We talk about dogs and grooming them with Suzaane Burger, an entrepreneur and co-owner of The Pet Stylist mobile dog grooming parlour.

[Martelize]:
Tell us about the concept, how does it differ from a regular stationary dog ​​grooming parlour.

[The Pet Stylist]:
The way of service delivery is changing drastically, well-known examples are Uber, Takealot, Checkers Sixty60 and online shopping.

It's about convenience, no need to drive dogs around, to drop them off and pick them up again, we come to you, it's also much more convenient for the dogs.

The traditional way of a dog grooming parlour is that the dogs are dropped off at a strange place, there they are put in a cage for the whole day until it's their turn for grooming. Around them they are exposed to restless dogs, so the whole experience of the traditional dog grooming parlour can be quite dramatic, where the dog itself is restless during the grooming session. When such dogs then have to come back for grooming at a traditional dog grooming parlour, they are already more anxious.

This is not the case at our mobile dog grooming parlour The Pet Stylist. The dogs are not driven around, they do not damage your car, they are not put in a cage or exposed to restless dogs, they are also not in a completely strange place, they are close to their environment, so the dog is not so anxious and then we are automatically in a position to make the experience enjoyable for the dogs, it is also a fairly faster process.

[Martelize]:

How does the process work?

[The Pet Stylist]:

Our mobile dog grooming parlour is fully equipped, there is a gas geyser so that we can wash the dogs with hot water, we have a shower, bath, all the clippers, hair dryers, scissors and a massive variety of brushes and combs. So when we arrive at your home, all we need is a tap, a power point and your four-legged family member.

[Martelize]:

What is the biggest dog you have ever had to groom, I wonder which is more difficult, big or small?

[The Pet Stylist]:

St. Bernards, New Foundlands. It varies and depends, if they are older dogs then they sit quite still and accept the process, if they are younger dogs, they are more energetic, so they are usually the ones who fight the process a little more.

[Martelize]:

What are the characteristics of the groomers who have to work with dogs like this, especially with a mobile dog grooming parlour and not in a fixed premises?

[The Pet Stylist]:

The team consists of two people, a washer who is also the groomers assistant and driver and then the specialist groomer, who is qualified to cut and style dogs. They also go through a solid training program at an accredited school and belong to the professional institute, namely the national pet groomers association of South Africa.

More specifically, they must have the physical ability to work, they stand a large part on their feet and then they struggle with a client who does not always want to sit or stand still.

Because we focus more on dogs that need special attention, these are now dogs that are restless, dogs that we have to handle carefully, such as older dogs that are more difficult to handle, who may also have arthritis, trauma dogs, small delicate dogs that can get hurt easily, to dogs that need to be cut in a specialized style, we must have a lot of calmness for it and be able to remain calm, we must take our time and focus on fine detail, while dogs do not always sit or stand still. We must also have leadership qualities, together with dog behavior knowledge, then dogs will hand over leadership to us, and dogs can then calm down. The reason why many people struggle to wash their own dogs at home is because, the dog is the leader at home and not the owner.

[Martelize]:

What do you think the dogs enjoy the most and also the groomers?

[The Pet Stylist]:

Dogs are different from each other, there are dogs that really enjoy being bathed and then there are dogs that really enjoy being combed out. We have a client who has a Great Dane and that dog literally can't wait for us to drive in their gate, he takes his leash, gets into our mobile unit himself, he gets into the bath himself and is then ready to be bathed.

What is also important for our groomers is, it must be their life and passion to work with dogs.

For us, we see different types of dogs with their own personality, which usually shows fully in their own comfortable area, they are not anxious like in a regular dog grooming parlour, where they then don't actually show their own true personality, it is also nice to groom dogs without them becoming traumatized.

[Martelize]:

What do you know that we don't know, when it comes to dog grooming?

[The Pet Stylist]:

Dog grooming is not just picking up a clipper and styling, it is highly specialized, the equipment is highly specialized, as are the products we use. The different types of breed styles are also highly specialized, it is not just bathing and clipping.

We also look at problems with nails, eyes, teeth, ears and skin, we not only look at the exterior but also at their anal glands, etc. Then we make recommendations to the owners.

In the background there is also a lot of administrative work, especially with our retainer clients, who of course receive a 10% discount on each service, this is now a client who is serviced a minimum of once a month at a fixed time and day with fixed services, but then appointments are rescheduled or services are changed which then causes a ripple effect for all their future appointments and can become quite administratively intense.

[Martelize]:

Advice for the owner, what should they start doing with their dogs from a young age?

[The Pet Stylist]:

Socialize your dogs when they are still puppies, there are many schools out there. Be attentive to problems on their skin, teeth, eyes, ears and nails, it can save a lot of pain for your four-legged family member as well as worry and money for you if you address a problem early.

Brush your dogs regularly, not only to reduce hair loss and to prevent mats but also so that they get used to the equipment and the feel of it on them.

There are many great books out there, The Dog Listener and The Puppy Listerner, written by Jan Fennel Canine Professional, which are about how to understand your dog and his language as well.

[Martelize]:

Great value for a dog to take good care of him through grooming. Do you think it is hygienic enough for a dog to sleep on your bed when they have been groomed by you, how often should a dog be groomed?

[The Pet Stylist]:

It is the client's decision, there are clients who prefer weekly, bi-weekly, 3-weekly and once a month. We would say dogs should be groomed preferably at least once a month.