Call Now: (888) 344-8658

Grooming a 10-Month-Old Doodle Who Has Never Been Professionally Groomed (Part 1 of 3)

This video content is exclusively for Learn2GroomDogs members.
To watch the full video, either Login or Explore Membership today!
Video DescriptionAbout Lorri KellerAbout Melissa Verplank

Runtime:

21:25

Level:


Beginner

Doodles. We all have them. Lots of them! Large. Medium. Or small. Plus, they come with coats ranging from coarse, wiry, wavey and curly. Some shed – some do not.

Ninety-eight percent of all Doodle owners want the same thing. They want the dog long and fluffy.

Unfortunate, many Doodle owners are misinformed about the grooming needs of their pet’s coat. Others are just naive. They have NO idea the amount of upkeep it takes to maintain that full, fluffy look.

For many owners, by the time they realize they need professional help, the coat is beyond saving.

As a professional pet groomer, our job is to do what is best for the pet while always keeping them safe. And sometimes what is best for the pet – is not what the client wants!

For the client, we need to become the educator. The communicator. The teacher. And it all needs to be done with a firm yet, respectful, understanding, and compassionate delivery BEFORE the client leaves the pet with the groomer.

If you struggle with any of these issues – this is the video lesson for you!

With almost 75 years of combined experience in pet grooming and education, Lorri Keller and Melissa Verplank team up to groom this young Doodle type pup. He’s never been professional groomed.

As the viewer, you get to see this groom unfold as it happens. This dog is MATTED. You will have a front row seat as Lorri and Melissa figure out the best options for this dog to keep him safe, and comfortable while building his trust for future grooms.

Love ’em or hate them, Doodles need regular grooming. Regardless of their size or their coat texture, they all need compassionate, thorough, and consistent grooming.

Guess what?

Most of the time, that is challenging for an owner, but not an experienced groomer! That is what we know as job security!

This a power packed lesson filled with tips, tricks, and field-tested wisdom on how to work with BOTH the dog and the owner in a positive, proactive fashion. Watch the lesson. Let us know what your favorite ah-ha moments were!

Please Note: This is NOT about a perfectly finished groom – it’s a video lesson on best practices for a more mature, matted, large dog who has never been groomed. It is a lesson about safety for the dog, client communications, and winning the trust of the pet for positive future grooms.

In this video you will learn:

  • How to remove a matted coat safely
  • Ways to win the trust and cooperation of a dog
  • Why you would opt NOT to bath and dry a pet
  • What is the secret to working with really challenging dogs
  • How to set the client up to appreciate a full “reset” before you even pick up the clippers

Approximate total running time: 1 hour and 8 minutes

  • Part 1: clipping to body, blade choices and client communications (21:25)
  • Part 2: Working on the head and neck combined with effective client communications (21:07)
  • Part 3: finishing out the pre-bath clipping, nails, tail, and client communications (24:55)

Lorri Keller

Certifications: CMG

Lorri Keller started her career as a successful graduate of the Paragon School in 1992. She has a wealth of experience under her belt as a home groomer, grooming for a major corporation where she went on to become a salon manager and later a regional manager where she was responsible for the growth of over a dozen grooming departments in the midwest. Lorri went on to become a lead trainer and personnel director for the Paragon School. She is an IPG Certified Master Groomer and an awarding winning contest stylist. Her specialties are; terrier and sporting dogs styling, breed profile trimming, speed, efficiency, safety, and operational management.

Melissa Verplank

Certifications: CMG

Melissa Verplank - CMG, has over 30 years’ experience in the pet grooming industry. Her mastery of grooming techniques has won her numerous awards on a national & international level earning her the right to become a team member on GroomTeam USA. She has been the GroomTeam Coordinator and currently sits on the Board of GroomTeam USA. Ms. Verplank is an industry speaker, author, two time Cardinal Crystal Achievement award winner, Barkleigh Honors award winner and contest grooming judge.

During her formative years she ran a fleet of mobile grooming units and a busy grooming salon. In 1992, Verplank founded one of the Midwest's largest and progressive pet styling training centers; The Paragon School of Pet Grooming Inc. in Jenison, Michigan. Ms. Verplank realized the need for quality training and reference materials. To meet that need she created White Dog Enterprises Inc., a business which develops creative learning products for the professional pet stylist. The leading products for this company are Notes From the Grooming Table, The Theory of Five, and core-skill method training videos geared to training professional pet groomers. In 2007 she opened Whiskers Resort & Pet Spa. The resort has become the premier boarding facility in the west Michigan area offering luxury accommodations for boarding, daycare, grooming, and pet training. In 2010, Melissa launched her latest educational business, Learn2GroomDogs.com, an on-line streaming video library of educational material for all levels of professional pet grooming and styling.

Most recently, Melissa has earned the 2016 Barkleigh Honors Award for Book of the Year with the release of the second edition of Notes From the Grooming Table.  Her website, Learn2GroomDogs.com also was its third consecutive Barkleigh Honors Award for Website of the Year.

Join OurPriority List

A membership in Learn2GroomDogs.com can help you achieve the next level in your career!  Join the priority list for our next open enrollment notification! (and we will send you a couple cool things to give you a taste of what you will enjoy as a member!)

Thanks for signing up! Please wait while we redirect you to our special Thank You page.