Helly, shampoo and GH ?s

[ejmj30]

I was going to PM you, but thought why not get everyone's input if they have some too.

Want to try Davis shampoos, but can't find them anywhere! Where do I get them?

Also do you use the GH on EVERY dog you groom, or only the trouble makers? I've been forcing myself to use it on every dog to try and get used to it, but it seems to get in my way more with the good little dogs that don't need it. When I don't use it I can just move them around as needed vs. trying to move the straps to get to their tuck ups, etc.

[furrybestjob]

Davis shampoo can be found directly from the manufacturer. Website is davismfg.com

[Scoop]

Okay I'm not Helly, but was sitting here having lunch thought I would respond. You can contact Davis at 1-800-292-2424 or on the web at davismfg.com they have GREAT customer services. I think I am going to order a groomers helper, last week I had too many spinners and sitters.

Scoop

[diamienono]

I have the same problem with the GH. The strap gets in the way, I only use it when I have to. I have other nouses when I don't need the GH

[Chuck]

Stop Struggling with a tool that stops struggling!

Dear Ejmj30 and Damienono,

How should I use the Groomers Helper? Should I keep it snug with the dog's head touching the arm or should I give him slack. Why fight against a tool that is supposed to make grooming easier. Tweek it for your own comfort and ease.

There really is no "Right" way. It is whatever is easiest and works for you. Certain techniques work for the "Bad" dogs and certain ones work for the rest of them. You take your seatbelt off when you get the change for a toll, but you put it right back on "just in case".

Sometimes we expect a tool to actually do somthing. Well a tool is only as good as the person using it. Not only can it help and stay out of the way but it can also get in your way if you let it. You need to develop a way that it can help with your particular style of grooming. You need to intergrate it into your style of grooming. Learn to keep it out of the way when you want it out of the way.

It still is just a tool. Some people use it on all dogs as a safety measure but still take them off it to acomplish what they need to. If somthing gets in my way I develope a way that it will not without "Throwing out the baby with the bathwater". What I mean is use it to help and protect and develope techniques so it does help you and not be in your way.

It is a safety and positioning system so use it as that and if you do not need it, don't use it. It takes time to develope new skills with new tools. No one ever picked up a paint brush and painted the Mona Lisa first painting. I know others can share the different uses they developed that I do not even know.

How about it members, tell us your stories on how you started using your Groomers Helper at first and how you use it now. Was it easy or hard to get used to it? Has it helped? How do you keep it from getting in your way? How do you use it now to help you? Any suggestions for Ejmj30 or Damienono.

Thank You for trying the Groomers Helper and Good Luck

Chuck

[neanea]

I don't have a GH, but would LOVE to! I'm poor and can't bring myself to ask the boss to buy one for me to use. Heavens, I'm still using an old table that doesn't adjust up and down (sometimes I get down on my knees, lol).

However, I'm sure that if I did, it would have it's time and purpose, like every dog this week, lol. Boss is on vacation and I've got like 3 or 4 "puppies first grooms" and I'm on my own (banging head against the wall).

[diamienono]

Chuck,
Don't get me wrong, I use it. It just gets akward when you are trying to shave around the neck area. I also have a couple that need to be on it, but do the death roll. I also need to drill down through my clamp and put a bolt there to stabalize my clamp. I swear the thing comes lose 3 times a day.

[ejmj30]

I think I've figured out why I wasn't "sold" on the GH from the very beginning: it's doing something I can do myself. I hate paying money (and a lot of money at that) for something I know I can do myself. However, I have been having a fair amount of pain in my left wrist (the wrist I hold the trouble makers up with) lately, and know I could be doing permanent damage if I don't solve the problem now. So, my thought now is I'm keeping the GH which does help, but I'm just bitter that I have to save myself the trouble when I can do it myself. It works great, I just know I could hold the dogs up myself and rip my body apart, but no one knows they're ripping their body apart until it's too late. Follow?

I'm also forcing myself to use it on all my dogs right now, but maybe on the super easy ones, I'll say the heck with it.

[rapuzzled]

I think I've figured out why I wasn't "sold" on the GH from the very beginning: it's doing something I can do myself. I hate paying money (and a lot of money at that) for something I know I can do myself. However, I have been having a fair amount of pain in my left wrist (the wrist I hold the trouble makers up with) lately, and know I could be doing permanent damage if I don't solve the problem now. So, my thought now is I'm keeping the GH which does help, but I'm just bitter that I have to save myself the trouble when I can do it myself. It works great, I just know I could hold the dogs up myself and rip my body apart, but no one knows they're ripping their body apart until it's too late. Follow?

