Pre-Grooming Consultation
You can generally expect the following from your BIGA groomer before grooming begins:
General Health Check – your BIGA groomer will visually assess your dog’s fitness for grooming.
This includes a general physical check of your dog’s skin and coat, eyes, ears, nails, pads and
more. *
Agree on the Treatment (Style) – your BIGA groomer will ask you what you’d like done today. Your groomer will know what is achievable given the condition of your dog’s coat and their character and will manage your expectations accordingly. Take a look at the pet styles/images on www.mypetgroomer.co.uk for a visual reference.
Confirmation of your contact details – your BIGA groomer will require your dog’s name, your
name and contact details so that you can be reached (of course, you may already be well known to the groomer or registered with the salon).
What are the benefits of a Pre-Grooming Consultation?
• The General Health and Fitness Check is all about preventative care. Your groomer is a
trained and experienced hands-on pet care professional who is in a good position to
identify anything in your pet that may require the vet’s attention.*
• Your BIGA groomer will advise you of the likely time required to complete the treatment
• Your BIGA groomer will advise you of the maximum price you can expect to pay (many
groomers will base this on time and effort required rather than specific breed. The price,
for example, to groom a Cockerpoo may vary considerably depending on size, condition of
coat, temperament)
• Your BIGA groomer will advise you of the style that can be achieved given the condition of
the coat. For example, if the coat is now matted (full of knots), the coat may need to be
taken short.
During the appointment.
You can expect the following to take place During Grooming:
• Your dog will be led or taken into a secure environment by a trained professional
• A usual treatment will include a bath. Your dog will be placed into a large bathtub,
shampooed and thoroughly rinsed in warm water. Nails trimmed. Ears cleaned.
• Your dog will then be dried – perhaps initially in the bath or separately at a table.
Your groomer will use towels to rid the coat of excess water and, depending on the
salon, a high-velocity dryer (also called a blaster) to ensure the coat is void of
water. The high-velocity dryer is fantastic at ridding the coat of dead hair lying
close to the skin (some dogs will love this because it can feel like a massage)
• During the blow-dry, your groomer will finish up the drying of the coat and brush
the coat free of knots before styling
• During styling/scissoring, your groomer will use a variety of tools like clippers and
scissors to shape your dog’s coat to breed standards OR as you’ve agreed with
your groomer.
• If you have requested a hand-strip for your dog, the groomer may bathe your dog
and hand-strip on separate occasions. This is standard practice. Feel free to
discuss further with your groomer.
As a member of The British Isles Grooming Association, your BIGA groomer agrees to abide by our professional code of conduct. Animal health, safety and welfare is our number one priority. Regular grooming is beneficial to your pet’s health and happiness and we encourage you to partner with your groomer in this noble endeavour.
* Your groomer is not a vet and no assurance can be given that a condition which may require the vet’s attention will be detected. Your groomer cannot provide diagnosis. Your groomer may share an opinion with you but cannot be held liable for any actions you take in response to that opinion.