I beeped into my messages today and received a call from a dear client who moved to Southern California over 10 years ago.
She said hi ” D the G ” and it took me by surprise. Very few people know that is my nickname. Debbie The Groomer. It was so good to hear her voice but, sadly she called to tell me that dear Putty had left us on Good Friday this year. At that I started to weep.
Putty aka ” The Pea Monster” was the sweetest, happiest most joyful little Shih Tzu I have known. She was one of my very first clients when I moved to San Francisco from New York, I will always be grateful to her for supporting Kent’s Kanines in the beginning. I loved grooming her because, her Mom adored her face to be really sculpted and shaped. My scissoring expertise was always appreciated. Putty allowed me to put my scissors in the most sensitive areas of her face without any protest. She loved being groomed and of course, loved all the attention everyone would shower on her afterwards. She would just prance and dance and bark and twirl!!
I called my client that evening and it was so good to hear her voice again and I was so very grateful that after so many years she would consider me as one of the group of people in Putty’s life to share the tribute video she and her husband created. We talked for a while and remembered her with love and affection. We both cried. I am actually in the video bathing her and scissoring her face. I remember that when they moved, I was sad because I really did love Putty. She was such a special little girl.
Please click the button to enjoy this amazing, loving tribute to The Pea Monster.
When I created Scenic San Francisco Video I primary had the vision of documenting the beautiful and glorious nature that surrounds the Bay Area. It is a never ending well of possibilities.
That being said, as I was leaving work last week, a different kind of Scenic San Francisco Video content was presented to me. When I saw the man and the dogs below I just had to snap a shot. It happened all so fast that I didn’t even take a video, just a picture. As I saw them walking down the street I thought “That man looks just like his dogs and the dogs look just like the man!!” I did get the names of the dogs, Tanner and Kirby. I never got the name of the man. Too funny!!
Here is little Indie, a darling Schnauzer that I started grooming when she was 6 years old. She has lovely markings and is diminutive in size. She was referred to me by another client of mine who owns a Shih Tzu who is also very sensitive and needs just that special touch.
When I first groomed Indie, she was very scared and not secure on the grooming table at all. It was clear to me that she would need a lot of training and patience during the grooming process. She constantly leaned while on the table which of course is dangerous. I had to teach her to plant all fours securely and firmly. I was sure to put a rubber mat (the ones that have suction cups and that cover the entire bathing area) in the sink where I bath her so she would not slip and slide. This gave her more confidence to stand and not constantly try to jump out. It was clear from that very first bath that she was very sensitive around her genitals. She snapped at me when I washing her private parts so, I was sure when I went to dry and groom her that I was extra careful in that area. She really disliked the blow drying process. Undoubtedly, prior to me, a power blower was used on her head. I used a human hair dryer on a low warm setting. She allowed me to do this with little defiance. It does take longer but, it was so important for Indie to learn that I would accommodate to her needs and not just force her to accept a more powerful dryer.
She has quite soft fluffy hair and grows very quickly. I must always thoroughly pull the hair from her ears and clean them with ear cleaner so they do not get infected. She has a propensity for them due to her thick coat.
Her Mom prefers her to be groomed in a more natural less traditional Schnauzer haircut. I leave her hair longer and I do not carve out her hand quarters. The hip area blends into the leg with out any demarkation line. The challenge on her head is to blend the area that I do shave with the sides of her face and beard so that it looks natural with soft contour lines. Lots of thinning shear work.
I have been grooming her now for about 2 years and she has come such a long way! She stands squarely and securely. She doesn’t wiggle in the tub but, now enjoys the massage and attention. I use very warm water to relax her. Not hot just a tad warmer than usual. This helps her relax. She now allows me without any protest to remove the hair from her ears. I think she knows I am helping her. I groom her in a quiet space with calming music and we go into grooming Zen mode. She is very sensitive and needs a quiet and calm environment to relax.
It is so rewarding to see the transformation that Indie has made. She will always be sensitive on the grooming table but, now she can now experience the process with much more tranquility and security. All the small adjustments I made on her behalf has established a bond between she and I. She now trusts me and does not fight me to groom her.
Yes, the little Norwich featured below is named after the Princess’ sister, Pippa. She is so cute with such a sweet tight little body. Just like Pippa :).
