Some pets require removal of eye goo build-up, and touch-ups clipping stray hairs, neatening feet and checking sanitary areas. A dry shampoo product might be used to clean a soiled area. Pet owners love the refreshed look with big smiles.

gets interest going. She advises you to relay your empathy with the owners’ responsibilities to maintain high demand grooming requirements. Be empathetic. Say, “I have an easy FREE solution for both you and your pet.” She explains the program and hands them a one-page flyer detailing it with emphasis on the advantages for them and their pets. She emphasizes they get 13 FREE appointments for comb outs every year. No program fees! Brit said Millennials represent 60% of program members, and 22% were mature working professionals. Active seniors with comfortable lifestyles comprised the final 18%. Forty-three clients

joined and created an increase of sales over $15,000. Brilliant! ◄

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October / December 2022

Psychological Factors When Paying by Commission You may not be expecting a discussion commission is the primary or only form of psychological factors amongst workof compensation for pet groomers and ing groomers. You may think we are bathers. Fortunately for us we have throwing curve balls unless you have some proof based on surveys of pet worked in the grooming field for some groomers. time. There are psychological impacts Approximately 65 percent of employed (Continued on page 73) on 72pet grooming operations where 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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October / December 2022

pet groomers surveyed by PetGroomer.com between 2002 and 2019 indicated they prefer to be paid by commission. When asked why they prefer commissions the most popular answers were:

ond answer hints at their desire to be self-employed, and not employed. The same surveys at PetGroomer.com indicate that over 70 percent of all employed pet groomers want to eventually be self-employed.

I have more control over my grooming.

In the first answer respondents indicated they wanted “more control” and somehow they believe that commission offers them that benefit. Does it really? Is it not simply a method to calculate gross wages?

It makes me feel more like being self-employed. 2.

I earn better pay.

I am more motivated to groom.

The third answer stands out. It is a practical response involving nothing more than compensation. Even though there is no evidence to support that commission wages are always better than salary or hourly wages, it is true in some businesses. Note there were no psychological factors related to employment in that answer. What do we mean? Consider the other three responses. They address mental states, even emotional ones.

And finally the last answer alludes to motivational factors. It is true that if you are paid by commission you only get paid for what work you perform. Do they need to face earning nothing in order to groom? Is that what groomers means when use the term “groomer burnout?” Since when do employers paying hourly or salary allow employees to be less productive unless they are ineffective managers?

Have we made our case yet?

Three of the top four reasons for desirSomehow their perception, right or ing commission wages were based on wrong, is that working on commission (Continued on page 74) involves feelings The©seceGroomer Journal they desire. Copyright 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 73 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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psychological factors, and not simply a desire to supposedly earn better pay. We love the truth, and these surveys do reflect our field experience as well. We employed groomers for nearly three decades. The reason we went “from problems to profits” was by running a professional personnel management system. Control was held by management and supervisors, yet everyone worked as a team. We maintained motivation through supervision and teamwork too. With job descriptions and agreements for productivity in place, and signed by each employee, we simply expected employees to perform in accordance to what they agreed to. As a team quality was constantly being supported by all members and control was assigned based on level of experience and dedication to the position held. How compensation was paid never had anything to do with control factors, motivation or reminding them they were not self-employed.

October / December 2022

their cost. Instead it is the psychological perceptions indicated by three of the answers above, one, two and four. Those three answers are deadly to teamwork operations. We have visited hundreds of staffed grooming operations. It doesn’t take too long to perceive if there is one groomer, usually paid by commission, trying to overly control the operation compared to the other staff. Typically the groomer earns the highest commission, claims first rights to new customers and has the most seniority. Sometimes they burden and share little with the least senior “new groomer.” It is more than supervision, it is dominance. Sometimes we refer to these individuals as “empire builders.” The lack of formal personnel management tends to support groomers wishing to build an empire for better or worse. It is not their fault. The problems lie with the lack of more formal management leading a team. It is quite difficult to groom well, productively and manage staff at the same time on an ongoing basis. Yet there are

The problem with commissions is not 74

(Continued on page 75)

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groomers that desire these positions of influence in order to “feel” more selfemployed, have “more control” and to guarantee they meet their personal desired quota of grooming assignments before other staff get assignments. Whether you are that groomer, or you work under one, groomer burnout takes its toll. Staff paid by salary can share the same problems associated with commission house, but generally where salaries are paid there is a stronger presence of overall management.

