Pet groomers have many tools to master. In fact, the average pet groomer uses a larger variety of tools than hairstylists for people. Unlike them, pet groomers not only bath and style a larger variety of clients but also clip and file nails, “clean” ears and de-matt. Dryers for hairstylists are pretty mundane and mostly handheld. That’s where pet groomers start! Groomers use fans, cage dryers, stand dryers and high-velocity dryers. Pet groomers use a broader selection of clippers, snap-on combs and blades. Wait a minute! How many people understand that the tools of the trade are far more complex for pet groomers than hairstylists? Very few people have that understanding without a background in pet care.
 

Never regret your investment in tools. Buy the best you can afford. Take care of your tools. According to repairpersons the number one reason for tool repairs lies with groomers not maintaining their tools or using improper procedures. The GroomerTALK™ Message Board is a great place to find contacts for expert repairs and our favorite sharpening and repair people often have very helpful websites. Based on our experience you will learn more about maintenance from sharpening and repair websites we recommend than manufacturer websites. Be sure to look for a dedicated Sharpening and Repair Forum on our message board. There are many existing discussions to review, or you can post new questions.

Perhaps your personal housekeeping habits are not so impressive, in fact, downright messy. Well that’s fine with us. But don’t be that way with your tools of the trade. You cannot properly style pets without well-maintained tools. The more disorganized and ill-maintained your tools are, the slower you will groom. Remember, time is money in pet grooming.

One day you may come to understand that $250 scissors do perform better than a $50 pair most of the time. They should last longer, feel more comfortable, perform more accurately and most important, improve your productivity. That’s right. You groom faster through efficiency. If a groomer's time is money, you earn more income when you can groom more productively. For example, we counted how many snips a skilled groomer took to groom one side of a Bichon Frise using $300 scissors. Then we counted the snips it took to groom the remaining side using a pair of $50 scissors.

It took the groomer 200% fewer snips when grooming with the more expensive, but better quality scissors. The time saved was an amazing 8 minutes. Could tools, albeit more expensive upfront, actually earn more income for you? Never forget that you are selling your time, and a groomer's time is money. If you can save 10 minutes per pet with best quality tools, that’s as much as one hour saved a day for a full-time groomer.

Besides learning how to use tools properly, realize they either work or against you. The ball is in your court because you make the decision what to buy. Then it is your responsibility to maintain their proper performance with regular maintenance. Treat your tools like precious jewels. Without them you risk delivering professional services and maintaining your productivity.

Because this report is an introductory document we are not going to spend time explaining the many tools of the trade. However, we have some wonderful documentation available only from PetGroomer.com to help organize your investment in tools by listing them tool-by-tool. It’s a great way to learn about grooming tools. We suggest you use our Daily Shopping List Planner. With it you can make a detailed shopping list not only for tools, but also equipment and supplies. Learn more about our planners in the next section.

Click the Next bone now to learn how to acquire free planners by PetGroomer.com. They are the most advanced planning tools available free anywhere in the grooming industry.