As you will see in the ‘Before” video, Pippa was quite long and in need of a grooming. The hair on her head is still very soft and thinnish so, I must go slowly and patiently when I pluck it. My intent for her face today was to meticulously pluck individual hairs and begin to create a full round shape. Since her hair has not developed a thick/coarse coat on her head yet, I did not want to completely remove everything not only for aesthetic reasons but, also to protect her skin. Pippa is learning to accept this process and is very sensitive to plucking. Each time I groom her, she is learning what to expect, the rhythm of my hands and voice and most importantly to be patient and polite while she is on the grooming table. She is still a baby and maturing. What’s most important in the beginning is that the hand stripping sessions are calm and as stress free as possible.
Her saddle is developing nicely. She is a beautiful red and it’s great fun to transform her from a scruffy girl into a Norwich Princess! Altogether it took three hours to finish her. When she became a little antsy, she would have a break, run outside in the backyard like a whirling dervish, go potty and relax a little. By allowing her a break, she recharges, stretches her muscles and is ready and willing to continue the stripping/plucking process. This process begins a bridge of trust between us.
I plan to return to groom her again in month. Constantly pruning a hand stripped coat is key so a thick coarse structure/”jacket” is created. It takes years sometimes. Dogs’ coat often don’t fully mature until they are 2-3 years old.
Soon she will become a princess in her own right!!!!
I worked in Corte Madera and Mill Valley today in Marin County north of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a beautiful and warm day. After work. I then had to drive south to Pacifica in San Mateo to drop paperwork at my bookkeeper. As I was driving on Pacific Coast Highway 1 the sun was setting. There is short stretch down a steep slope that hugs the road overlooking the Pacific Ocean that is just breath taking. The sun was setting and I knew just the spot to take the video below if I could make it in time.
I do spend time in Pacifica because I have a number of clients there, my vet and bookkeeper are also there. As I was driving, racing against the clock hoping I would land at the boardwalk in the video just as the sun was hitting the horizon. I made with seconds to spare!
The weather was crisp and cold and windy, so different from Marin County. I am still amazed at the microclimates here. It was a lovely way to end the day after a full day of home dog grooming. Embracing nature is always restorative.
In all my years as a groomer, I have never used color on a dog. Not even for fun on my own dogs. But when I was called to groom a little sweet, sweet Maltese a month ago and was asked if I would use color on her I said I would love to do it. I know that in the Grooming Competition world this category is huge but, I just never had tried it. So, my first foray into dyeing Diamond was definitely something new for me and I used a product called Manic Panic. Very safe and really no different than using a deep conditioner. It requires a thorough application so the dye covers each strand. Of course, I was very careful about her eyes and mouth area. I used latex gloves and gently massaged the product into her coat. The first go around was good, a little neon but, quite nice.
When I came back to groom her again and refresh the color I changed the products to Queen of Color by Dawn Omboy. I even had a conversation with Dawn at her shop in Georgia to discuss the process and procedure to gather as much information from the expert. She was very helpful and took time out of her grooming schedule (she owns a very busy grooming business too) to give me some tips. I used Violet Crush and applied the product with my hands as well as using a human hair color applicator brush. This made applying the color around her face really easy and safe. She behaved perfectly and just sat in the sink with a rubber mat as I moved through the process.
When I first groomed Diamond the hair above her eyes and behind the top knot had been cut very short. She was left with a little thin top knot that she kept rubbing out so, I asked permission if I could remove the top knot altogether and even out the hair on her head. I was given the green light to do that. By next month the hair on head will have grown enough for me to continue shaping and evening it out. She is only 8 months old and has a beautiful coat and really behaves so well during all phases of grooming.
The entire process was fun and interesting to do and working on such a sweet and obedient dog always makes my job a joy!
One of my clients was invited with his Welsh Terrier Tobey to share in some Christmas cheer last year at a friends house.The friend had a little girl whom Tobey just adored. The little girl and Tobey became immediate BFF’s and hung out all day in the tent featured in the photos below. I think they even had a tea party. My client immediately went to Ikea and bought the same tent for Tobey since he had so much fun in it. It is set up in Tobey’s living room right now and after his grooming/handstripping he immediately retired to his tent with his toy!
In 25 Years of home dog grooming, I have never seen a human size carnival style tent in a living room. When my client comes home from work he and Tobey “play and talk” in the tent. As I write this I am completely cracking up! I love all the things we do for and with our dogs.