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October / December 2022

Salary workers must be supervised for productivity according to salary agreements. Supervisors control the daily direction of a team, and keep them motivated. Supervisors ensure that work assignments are fairly distributed without one or more employees being targeted with the most difficult assignments consistently. When supervision is present employees realize they are not self-employed by any means. Perhaps in this short discussion you can better see the inherent forces preventing teamwork when paying commission wages. ◄

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October / December 2022 PetGroomer.com Publications

Teamwork Made Real The entirety of the book, From Problems to Profits: Madson Management System, supports teamwork in staffed businesses. We suggest you read From Problems to Profits from the viewpoint of how it addresses and supports teamwork. In this brief article we will review new enhancements to the Madson Management System. They relate to supporting your groomer wage system and teamwork. When systems fail there is only one source, the management of the business. Management naturally makes errors on occasion. Many of them surface from a lack of communication between management and staff, even between staff working in separate departments. It is management’s reaction to their

None (of the businesses we interviewed) advertise for new customers. Yes, I did say none advertise, at all. Only one had a Facebook page but not for her business. She only has a personal page. mistakes that indicates whether the business will pass or fail. Never make friends with chronic problems; address them immediately and adjust operations. Explain the situation with the employees. Ask for their feedback.

Groomers Are Artists Obviously pet groomers are not clerks, salespersons, data keypunchers, cashiers and a long list of other common types of employees.

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Groomers are artists. Distraction doesn’t help any artist. They tend to enjoy mental cocoons deeply connected to the art and safety of pets on their tables. Every assignment is a new piece of work. They create excitement. How many other jobs create smiles, wags and high energy reunions between pets and their owners? You cannot associate pet groomers with any other common job out there today. They are unique. For this reason they deserve and thrive on consistent feedback from their co-workers and employers. It makes a world of difference. Teamwork amongst artists is a challenge. It is never more so than in operations where management is not present, and there are two or more commission only pet groomers basically running the show. When a new customer walks in the grab begins. Perhaps three or more groomers vie for a new client according to unwritten rules, it’s all for none, none for all. New groomers generally get the leftovers, day after day.

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October / December 2022 PetGroomer.com Publications

In these environments none of them want to train and supervise assistants. We hired many groomers over the years from these types of operations and once they experienced a business operating with The Madson Management System fully in place, it was a relief. No wonder our groomers extended their employment to an average of eight plus years. Many groomer help wanted ads proclaim employers are not looking for job candidates known for drama. They are not the majority but their numbers are noticeable. Artists may be prone to drama. It is up to the directors to manage the drama of artists, or workdays will be unpleasant. Understand the nature of pet groomers if you are to manage them well.

Teamwork Attributes Not all pet groomers can lead a grooming team. The most common problems lie with lead pet groomers. If they do not feel confident in their employment why would they want to train and supervise assistants? By putting on lead pet groomers on salary backed by a job agreement, they felt (Continued on page 81)

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more confident in their employment status. It did not hurt that in our state at the time employee termination required plenty of good reason. California is anything but a right to work state.

Fairness Fairness is often absent in grooming operations. Senior pet groomers may be allowed to pick the cream of the crop of new customers. We never allowed our clients to choose groomers, and our groomers didn’t choose pet owners. The bond was with the coach of the team, the owner manager and the clientele. The owner manager promised to return pets to customer satisfaction. The pet owners loved the freedom from having to make decisions that could negatively affect their pets. Who better than the owner manager or hired manager to fulfill the promise and leave pet owners worry free? At the core of grooming assignments in our business was the concept, “Time -in, Time-out.” The next pet to groom was always the one with the earliest

81 81

October / December 2022 PetGroomer.com Publications

time out. No favoritism, no empire building, no tricks. After determining the next pet to groom based on earliest time out, the team leader also qualifies who is best to groom the next pet based on time out. Is the pet bather new and in training under the Bathing Department Supervisor? Is the Assistant Pet Groomer qualified to do the finish work under supervision? Managers can quickly make these decisions. Also the flow of the day can sometimes target a pet bather inadvertently with a series of difficult bathing assignments. The Manager or Bathing Department Supervisor get involved and spread the difficult assignments out among the staff while keeping the time out flow in order.

