Friday... Sparkly and Soothing!

...but not at the same time, haha!

Today began with the day long seminar on creative grooming. Angela and Lori touched on topics ranging from Blo-pens, dyes, glitter glue, and braids. It inspired me to pick up a tube of Davis Glitter Glue. Wait until I get back home and get Xavier on the table!

Our friend from the Internet Social, Sharon, joined me in exploring how much fun you can have with dog hair. We ate at Bear's Den for lunch and both spent some money at the trade show! At first, the floor sounded and felt very quiet; as the day went on, things started to get nutty. Gotta love that trade show excitement!

I stopped by the Wahl booth and talked with Lisa Leady for a bit. She says cat grooming is easy money, but you still can't pay me enough to do it. More power to the cat groomers, I say! Somehow we got on the topic of my dog being a couch potato. When I told her that we stay more fit in the winter from running through the snow, all she could say was "You really ARE backwards!" Yep, I revel in it, haha!


"Ooooooo!"

Getting back to the creative seminar, we got to watch as a Chinese Crested was decked out in glitter for the h
olidays, a Schnauzer got rhinestones and a ghost pattern put on her back. The main attraction, however, was the "Poodlington" - a gorgeous standard rocking the Bedlington style. Sophie was the model for a flower and fish on one side, and a pumpkin--with her tail as the stem--on the other.

Flower, fish, and pumpkin-butt!

Dyeing seems like a lot of work, but it's well worth it, especially if the color holds the way you want it to. Hair swatches for each client really is a great idea! The final product was amazing; each shape was carved and penned to real artistic beauty. They even put sparkles on the fish! Ahh, those final touches really make a dog stand out, no? As a treat, someone brought in a longhaired Shih Tzu. Braiding patterns is something I'd definitely like to try. Hopefully the clients will remember to remove them before they get tangled and matted!

After the seminar was over, they were announcing the results of the Poodle competition. After a brief "Hi!" to Judge Joey, I met up with Sunny, Terri, and Debra, who were rooting for Novi. His Poodle looked gorgeous: crisp, curvy... groomed to a T, really. When the judge announced, "I hope I'm not butchering this..." we knew that Novi won the Level 1 Poodle class. Congrats are in order Novi, truly a job well done!

Novi wins!

Before going to my next seminar, I decided to stop at the Cocoa Beanery and get a bagel; Bear's Den was packed. As I reached for it, I heard a familiar voice...
Lisa: That is NOT a good dinner!
Me: Well, hey... I've survived on worse, I went to college! I've survived on Doritos and pop, and look at me! I'm as skinny as stairway railing!
Lisa: Yeah, someone really ought to throw you a sandwich.
Me: Or two.
Lisa: Or three.
Me: Now THAT is crossing the line!
Sorry I almost made you spit your latte all over the place, Lisa :)

On my way back up to the room to drop off some purchases, I ran into Jay Scruggs in the elevator. He's very personable, as we began talking like we've known each other for a while. Sue Zecco is overseas, so sadly they have no booth this year. He was glad that I was enjoying the expo, and chuckled when I told him about the Davis Glitter Glue... somebody is going to get sparkly paw prints when I get home!

The canine massage class was very informative. Lead by former Groomer Has It contestant and fellow Ohioan Sherri Shinsky, we covered the basics of dog anatomy, the do's and don'ts of massage, and introductory touches. I might try these on Xavier before I cover him in bling.

The last class let out early, so I am writing this now; by the time I am done jumping around in costume at the Wild Wild West party, I won't want to write! Stay tuned tomorrow for more details...

Off to a Good Start!

Groom Expo 2010 kicked off today to an excellent beginning! Sadly, Debi wasn't able to make the trip. Tosha and I have been doing it big in her honor.

This morning, I got to say to Lisa Leady as well as Novi. I wish him all the best in his competition... GO NOVI!!

We met up with a girl named Vanessa; she and Tosha ended up going to the same shampoo and breed classes. I went in the direction of ethologist Susan Bulanda. I feel like I got a complete mental workout. All of the information we covered involved science-based reasoning as to how dogs interact with the world and why they do it, as well as a few reasons why we interact with our dogs in the ways we do! It was a real breath of fresh air for me; lately I've felt as though I'm beginning to disconnect with my ethological roots. Sometimes a good reminder like this is exactly what you need to put everything back into perspective. Many thanks to Susan Bulanda, the seminar was phenomenal in so many ways.

Afterward, I met Tosha and Vanessa at the Hershey Grill. Chocolate butter bread and turkey tenderloin - delicious! Once we were finished with our dinners, it was off to the Internet Social. I was happy to see Dawn Omboy and Ellen Ehrlich again, plus some new friends. This year's raffle was not the lucky star it was for me last year, but I did come out with some prizes: a breathe-easy mask and a pillow that Ellen made. So comfy and cute!

Dawn Omboy hosts and hands out prizes at the Internet Social!

