A Goldsmith's Workshop by Alessandro Fei (1543-92)
Scala/Art Resource, New York. All Rights Reserved inclusive.
Look closely and you will find two well-groomed pets.
Over 400 years ago pet owners were taking care of their pets.

HISTORY OF PET GROOMING (excerpt)

Many reference materials attest to man's fondness of pets, but no books trace the origins of pet grooming. However, there are occasional references that shed light on the art of pet grooming. Ferdinand Mery, authored The Dog (London, 1970). In it, he established that dogs were first perceived as useful to man as early as 4240 B.C. Mery mentions unusual religious totems with dogs depicted in their sculpture. As centuries passed the dog eventually became commonly accepted as a pet, and is now considered "man's best friend."

In past centuries, pets have lived comfortably in the castles of Kings and Queens. They have served as working dogs in the marketplace and traveled with entertainment groups. Art from the fourteenth through the eighteenth century depicts small dogs and cats near the footstools of ladies of the Court. In other paintings small pets sit with their masters on lounges and chairs. Another shows a young man standing next to his spaniel. Frequently, the images depict larger breeds sitting on the floor next to their masters.

The Elizabethan era reveals some of the earliest historical evidence of pet grooming activity. While the method of grooming is unclear, the pets are clean and well-groomed. Perhaps groomers in the marketplace cleaned them. One such grooming in a lithograph shows a dog being sheared while sitting on a lady's lap. Women shearing dogs is also the subject of etchings.

In 17th century France, the poodle was the official dog at court. The era of King Louis XV of France reveals the first official records of dog grooming parlors. Rare books of the 19th century mention dog grooming in Europe. The Book of the Dog (Vero Shaw, 1879) refers to the existence of pet grooming in England. Specific grooming recommendations such as washing, grooming, and coat conditioning occur in Ashmont's Kennel Secrets, (Boston, 1893). Pet groomers have a historical tradition of which they can be proud.