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Daryl Conner

Recent Activity

Resolutions of the healthy variety...

I'm not big on New Years resolutions, but I am instituting some new habits, starting this month. I am using better quality ear plugs when I use my high velocity dryers, and I am finally doing something about filtering out the particles of hair, dirt, dust and dander that we... Continue reading

Posted Jan 16, 2020 at Hair of the Dog

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Following up...

Last week we groomed two of my favorite Scottish Terriers, Mac and Lilly. They are pretty dogs, and sweet (except when you trim their claws, but, you know, Scotties!) The next day the owner called, "Mac has conjunctivitis, what you do you know about that?" Total honesty here, my first... Continue reading

Posted Jan 6, 2020 at Hair of the Dog

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Seasonal self care...

Groomers work so hard during the Christmas season. I read posts on Facebook where people state they work for 10 or more days without a day off, most for more than 8 hours a day. They say they don't take breaks, even to go to the bathroom, certainly not to... Continue reading

Posted Dec 15, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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The Importance of Photo Documents

One of best things about the advent of cellular "smart" phones is the handy dandy camera built into most of them. Most of us have adopted the use of these phones, and find we keep them with us the majority of the time. This means that a camera is at... Continue reading

Posted Nov 18, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Holiday plans...

It has begun. Groomers on internet forums are asking, "What do you do for your customers for Christmas?" It's a fair question. Grooming is a service, and some service industries make a habit of giving their customers a little something at Christmas. The place where I buy feed for my... Continue reading

Posted Sep 23, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Annual Price Increase...

Many years ago I was at a John Stazko seminar, and he advised us to raise our grooming rates a small amount each year. He said if you wait several years between rate hikes, you have to bump them up a substantial amount, and people will complain. Like most groomers,... Continue reading

Posted Aug 19, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Remedial Grooming

Sometimes we have to get a little creative to fix an "oops." The problem we need to correct may have been "self inflicted," such as when we pick up a clipper that we think has a comb attachment on it, and take a swipe of coat to the skin because... Continue reading

Posted Jul 29, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Don't forget the shape...

Living in an area where a number of my customers are here for a few months a year, and someplace warmer the rest of the time, I see a fair amount of other groomers work. Much of it is well executed. I can tell that the dog was well brushed... Continue reading

Posted Jul 5, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Yesterday I groomed a cute Havanese that is a regular when they are in the area. They had just returned from winter away. I saw him when he hopped out of the car and my first thought was, "He looks cute." When he got closer, however, I noted that when... Continue reading

Posted Jun 15, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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If you get bitten...

If you work with animals long enough, eventually you may suffer a bite. In my 35 years of grooming, I am thankful that I have had only a few serious dog or cat bites . I chalk this up to experience and good reflexes, but a few weeks ago I... Continue reading

Posted May 20, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Important communication tip...

After more than 3 decades grooming pets, I have learned a few things about communicating with customers. My daughter grooms with me now, and sometimes she seems amazed by how I interpret conversations. Here is an example: new customers came in with their recently adopted young adult West Highland White... Continue reading

Posted Mar 23, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Accepting a challenge...

It's been more than a year ago that I got the call. "Hi, I have a Glen of Imaal terrier, and am planning to show him. I'd like to make an appointment to have you groom him." Well, all sorts of alarm bells went off in my head. I told... Continue reading

Posted Mar 18, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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How to Have an Effective Grooming Business Facebook Page

When I started my business a few years back, I decided to have a Facebook page. I'm glad I did. When I ask new customers how they heard about us, many (including a frail looking man well into his 80's!) will say, "I saw you on Facebook." I receive quite... Continue reading

Posted Feb 18, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Six Free or Cheap Ways to Find New Customers

A well known rule of business is that it is easier to keep existing customers than it is to find new ones. For this reason, it is important that groomers take care to build relationships with their customers. Even for those who have an excellent customer retention rate, all of... Continue reading

Posted Jan 6, 2019 at Hair of the Dog

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Goodwill towards groomers...

The holiday season is upon us, rich with goodwill towards all. It makes me think about groomers, extending goodwill towards (gasp) OTHER GROOMERS. A few thousand years ago I went to my very first grooming seminar. It was given by John Stazko, an industry legend. It was a wonderful seminar,... Continue reading

Posted Nov 29, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Product review...

I recently tried a new product. I have developed a small addiction to it, and have several bottles stashed so I make sure I don't run out. I've talked customers into buying it, and introduced people at a recent seminar I taught to its wonders. Matt-X, made by Artero, is... Continue reading

Posted Sep 9, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Time for a price hike..?

Experts in our industry, who are far more business savvy than I am, strongly suggest that we raise our grooming rates by a small amount each year. I struggle with this. I dislike the potential for confrontation or unhappiness when I raise my rates, so I tend to put it... Continue reading

Posted Jul 23, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Terrific Trimmers...

This blog post was inspired by a recent question I read on a Facebook grooming page. A new groomer was asking if it was necessary for her to buy a trimmer as well as a full sized clipper. If she needed to ask this question, others might wonder, too. The... Continue reading

Posted Jun 24, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Degree of Difficulty...

I'd like to introduce you to a dog I groom that is very difficult. Her name is Jenny and she is 10 years old. I've been grooming her since she was a wee little puppy. You will laugh when you see her. Ready? She weighs all of 7 pounds. And... Continue reading

Posted Mar 21, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Sometimes I assume that every groomer knows every trick of the trade that I do. And I know many reading this will know this trick, but I have to remind myself that there are newer groomers here who might benefit from this information, so here 'tis! But first, the back... Continue reading

Posted Feb 11, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Doodles. Many groomers shudder at the mention of the word. Others adore them. No matter how you feel about them, there are lot of them around and they need grooming. Olga Zabelinskaya, NCMG, produces specialty grooming magazines on a variety of topics. Her most recent effort is a lovely magazine... Continue reading

Posted Jan 28, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Sharing stories...

My friend Barb Hoover is a long time groomer. She also has a huge heart and has taken in some rescue dogs over the years that have had amazing stories. She recently posted about a Standard Poodle puppy she has taken in as a foster dog. I thought the tale... Continue reading

Posted Jan 28, 2018 at Hair of the Dog

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Learning from Mistakes...

I recently had an unhappy customer, and I didn't like it one bit. (Note, the above cat is not the one in question, just something to catch your eye. The cat in the story was a young, medium haired black cat.) Here is the story. I groom a lot of... Continue reading

Posted Nov 13, 2017 at Hair of the Dog

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Averting Accidents...

I was recently contacted by a very nice person who asked if I knew of any articles that contained ideas on how to prevent grooming accidents, especially for newer groomers who could, perhaps, learn by reading and not by dreaded trial and error. I thought it was a great idea,... Continue reading

Posted Oct 22, 2017 at Hair of the Dog

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When education meets intuition...

Sometimes I get a lot more credit than I deserve. A few weeks ago a favorite customer called to see if I would show groom her young Scottish Deerhound. I don't know about you, but I rarely see the breed, and a show groom? I was clueless. "I want to... Continue reading

Posted Sep 4, 2017 at Hair of the Dog

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