I Want To Quit!
Now that I’ve got your attention, let me explain the title to this article 🙂 When we first opened up our salon, Furrific Spaw, in Atlanta I remember there were times when I would get extremely frustrated. Each year it seemed to happen around the same time – during the Fall. The first two years I didn’t know what was going on, and I would find myself wanting to throw in the grooming towel during the months of October through December. I used to think that it was just the holiday rush and the exhaustion, but that wasn’t it. No matter how hard I tried, the dogs would take forever to comb out and it would be so difficult to get the haircuts looking nice and smooth. It wasn’t until the third year I finally realized what was going on. It’s shedding season!
I also noticed that on the grooming pages on Facebook, it’s always around this time of year that groomers complain the most about the job and threaten to quit. The grooms just seem so much more difficult during this time of year, and I used to really think that I need to find another line of work. It’s not that things have gotten any easier for me, I’ve just gotten better. I still have days where I get frustrated and stressed out, but I remind myself that I just have to get through the Fall and the grooms will not be so difficult. In my experience, the Fall is usually much more difficult than the Spring. I understand that dogs shed both in the Fall and Spring due to the changes in the photoperiods, but I’ve noticed over the years that I hate life during the Fall and never the Spring. LOL! I think it’s because the heavy shedding is done in the Fall and not the Spring – I may be wrong, but this is just based on my personal experience. Ever notice that the Westminster is held in February during the heart of Winter? I believe it’s because dogs blow their coats during the months of October through December, and they look their best in February when their fresh new coats have grown in. I used to think it was to compete with the Super Bowl for those who aren’t interested in football! But now that I think about it, I believe it’s because that’s when dogs look their best.
Don’t worry, I’ll never quit grooming! It’s my life and my passion – plus I’m way too far in the game to quit now 😉
“What can you do to reduce shedding?
Some dogs shed a lot. What can you do to help get the hair loss under control? Grooming is the key. Keep in mind that the hair is going to fall out either way and it is best to remove it yourself and throw it in the trash then to let the hair fall out naturally all over your house. The more hair YOU remove the less you will see it all over your house. Brushing your dog once a day will greatly reduce the unwanted hair all over your clothes, carpet and furniture, especially during shedding season.
Also keep in mind that dogs who eat a poor quality diet often shed more hair. The dog will sometimes even have a fowl smell to their skin. Sometimes smelling like a corn chip or stale oil. If you think your dog is shedding an abnormal amount of hair read the ingredient of the dog food you are feeding. Even some of the expensive foods sold exclusively at vets can contain poor ingredients. Do your own research on what makes a good dog food and then read all of the labels on your dogs food and treats. You may be surprised what you find.”
Jun the Groomer 