Now before anyone raises their hackles at me, I am not suggesting that you take advantage of your clients. Yes, there are some hand strip breeds that only need to be‘ groomed’ every 3 or 4 months. Those are not the breeds I am referring to. I want you to think Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Miniature Pincsher, the aforementioned Chihuahua, Smooth Dachshund, most Bully breeds, etc … While they do not require haircuts, they still need a regular groom.
Anyone who has spent time within this industry will tell you that due to backyard breeders and puppy mills, these popular breeds do not always come with the best of temperaments, tolerance, or patience that is representative of the dogs we see who come from reputable breeders. While a haircut may not be required, there is still a lot of hard work involved. When marketed properly to your clients, they really do” get it” and do not mind paying the proper fee for the proper services …. at least not the clients you want. Yes, we are a service industry who typically charges by time involved, but we must not forget that the amount of work completed in a shorter amount of time can be just as invaluable.
Red, a short coated mixed breed is a part time employee of Bullet’ s own private salon. With a fur bearing coat about an inch in length, he is groomed monthly.
Lily, a client of A. B. Grooming is in bi-weekly. Though English Bulldogs never need a haircut, they can be prone to skin issues, especially in the folds of skin on the face, the tail, and the feet. Not to mention Lily weighs 80lbs … that’ s a lot of dog to bath in your own tub!
Bullet Brown began her career with pets at the age of 15 when she accepted a part-time job at a veterinary clinic and has worked exclusively with canines for more than 30 years. She spent 20 years in the veterinary field as a licensed technician before accepting an apprenticeship at a local grooming shop.
At the end of her two-year apprenticeship, she opened her own business, focusing more on quality than quantity. Despite being located in a small Southern town, she has established a highly reputable, professional business. Bullet’ s business, A. B. Grooming Services, was featured in the“ PAWsitively Posh” article from Groomer to Groomer’ s Nov / Dec 2009 issue.
Bullet has competed and placed in both breed profile as well as creative competitions, even taking the coveted title of Best Creative Groomer in 2009. She also produced the two most recognized creative grooms in the world, Zombie Poodle and Bama Poodle.
In addition to running her salon, Bullet speaks and judges internationally at both grooming and conformation shows and serves as president of the National Association of Professional Creative Groomers, the first and only organization dedicated to both the art and science of creative grooming. In 2011, Bullet was the first professional dog groomer to speak at Pet Vet Russia( formerly Zoo Russia) in Moscow as well as The DogBrands Fashion show in Kiev, Ukraine in 2013. She also writes and edits for GROOM magazine, is author of both The Science of Creative Grooming and Creative Grooming 101, writes freelance grooming and pet related articles for other publications, and established the first ever creative grooming certification program as well as the new Advanced Certified Groomer program. Bullet promotes a high level of professional education through various workshops and the highly acclaimed Professional Grooming Rally in Raleigh, North Carolina. Through the NAPCG Bullet continues to produce educational and marketing materials for established and aspiring creative groomers around the world.