Opportunities for Advancement Every day our staff knew there were opportunities for advancement. We posted our career path model on the employee bulletin board, also referred to as the Information Center in From Problems to Profits. We used “The Wheel” and stood behind it in our operations. Every time there was an (Continued on page 82)

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open position we made our best attempt to promote from within. Give hope to your staff for advancement to support their teamwork.

Using the Wheel at Staff Meetings Too many staff meetings feel like management is just talking at employees. That manner is acceptable to start staff meetings but the floor must be opened to discussion. Management needs to know what is on the mind of every staff member. We suggest using The Wheel at staff meetings. There is a copy at the end of this article. We didn’t use common organization charts based on hierarchical structures with management always on top over all other employees, and supervisors over all other non-management positions. Invariably these types of charts lock Pet Bather positions at the bottom. Teamwork is poorly communicated with hierarchical structures. The Wheel format has no top or bottom. Everyone is connected to others. The spokes between job positions imply the connections between all team

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members regardless of their departments. Wheels collapse when spokes are lost. The same is true with teams. Each team member is a supportive spoke in “the wheel of the grooming operation.” At staff meetings have a copy of The Wheel illustration on display. Open a period of discussion between departments. Start with one department and ask them to follow the spokes of their job positions across the wheel to positions in other departments. Ask them how their jobs have been affected recently by other departments. You may notice that the attendees have sorted themselves by departments in your audience. You need positive discussion between departments in staff meetings. You may need to prime the pump to get them going. For example, ask the pet groomers how they have been affected by the bathing department lately. Perhaps a groomer will say the stretchdrying has been poor as evidenced by frequent curly cuffs. Allow the bathing department to respond. Resolve the issue with your lead. (Continued on page 83)

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Next, the bathing department may comment. Service orders taken by receptionists may have been hard to read, or incomplete. Bring it to a resolve. Keep discussions going without temper tantrums and anger, you are the coach. Listen to what they are even not saying. If you do this correctly all of the employees will realize how vulnerable they are to the work of others. Teamwork is subject to decay but when

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it is valued by the staff lead by an aware coach, it is the best method of operation. Employees tend to stay hired longer, and drama becomes a thing of the past. We suggest you keep a copy of The Wheel illustration with your Career Path posting year round as a visual reinforcement of your commitment to teamwork. ◄

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PET DRYERS Overview and Details by Gregory Crisp, Double K Industries Classic Reprint Article

The knowledgeable selection and proper use of dryers is one of the many important challenges a successful groomer faces today. Ironically, the initial purchase price of any dryer represents only a minor percentage of its “related costs.” The most substantial related cost of any dryer is labor. There are also direct operating costs, and costs related to

maintenance as well as amortization or life expectancy of the dryer. While labor costs are much less pronounced for the cage dryer category, the principle holds nonetheless for all categories of dryers. Foundationally, it is important for groomers to recognize that their most precious asset is their time and to a lesser extent the time their employees spend working.

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Many shops have the equivalent of one employee drying most of the time. With a wage of only $13 an hour (plus taxes, insurance etc.) at five hours per day, six days per week the annualized cost would be $23,400. If the use of a more effective dryer would save only 10%, it would of course represent a $2,340 savings to the shop owner.

More critically, if the owner is spending 20% of her or his time drying and a more effective dryer selection could save 10% of their time (presuming an eight hour day) the savings annually would be 250 hours or over five weeks! That is precious time that could be devoted to business development or other productive activities.

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counsel to them has always been that while we considered our product superior to all others, it was academic unless they absolutely could not afford a two motor dryer. Our position was and remains that if we gave them the dryer at no cost and replaced it at no cost whenever it became necessary that it would generally not make sense for them to use it. This was and is simply because of the critical labor saving advantages of the two motor dryers.

