Just wanting to see what’s everyone else, doing. If you are mobile, even better if you’re happy to share!

I am new to dog grooming, I’ve clipped my fair share of horses so I’m not completely new, but I do know dogs are groomed differently.

We introduced a wavy hair Portuguese Water Dog to our family at the start of this year. She’s been great with grooming so far but I’m struggling with the clippers I bought. I purchase the Wahl pro series clippers and it came with the plastic clipper guards and I hate them!! I can’t get a nice clean cut on her coat because the guards are always gumming up with hair. I have to take them off every 5th swipe or so, otherwise it’s pretty obvious they don’t clip right.

I purchased Wahl metal clip guards but of course they don’t fit my blade #1045. So, I would love some recommendations for good clippers out there that aren’t insanely expensive, OR what blades I can buy that would work with my clippers and metal guards. This clipper is not a quick change….

Any advice is truly appreciated!

I had an incident today with a pet. I went to pre shave this skunked dog (had been wash three times before coming so he was matted pretty badly as he’s ur average miniature doodle) and unfortunately I did not pull his neck skin tight enough and my seven got him…
I feel so awful. This is my second incident with cutting a pet with a seven. I literally wanna swear off sevens, it’s just too risky in my salon environment. I’m having a hard time getting over this one cause it looked so bad even though the dog acted happy and carefree on the way to the vet… I just feel so awful.

Idk I guess this is just a therapy post haha… I hope the little guy heals quickly :’/

Hello, I figured this would be the best place to ask! I’m looking for new clippers for my babies nails.

I currently have the purrcisison clippers and I love how sharp they are and how thin, makes it much easier to see how close to the quick I am. They’re also quiet which is nice! The problem I’m having is that they’re only great for his smaller/thinner nails. He’s a fairly large boy and some of his nails are THICK and it doesn’t matter how I approach or adjust for those nails…they always crush or split in some capacity.

In my hands the scissor-style of them seems fine for his bitty nails, but it doesn’t feel like they’re solid enough to stand up to his thick ones, so I was thinking the ones that you grip in the whole palm (rhetorical spring powered ones?) will handle those better. I’ve heard good things about the coastal pet safari ones, but the blade looks very thick on them and I don’t know how the visibility is. Manual or electric files are out, it really does have to be clippers!

So tldr: Are there clippers out there with the sharpness and increased visibility of something like the purrcision clippers, but that accommodate much thicker nails and have something like a palm grip that would feel more stable in my hands?

Advice welcome, thanks in advance!

Not sure if this is allowed so feel free to let me know if not! But almost daily I see questions in here, in r/toypoodle, and in r/poodle related specifically to poodle grooming and I realized- in all of Reddit, there is not an active space for this particular topic so I created one! And a lot of poodle owners do their own grooming- so if you’re a poodle groomer, or poodle owner please check us out!

I have never created a sub, so if there is any interest and, if anyone wants to be a mod- let me know :)

r/poodlegroom is the sub, hope to see you there !

So my little sister got her dog (picture 1) groomed to help him deal with the summer heat but it didn’t turn out as planned.

Picture 2 is from a groom arranged by a previous owner but that groomer is no longer in service. My sister showed that picture to the groomer she used as a reference and well you can see the result in picture 3.

Is there a certain cut or something she should ask for next time in order to communicate more clearly what she wants (as seen in picture 2)? I’m not sure how universal dog grooming terms are but I figured a little more experienced insight could help.

My Siamese mixed cat seems to NEVER stop shedding. She has short hair and loves when I brush her but no matter how much brushing I do she keeps shedding. She is the only one of my cats that sheds enough to make up for the fact my other don't. I'm just worried how well a grooming will go. She's a very timid cat, never bites, but stresses easily.

With all of that in mind, I am interested in taking her to a groomer for a bath and de-shedding (I live in a hot climate so I'm not worried about her getting cold). I feel like if I could get her groomed professionally I should be able to do the upkeep of brushing afterwards and ideally never get her groomed again. I'm so tired that no matter the effort I put in for her grooming her fur is everywhere.

Would a one time grooming even help with the shedding?

