How to select a groomer

DO all groomers need to have a diploma that they went to school for it? I would like to take Toki to a person that has studied in grooming but how would I know if they went to school? Am I suppose to ask? I don't want to offend the groomer? Are they suppose to hang their diploma and license on the wall?
The last time I took Toki to a new groomer it totally freaked me out. The place was very small and the lady that came up to me had blood on her apron. Then behind the counter girl there was a grandma siting in the middle of the room watching a black and white tv. The atmosphere was pretty freaky. I felt like I was in the movie "texas chainsaw". I didn't want to drop Toki after I saw the place but I didn't have anything to say at the time why I want to refuse to do grooming there. I ended up leaving TOki there for grooming and I made sure that he had no cuts on his body luckily he didn't have any. After that time, I have sticked with my 1st groomer. But now I thinking of changing to a new place because she's really expensive compared to others.

(Shudder) That does sound too, too weird! I'm afraid I'd just have told them I'd changed my mind, or realized that I had another appointment, or pretended my cell phone had gone off and I had to go take care of an emergency and just left. Or I might even have just said that I wasn't comfortable leaving my dog there.

You know, you might want to learn to groom Toki yourself, at least in between major trips to your good groomer. It's like most things, the cheapest isn't necessarily the best value, so if you took him once a month or every six weeks or so and did a weekly mini-grooming yourself it might be just what you want.

I do think that you should search a lot before changing grooms especially if you don't know how really they'll treat toki(if it's a grooming where you are not present).I have heard way too much about them,so i learned to groom my girl alone.
It will save you a lot of money but also you'll know that Toki will be safe in your hands.

I always groomed my last dog because he would let me but with Toki he would not even stay still if he sees me holding anything shinny. I can't even get him to stay still so I had my boyfriend help me and still no luck grooming him. I would love to groom him because his grooming expenses is way too much. I take him every month and a half and the bill comes out to $35.00 every time I take him. Toki would only let strangers groom him because his afraid of them so I was thinking about asking my neighbor to groom Toki for me. She has a miniature schnauzer that she grooms and Toki doesn't know her so there might be a chance he will stay still for her to groom. I've took him to Petsmart to get his nails clipped and that is his worst fear of all and when the groomer set him on the table he was so scared, stayed still shaking and let the groomer clip his nails so fast. I was pretty upset because only if he did that at home I would save $7. Anyone here in California orange county?hehe

I would have said oops, sorry we are out of here. Especially after seeing the blood.

I never liked leaving my dogs at the groomers place all day long and they certainly didnt like it either, the dogs that is. I found a mobile dog groomer who comes to my house and we all just love it. The dogs dont have to leave the premises and it only takes the groomer an hour per dog. I can watch as the dogs are being groomed which I dont do, but I have the option of doing so - I dont want the dogs to become anxious by seeing me while they are getting clipped. I love that there is someone in the area I live in that offers home grooming, its the best and I dont think its that much more expensive than other groomers.

I hate groomers. If you could do it yourself, it'd be great! But they behave more when it's a stranger who does the grooming because they're afraid of them! Around here, NO, they don't go to school, they just have experience doing it and some of them can be good. I'm currently looking for a different groomer because I didn't like the treatment we got from the first one. You better keep an eye on the person you're going to trust with your dog.

it's WAY to expensive out here to groom my Newfie. It would cost at least $80 each time and he really needs to be brushed almost everyday. He gets burrs outside and is always wet and his hair mats easily. If I let it go a week it's such an ordeal. Plus he's the BIGGEST baby in the world. He was as bad with knots as I was when I was a kid. I wouldn't want someone else handly him. Even when I do it VERY gently he sometimes gets upset. Pussycat.

I bought an assortment of good brushes and some good scissors. He's not a show dog so some mats just aren't worth the effort of picking out. Not with him whining all the time. He's a big dog so I don't see how it would be a problem to do a smaller one. I just sit on the floor with him and brush him while I watch tv or something. Sometimes he likes it and sometimes he doesn't.

I bathe him occassionally in the tub but our shelter also has a big bath area for dogs that the public uses. I don't know how much it costs but not much I don't think.

As for looking for a good groomer, ask as many questions as you want. It's your money paying for their service. You have a right to asks tons of questions. Who cares if you offend them. If you do I wouldn't want to take my dog there anyway. I want someone who knows what they are doing and is willing to give me my peace-of-mind about the service I am paying for. I expect that out of any business that gets my money.

Some groomers drug the dogs. Ask about that. You don't want them getting drugged for such a silly thing. Ask them what kind of dogs they own, what do they specialize in. The newest dog groomer in town owns, breeds and shows poodles so they are probably going to be better with those dogs.

There is a new product out, a conditioner, that is supposed to help slow down their shedding. There have been others before it but this is a new one. I can't think of the name. I, personally, wouldn't use it on my dogs. But if they offer that treatment to you you should research it first. I don't get how it works and think it's natural for them to shed as much as they do.

I can't think of the name but I'll post it when I do.

Saje

when you take him to the vet does he stay still when he's on the table?
If he does,then you might consider to make a board/table that is higher from the ground,that worked with prita.
You can put your hand under his chin while washing him(if you don't mind to get wet,bring him a little closer to you),also when you want to brush him,you can just give him something to chew on, toy or something.
That does the trick,Prita lets me brush her if she's paying attention to something else and not the brush.
The only thing that i haven't done,is to clip her nails,the vet told me where should i look when the nails need to be clipped,so as not to hurt her,so far her nails are good...

if you know the neighbor well,then try that as well!
Good luck!


*edited:
Oh yeah and i forgot when you want to cut his hair a little especially on the head just hold him close to you,his body attached to yours and raise his head a bit,becareful though,you need to hold him still and you'll need to be a lil fast.