SINGLE OR TWO MOTORS

It should be noted that the exception to this rule would be the groomer who just does small dogs or just a couple of dogs a day or truly cannot afford the more expensive dryer and intends to utilize the single motor dryer temporarily while they develop their business.

A common illustration of this principle is when a groomer selects a single motor forced air/high velocity dryer because of the lower cost as opposed to a two motor forced air dryer. Most reasonably effective two motor forced air dryers will dry animals about 30% faster than their counterpart single motor dryer. In this scenario the savings per employee would be $7,020 annually and/or the owners time saved would be 750 hours or over 15 weeks annually!

Direct operating costs, while less critical, are still substantial. Most effective two motor dryers operate using about 15 amps of electricity at 120 V. This is equivalent to 1800 watts during operation. A kilowatt hour is equivalent to 1000 W for one hour of operation. So the two motor dryer uses 1.8 kW per hour of operation. At an average cost of electricity in the US of 13.3 cents per kilowatt hour the two motor dryer operating at five hours per day will cost $7,182 in electricity annually.

Many times over the years groomers have asked me a trade shows about our single motor forced air dryer. Our

There are measurable distinctions in drying time/performance between many

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similar products by different manufacturers in the marketplace. One important point here is that even modest differences in effectiveness can easily result in a product paying for its direct operating costs with a greater number of dogs dried and the resultant increase in revenue.

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illustration below) – a dryer could fill with air for each minute of operation. Operational temperature is defined as the increase in discharge temperature over ambient (room) temperature. Velocity is the speed of the discharge air measured in linear feet per minute

Dryer maintenance and product lifecycle are the least financially critical of the issues to consider but here again can still result in a superior product paying for itself in relation to a less effective product one or two times over in its lifecycle. BASIC DRYER PRINCIPLES

While some groomers research their dryer purchases diligently in advance and many by instinct or experience gravitate toward the most logical purchases an overview of some basic principles followed by some more nuanced detail may still be helpful. Firstly, while all dryers are air moving devices, the determinants of an effective dryer are: air volume, operational temperature/heat, air velocity/speed and pressure. The air volume a dryer produces is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). This principle may be readily understood by visualizing the quantity of cubes – 12 inches on each side (see

(FPM). Pressure is the amount of force pushing the air or that the discharge air exerts. The amount of pressure a dryer produces can be measured scientifically in “inches of water lift”. How far the air pressure can push or pull (by vacuum) water up a 1 inch diameter tube is the metric that defines its true “force”/ pressure. The “professional” categories of dryers have price ranges from about $100 to about $700 depending on quality, materials cost, the number and capacity (Continued on page 88)

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of motors, versatility, sophistication and manufacturers business models and strategies. FORCED AIR DRYERS An important category in the industry is “forced air dryers.” These are invariably high pressure, moderate air volume and potentially high air velocity products. They typically have “commutator” type motor/fan assemblies which have relatively short life expectancies. Motor brushes generally last between approximately 500 hours and 1,400 hours of operation before requiring replacement.

Replacement motor brushes generally last 20 to 30% less time than the preceding set with motor viability usually limited to three brush set changes. This results in motor life expectancies generally between about one thousand hours and 2,500 hours depending on intrinsic motor quality/ durability and compliance with proper brush changing techniques. Single motor dryers generally produce between 70 inches and 105 inches of water left. Two motor dryers generally produce between about 100 and 150 inches of water lift. This is important because air velocity is dependent on air pressure.

