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Message Board Live! |
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 Vocabulary Menu
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Reference Vocabulary for
Groomers
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BATHING |
If the bathing
process is not completed
properly the stylist will
never be able to produce
their best work; it's that
important. Bathing as a word
is often used by groomers to
encompass more than
shampooing a pet in a tub.
Bathing may be used to mean
the process of preparing the
pet for the bath, the bath
process, and the process of
drying and sometimes hand
fluff-drying the pet.
Indeed, bathing may
include the "prep" work of
ear cleaning and nail filing
and clipping usually done as
part of prepping the pet for
a bath. Bathing is
usually completed by Pet
Bathers or full-charge
groomers and stylists who
groom a pet from
start-to-finish. |
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BLOCKING |
Blocking a coat on a dog is grooming procedure
that all but disappeared with the advent of
snap-on combs. Today some livestock animals
have their coat blocked, and Oster continues
to make them for cattle the last time we
checked (why hasn't someone made snap-on's for
them?).
Imagine a blade with a comb and cutter set
parallel. You skim the coat and it leaves an
even length of sculpted coat, and doesn't that
sound like using a snap-on comb?
Like all other grooming methods it took great
skill to block a coast especially when you
consider the first blocking blade/combs were
not perfected years ago. As always you need
the pet to stay very still, and we heartily
recommend the
Groomer's Helper tethering
system and wish we had back then and before.
Just as you would for styling with a snap-on
comb, the quality of undercoat removal,
bathing and fluff-drying makes the all the
difference in producing a nicely finished
blocked coat, whether with the old devices or
today's snap-on's. Leaving stray curly hairs
during the fluff drying process makes for
uneven effects when blocking or using snap on
combs.
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CARDING |
Let's let our GroomerTALK Message Board
(they're a great group) answer this question
for the most part...Carding a coat used a 40
or 15 blade where you hold the blade in your
hand with the smooth side resting against your
4 fingers. Use your thumb to push in to where
your blade would go on your clipper. Slant the
blade at the angle that you will not hurt the
pet and proceed in the direction of the hair
growth. Pull the blade at a slant in gentle
fast strokes. Try it on your arm to learn the
right pressure. You can do a whole dog, and
cats too. Don't card for more then 5 seconds
in one spot. Carding needs to be done 5 to 7
days after the 1st time, and thereafter 4 to 5
times a year. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes
to completely card a pet. Carding eliminates
extra hair the brush and comb don't get while
leaving guard hairs in good shape when done
right. Carding removes between 60 to 80% of
the shed hair after its done the hair
follicles will be disturbed for 24 hours so
there will be some hair lost. Card before or
after the bath. The Furminator does the same
thing only it has a nice handle to hang on to
and saves your hand, or you can use an old
clipper that is not plugged in. You can
purchase carding tools from various sources.
Some groomers use a stripping knife and the
raking motion described above. Be sure to
stretch out the skin and keep your wrist
straight and never irritate the skin by
pressing hard with the blade. I other words
you are using the blade more like a comb and
with great caution. |
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CAGE DRYING |
Cage drying is the
process whereby a pet is
housed in a cage and a cage
dryer is attached to the
cage blowing air into the
cage space which dries the
coat. It is not appropriate
for every hair coat as some
require brushing while they
are dried to straighten and
fluff the coat before a
final styling. Cage dryers
come with significant
warnings for proper use and
which must be heeded. Some
pet groomers choose not to
use cage dryers and only
hand-dry pets using forced
drying. |
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DEMATTING |
Dogs are constantly shedding
to different extents.
Because of the nature of
their haircoat you may shed
seemingly everywhere. Other
breeds such as a Poodle,
Bichon Frise or Afghan do
shed, but very little of the
shed falls from the animal
and instead stays below the
surface of the outer coat.
If this shed is not removed
with proper brushing and
combing it may become
matted. It can be very
uncomfortable for pets as
the dead shed can wrap
around good hairs and add
tension to the skin as if
the hair is lightly being
pulled all the time. Pets
with undercoat shed that
gets wet, such as swimming,
heavy rain or bathing, and
is not removed entirely
worsens the situation.
Groomers become expert at
dematting, it is common
but only because the pet has
not been properly and
adequately provide
maintenance grooming.
Dematting can be a very,
no VERY, uncomfortable
process for the pet and it
should never be tortuous for
the pet. Every animal has a
different tolerance level
which must be respected.
Skilled professionals know
how to manage and reduce the
stress of dematting. |
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DRY BATHING |
Sometimes a pet will become
soiled in just a spot, like
long hairs on ears dragging
into grease or oil. Rather
than bathe the area it may
effective to conduct a spot
removal of sorts with dry
bathing. There are dry
bathing products
available from grooming
suppliers which are usually
in the form of sprays or
foam. There are even some
products today that suggest
dry bathing the
entire coat. |
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FORCED DRYING |
Forced drying is a
process used in all grooming
businesses, but not
necessarily for every
grooming performed. Using
forced drying air blown
by a forced dryer hair coats
are blow-dried. Usually the
coat is continually brushed
by the groomer where the
forced drying is taking
place and in effect fluffing
and to varying degrees
straightening the coat.
Forced dryers may blow room
temperature air or have heat
settings similar to hair
dryers for humans. Forced
dryers can also be used to
blow-off excess water after
a pet is bathed and
towel-dried before other
drying techniques such as
hand-fluffing are executed. |
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NAIL
CLIPPING |
Dogs that
play regularly or exercise
outdoors on concrete or hard
surfaces may require less
nail clipping than those
that live indoors on carpet
and other soft surfaces.
Nail clipping is a very
important for all dogs as
long nails can cause
discomfort for the pet, even
painful discomfort in severe
cases. The dew claw nail can
even grow into a full circle
if not maintained and long
nails can be hazardous. When
nail clipping you
must be very careful not to
cut the "Quick" which is a
blood vessel within the
nail. Cutting the Quick can
cause pain and bleeding
which must be immediately
stopped using a professional
styptic powder. No pet
styptic powder? No nail
clipping. Remember that
dog's nails are correctly
termed "claws" but people
and groomers seem to use the
word nail and only use
"claw" when referring to
"dew claws." Always seek
professional training to
learn nail clipping.
A professional nail
clipping procedure truly
includes using an Emery
Board or similar file to
smooth rough edges of cut
nails. How many times a day
do groomers return pets with
sharps nails that scratch
their owners' arms and legs,
and worse yet, often cause
runs in women's stockings!
Nail clipping
includes a finish filing for
the professional groomer or
stylist. |
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PLUCKING |
Plucking is a very
old-fashioned grooming
procedure typically used on
wire-haired breeds. It is
not a comfortable procedure
for the pet and when used
now should only be done when
the pet is already in the
normal shedding process.
Plucking is the use of
thumb and index finger you
grasp a small amount of hair
and jerk it out. Ouch! We
don't recommend it, but you
may hear the term. |
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