Being a dog groomer isn’t solely about making a dog’s appearance look more presentable. It’s also about helping your clientele to understand the importance of internal care for their animals. Dental care can combine the two, so let’s take a look at how you should be implementing this for you and your business.
Often overlooked when someone is considering becoming a dog groomer, dental hygiene within the pet grooming world can matter so much more than one might think! As with people, it’s a crucial area of the body to take care of for a myriad of reasons, so let’s chat about why!
Imagine that you’re in your grooming salon, happily working away, when suddenly a client comes in and brings their furry family member with them. The pup shares with you an excited smile, but you can’t help but notice that their dental hygiene is less than satisfactory. Much like us, dogs also suffer when their teeth and gums aren’t looked after.
So, first off, why should you be worried about a dog’s dental hygiene?
As a pet groomer, it may fall on you to educate your clientele on why dental health is just as important for pets as it is for them. They will often come to you for information on the subject, so it’s important that you do your research.
The first thing that we’ll be talking about today is to be expected. The potential smelly dog breath can come from bad dental hygiene. As a dog owner myself, I can tell you that it’s not pleasant! The nice bonus of your dog having better breath is the most common thing that people may think of when thinking of their pet’s dental health.
Dental problems seen in dogs can also lead to some major health issues if you aren’t on top of things. As the mouth is essentially the gateway into the body, it’s not uncommon that you’ll find issues spreading throughout the body due to a lack of tooth and gum hygiene.
You won’t want a dog to get sick from an infection, so be sure to recommend that your clientele do their best to keep doggy dental hygiene at the front of their mind.
Imagine if a dog didn’t want to eat their favourite treats simply because of mouth pain or some other sickness that comes with poor hygiene. Heartbreaking!
You should be passing on the importance of all of this to your clientele, to begin with, but you may be confused as to where to start if you’re new to finding out about dental hygiene. There are so many routes that you can take to better educate yourself on the matter!
As we always mention, education is a vital part of this industry, as things are always changing and we’re always meeting new people who are looking to get involved within the industry.
From online courses to workshops and seminars, there are a huge number of ways to get a little bit of extra education within your business in the dog grooming world. Not only will this benefit you and your career, but will almost absolutely benefit your furry friends as well!
Many of these sessions and paths can demonstrate the basics of dental hygiene for dogs, help you identify the most common causes of dental issues and even help figure out the specific issues that a dog may be suffering from. Take a quick online search to see what education may be happening near you, and don’t forget that many places offer online learning too!
Take it from us, there are countless articles online, pre-recorded webinars and even simple videos on the key things to get you started. We always recommend making sure that the educator is a professional in their field, so keep an eye out for the best ones!
Don’t be afraid to reach out to any professionals in the field that you admire, or have heard people talking about a lot recently. Learning from the real pros can give you some incredibly valuable insights into what it takes to get started on dental hygiene within the industry.
We’ve spoken with some groomers over the years who have even teamed up with veterinarians to get the best info, and hands-on experience within their grooming salons.
Even if you can have a discussion with a vet on some simple things to keep an eye on, this can be a fantastic way to kickstart your dental-focused grooming career.
Keeping in touch regularly with a vet, or even having one who works within the same space as you, is one of the best ways to develop your knowledge outside of education. A hands-on approach, shadowing a vet and simply being in the environment will do wonders for your pet grooming wheelhouse!
Something that we insist on here at Total Grooming Magazine is that of investing in quality rather than something that will save you a quick couple of quid. As with all of your tools, you should be putting your all into considering what would be the best for your business. Familiarise yourself with the best quality stuff, such as the correct toothbrushes and how certain dogs may interact with them.
A little gentle brushing here and there can make a world of difference, so knowing your stuff is of the utmost importance when choosing the correct tools for the job!
We mentioned talking with professional vets and professionals before, but don’t simply rely on just that! You should be networking and chatting with people as often as you can to get the best insights on how you can improve your setup, and even share some tips of your own!
This industry is so fantastically sociable, so it would only make sense to talk to your fellow groomers as much as possible to see the best results! Start a conversation, share ideas and see what you can learn from your fellow groomers!
Lastly, remember that there is always something to learn. As technology evolves, so does the way we treat it and so does the way we learn about it. There are constantly new advances within the dog grooming world, and we encourage each and everyone one of you to keep an eye out for the next big revolutionary thing that may shape your pet grooming career!
Start your pet grooming off right in 2025 and be sure to share all of your new found dental knowledge on social media so that we can stay in touch!