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assemblies produces 105 inches of water left does not mean you will get 210 inches of (water left) pressure out of the dryer. The two motor units nonetheless produce substantially more pressure than the single motor units as a whole. The forced air dryers generally produce between 60 and about 170 cubic feet of air volume per minute. A motor fan assembly that produces 124 cubic feet of air on a laboratory bench will not produce that much in a dryer because of “resistive elements.” The resistive elements include air filters, the dryer body, hoses and nozzles all of which the motor/ fan assemblies work to overcome thereby reducing the amount of air produced by the dryer as a whole. Forced air dryers are invariably hot or warm air dryers though most have no heating elements. This is because the air flows through the motor fan assemblies cooling the motors while heating the air simultaneously. A typical single motor dryer will raise the ambient temperature between 25 and 40°F. The typical two motor dryer will raise the ambient temperature between about 40 and 75°F. The elements described above allow some two motor dryers to produce warm air velocities of up to 20,000 ft./m, which is about 227 miles per hour while utilizing a narrow opening high velocity nozzle. Care must be taken of course when employing

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high velocity air with eyes, ears and other sensitive areas on animals. I would note here that some manufacturers have advertised their products for years as producing up to 58,000 ft./m. This is impossible as that would be air velocity of 659 mph and would be extremely destructive and dangerous in any case. This illustrates some of the challenges groomers face when researching products and making informed selections. Having said this, the short motor life expectancies notwithstanding the two motor forced air dryers still represent the workhorses of the grooming industry for great penetration of thick or double coats, quick drying, stylistic flexibility and the labor and financial advantages referenced earlier. CAGE DRYERS

October / December 2022

generally without heat are also commonly used with hoses directing air into the cages. The greatest misunderstanding and controversy regarding this category concerns heat/temperature. There is legislation in several states and cities prohibiting or limiting the use of this category of dryer. Much has been written about this and the issue of heated dryers in general and cage dryers specifically is a regular topic in social media. It is very important to understand that the use of regulated heat in any drying process is beneficial for animals being dried, reduces risk and speeds the drying process. With respect to cage dryers, the great majority of heated dryers used on cages have inadequately regulated heat. This allows heat accumulation in the cage and the risk of hyperthermia (high body temperature) and its associated consequences including the risk of animal death. The absence of heat in the cage drying process is almost always distressing for the animal and while not as dangerous as unregulated heat creates physiological risk nonetheless including the risk of death.

Cage dryers may represent the least understood and potentially most profitable category for groomers. They fall into three primary categories. The portable units are typically mounted on grooming, veterinary or travel cages. These are generally higher air volume dryers with the most wide-ranging A regular consequence of no heat cage temperature and air volume controls. dryers is hypothermia (low body Forced air dryers are also widely used temperature) because the evaporative with hoses attached and directed into process while the animal is being dried the cages. “Squirrel cage” dryers, (Continued on page 90) eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 89 PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com Subscribe Free

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generally chills the animal and they commonly shiver uncomfortably in the background during the process. A reasonable illustration would be someone putting their wet head out the car window with an outside temperature of 74°F which would result in chilling. Again, while serious risk associated with no heat cage drying is substantially lower than unregulated heat cage drying, older animals or animals with heart conditions can still succumb to the chilling effects of the no heat cage drying process. Double K industries some years ago worked in collaboration with Dr. Joseph Bogarab to research the optimal temperature to maintain in a cage while drying animals. Dr. Bogarab wrote the standard and still most popular textbook on veterinary surgery in use today. Our work concluded that 107°F was the optimal maximum target temperature for cages in which animals are being dried with circulated air. This eliminates the risk of both hypothermia and hyperthermia and creates a comfortable “apparent temperature” for the animal being dried. It also substantially speeds the drying process over dryers with no heat. 90

October / December 2022

The dog’s body temperature generally ranges between 101 degrees Fahrenheit and 102.5°F. The 107°F maximum target cage environment was determined to be completely safe with an operational timer on the cage dryer even if an attendant forgot about or neglected the animal. Double K Industries model 560 cage dryer is the only portable cage dryer existing capable of achieving this objective. It is meaningful to note that virtually all forced air dryers used as cage dryers are using unregulated heat with associated hypothermic risk even though the dryers may have no heating element. Safe and effective cage drying represents one of the greatest opportunities for groomers to save labor and generate revenue. It can easily reduce drying related labor (costs) by half and many thoughtful groomers or already taking advantage of this equipment STAND DRYERS Stand dryers have upright/elevated architecture generally with rolling bases that allow “hands-free” drying with animals on the tables. Increasingly, forced air dryers are mounted on stands with generally reduced motor related life expectancy but usually allowing increased versatility including high

