Seeking your infinite Wisdom and experience

[Dapper Doggies]

Hello all,

I would love to ask you all for a little of your experience.


So last year at the age of 49 I decided to enroll in dog grooming school (btw I was the youngest of 4 students). I finished school in Decemeber, I have groomed on and off over the next 11 months. Probably equivalent to full time 6 months of grooming.

Here’s my frustration and my question; how long does it take to get speedy? At school we only groomed 1 dog per day. Now, on average it takes me 2 hours to complete a dog, longer if it’s a big or otherwise complicated dog.

I occasionally check in with a fellow student from my stint at school and she’s exactly where I am, 3-4 dogs per day. Is this normal, should I be faster by now? How long does it take to develop more speed?

Sidebar: I spent 15+ years earning my living as a jewelry artist, so I am very comfortable working with my hands.

[HoneyandChewiespal]

Congrats on being able to do 3 to 4 dogs a day already. That's pretty good for a 'newbie'.
Questions: Are you bathing and drying yourself or does someone feed you dogs.
Are you pre- clipping dirty dogs then bathing?
Have you established a consistent pattern of completion for yourself ( i.e. Start with back , right side, rear
Right foot, etc).
Is your equipment in good repair, are your scissors clean and sharp?

Prep is essential. Bathe and thoroughly dry and brush out before clipping. Do not pre- clip except oay shave downs. A clean dog dries much faster than a dirty one. If your drying time is slow - improve your bath skills. 2 minutes in the tub can save 20 minutes later on.
Find a consistent pattern to ensure that you dont waste time by going back to get missed patches. Use you clippers for as much as possible and scissor last.
Trim drop eared ears while wet to get length even. Use blenders after dry to soften finish and catch any fly-aways.

Push yourself to be faster. I use music to time myself. Small dogs bathed in one song , med in 2 and large in 3 or 4.
Drying and brushing out will be faster if you have clean dogs towel dried first. Do nails while dogs are in the tub - nails are softer and dogs generally easier.

Keep your tools organized so you don't waste time looking for things.

Above all - stay calm. You'll suddenly find that you've finished 8 dogs in one day and you'll not know how it happened.
( and remember that while you worked with fine hand detail - your gems and metals didn't wiggle and lick and pee and poop and have teeth ).

[DogGamut]

From my Experience Speed Comes after a Constant Pace Of Similar Work. I've Done a Full Service Golden Shave in an hour and the same thing in 2:30. If the dog is wiggly and theres no one to hold it can take up to three hours for a small poodle mix. matted shave down or long cut with solid lines.

The Best Advice i can give is to perfect the things youre good at and shave off time here and there, Example: I know a girl that takes at least 7 minutes on a nail trim regardless of the dog, where as i can get it done in 2 with the same dog. it all adds up, in the end it pays better to do quality over quantity as long as the shop you work for isn't a conveyor belt just pumping out dogs skimping on the vital parts to the groom.

I've Seen 15Year+ groomers take 3 hours on a lamb cut. Time is irrelevant, Results is Key... (as long as the groomer isnt paid hourly and milking the clock)

Chihuahua Shave 40 mins
Lhasa Lamb Cut 2 hours
Wiggly Lhasa Lamb Cut 3 Hours
TERRIBLY AGGRESSIVE CHIHUAHUA Shave 1:30

I worry about time as much as anyone but in the end its a human problem in which the dogs pay for

[Dapper Doggies]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful input. I am doing my own bathing and drying. No pre-clipping. I really appreciated your comment about timing in the bath, I know my speed could greatly improve for scrubbing little Fluffy! I will try your trick about timing to the length of songs.

"stay calm" those words will become my mantra.

Thanks again so much!

[Dapper Doggies]

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom. I don't have a groomer mentor in my life and I'm so grateful to have this forum and it's professional groomers to ask advice of.

[DogGamut]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful input. I am doing my own bathing and drying. No pre-clipping. I really appreciated your comment about timing in the bath, I know my speed could greatly improve for scrubbing little Fluffy! I will try your trick about timing to the length of songs.

"stay calm" those words will become my mantra.

Thanks again so much!

Many newer groomers try to speed up the baths and end up not doing as thorough a job, I always let the shampoo soak for 5 mins while massaging everywhere the entire time, by the time the 5 is up i can rinse and dry and not find poo stuck on the butt or this or that. plus i think the dog enjoys it. Pre Clipping is a huge one, no point in shampooing and bathing and drying hair thats going in the trash 15 minutes later


(Bathers who can get a dog bathed in two minutes arent really doing their job (in my opinion of course)

[ABDG]

Get a Yuppy Puppy Brush for thorough bathing - it will help to do a good bath in less time.