Basil, a Kent’s Kanines Model and absolutely darling Cavalier King Charles Spaniel past away. It actually happened last fall but, I needed some time to pass before I wrote a blog post on Diary of a Dog Groomer. She was very special to me for many reasons but, mainly for her courage and determination to live for so many years. She was 13 years old and for the last 4 years of her life she struggled with a disease called Syringromyelia. It is a genetic neurological disorder prevalent in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I had been grooming her for years prior to first symptoms of the disease. Overtime her spine began to curve and lock at the withers. Inspite of the deteriorating affects of this condition, she was always so happy to see me and bark and dance. Basil was such a love. As she got older and the curvature became more pronounced and caused her discomfort, her owner and I would work as a team to give her a haircut on my grooming table. Her “Mom” would support her with both hands as I would use my clippers and scissors to make her as beautiful and pretty as possible. As you will see in the pics below, I would even get on the carpeted floor where she felt secure to trim her ears so they would be even.
In memoriam to Basil, I asked Michael Daigian www.michaeldaigian.com, a terrific San Francisco floral designer to create a floral arrangement to honor Basil. He used the photographs showcasing Basil on kentskanines.com gallery 10 for inspiration. The arrangement was fantastic and when my client called me to say thank you we both cried. Basil was caramel, white and black with flowing gorgeous hair and the flowers chosen were a perfect representation of her beauty! I also received such a sweet note thanking me for my service to Basil over the years. The front of the card is a picture of an oil painting of Basil painted by a California artist, Nikki Solone www.nikkisolone.com. See how the flowers captured Basil’s beauty?
Basil was a dream to groom and I do miss her happy and jubilant spirit.
I shot a number of videos during the Christmas season and this is one of them. I know it’s a little past due but, I have finally carved out some time to upload some blog posts.
Birdie is a lovely, sweet little girl. She was bred by Betty Ann Stenmark in Woodside,CA the foremost authority on Dandies. She is about 2 years old now and is blossoming into a lovely dog. She lives with a Clumber Spaniel and a Terrier mix (pictures below) that are terrific. They too will put a smile on your face. Birdie is full of play and joyfulness and is now attending obedience classes with much success. As you will see she stands very well and is quite the pro at grooming. She is so tolerant and patient when I gently hand pluck her eye area and ears. She just closes her eyes and completely surrenders to the process now. I am very proud of her.
Below are before and after videos and a few pics of her and her buddies.
Well, my beloved Sven a 1986 240GL Volvo sedan has made a milestone. The odometer read as of 2/6/13 350,006 miles. This is the only car I have ever owned. No GPS, no bells and whistles. Sven does have power steering, electric windows and I upgraded the stereo system years ago. But basically he is a tank. One reliable guy. We have traveled all over the Bay Area together for 20 years now. I knew nothing about cars when I came to California from Manhattan in 1993. My parents never owned a car, no need in New York and I truly never cared about cars. But, when one moves to car country one must do as the romans do. California is the land of cars. I still know nothing about cars and completely surrender my power to my mechanic, Victor, who is so terrific. He will always rearrange his schedule to help me knowing how I depend on Sven to groom all my clients’ dogs.
Sven still has the original engine believe it or not! I did have to replace the transmission years ago and most recently an engine harness and of course, minor things but he still runs beautifully. I never thought I would still have him but, I cannot even imagine driving another car. I get him detailed regularly. I even have the engine steam cleaned every two years too!! I will go into a supermarket to buy groceries and when I come out there will be a little note under the windshield wiper asking if “ever I sell my car to call this number, PLEASE.” It always makes me smile. Yes, I would like a groovy, brand new, totally tricked out vehicle but, until he takes his last breath, I will drive him proudly. We are a team!
HO HO HO. As of the End of October I still had not come up with an idea for my 2012 Christmas card. When I was asked to groom a dog at the Del Valle Dog Show this fall I found a booth Wagging Tails Portraits www.waggingtailportraits.com selling terrific hand painted items. I knew at that moment I would have one created of one of my dogs and use it in my Christmas card somehow. I placed the order in the beginning of November and would receive it beginning of December so, I had a month a figure out what to create. What about a green background? Thankfully, I have a talented web master Chadwick Swenson www.webswenson.com who I gave this idea to and he came back with the fabulous pin needles design! I loved it. By the way, this was all created virtually. Chad was in school in Oregon and I was in San Francisco. I am still amazed by the internet!
