Am I Sure Opening A Grooming School is a Sound Business Choice For Zoom Zoom Groom?

When discussing the opening of Zoom Zoom Groom's Academy of Pet Grooming with our loyal clients, many out of concern say... "Connie, are you sure about this?  Won't opening a school increase groomer numbers in the area and thus create more competition and lessen your clientele?" My thoughts to this are as follows:


Firstly, I think competition is great (ethical competition that is).  I truly feel that if we at Zoom Zoom Groom, are providing services to the highest of standards, we will always have a strong, loyal client base.  Since starting ZZG, I have been a strong advocate for networking.  There are thousands upon thousands of pets in Regina and area- more than enough to go around. I have two framed quotes on a wall at Zoom Zoom Groom to remind the staff and myself, the ethics I feel are important.  One is a quote from Brian Tracy, and it goes like this: 
Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?"


The second framed quote is from Mother Teresa:  

“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”

What I hope for Regina, is that through education and proper training, the groomers available will be knowledgeable, certified,  and pet owners will feel comfort in knowing that they are leaving their pets with qualified professionals.


I hope to be instilling strong relationship ethics to my students, in how they present themselves to the public, and their fellow groomers.  Respecting others clientele, and never speaking badly of other grooming establishments will be emphasized.  If you are talented, and have great grooming/ people skills, the clients will come.  Networking, as opposed to negative competition, will only strengthen ones credibility. 


I always tell my staff,  I only want them at ZZG if they are happy.  If they choose to go on their own, I will support them in anyway I can.  With the investment I (along with others at ZZG) spent in their growth as a groomer- through teaching/ educating, mentoring, encouraging, and supporting them to their grooming potential - I can only hope they respect myself and the other staff,  (who contributed to their learning) enough to practise ethical business standards. The old phrase "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth", meaning don't be ungrateful when you receive a gift is so true, and relevant in all we do! I have one staff member who just returned from maternity leave.  I love her immensely, and she is one of the best groomers I have ever seen.  Yes, I would be sad (and so would her ZZG clients), should she open her own business, but as a mom myself, I expressed to her that I would support her, understand, and assist her in anyway I could.  I know, without a doubt, that even if she had her own business, we would network together in a positive way regardless, due to our respect for one another.  She has chosen to stay with Zoom Zoom Groom.


Opening Zoom Zoom Groom's Academy of Pet Grooming will help us all at ZZG grow as individuals.  The information and technology is growing at an incredible speed in this industry.  What a great opportunity to be at the forefront of this exciting opportunity! 

Not only will the students learn, but it will also be an opportunity for me to learn. For example, I grew up with cats, love cats, but never dreamt of grooming them.  In my mind they were an accident waiting to happen!  Why would I groom cats and jeopardise my hands, and safety as a groomer?  Well, Regina spoke loud and clear to us, when daily, we were receiving calls for cat grooming.  I was not about to dive into a skill such as grooming cats without the proper knowledge base.  I immersed myself in finding the most knowledgeable cat groomer, and I discovered Danelle German of the National Cat Groomers Institute of America.  I purchased all her books, dvds, watched online videos, taken part in her webinars- everything I could to learn her process of mastering cat grooming.  Once again, I go back to a quote by Brian Tracy- "No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals."  Danelle has been my inspiration!


We are grooming cats now at ZZG and I am LOVING it!  One of the best decisions I have ever made!  Am I done learning? Absolutely not!  I hope to attend Danelle's school soon to achieve my CFMG.  Learning never stops!  I can't wait to help others who love this industry, to grow into productive, creative, inspiring groomers! What a gift I have been given!

  

 Who would have thought... I'd be bathing a cat at ZZG?

                                 .......and cleaning it's ears?

 

                        ...... and drying it with Danelle's invention- The Catty Shack Vac?

I love to teach!  I have spent half my life teaching elementary school prior to opening Zoom Zoom Groom.  Now I can combine both! Zoom Zoom Groom's Academy of Pet Grooming is simply a perfect fit!  I'm so excited for the future!  Back to the question: "Am I sure opening a Grooming School is a sound business decision for Zoom Zoom Groom?"- the answer is a loud, excited, resounding, YES!

Why Groom Cats?

Zoom Zoom Groom heard you loud and clear,  and now we are finally offering grooming for cats!  Recognizing that cat grooming is an entirely different ball game than dog grooming, we wanted to make sure we had the proper equipment, and knowledge to do this industry proud.  Zoom Zoom Groom has just purchased a Catty Shack Vac from the National Cat Groomers Institute of America.  Under the guidance of Danelle German, the founder, we have groomers who are following her lead in techniques and procedures for our feline friends.  We hope to have Danelle has a visiting speaker to Zoom Zoom Groom and cat groomers across Canada in the New Year!!!!

Why do cats need to be groomed?????? (info from National Cat Groomer's Institute of America)

Cats Mat.....

Greasy skin and coat combined with natural shedding causes matting. And once a small tangle or mat forms, it grows very quickly. The only real defense against tangles and mats is regular bathing and drying done by a professional cat groomer who truly knows what they are doing. Some groomers are not cat groomers and will groom a cat using products and techniques that can cause more problems.

