Well, it’s that time again. It’s Sunday night and it’s been a long week. Worked every day this week! Did have a lovely dinner at a great restaurant last night but, basically the week has been busy grooming dogs.

When I worked in NY and apprenticed with Edith Hoeltz at Canine Styles back in 1989, she drilled into me the ethic of cleaning and maintaining the grooming equipment. In those days, I used a Oster clipper that needed to be disassembled, cleaned of all dog hair that would accummulate and then oiled. All blades had to be soaked in a special sanitizing solution and then oiled. My scissors were wiped down with alcohol and then the screw mechanism was oiled. All brushes and combs had to be washed in hot soapy water and then sprayed with a dilution of bleach and water and allowed to dry overnight. The grooming table was also cleaned with the bleach solution every night. Edith was from Leipzig, Germany and treated her grooming equipment as if it was a Mercedes and I’m not kidding. She ran a very tight ship and to this day I follow that same discipline and routine. Very old school but, vital to the health and well being of dogs.

Today I use an Andis clipper that doesn’t require the same procedure as the old fashioned Oster but, I do sanitize my blades/scissors every night and wash my brushes and combs nightly and scrub down my table nightly. I try to oil my blades often so they run smoothly and effortlessly. The tackle box I store my equipment in gets washed once a week and allowed to dry thoroughly. I do this on Sunday night.

Of course, I get my blades and scissors sharpened regularly and because I have cared for my equipment like a Mercedes like Edith taught me, I can honestly say that I still have some shears and blades that I started out with 20+ years ago. Grooming is sculpting on dogs and it is essential for the equipment to be properly cared for not only for accomplishing the craft expertly but, also to be sure I am being as hygienic as possible.