The portrait is of one of my dogs, Niblet, a 12 year old black and tan Pomeranian. He is the mascot for Kent’s Kanines and is featured in two videos, Kent’s Kanines Makeover Madness and the Kent’s Kanines Welcome Video. As many of my friends and family know, he has been very ill since June of 2010. He has battled liver disease, a bladder stone, a collapsed trachea and bronchial decline. He has seen many vets, had multiple medication protocols but, he is still the energizer bunny! His will to live is amazing and still loves to eat his meals ( home cooked of course) go for short walks and give lots of kisses. He is still such a jubilant and happy dog. I thought I would honor him on my Christmas 2012 card!
The dog featured in the video below is Skippy, a Golden Doodle that was referred to me by another client of mine. Normally, I do not groom very large dogs now but, I do make exceptions especially, if the referral comes from a long time client. Skippy just turned one year old at the end of November and was trained specifically for therapy needs. He arrived at his new home at the beginning of September and was only groomed once during the last three months. When I saw him his coat was probably at least 4 inches long.
He had been going with a dog walker to the beach daily and romping in the lovely San Francisco Bay and getting soaked with water and sand. After that, he was rinsed off to get rid of all the sand and allowed to just dry. So, over time his coat became completely matted.
So, what’s a groomer to do?? He is absolutely adorable and so well mannered due to his training and I debated with myself could I rescue this coat. His coat was one solid mass of felt at 4″long! The owner ask me not to shave him if at all possible so, after spending some time with him to determine if his disposition would be commensurate with the dematting process, I agreed to proceed. Thankfully, I had access to an extra bathroom in which to work and go into Zen dematting mode. I gave Skippy the command to lie down and he obeyed beautifully. I gently rolled him on one side on my large breed grooming table and he basically went to sleep as I methodically scissored every 1/4″ of his coat and then picked apart the felted matted coat with my slicker brush. The first session took over 4.5 hours. I accomplished his entire body except his neck the first day. On the second day, I proceeded to complete dematting his neck (video below) which took 2.5 hours. This was extremely tricky and dangerous. It takes great concentration and patience. Not a mark was left on him after I was finished.
After completing his neck. I thought it best though to stop and allow Skippy to rest and also allow me to re-group after such a labor intensive session. So, bright and early the next morning at 9AM, I arrived to complete his grooming another 3 hour session. I could completely get a groomers comb through every inch of him prior to the bath. In between his toes, the backs of his feet, inside his thighs, the base of his tail, his entire ears and neck, every inch of him. It was truly an accomplishment considering that only two days prior his fur was so, so matted. I bathed him, dried him and hand scissored his entire body to even out his coat.
Hopefully, the small demonstration of my method of dematting in the video below will show that even in what would be considered a case to shave a dog, that the coat can be saved with time, patience, determination and kindness and love.
Golden Doodles have very special grooming needs if one keeps the hair any longer than an inch. In my opinion, the glory of this dog/breed is their beautiful, unusual coat that is best presented when the coat is at least 3-4 inches long. Like a big teddy bear! It does require maintenance between professional groomings i.e.: brushing and combing thoroughly (100%) prior to any bathing, drying thoroughly and brushing and combing (with a slicker brush and groomers comb) after the bath. And of course, brushing and combing at least 2 times a week to keep the coat mat free. This breed does require work but, it’s worth it. When a Golden Doodle is groomed religiously, the results are spectacular!
I am hopeful that in two months Skippy’s coat will have grown in and he will be magnificent!
ps. Since I have published this post on dematting I have received many emails thanking me for showing my dematting technique. I have even received emails from other groomers who never thought to demat in this way! I never use a dematting knife or dematting rake; those tools pull on the dog a lot and make the process quite stressful. (Believe it or not, one of newest clients, a Havanese was dematted with an Exacto Knife by another groomer which caused an injury that required 20 stitches). I learned my technique from my mentor, Edith Hoeltz in New York when I apprenticed at Canine Styles in 1989. Of course, there are times when the coat or an area ie: genital area or behind the ears are so matted that I must use a clipper with a very close blade to gently and gingerly remove the mat but, if I can use scissors and gently brush and comb the area, I will do that first. I try to save the coat not only for aesthestic reasons but, also because I believe dogs prefer to have their fur and be in a natural state and not be embarrassed with being shaved.
