Terrier Grooming Services

A lot of people prefer to have specialists groom their terriers rather than do it themselves. Things like nail clipping and cutting is more easily done by a professional than at home and besides that, many people consider it to be an indulgence for their dogs. (Whether or not the dog cares is another matter entirely!) However, not all groomers are created equal and you may be understandably nervous about leaving your furry friend in the hands of a groomer you don’t know. There are some things you should look for when getting a groomer for yourself and that way you’ll be able to set your mind at ease.

The Groomers portfolio and recommendations

When you’re looking at a groomer, check on his or her professionalism and this includes how clean they keep their shop, themselves, their tools and their other clients. You should also be able to see a portfolio of the groomer’s work and talk to their other clients about their satisfaction with this groomer. You can also get recommendations from friends and family, though always take these with a grain of salt as you and your friends will probably have a different idea of what’s good and what isn’t. You also want to see how your dog reacts to the groomer and how the groomer reacts to the dog. Although some reluctance on the dog’s part is to be expected, your dog should not be acting terrified at the prospect of being left with the groomer.

For his part, the groomer should be relaxed and steady with the dog and not be too rushed all the time to get the job done. The groomer should always be willing to take a few minutes to go over a session with you, discuss how you want your dog to look and afterwards inform you of what happened and if there is anything to watch for. If your groomer is rushed all of the time, he may be more interested in his bottom dollar than on the care of your dog, or he might even be hiding something more sinister.

You should also check out the facilities where your dog might be kept if he’s drying or waiting for you. It should be clean, dry, warm, and perhaps have a bit of food or at least water. Make sure there are no cold drafts and that it’s an overall comfortable place for your dog to stay.

Your terriers gut instinct

Finally, always listen to your gut instinct and to your dog when you’re checking over a place. If you or your dog isn’t comfortable there, and the reason is not just because it’s new, you may be picking up on something that is best left behind. There are a lot of tiny things that you or your dog may be picking up on that isn’t immediately obvious that sets you off and these things should be paid mind. Even if it’s nothing more than not liking the groomer’s attitude or being unable to talk to him well, that should be good enough reason to leave. In time, a groomer should become a friend to your dog and a good acquaintance at least to you; if your groomer feels like he’ll turn into that person, than you’re probably going with the right groomer. If not, look for another one. It will probably take time to find a groomer who suits both you and your dog, but in the end, the results will be well worth the search!