Plastic Comb: 496 pages
Publisher: White Dog Enterprises 2004
ISBN: 0975412809

About the Author
Melissa Verplank started as a kennel assistant in 1977 and by 1979 was bathing and grooming pets in a large boarding facility. In 1983 she established a mobile grooming fleet of 6 mobile units and a salon in Grandville, MI. In 1992 the salon became The Paragon School of Pet Grooming. In 1985 Verplank became a Certified Master Stylist under 2 voluntary testing organizations. By 1990 she ranked as 1 of the top 6 stylists in the U.S. and was a member of GroomTeam USA, representing the U.S. in world team competitions. She went on to become a respected judge and speaker in industry events and functions, and helped to create the International Judges Assn. Currently she is the President and Director of The Paragaon School of Pet Grooming in Jenison, MI, and President of White Dog Enterprises Inc. and owner of Black Falcon Farms. In 2004 she returned to assist GroomTeam USA as a board member.

Book Description
There are excellent how-to groom books which all pet groomers should own but Notes From the Grooming Table is in simple words, a masterpiece. The publisher claims that the book showcases exceptional artistic representation based on the ideal, written breed standard for every breed and we agree. Not only do the instructions describe masterful grooming instructions but the line drawing illustrations by illustrator Lisa VanSweden are exceptional. Like most how-to grooming books there are few breed photographs, but the line drawings are very realistic here and including arrow pointers with grooming instructions for many of the breeds. It will be easy for the reader to imagine they are at a grooming table with their instructor taking detailed notes of their grooming instruction. We like that extra space is provided for each breed in which the reader can make additional notes of their own. Even seasoned groomers are likely to find valuable new knowledge. Verplank's commitment to produce a quality how-to grooming book and a lifetime achievement for her grooming career is clearly evident and we recommend a copy of this book for every professional groomer library.