Today was a great introduction of things that are still yet to come. Walking by the vendors setting up gets you a sense of electric excitement that can only come from the world's largest grooming trade show. Off to bed soon, tomorrow's gonna be huge!

It's That Time Again...

...Groom Expo is just one day away!

I'm already in Hershey. Doing it big this year, as today is also my birthday - there was no way I was driving instead of celebrating! Today I'm hitting up the Chocolate World, then meeting Tosha and Debi for dinner at Bear's Den. After we get settled into our room and try to sleep--the excitement's gonna make it hard--it's showtime!

Stay tuned for direct reports from Groom Expo 2010! For now, see y'all in Chocolate World!

The Odyssey of Heath the Poodle... or "Bowser the Schnauzer"

A lot of the grooms I do come from pampered pets, and others are done for rescue dogs. Each and every one holds a special place in my heart. Recently, when the shelter got a Poodle surprise, I took one little guy to a whole new dimension of style. Just how much can one groomer do with a Poodle, anyway?

Two weeks ago, I went to the shelter for my weekly rescue groom. Alyssa, our director, came running up, excited about something. I knew that it wasn't going to be an ordinary day! Seventeen miniature Poodles were rescued from a puppy mill bust; some went to get groomed, but eleven fell under my care. And so began what we dubbed as Poodle-Palooza, a two-day event of mats, grime, shave-offs, and compassion!

Only one Poodle got styled that weekend. The apricot one I dubbed Pooka was one of only three with halfway decent coat, and was scheduled to be fostered that night. I put him in a manly German trim. As for the others, they were matted beyond saving, and there were several that had corded. With the help of my German Red clippers (now known as the B.F.G.), all of the Poodles were freed from their hairy straight jackets. Some topknots were saved, some came off with the body coat. One stood out from the rest: a little male Phantom Poodle. While I couldn't save his topknot, the hair on his face was in good shape. I left it to see if there might be something I could do for him.

Originally, Poodle-Palooza was to be a three-day event, with baths and styling on the last day. However, all of the Poodles went to foster homes early. Boo. I had ideas for styles on the ones with some coat left, and they were all gone. I also thought of the Phantom boy.

Fast forward to this past weekend. Who's waiting for me in one of the kennels? None other than the Phantom boy! Now designated Heath, the little rascal was sitting quietly in his kennel, looking like a ragamuffin. Suddenly I bubbled with excitement - there was one that I could still work on! I decided to make him look like a little Schnauzer; the hair on his face was still in good shape, and I figured I could fashion eyebrows and a beard out of it.

Heath was very shy at first, slowly climbing into my arms, then whining in the tub a little. Once he was dry and saw the clippers, he immediately relaxed. Must've remembered how good he felt after his last encounter with them! At least this time I didn't need to take a #10 blade or shorter to him! He grew quickly; I used a #6 to set his pattern and still got quite a bit of hair off. Now Heath was starting to gain some confidence, barking at passers-by. "Get out, it's MY turn!" he seemed to shout, haha!

As I was finishing him up and putting the final details on his head, one of the other volunteers walked in. He howled at her, definitely playing the part of a Schnauzer! I asked, "Doesn't he look like a Schnauzer?"

To which she responded, "I didn't know we had a Schnauzer! Is he up for adoption?"

I had to chuckle. "This isn't a Schnauzer. He's one of the rescue Poodles!"

Honestly, I was proud of myself for doing such a good job on him. Nothing about the cut said Poodle. A second volunteer came in and declared him "Bowser the Schnauzer." Afterward, we sang The Look to him, because he definitely had it! There wasn't anyone who saw him without cracking a smile. Plus, he was prancing and waving his paws all around joyfully; he knew he looked good!

It really IS amazing what you can do with a Poodle!

Give Yourself a Happy Face

There's been a lot of talk around here about behavior and handling, a subject I'm very passionate about. I picked up a fully engrossing book about clicker training called Reaching the Animal Mind. Author Karen Pryor shares her experiences working with animals using non-aversive training. I'm about halfway through the book. There hasn't been too much mention of using positive reinforcement with humans, other than kids teaching ponies to surf. Yes, you read that right! It got me wondering if +R could really be effective on humans, and then it hit me: I was the recipient of +R training, and at a very young age!

1991 meant entering the first grade. Mrs. Thompson had the foresight to understand the importance of proper spelling; teaching us to get high marks on our papers was her passion, and she knew just how to do it. The first few weeks were very easy words. She read down the vocabulary list, and we wrote what we heard. We checked our papers all together, one word at a time. "If you got that one right, give yourself a happy face!" Wow! What kid doesn't like happy faces, especially in exchange for a good job? "If you didn't get it, don't do anything." Oh no, not nothing, anything but that! Six-year-old kids just crave attention! I remember the elation and frustration of my classmates, as well as my own, depending on how we answered. Everyone really wanted those happy faces! We turned our papers in, and she gave us a grade.

