PET GROOMER

Groomers can work in many different places. Some work in kennels. Others work in veterinary clinics or in animal shelters. Still others find employment in pet supply stores or pet shops. One thing all of these groomers have in common is their concern for appearance. Their job is to make the pets in their care look perfect—or at least as perfect as possible.

Many groomers are self-employed. They run their own grooming businesses, often hiring assistants to help them with the workload. In addition to their regular grooming duties, they must tend to business concerns like answering telephones, scheduling appointments, and paying bills. They also must keep track of their expenses, pay their employees, and keep detailed records of the pets they've seen and what was done to them in the grooming process.

The actual grooming process, when the pet is worked on by the groomer, is typically straightforward. The pet is put on a grooming table and brushed to remove any twigs, grass, or big clumps of dirt or dust. Then the groomer uses electric clippers and special grooming shears to cut the hair and a sturdy comb to untangle and pull the hair into shape. Once the hair is cut to the groomer's satisfaction, he or she then trims the animal's nails, cleans its ears, and washes it to remove fleas, ticks, and other bugs. The wash is followed by a thorough towel or blow-dry and a final clipping and styling. Some groomers will then add special powders and perfumes to make the animal smell nice. When the groomer is finally through, the pet may look nothing like it did when it walked in!

Of course, it's not always that easy. Groomers have to be very good with animals. They must be able to calm them down so they're not nervous or likely to bite. If they can earn the trust of the animal, they'll have much better luck cleaning it up. If the animal doesn't cooperate, there are other options. Sometimes a veterinarian will give the animal medication to calm it down before it goes to the groomer, or the groomer will use a muzzle to cover the pet's mouth for protection from biting.