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velocity drying. “Conventional” stand dryers with induction motors as a rule have substantially longer motor related life expectancy because motor life is bearing dependent with motor bearings typically lasting 10,000 to 15,000 hours. Virtually all these units have heat either from heating elements or “through flow” motors in the forced air category. It is important to point out that there is a corollary between air volume and/or velocity and noise. All other things being equal a stand dryer producing twice the air volume will be

eGroomer Journal

October / December 2022

considerably louder but dry the animal much more quickly. Some manufacturers have invested considerable effort to mitigate “acoustical insult” or excessive noise and a challenge for groomers is to select a product that dries quickly and effectively but is still relatively quiet in relation to air volume and velocity production. On balance, dryer selection is one of the most important decisions facing the discerning pet grooming professional and if pursued thoughtfully can result in direct and proportionate reductions in labor and increases in income. ◄

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Keeping Your Clippers Running Their Best by Jeff Andrews, Northern Tails Sharpening In today’s clippers most motors are open in the front in order to draw in air to cool the armature. It also keeps carbon dust from accumulating on the commentator. For these reasons you need to follow the instructions in your clipper manual. You also need to read instructions for the aerosols you are using, and simply going by what somebody showed you to do. Never reading warnings on labels or in clipper manuals could result in equipment failures or serious health issues. Do NOT spray coolants, WD-40, spray lubes, spray disinfectants, REM Oil or any other aerosols on a blade running on a clipper. WHY? Because most of these products are composed of ethyl alcohol, butane or propane gas. They don’t lube, and they don’t actually kill viruses unless you follow the instructions on the back of the can of coolants or disinfectants. There are no safe procedures to spray these products on running clippers. It can damage your clipper and clean your blades of beneficial oil or lube. The instructions on cans of coolants/disinfectants say that the product must remain wet on the blade for up to 20-30 minutes or they don’t work. Take the blade off the clipper and lay it on a towel and spray the coolant/disinfect on it. Spray it a second time if it looks dry. The instructions on all coolants say not to spray near electric motors and wear a safety mask while using. You may have been improperly shown to spray on a clipper which is actually an ignition source, and a potential equipment failure. The manual for most clippers say to oil blades before during and after the groom. They say spray coolants do not have proper lubrication. Oil is your friend if you know how to apply it correctly. It takes very little to lube a blade. In the DANGER section of 92

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Keeping Your Clippers Running Their Best most manuals it states not to use the clipper around any aerosols because of the propellants in them. Canned air (computer air) works very well at cooling blades when you hold the can upside down and spray the back of the blade for a half-second. Use canned air to clean the hair from your blade springs or between the blade halves when off the clipper when the can is held upright. NEVER SPRAY AIR ON YOUR CLIPPER TO CLEAN THE CLIPPER HINGE AREA. Why? Because that high velocity air can push hair and/or grease from your lever into your motor which will burn it up. These new canned motors cost around $70 and up. Brush hair from these areas instead with a soft brush. NEVER CLEAN BLADES RUNNING ON A CLIPPER IN ANY LIQUID. Why? Because your clipper manual says not to. The problem with doing this is two fold. First, doing a cleaning this way doesn’t clean the parts of the blade that you really need to clean. You need to clean the blade plaque stuck to the insides of your blade teeth. This material holds bacteria and viruses and needs to be cleaned with a toothbrush in blade wash. Second, when taking the blade off the clipper, most people hold it upright to unlatch the blade and the liquid on the blade runs back into your clipper. This is a bad habit to break. There is no written procedure on how to do it that satisfies your clipper instructions. Our YouTube page has videos that show you how to oil your blades and clean your blades properly if you want to learn and save money. Link is on our website www.northerntails.com. eGroomer Journal

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Problems Using Comb Attachments Most groomers use comb attachments daily, and most don’t have any problems or issues. But some do have problems. The most common problems are jamming, skimming and choppy cuts. Groomers tend to blame the blade or the sharpener. Are there other reasons? Yes.