[HoneyandChewiespal]

(Bathers who can get a dog bathed in two minutes arent really doing their job (in my opinion of course)[/QUOTE]

Most songs are 3.5 to 4 minutes. Adeles newest is 6 minutes. Find songs to fit you. It's a means of timing yourself not a drop dead issue

[DogGamut]

(Bathers who can get a dog bathed in two minutes arent really doing their job (in my opinion of course)

Most songs are 3.5 to 4 minutes. Adeles newest is 6 minutes. Find songs to fit you. It's a means of timing yourself not a drop dead issue[/QUOTE]

If the dog got skunked i suggest dream theater :P

If they can find a shop that allows music more power to em.

[Countrygrl]

Congratulations Dapper, on your accomplishments! I was exactly the same age as you when I started. I was doing the same amount of work as you also by 6 months. I can now do 10 a day although 8 is more comfortable. Here are some things that helped my speed: 1) Try to eliminate more walking around from tub to drying area to groom table, if you can - I have my shop set up to to have everything within a couple of steps. 2)-Look up "Drying" recommendations on Parti's blog here.....it changed my efficiency and time drastically. 3) Do everything in a certain order everytime 4)Get the dog very clean at the skin level.....a dog that is not really clean does not dry well and is harder to cut. I do not pre-clip/it dulls my blades and then I still have to clip again so it is like doing 2 grooms....I focus on getting the shampoo to the skin level which is where a bathing system is great. You will gain speed naturally as you continue to work but some of these ideas have really helped me shave off time....I can do a typical small dog in about an hour give or take a few minutes.

[Particentral]

Many newer groomers try to speed up the baths and end up not doing as thorough a job, I always let the shampoo soak for 5 mins while massaging everywhere the entire time, by the time the 5 is up i can rinse and dry and not find poo stuck on the butt or this or that. plus i think the dog enjoys it. Pre Clipping is a huge one, no point in shampooing and bathing and drying hair thats going in the trash 15 minutes later


(Bathers who can get a dog bathed in two minutes arent really doing their job (in my opinion of course)

Well I will be glad tontell my staff that our not precutting, washing in under two minutes dor small digs (bathing system ) . Not letting shampoo sit (its the agitation that makes the shampoo work and once you know how shampoo works you know you dont need soaking, a second bath is much mire efficient )...and that we are doing a lot wrong.. well....you know what? Never mind. We do up to 35 dogs a day with our staff and are done by 3 every day. I think we will keep doing it our way. (Sarcasm intended btw)

[Dapper Doggies]

Hi there, Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. 2 questions, if you don't mind; how long have you been grooming? And can you send a link to Parti's Blog, I don't know how to find it?

You are so right about shop set-up, one of the places I am currently at, has a terrible set-up, tub way over in other part of kennel, groom tables way up front, dryer near tub (I like to dry with dog on groom table), etc.

[DogGamut]

reply

Well I will be glad tontell my staff that our not precutting, washing in under two minutes dor small digs (bathing system ) . Not letting shampoo sit (its the agitation that makes the shampoo work and once you know how shampoo works you know you dont need soaking, a second bath is much mire efficient )...and that we are doing a lot wrong.. well....you know what? Never mind. We do up to 35 dogs a day with our staff and are done by 3 every day. I think we will keep doing it our way. (Sarcasm intended btw)

As for not pre-clipping dogs that's fine too, its your time and products taking the toll. I just know if a dog comes in matted to the skin I'm not going to give the dog a bath and tighten up those matts and then spend forever trying to dry them out only to then shave them off.

Bathing system or not, There's no way a good job can be done in less than two minutes. sounds like a drive through car wash being compared to a full professional detailing.

[Particentral]

As for not pre-clipping dogs that's fine too, its your time and products taking the toll. I just know if a dog comes in matted to the skin I'm not going to give the dog a bath and tighten up those matts and then spend forever trying to dry them out only to then shave them off.

Bathing system or not, There's no way a good job can be done in less than two minutes. sounds like a drive through car wash being compared to a full professional detailing.

Wow.... just. Plain. Wow......you have much to learn about many things...

[DogGamut]

Wow.... just. Plain. Wow......you have much to learn about many things...

If I'm a customer and a stylist told me they have to bathe the dog in under two minutes I immediately would go elsewhere knowing if I'm not getting close to full value from the bath, and that the rest of the groom will probably be rushed too and those are the kind of groomers that injure dogs. I'd Wonder where my money was going.