I'm also forcing myself to use it on all my dogs right now, but maybe on the super easy ones, I'll say the heck with it.

I know exactly what you mean. I did a poodle today that made my arm BURN!

[Helly]

I use the GH on the front half of every dog I do. The only time I use the back half is when I have a dog that needs it. And most of the dogs I've been doing for any length of time have learned not to sit, not to move away, not to spin.

Does it sometimes get in the way? Sure. Even a plain ole grooming loop gets in the way sometimes. But you know what gets in the way more? Having surgery for a torn rotator cuff or not being able to use your left hand because of tendonitis. Getting a serious bite can get in the way worse than that.

Does the GH do something that we can do for ourselves without it? Sure. I can also beat a cake batter 500 strokes by hand instead of using my mixer. I can walk to the corner store in the pouring rain or blowing snow instead of driving my car. I could probably groom a dog with scissors and hand operated clippers, too. The bigger question is "Why put myself through that?"

We have tools that we use so often that using them is second nature. Think of all the tools you use in a day that you could do without if you had to, but you wouldn't want to have to because they save time, make the task easier, and probably save a little wear and tear on your body. The Groomer's Helper is another tool. It's a time saver. It keeps you safer. It doesn't go home with aching hands, arms or back, and if you use it, you'll go home less often with aching hands, arms and back. If it wears out or breaks, you can replace it. If you wear out, how are you going to replace you?

[scrubapup]

I use mine on every dog now. Even the ones who are good as gold on my table. It makes me feel at ease to know they are "safe" on my table. It took a little getting used to, and occasionally I find myself struggling to get the feel of the whole contraption, but it gets easier every day and now I almost feel like something is missing if the dog ISN'T hooked up to the GH.

I can honestly say I don't use the stand'er up jigger much. Then again, since I've only had my GH for about 3 weeks now, I havn't had a ton of sitters. But with this sudden burst of spring weather, I've been swamped with Cockers and Cockapoos the past couple weeks, and I have definately noticed that with the GH, my life is so much easier. I also had a psycho Shitzu last week that thought I was a Big Mac.... with fries.... and the GH saved all 10 of my fingers. Of course, she nailed me on 2 of them before I had the chance to hook her up, but it's all good now

[Jengroomer]

Helly you are 100% right on the money!

I use the clamp/tether on every dog. Of course as with any other grooming loop, it has to be removed to clip the neck area, sometimes. I use the no-sit portion when needed. It's saved my shoulders and back MANY times!

Honestly the dogs get used to being clipped to the GH. They learn to then, behave.

I have trouble grooming without it!

[ejmj30]

I've found one reason I really like it. I love it for those big dogs I scissor legs on (PWDs, std poodles, a puli I do) because I can slide the no sit part of the GH back to touch their back legs, and it keeps them in a stacked position much better than my hand in their groin the entire time, lol.

I'm warming up to the GH. I feel better now knowing that you guys don't use the no sit portion on EVERY dog. I thought I was never going to get used to that part of it. I have been using the front part on every dog for almost a year now, as I was given a GH to try out.

One more question, do you slide the posts on the no sit part down so they hang down from your table, or do you take them off altogether and put them on when you need them?

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

The no-sit portion on EVERY dog? Oh, heavens, girl, mine is in the closet! BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS----WHEN I NEED IT THAT THING COMES FLYIN' OUT OF THE CLOSET AT 150 MPH and does what I need it to: Hold up fat dog butts! I don't use it much because I have very few sitters. But when I get a sitter, they're REALLY bad!!! No need to use the no-sit portion for every dog, its purprose is to keep them from sitting and many dogs don't need help with that.

It's the basic set I always use. Even with that I have to take the dog off the GH and the loop in order to shave the throat, around the neck, etc. But the nails?

THAT DOG IS SO HOOKED UP, LOL.

Tammy in Utah

[Helly]

It's the basic set I always use. Even with that I have to take the dog off the GH and the loop in order to shave the throat, around the neck, etc. But the nails?

THAT DOG IS SO HOOKED UP, LOL.

Tammy in Utah

You don't have to take the loop off when doing the neck, just loosen it a little and unhook the loop from the overhead arm. Dog is still hooked to the clamp in front, so you have control of him, but you can slide the loop up, under his chin, or down to his withers to reach the area you need to shave. When you're finished, just snap the loop on the arm and tighten it.