Old dogs CAN learn new tricks

[neanea]

I have been grooming now for right at 1 year and have learn so much from my boss. I've also learned alot from all of you guys, thanks!

My boss is a good, self-taught groomer but many of the techniques that I've heard so much about here, she didn't use. Since I've been coming here reading all of your posts, I've started picking up the HV, doing reverse clips, wet-clipping, snap-on combs, etc, etc. She hardly EVER used the brand new HV that she bought right after she hired me 2 years ago, had never done a reverse clip, or wet shave.
Well, since seeing how some of these techniques have worked on the dogs I've been doing, she's started using some of them (and LIKES it).
Today, she was working on a cocker she has been doing for 5 years. He has really super curly hair and very dense. I was SO shocked when she picked up the HV, plugged it in and went to work on him. I think this dog looked the best he's ever looked when she got done with him. I could tell she was VERY pleased as well. She kept saying: Wow, this leg looks pretty good, don't you think? How does this look from there? What do you think about this? She NEVER does this, so I knew she was impressed with the finished product.

I just want to say THANKS to all of you for your experience and willingness to help others out. You all are the BEST!

[Pixie]

You have a great boss who would let you try new things. I think that is great. She is willing to learn. Fantastic!!!

I have learned so much on this board too. Just wish I knew about it long ago.

[AuntieM]

Old dog learning new tricks here

I have been grooming for twenty some years, and have picked up so much great information on these boards. I now do many things completely differently than how I was taught years ago, and have found the new tricks and techniques to be far better than the old ways.
I was taught:
Always pre-clip
Never bathe a matted dog
Never reverse clip
Brush, brush,brush before bathing
I now:
Wet shave badly matted dogs
Hardly ever pre-clip
Reverse clip all the time
Put the big hairy beasts in the tub, bathe and condition them really well, and HV the undercoat out right in the tub. I've found that HVing them while they're sitting in the conditioner works absolute wonders.
I'm not afraid to try anything that other groomers have found to work for them. I'm in total agreement with the philosophy of "Work smarter, not harder"

[sheilabgroomer]

Wrong title:-)

You should have said "old groomers CAN learn new tricks"...lol

That is wonderful that your boss is willing to learn new tricks from her apprentice!!! Has she ever gotten on this board? If not, you should tell her to give it a try! I have been grooming for a loooong time (22 yrs) and just in the 1+ year that I have been visiting here I have learned sooo much. I also recently became an iVac convert, learned to reverse clip on a regular basis, tried wet shaving and now use snap on combs.

I used to think I knew almost everything!!! It is quite an eye opener to realize how LITTLE I actually new. I am finding that I loooooove learning and trying out new techniques.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

That is such welcome news---a boss who learns something from their apprentice AND is humble enough to put it into use without acting like they know everything. SHe must be a real nice lady.

Also, like Sheila said, all the learning that goes on...I believe that is what keeps people from being burned out. If you stop learning, you stop enjoying your work. Honestly that has kept me going sometimes!

Tammy in Utah