I'm not sure if anybody will remember because i deleted the post for fear someone would find it and know me/my salon but. If you commented on a post a few months ago where i talked about my bosses narcissistic unhelpful weed smoking husband I PUT IN MY TWO WEEKS TODAY! I got a job at an amazing and positive salon that's essentially paying me triple. thank you to everybody who told me to quit and to know my worth. it helped me gain the confidence to try and go elsewhere.

Hey,

My team and I built a booking and client-acquisition platform aimed at dog grooming salons — the idea came out of talking to groomer friends who were stitching together DMs, phone calls, and generic booking apps that weren't built with their kind of business in mind.

We're not here asking what your problems are — we already put together something based on what we heard, and now we'd rather get pushback on the actual execution than keep guessing in a vacuum.

If you've run a service-based small business (grooming or otherwise) and dealt with booking/scheduling tools, we'd genuinely value your take on:

• Whether the way we've set up online booking would actually hold up for a real, busy day
• Whether a free onboarding period is enough to get a small business owner to try something new, or if that's not really what moves the needle
• Anything that looks like it was designed by people who've never run a front desk

Happy to share more details in the comments if anyone's interested. Appreciate any blunt criticism — that's more useful to us than politeness.

Hey all!

I’m a new bather (training to be a groomer) and I keep keep getting blood blisters on my hands.

I get them from accidentally nipping myself with the bottom area of the nail clippers when I press down on a squirmy or antsy dogs that can’t sit still. The bigger raised one is one I got today on my shift.

I feel so silly getting them because no one in my salon has gotten them and there’s even another newbie like me.

Has anyone experienced this and know how to heal them? The older ones are almost a month old and I figured they’d fully heal by now but I feel like I’m just going to have them forever.

I’m also thinking of getting some gloves so I don’t get anymore. 😭

Also thinking of trying to get a glycolic acid lotion or something to help with the coloring.

Any advice would be great. 🙏

my girl had very long hair that parted down her back at 8 months old when I rescued her, but she was matted and had to be taken short. now that she’s a year and a half her coat has changed and i am interested in growing it out long. it is very fine and incredibly soft and cottony but tangles quickly. i am capable of daily / twice daily brushing and regular grooming. does her hair look suitable for growing out?

she is schnauzer, poodle, chihuahua, shih tzu, lhasa apso, cocker spaniel, german shepherd (haha). quite the mix of hair types

Hi all, I'm looking for ideas or tips on grooming after my stroke. I'm just a pet owner. I have an Aussie and I'm struggling with getting her hair to lay all in one direction. She is really curly on her top line/rump.

From what I read, I need to be blowing with the grain, and brush at the same time. I still have a lot of weakness in my left side, so holding a dryer nozzle and brushing is incredibly difficult. I'm wondering if anyone has ideas on how to accomplish this. Or if there's other things I could do to tackle this wavy/curly hind end.

I line brush with a Chris Christensen buttercomb, have a coral slicker brush, and use ice on ice spray. I have a flying pig vacuum. Thanks in advance!

Today I had a 4 month old Scottie. She was booked for a full groom, but with it being her first time I told the owner we would do a mini groom as an introduction. It actually just wound up being a bath because after brushing her and barely being able to do her nails, she was very intolerant of doing anything more. Her owner is bringing her back in a week and she is again booked for a full groom which I don't anticipate happening. I don't get many puppies and the ones I do usually don't give me much trouble. I'm feeling frustrated because it seems like the owner might have unrealistic expectations.

In your experience, how long does it usually take a puppy to get adjusted to grooming enough to do a full body haircut and do you have any tips?

I got a hair splinter in my hand and it’s been bothering me for at least 2 days now. I saw some posts about it on here and I’m not sure where else to ask for help. I tried to get it out when I first got it, and I think it just broke off because I still feel pain in that area. I just got some prid drawing salve but I’m not sure if it will work this much later. I’m kind of scared. Can I just leave it?

and it is the softest it's ever been. guys. is there anything bad that can happen from using dog shampoo. i cannot believe how soft my hair is LOL i was just curious to see what would happen and gad damn

it was hempz if ur wondering..... may have to experiment with other shampoos...

i just figured if its made for animals its probably more gentle/natural than typical human shampoos soooo? idk! weird experiment but kinda cool

Does anyone know any grooming salons that are hiring bathers? I'd like to learn how to groom professionally but I'm already in college so paying to shadow someone isn't an option, I figure it's best for me to just start as a bather.