Here's how it worked: the happy face was the marker, similar to the clicker, to let us know we did the right thing. The grade was the reinforcer, the payoff, the result of getting happy faces. With everyone wanting the happy faces so badly, the grades stayed high.

After a few weeks, Mrs. Thompson collected our papers immediately after we were done. They got graded and handed back. No more happy faces? That's just fine. Mrs. Thompson phased out the markers and went straight to the reinforcer. After we fully associated the marker with the reinforcer, the happy faces were no longer needed; we understood the importance of the grade, and our test scores remained high. How do I know this? She posted them on the halls for everyone to see. Parents and other teachers were impressed. This is what a true trainer of +R does: the markers don't become a permanence, and eventually the reinforcer is phased out as well. This is when real learning takes place.

So then, the skeptics will ask, why isn't everyone still a perfect speller? The answer is simple: the reinforcer, the grade, suddenly became the fastest route to unpopularity. Learning wasn't the "cool" thing to do from a social standpoint, so kids misspelled words frequently, and on purpose. It still continues today: just look up any teenager's Myspace page! If you're an English major like me, you might just feel disgusted. However, sharing a laid-back attitude towards proper spelling--peer pressure--is now the reinforcer. Since I didn't give a lick about popularity, my spelling remained excellent. Thanks Mrs. Thompson, wherever you are!

The above is an example of just how complex behavior patterns can be, yet how easy it can be to create and change them. Animals are nowhere near as complex as we are, so most anyone can get a handle on what +R is all about. Give it a try! Teach your dog how to dance, show your cat how to wave hello, have your gerbil press a lever... and if you do it successfully, give yourself a happy face :)

Doggie Daze Are Here Again!

Every year at the shelter, we host an event known as Doggie Daze. It's a time for reunions and fun for humans and canines alike. We usually see a good amount of our former shelter dogs come back for a visit, and get to meet some new faces too! The event grows every year, and 2010 proved to be no exception!

New to Doggie Daze this year was a bounce-house; a dollar got you fifteen minutes of airtime. Also, we collaborated with other rescues to bring even more awareness to homeless animals. Not only did we get several dog rescues to set up tents, but a farm animal sanctuary also showed up with chickens. There was even a llama from a local llama farm!

Vendors lined the hall with various doggie products. One could find everything from treats to training to boarding services. A Chinese auction took center stage with some wonderful gift baskets up for grabs. One table in front of that hosted some demonstrations, including mine - all about grooming, of course! Last year, only a few people came to see me talk about grooming tools. I was excited to see a small crowd come into the hall! Granted, they came and went, but I had some time for questions afterward. Even if I only reach a few people, that's a few more people than not!

The big excitement came in the morning, when I rocked my Rainbow Brite Cocker Spaniel suit from last year's Groom Expo. Seemed like everyone was drawn to me, the giant dog, and couldn't wait to make a donation! Those who had only a few large bills came back to drop a few bucks in my donation jar. Only one dog was truly afraid of me, but only because she was waking up from a nap and not really sure of what was going on. Imagine waking up to a strange ten-foot person - yikes! And yes, only one Labra-doodle tried to sniff my butt, haha!

After walking around for two hours, I raised $74 for our animals! Not too bad, especially considering the bounce house pulled in just $44! The humans was entertained, I had fun, the animals got a little extra money towards their well-being... everyone won today! Seeing as how I practically got my start from bathing the big hairies, as well as adopted my Xavier there almost two years ago, I'm honored to give a little something more to our organization. The fur will continue to fly in the grooming room as long as I'm in town - I love my shelter!

Alyssa (the dog director) and I outside the hall

Rock on!!

For more information about our shelter, visit our website at angelsforanimals.org

I Got Bit...

...by the creative grooming bug! HA!

Last week, TLC aired Extreme Poodles, a documentary following the creative groomers at Groom Expo Pasadena. To watch the incredible amount of skill put into each dog, to catch a glimpse of the dye work, to witness each scissor snip, was an absolute thrill! We talked about it at work all week long!

On Friday, a mini Poodle came in. The family had buzzed a spot on her back where she scraped herself. Looking at it, I thought I could clip it into a star. Dad just said it would grow back in, no biggie. Boo. The shape stuck in the back of my mind, and I knew that in the coming days I was going to put a star on someone...

...and then it was Saturday night. I had Xavier up on the table for a routine card and de-shed. I looked at one spot on his thigh and said to him, "Let's try!" About a minute later, Xavier boasted a star in his coat!

They say dogs like to be groomed differently. He loved it! His star got him more attention than before. How many dogs do you know of that have a star on their butt? Haha!
The nice thing about putting a star on him is that his coat is agouti colored: alternating bands of black and white on each hair. Essentially, I just tipped the hairs in order to get the shape. No sunburn for this Nordic boy! And I'm not worried about his coat not coming back. In the past, I've taken his entire backside down with a #3F, just to see what it would look like. No fuss, no muss.

Having a star on your butt is just a price of your mama being a groomer!