Reasons Why Finding a Pet Groomer Can Become Difficult

By Damian Cross

Grooming your pet properly is an essential part of owning a pet. Keeping your pet under proper standards of hygiene will result in a cat or dog that is emotionally and physically healthy. Certain activities in the grooming process, such as cutting hair and trimming the nails do not only help your pet look better, but also provide for a healthier lifestyle.

It is a common scenario these days to find that pet owners are often feeling lazy to pick up the brush, or are often postponing the grooming process and only find time to play pet games with their cat or dog. Leaving this task for later will not only make your pet look like a creature from a zombie movie, but could also be the source of all sorts of illnesses and infections. Finding the right person to groom your pet can be rather difficult. Perhaps, somebody who can do the job to your liking is way outside your means. While on the other hand, a cheap groomer may end up not doing the job as he should, and even abuse the animal by not knowing how to handle him properly.

Finding the right groomer is a trial and error process. The first step when trying someone out for the first time is to check his references, verify that this person has actually received some training at handling animals. When your pet is returned to you, make sure to examine him carefully. Not only should you confirm that he has been bathed and trimmed, but also look for signs of improper handling in the neck and legs. Signs to watch out for include red spots in the skin caused by the use of a razor too close to the skin, or bruises in the neck and legs as a result of holding the animal too tight. Another sign of malpractice that borders a little bit in the extreme would be blood present in the paws caused by trimming the nails too short and hurting the cuticle.

If you believe that your pet has been subject to unnecessary pain or abuse, talk to the groomer and ask for an explanation regarding your concern. If the explanation provided does not satisfy you, you could explore other alternatives. Before running off to the authorities, consider consulting your veterinarian, who can properly fill a grievance with the proper animal protection agencies. By taking these steps you would be raising an eye from the authorities towards this person, and possibly preventing others from falling into his hands.

Groomers in general need a license to operate, pretty much the same way you need one to drive a vehicle. The same way your driver's license can be taken away for driving poorly, so can your groomer's license be revoked for mistreatment of animals. You will often find that good pet groomers have special areas of expertise. A good dog groomer for example, will tend not to groom cats and vice versa. Looking for specialized groomers that fit your budget can prove to be a helpful technique.