There is no blade manufacturer that is going to warranty a 30 blade to work on a comb attachment. They manufacture blades for the height you want to cut. Groomers use combs as a shortcut because they don’t want to spend the money on a blade of the appropriate size. It can get expensive having so many blades for various heights. Of course the comb is also easier. Let’s take a 1" blade. The teeth are spread apart just perfect to guide coat into the cutting area. It feeds perfect because of this tooth space. No jamming, no skimming (unless the coat isn’t tall enough). The long narrow teeth of the blade help feed it into the single cutting teeth of the cutter. Now let’s look at the 30 blade on a comb. The teeth on the comb are spread apart too wide which doesn’t guide the coat properly. This can make the coat flop around and bend over on the way to the cutting surfaces. And, the 30 blade doesn’t offer space between the teeth wide enough for proper feeding of the coat. This creates skims, choppy cuts, etc. Chemicals in coats along with how dry the coat is makes a difference on the feeding into the 30 blade. A vac system may help stand the coat up and hold it as the blade is pushed through the coat. Those that have vac systems don’t seem to have the issues as those that don’t have them. When a problem does happen the groomer usually blames the blade, and the sharpening. I have some groomers send a new blade back because it didn’t cut on a comb. What I suggest is to test a new or sharpened blade on the body, then put the comb on. If it cuts without a comb, and doesn’t with the comb, it’s not the 94

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Problems Using Comb Attachments blade. A 30 blade, regular or wide, is supposed to leave the coat 1/16th to 1/8th inch in length. It wasn’t made to cut high in the coat because it doesn’t feed properly that way. It’s made to cut coat low where the hair follicles are thick and stiff and it can feed properly. Cutting high in the coat where the hair is thin and can flop around is what causes issues. The people who make combs are telling you to use a 30 blade. They usually endorse the brand of 30 blade of the same name brand as the comb set. Blade people will never say okay to use on a comb. Many groomers don’t realize this and it is not always a part of formal school instruction. There is a lot more to their tools they should know, and that’s the mechanics of the tools themselves. Because groomers do not know of blade and comb mechanics, they just call the sharpener. But if they knew the simple mechanics and how to look for things that can affect how the system works, they might be able to fix simple problems and get back to work. When you use a blade for a reason it wasn’t meant to be used for, you can have issues. If you are going to use a blade on a comb, test it on the body someplace the first time to make sure it cuts (like skim on the belly). If it cuts without a comb on, but doesn’t cut with a comb on, it’s not the blade. It’s something else completely. Now I will say this from over 35 years experience beating my head against the wall over this same issue in my own grooming shop, the blade may play a small part in the issues. When a blade gets sharpened, or is new, or has been in service a while, or is not taken care of well, the blade can have a different tension to it. When a blade is sharpened, its adjusted to 2 ½ to 3.0 pounds side pressure. Sharpeners have a gauge, but that’s a wide spec, and the difference within that spec could eGroomer Journal

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make a big difference in how that 30 blade cuts on a comb. A 30 blade will cut great by itself. But with a comb the difference in tension may not let it cut well in that coat. Change 30 blades until you find one that cuts in that particular coat on a comb. Remember, your using a 30 blade for something it wasn’t designed to be used for, so you have to experiment. Here are some other reasons that could influence a 30 blade not cutting on a comb. I had this happen to me using plastic combs. Clipper issues with worn out blade drives or levers, loose hinge screws, wrong speed on thick, curly or fluffy coats. Remember the comb teeth may be too wide to direct coat. Damp coats. If there is any moisture in the coat, some coats won’t feed right. Chemicals. Mat busting treatments and types of conditioners can make the coat slick and not feed well. Pushing too hard can make the coat skim or jam. The coat has nowhere to go! You might go to another size blade if you still have issues. A 9 or 8 ½ may fit the comb. They have larger space between the teeth. ◄

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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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January / March 2014 103 is not commonly known relates toPetGroomer.com It’seGroomer commonly Journal known that all brands of A-5 blades fit any brand of A-5 clippers. What blade sizes. Most Publications 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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Charts courtesy of Northern Tails Sharpening 479-498-2367 www.northerntails.com

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Teamwork Made Real