Showing Pictures to clients for cut ideas??

[melc1208]

Does anyone use a breed book to show clients what specific breed cuts look like? Any breed really..
I was thinking if I had my book of breeds and showed them that FiFi the cocker spaniel can look like this (picture in book) or maybe the owner has something else in mind insted she can tell me.

Just curious. I was thinking of taking a book to work as it may help owners have a visual aide as many of them are not 100% sure what kind of groom they want their sweet baby to have.

Would that be un professional? I ask as someone said it may look like I don't have a clue what I am doing by taking out a book and giving the client a visual to go by.

[cockerlvr]

I don't think taking a breed book for every breed is a realistic idea. Why not have a portfolio of your own grooming, demonstrating different types of cuts on popular breeds you do? I don't think that makes you look like you don't know what you're doing at all.

[lyttleravyn]

I have a large photo binder in the lobby (I work at a vet) with tons of pictures of pets I've done. It is broken up by breed/coat type so if someone is having a hard time deciding or explaining what they want I can have them look at pictures of haircuts that I've done so they can visually show me what they want. I did this since most don't want the breed look per se, or they want something modified. I don't think its unprofessional at all. I can take more hair off, I can't put it back on! I'd rather have some visual aids to make sure the client and I are on the same page.

[melc1208]

LOVE that idea.. I am making a portfolio as we speak.. Thank you!!

[melc1208]

Thank you! Getting that portfolio together now.. Should have done that a long time ago..

[wolfy-hound]

I used to have the photo album of all the various common clips for the different pets that I had done over the years. I also have no issue pulling down a breed book if someone wants to see a dog in the breed specific clip that I might not have a picture of.

Unfortunately I lost the book in the house fire, and I've never rebuilt it. I probably should, but it seems like such a lot of work to rebuild what I DID have, while when I did it the first time, it was fun. Dunno why.

[Crazyanimal]

I've got one at our shop, it is great! I put variations of all the popular cuts (csp with full skirt, short skirt, no skirt, etc) and I have pictures of each breed stripped bald so those with the pelted dogs can see what their pet will look like when done. Saying you're going to shave a schnauzers beard off and them seeing what it'll look like has saved us from SO many of those complaints that the owner 'didn't realize he would be so short' etc. We also have pictures of different face styles for each breed (short round beard and eyebrows, ponytail, etc), shaved ears, mohawks, poodle mustaches and clean faces. And we included pictures of dogs who got a deshedding standing in a mountain of hair next to a dog of the same breed shaved. Great for talking labs and goldens out of strip offs (I really hate shaving those guys) Pretty much everything you can imagine is pictured! The clients love seeing their dogs in the album and several have even brought us pictures to add to it of their pets at home.

[Doubledogdare]

Our problem is usually the opposite - the owners come in with a photograph of Champion Catastrophe of Coyote Gulch and want us to make Buffy look just like Champion Catastrophe.

[woofus]

I have a scrap-book style portfolio with pictures of client dogs. I use it mostly for "well this dog is a #5, this is what tipped ears are..etc." Some clients LOVE that their dog is featured

[desertdogs64]

to hang up on the wall, you can also get your digital camera out and start taking pictures of the pets you groom place them on the wall, customers like to look for their pet ,if they have to wait and it also serves the purpose of to see what the pet looked like the last time it was groomed,I have done this in many of my grooming shops.

Does anyone use a breed book to show clients what specific breed cuts look like? Any breed really..
I was thinking if I had my book of breeds and showed them that FiFi the cocker spaniel can look like this (picture in book) or maybe the owner has something else in mind insted she can tell me.

Just curious. I was thinking of taking a book to work as it may help owners have a visual aide as many of them are not 100% sure what kind of groom they want their sweet baby to have.

Would that be un professional? I ask as someone said it may look like I don't have a clue what I am doing by taking out a book and giving the client a visual to go by.

[ItzaClip!]

Something I have been collecting pics for is to show drastic different styles on same dog, bichon head vs Japanese style or client request retardedly long ears vs in proportion ears, so that people can see how one thing can change the look of entire groom.

[RPS]

This is a tricky subject as I have found places I have worked at before have had this type of idea... although one can either show off pictures of their really wonderful grooms 'or' have a breed book available it never fails........ just like in a hair salon, when a lovely woman sees a picture of a model (who is by the way a professional hair model) and asks for that style BUT they have half the hair it ends in disappointment.

When it comes to showing off a portfolio of grooms, it still can end up in disappointment to the owner. You are proud of your 'bichon' photo but they have a poodle/shih tzu mix... they think their dog looks like this one but no matter how much products you use, it will never look like that.

I have always found it much better in my own salons to take the time to talk to owners... describe what can & cannot be done and always end with the truth... that their pet is already cute as a button and all I can do is try to bring out its best attributes. When people see actual pictures.. it can leave a lasting impression in their minds and when their beloved pet cannot look exactly like the photo? it has led to many a call back by an owner who feels disappointed with the results.

There are some really terrific groomers who can achieve results that come close but in reality, I have found that pet owners can have some rather unrealistic expectations and to avoid the disappointment & negative feedback it has always been better to use words rather than photos for grooming examples.

[Fairierose]

We have some pictures clients have given us up and sometimes use those, especially when the owner isn't sure what they want or can't seem to explain it. There is one that a fair amount of people like and we can adjust it to their dog. It helps when you know what they want end product to look like. Except when they have a Lhasa/poodle mix and show you a picture of cocker (oh yeah, I had to do that one once).

[ItzaClip!]

Thats why I think it only works for groomer to display their own work and put in sections by coat type. Your not going to be chucking the book at them to browse and pick out themselves.
Your going to use to show different styles(your version of puppy trim/ lamb/ round head) of dogs with their coat type or close to it. Explaining any differences as you go. I prefer to do my own thing on each dog.

[calmcanines]

Right now we have an album full of breed pics I cut out of a bunch of dog show magazines. We get alot of terriers looking for correct breed look, or cavaliers looking for "whatever will make him look good", etc. I say "Let me show you a pic of the traditional norwich (etc), & you can tell me if you like that look or want anything different." That way there's no big surprise, & I can show schnauzer clients how a suggestion of a skirt would look better than a long flowing cocker skirt, and so on. It shows golden retrievers w their ears trimmed & less hair on their throat than the owners ever imagined.. things like that so we can send out more cuts that really flatter each dog. If they say 'oh no he's not a show dog' that's fine, I'd only use it to point out some good ideas for their dog's cut.

I want to also make an album of actual pets in all the different looks.. that has all the tail options, ear options, you name it. That's a great idea mentioned above, of deshedded next to shaved!