Attending MELISSA VERPLANK'S seminar tomorrow

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

I am attending the seminar tomorrow along with Pixie who will drive down to Salt Lake with me. I believe Raggs will be there, as well as tgood (from this website). We'll tell you ALL about it when we return.

Anybody else? Who'd I forget?

Pixie, 7:15, Breakfast at my place, then we'll fly! (Gotta take Spike to Doggie Daycare first though, Papa is out of town).

Tammy in Utah

[Pixie]

I'll be there with bells on (NOT)!!!!! Where is doggie daycare???

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

It's at my work, less than 3 minutes from my house. He's set to go, I just have to take him there. Then we'll leave straight from there to the seminar. That ok? It was good to see you the other day! It's been such a long time!

Don't forget your notepad and pen! I just had to remind myself, lol!

Tam

[Boxerfan]

Tell us all about it, we're thinking about going to NC to see her (in August?). Could go to Columbus in April but I don't think we can plan a trip that fast.

[Gracy Rose]

Let us know all about it:-) She is coming to Florida in August and I am registered!!!

[Pixie]

Glad you said something about a notepad and pen. I thought about it earlier but had forgotten until I read this post. I swear my mind is going going going gone!!!

It was fun seeing you the other day. I wasn't sure if you would recognize me, it had been a while hadn't it.

Sure that's fine with me about taking Spike to the doggie daycare.

See ya tomorrow.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

I recognized you Diane, but it took me a split second because I wasn't expecting you. My mind saw you, immediately thought "Customer," but then I think I heard your voice??? Anyway, it hit me very quickly. Thanks for stopping by. That dog that was in the tub, by the way, turned out really cute and the owner said, "PERFECT! That is exactly what I wanted!" when she showed up.

Tammy in Utah

[wet noze]

Have a great time and drive safely! When you get back, please share with us all the new goodies you've learned.

[Sassy Shih Tzu]

Spikey, Pixie how was the seminar...

I can hardly contain myself. Was the seminar the greatest? Did you like meeting Melissa V. ?

Come on the suspense is killing me.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Ok, all, it was GREAT. It was a lot of information so now I feel like my "hard drive" is full and my head is killing me. It was a fun day, that is for sure. I'll have to go over my notes again so I can tell you more, as I can't just spit it out here.

The first thing she said to me when I walked through the door, "Are you the one from Petgroomer.com?" I was a little taken aback but I said, "Uh, yes, I'm Tammy, aka Spikey The Yorkie". I was sure glad she came!

There were about 40 of us, which is quite a number for this area to gather together. We had one come all the way from Colorado and I believe one from Nevada. Maybe more from these states but I'm not sure. We didn't have much time to socialize it was all geared toward learning.

I wasn't sure what more I could learn, as I have the Theory of 5 book as well as Notes, but thought the time management portion would be to my liking. I actually learned quite a bit, some of it was review, some of it confirmed that the way I was doing things was up to par (as far as grooming goes), and the time management portion was, indeed, helpful. (EDIT: I have added another post, someone said I sounded like I was tooting my horn here, but it was not how I meant it to sound).

She is very nice, funny, and uses herself as the example "dog" throughout the seminar. She used her own hair quite often to demonstrate, which was quite funny, especially since she was using a nice long pair of shears to demonstrate angles for the shears. She put our fears to rest when she told us the shears were as dull as can be.

It was very organized using a slide show presentation, the set up was a classroom type environment with chairs and long tables as "desks" and water, coffee, hot chocolate and candy was provided (part of the hotel's service I believe).

I got some photos but will have to wait until my husband returns tomorrow from Las Vegas---he has the "good" computer that we can load the photos on, then he Emails them to me, lol.

Tammy in Utah

[Sassy Shih Tzu]

Oh Spikey you should not be taken aback... your awesome....

Thank you !

Thank you !

Thank you ! for the review.

I can't wait to go next week. I sounds like a lot of info. I glad you got the seminar brought to Utah. 40 people thats a lot.

[Arrooh]

Thanks

I already know her and think she's the greatest, but you've just added to the pleasure of knowing I get to go next Sunday, Mar, 25 in our Los Angeles area.

[hairdevil]

maybe Pixie will remember some good points to share with all of us that could not attend? where are you Pixie???

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Ooooops!!!

Ok, I just got reprimended in a PM for my last post, lol.

I was told I sounded like I was "tooting my own horn" but that is not how I intended to sound.

What I thought is if she was going over Notes, and Theory of 5, and I'd already read it, what MORE could there possibly be? It is already so very detailed, and I knew there had to be if she was giving seminars, but just couldn't imagine she could add more to what was already there. But she did. Lots more. I just meant in grooming instruction and such, the book is so detailed, could there possibly be more? Didn't intend to come across like I'd memorized every inch of the book, lol.

That better?

Tammy in UTah

[Pixie]

I really enjoyed the seminar. I don't have either one of the books, I did buy both, Notes will be shipped to me they were out of them.

There was sooooo much said. I would advise any that are going to take a tape recorder with you, wish I had.

One of the things that I learned was how to measure to make sure your Schn. eyebrows are even. Lets see if I can pass it onto you so you can understand it. Use curved shears and start at the back of the eye and lay your shears on the bridge of the nose and then cut, do the same on the other side, making sure the tip of the shear is at the same spot on the nose. I did it today on a Schn. that I had to groom and her brows came out beautifully, the best I've ever done.

She showed us the correct way to hold your shears, and ringfinger. I hold them wrong, but I'm tooooo old to learn again.

I learned stuff that I had learned long ago and had forgotten and am putting it back into use. Things that I had been doing I learned that I'm actually doing it right. Sometimes it's just nice to know that you are doing it right.

She taught the " pat pull" method of brushing out a dog. She taught that you can do 4 clean poodle feet in 3 min.!! Of course that one takes a LOT of practice and I'm way from doing it that fast. She said it wasn't a small dog, I think she said it was a St. Am I correct with that Tammy?

If you have a badly matted dog and you want to try to de mat one of the ways that may help. While bathing the dog and working the shampoo into the mats use a HV and blow some of the mats apart. The wet mat and the shampoo help spread the mat away from the body. After doing that re wash the dog. You could even use the conditioner in the same manner.

There was just so much taught. But one thing is for sure, you will NOT come away empty handed. I feel it was well worth the money and the time.

Thanks Tammy for letting me catch a ride down with you. Had a blast!!!