Dog Grooming Basics 101 for Pet Groomers

GROOMING BASICS 101 ARTICLE

Madson's Humane Bath Procedure

The following article is for general information only and not intended to serve as professional training nor replace professional training. We strongly advise professional training for every new groomer before they offer grooming services to pet owners. Based on our experience your charging fees for grooming services is legally interpreted that you are the expert in grooming, and not the pet owners you serve. Thereby you accept the risk of being responsible for the services you provide. You are responsible to interview every pet owner you serve to ensure that your services are not only aesthetic, but safe and appropriate for their pet. You are also responsible to disclose to each pet owner any and all risks your procedures may involve to their pet. Professional grooming requires professional training. Click for training opportunities. We wrote the Pet Care Services Brochure and Pet Groomer's Report & Health Alert in the book From Problems to Profits to exemplify one example of the disclosure process for a professional groomer. Remember, every pet owner you serve is putting their faith and trust in you. Get the professional training required of a professional groomer.

In 1961, Madeline Bright Ogle was already developing the early progenitor of what today is known as "Madson's Humane Bath Procedure." Simply put there were no published bathing procedures at the time she opened Madeline's Pet Grooming Salon, and for many years thereafter. In 1989, Madeline included the bathing procedure in her business manual, From Problems to Profits - The Madson Management System for Pet Grooming Businesses, and its revised and updated 1997 edition.

Madeline Bright Ogle, President, Find A Groomer, Inc.

Even today experienced groomers and business owners taking the time to produce written how-to grooming materials and standards of operation are rare, and they should be highly-appreciated for the important contributions they are making to uplift the professional recognition of the the grooming industry. That is why we encourage everyone to support grooming trade magazines, associations, schools, educational and trade show service providers, and to build a professional library.

Because From Problems to Profits is a how-to manage book, and not a how-to groom book, it may seem strange that she would include her bathing procedure in the manual. Actually, it's easily explained. Madeline knew that the core of every grooming, whether a bath-only service or a complete trim and bath service, is a proper, safe bathing procedure followed by an attended hand-fluff blow dry procedure.

To ensure this message reached every employee, Madeline always included a copy of her bathing procedure in her business' Employee Handbook. Even receptionists knew that the quality of her bathing procedure was something of unique value that set Madeline's services apart from other grooming businesses, and they could provide that important to new and regular clients.

Since From Problems to Profits includes a "generic" version of Madeline's Employee Handbook in the Appendix, it was only natural that she include a her bathing procedure. For the first time the grooming industry was treated to a truly professional bathing procedure in print, and backed by decades of proven field experience.

Today, Madeline continues to refine the procedure for her consultation and workshop clients, and schools of grooming that license and teach the most complete version of the procedure. Better yet, we are presenting a special version of Madson's Humane Bath Procedure for PetGroomer.com visitors here for the first time.

Madson's Humane Bath Procedure
Excerpt Only

PRE-BATH PROCEDURES

1. First, review the pet's filecard for special care warnings. See if special pet handling indicators have been marked and described. Provide a few moments of pet massage to calm anxious pets. If the pet is aged, ill, or disabled handle them cautiously. Proceed with the bathing procedure only when you completely understand all pet care information alerting you to the pet's need for special care, and how it affects the bathing of the pet. If you have any questions, immediately contact the bathing supervisor. If you are working alone, discover the information you need before proceeding further.

2. If a veterinarian has prescribed special treatment review the instructions. If you have any questions about the instructions or providing a special treatment bath, contact the bathing supervisor before you proceed further, and always before bathing the pet. If you are working alone, call the veterinarian's office for clarification as needed and before proceeding further. If the pet owner has not provided written instructions from the veterinarian for the prescribed special treatment, obtain them by calling the veterinarian's office before proceeding further. When the bath is completed, place the treatment in a secure storage area until it is returned to the pet owner, or it is finished groomed.

3. Remove all collars, if not already removed when the pet was checked-in for its grooming appointment. Warning: Flea collars are toxic when wet and pose a serious danger to pets.

4. Clean and deodorize ears. Insert cotton to prevent water from entering the ear canal.

5. Clip nails and dew claws. File them smooth.

6. Soak, and carefully remove encrustations around the pet's eyes with warm water only. Place a drop of sterile eye lubricant in each eye as extra protection from unintended splashes of soapy water.