Cats Do Like Baths.....  

Contrary to popular belief, most cats do not mind being bathed. In fact, many are very calm during the bathing process and seem to find it relaxing. We use special techniques to introduce a cat to the bathing process each time, until we can see that they are used to it. We know from experience that cat owners report they have a very happy cat after it returns home from a day at the spa.

Will it hurt my cat to be groomed?
It can hurt your cat to NOT be groomed. Cats that are not groomed are prone to serious matting problems, skin conditions, painful ingrown nails, and a variety of other problems that, if left unattended, can cause irreversible damage or even death.
A cat that is groomed regularly (approximately every 6 weeks) will not suffer from such problems. Because the groomer is handling the cat on a regular basis and looking over every inch of its body during each visit, health issues that may arise can be found early on, and the likelihood of effective intervention is increased.
  
How long will it take for you to groom my cat?
We typically allow 2 hours for your appointment if you have only one cat. If you bring in two or more, or the cat is severely pelted or matted, the groom time may take longer. Once we see your cat/cats in person, we will be able to give you a time for pick-up. We believe cats are better served by not being away from their normal home environment any longer than possible, and therefore strive to complete each groom in an efficient and timely manner.

Can you groom my cat if he is aggressive?
Most of the time we can. We can usually tell when we initially see your cat in person whether or not it can be safely handled.

What are the benefits to having my cat professionally groomed?
The main benefit is having a happier, healthier cat that does not suffer from any of the painful and potentially life-threatening problems already mentioned. In addition, you will benefit as regular grooming cuts down on shedding, eliminates hairballs, reduces allergy problems, and helps promote a cleaner environment as well as a cleaner cat. And the best part is, you don’t have to do any of the grooming yourself! Leave that up to us!

If you have any questions please phone us at Zoom Zoom Groom 533-9155, or email us at zzgroom@sasktel.net.

10 Dog Twitter Feeds To Follow

10 Dog Twitter Feeds To Follow

ZZG's Protocol for Ungroomable Pets

 The following is a letter we provide our clients if their pet is deemed a high risk to groom for either itself or the groomer.  Please note that it is the clients decision whether to take or act upon any of our suggestions. AT NO TIME DOES ZOOM ZOOM GROOM ADMINISTER SEDATIVES OR TRANQUILIZERS TO PETS!!!!!!!!!

This protocol has also been shared with the veterinarian clinics in Regina and area.

 

NOT ALL DOGS LOVE TO BE GROOMED................

Zoom Zoom Groom recognizes the importance of a healthy, well groomed pet but there are times when we simply can’t complete a dog due to behavioral issues.  A situation like this may lead us to suggest a visit to your veterinarian for a sedative in which to calm your pet.  Please know this decision is not taken lightly and is discussed as a staff….

Our steps/ criteria for a difficult dog are as follows:

1. The groomer remains calm- assertive when grooming a dog.  We feel the groomer’s energy is channelled to the dog.  If a groomer is tense we will try another groomer to see if it makes a difference.
2. If the dog is aggressive (biting) – we muzzle him/her
3. When struggling with a dog another groomer may assist, trying to calm dog while groomer one is clipping/ scissoring etc.
4. We try Rescue Remedy (a holistic Bach Flower remedy sold in many health food stores) only with permission from owner.
5. We give a stressed dog several breaks.
6. We may have the parents of the dog join us to see if their presence will calm the dog. (It usually doesn’t, but as a last resort we will try).

We will cease grooming if:

The dog is showing signs such as….

•  heavy breathing
•  blue tongue
•  high heart rate
•  aggression (where the groomer is at risk)
• Spinning /turning out of control where there is risk of the dog injuring him/herself on the grooming arm etc. 

Should any of these conditions exist, we will make the decision to refer the client to their veterinarian for advice on a sedative. Many dogs, that initially take sedatives, can be weaned of them after several positive grooming experiences, once they establish a repoire with the groomer.  For this we celebrate! Our main goal is to keep both the dog and groomer safe.  We want to groom all dogs as we realize the importance of a well groomed dog from both an aesthetic need and health need.  We also want you to know that we try many different techniques and we do have a policy in place, guiding us as to when we need to suggest a veterinarians help.  This decision is taken seriously and discussed by up to 5 groomers who see/experience the dog’s behavior. 

We thank you and appreciate your understanding.  We truly want to place your dog’s safety first.   Our groomers are using sharp tools and an accident can happen quickly.  We also recognize that the groomer’s career is dependent on their hands, and an aggressive dog can cause harm in a matter of seconds. 

If you are reading this information chances are we feel your pet may benefit from a sedative from your vet.  It is your choice as to whether you feel comfortable with this.  If you have any questions please feel free to phone us at any time.  Should you decide to try a different groomer at a different location, it is important you inform them of your dog’s history, so they can be prepared to help your dog in the most positive way possible.

Sincerely,

Connie Buchanan

& the Staff at Zoom Zoom Groom

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Nail Care

 

Nails are clipped as part of a full service grooming at Zoom Zoom Groom.  This should last you for about 3-4 weeks and then the nails will need to be clipped again either at home or drop in without an appointment during ZZG business hours.