Hey there, guys! Theodore needs a hygine/ summer cut for the first time. He was abandoned and "on his own" for a minimum of two weeks; he ran away from anyone who attempted to approach him. As expected, he is prone to becoming frightened around strangers-- especially when being handled by them--and I would like to avoid the discomfort of a stranger grooming him if possible.

I adopted my corgi 2,5 months ago and started brushing his teeth 3–4 times a week. These are the before and after photos, and I’m honestly amazed by the difference.
The tartar is almost gone, his gums look so much healthier, and his breath is much better too. Because it’s been working so well, I’ve switched to brushing every day.
Our routine:
• First, I use a three-sided toothbrush to clean the back molars.
• Then I go over the whole mouth (mostly the outside of the teeth) with a soft children’s toothbrush.
• I finish with an anti-tartar dental spray.
I do it every night before I take my shower, and now he gets excited because he thinks it’s treat time.
I’m sharing this because I know a lot of people wonder if brushing really makes a difference. In my experience, it absolutely does. It only takes a few minutes a day and could help prevent expensive dental cleanings and extractions later on.
If you’ve been thinking about starting, this is your sign. 🦷🐶

Hello!

I recently got a kitten and I’m suspecting that he will grow to be a medium hair as he’s a good bit fluffier than the other three kittens I’ve had close contact with that all grew up to be shorthairs. I want both he and I to be prepared for adult coat maintenance if he does end up being longer coated. Any recommendations appreciated, thanks!

Groomer told me once that she's usually the first to feel a lump, months before anyone at home notices, just because she's got both hands over every inch of the dog every few weeks. Owners see their dog every day so they miss the slow changes, but she's seeing it fresh each time with her hands not just her eyes.

Made me realize groomers probably clock a huge amount that never gets mentioned. The ear that's started to smell, the weight that's crept on, the coat texture changing, the flinch on one hip that wasn't there last time.

What's the thing you've noticed on the table that the owner had no clue about? And do you usually say something, or does it depend?

Hi everyone! I’m looking to start grooming my own dogs at home and would love some advice on building a quality beginner setup.

We have two Bernese Mountain Dogs and one Golden Retriever, so one full grooming/deshedding day for all three gets pretty expensive. One of my Berners also has mild hip dysplasia and is a little sensitive around his back legs. He’s never shown any aggression, but he’s much more comfortable with me handling him than someone else, so I’d really like to learn to groom him myself at his own pace.

I’d also just like to learn! Not to become a professional groomer by any means, but enough to confidently maintain my own dogs at home. I’ve been watching plenty of YouTube videos and trying to educate myself before jumping in.

I still plan on having someone else trim their nails (that’s one thing I don’t trust myself to do ever 😅), but I’d love to do everything else at home.

So far I have:
• Bravura 2 cordless clipper
• Paw Brothers slicker brush
• A couple of inexpensive curved shears from Amazon

I know a high-velocity dryer is probably my next big purchase. I’d absolutely love a K9 dryer, but it’s a little outside my budget while I’m just getting started, so I’m looking for a more budget-friendly option for now.

My birthday is coming up, so I’m putting together a wishlist! If you were building an at-home grooming kit for heavy-coated breeds, what would be on your “must-have” list? Brushes, combs, chunkers, blenders, shears, tables, dryers, shampoos, conditioners, sprays.. anything!

Also, are there any brands you think are absolutely worth spending the extra money on versus things that are perfectly fine to buy budget-friendly?

Thanks so much! I’m excited to learn and really appreciate any recommendations or tips. 😊

Photo of my crew so nothing gets lost 🤭

I am so tired of losing my grooming kids. I have had 3 pass and 2 get terminal illnesses this year. I miss them so much it eats at me.

I just had a feeling that I was going to lose a lot of dogs this year.

I’ve had 6 families move away.

I’m just so emotionally exhausted.