7. Clean and sanitize the drying counter now where the pet will be dried after bathing.

BATH PROCEDURES

Note: Bathing the head is the most uncomfortable portion of a bath procedure for most pets. They feel less anxious, and more secure, when they can freely see what is going on around them, and control their own head movement. Therefore, completely bathe the head first, and then proceed to bathe the body. By doing so, the pet is more likely to be at ease during the longer time it will take to thoroughly bathe the body.

1. Test the water temperature before wetting the pet. Use only warm water.

2. Do not force anal gland expulsions and do not perform them with long fingernails. Report any unusual secretions.

3. If you are providing a veterinarian prescribed medical treatment, follow the veterinarian's written instructions for its proper application and rinse.

4. Carefully bathe, de-flea (if indicated), rinse, and towel dry the pet's head first. Avoid solutions in the pet's eyes by applying them at least an inch from the eyes and working the suds outward. If you are not using a mechanical shampoo distribution system, using a sponge to apply a shampoo works well. Dip the sponge in a container of shampoo, lightly squeeze out excess that would normally drip off while lifting the sponge to the pet, and then apply sponge to body area being washed. Squeeze shampoo out of sponge onto that area. Replace sponge in container and use hands to bring shampoo to lather. Never allow a pet to lick the shampoo around its mouth area, body areas or surface areas in the tub.

5. When the pet's head is finished, towel dry it. Continue to bathe, de-flea (as indicated), and rinse the pet's body. If the rinse water is very dirty, or red with dead fleas, a second shampoo and thorough rinse is usually necessary.

6. When applying a veterinarian prescribed treatment required to stay on a pet for a specified amount of time before rinsing, wrap the body of the pet in dry towels to keep it warm and prevent its taking a chill. If the treatment time is 10 or more minutes, it may be more productive to remove the pet to a secure, warm area in the bathing area awaiting its final rinse. During this time, another pet bather can bathe another pet, and then you can return the pet to the tub for its final rinse. Maintaining its warmth and security during the treatment absorption period is vital.

7. Support the pet with at least one hand at all times to prevent it from slipping. Be alert and watch for pets that want to jump out of the tub.

8. Keep shampoo, flea dip, and other treatments away from the pet's eyes and ear canals. Do not leave solution containers in or near the tub where a pet might drink from them.

9. Do not allow the pet to stand in soapy water (a necessary prevention when the bathing tub is not equipped with a special tub floor insert that raises the entire pet above the run-off water line). Rinse the feet last to completely remove all draining residues. Make sure all dead fleas and ticks have been removed.

10. Remove cotton from the ears before drying the pet.

11. Never leave the pet unattended for any length of time! In an emergency, remove the pet from the tub, wrap them in dry towels for warmth and chill prevention, and place them in a "holding" lodging space (cage), and then proceed with emergency instructions.

DRYING PROCEDURES

1. All pets are to be fluff-dried with a blow-dryer, and never cage dried. If bathing or drying must be temporarily discontinued, cover the pet with enough dry towels to avoid chills and place them in a holding cage until you return, and notify your supervisor.

2. Never allow pets in the drying area to be close enough to reach each other. Pets of different owners should never physically interact to ensure complete safety from dogfights.

3. Dry aged. ill, disabled or other special care pets on a warm setting only. Provide anxious pets with a few moments of pet massage as needed.

4. Return completely bathed and fluff-dried pets to their sanitized lodging space (cage) with a clean, dry towel placed on the floor of the lodging space.

5. Complete the pet's observation report documentation with bathing and special care information, and present it to the manager for approval as required. Ensure that veterinarian prescribed treatments are placed in secure storage for retrieval when the pet owner returns.

6. Record all pertinent observations on the Madson Pet Groomer's Report and Health Alert form for each pet groomed.

Madeline and her bathing supervisor employees trained every groomer to follow Madson's Humane Bath Procedure, and even suggest improvements. Your bathing supervisor should be responsible to oversee that every pet bather properly executes the procedure at all times. In this way, Madeline's Pet Grooming Salon never had a single bathing accident. You can use this system if you like in your grooming business and perhaps adapt it to meet your standards of operation.