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"How can I
find an Expert Scottie groomer?"
By Carole Fry Owen (© 2003)
Finding someone to groom a Scottie well is formidable.
Hula skirts, flags on tails,rat tails, gloppy ear tufts, Schnauzer
eyebrows, Westie ears, Poodle feet, chopped furnishings and skinned
off topcoat are common groomer mistakes.
When
Barney Bush's puppy coat grew--and grew, the Scottie world worried
he'd be another unkempt Fala. The day Barney bounded across
the White House lawn in a neat trim, there was a collective sigh of
relief.
How
did Laura and George Bush discover Barney's groomer? The story
includes a Congressman, the President's sister, a lobbyist and Laura
Bush's Chief of Staff. Strictly
word-of-mouth.
"I'm
honored to groom the "First Dogs," says Scottie breeder Helen
Krisko. "The President and Mrs. Bush seem pleased with what I
do. They are so thrilled when they can talk about their dogs,
and particularly Barney."
Krisko is a successful dog show exhibitor. She grooms, trains
and shows her own Scotties. She also has a grooming shop that
seems more like a beauty parlor in her
Bethesda,
MD, home. "I book by
appointment time. Each dog has my undivided attention," explains
Krisko. "When Barney comes I make sure nobody is scheduled
before his arrival, and that nobody will arrive near the time I
finish. The atmosphere is
relaxing."
"I
am the only one who has ever groomed Barney, and he's been a pure
delight. When he was a young puppy, I played with him while on
the table, and he has never had to fear anything here. Lots of
dog smells, lots of toys to play with! Before he leaves he has
an acre to explore--and, of course, leave his
mark."
The
same word-of-mouth technique the Bushes used can help you find an
experienced Scottie groomer. Breeders of noted dogs including
Ch. Sandgreg's Editorial and Ch. Sandgreg's Second Edition (Barbara
DeSaye) and Ch. Caevnes Devil's Due (Jane Phelan) groom a few
companion Scotties. That's like Rembrandt painting your dog's
portrait. It's worth locating experts and meeting their
expectations. Some specialists require clients to bring dogs
bathed, brushed and ready to trim. Others don't do nails. Some
may trim only one dog a day.
Few
Scottie breeders and exhibitors groom for a living. They do it
because they like the owners and the dogs--and a little extra
money. Sharon May,
Wichita,
KS, is an example. She's in an
office weekdays, but every Saturday she grooms three or four
Scotties. Word-of-mouth once more: from vets, Scottie Rescue,
breeders, other clients. "They just find me," marvels
May. "It's the strangest thing. It's been going on for 20
years."
"Whenever possible, have a breeder groom your companion Scottie,"
urges 40-year veteran Jeannie Passmore, Maple
Valley, WA. "A
breeder knows how to handle a Scottie. Your Scottie will look
a Scottie instead of a Poodle. A breeder knows what is normal for a
Scottie, so can recognize a physical or mental problem that may need
to be addressed. It is worth it to drive a little further to
use a breeder."
"If
you do go to a grooming shop, stay with your dog," urges Passmore.
There is no reason for the dog to stay all day long. Most
grooming takes no more than an hour, particularly if you bathe your
dog yourself. A groomer is less apt to mistreat the dog with
you there!"
After a breeder, best bet is an all-breed groomer who knows and
enjoys terriers. "Ask if groomers have a specialized interest
in terriers or if they have show experience," suggests breeder Sonya
Neve. "Call vets and ask who does a good job on
terriers."
Neve
lives in rural
Colorado. She is
proof good Scottie groomers work in unlikely places. The best way to
describe Swink,
CO, is "no street lights."
Yet terrier owners find her. Her clientele is one-third
terriers. Some owners drive 120 to 150 miles, many others one hour
from
Pueblo.
No "Terrier
Clips"
"Avoid anybody who volunteers to give your dog a terrier clip,"
specifies Scottie/Westie specialist Daphne Branzell,
San Antonio,
TX. Those groomers think all
terriers look alike. Ask for references. Say 'May I call
someone whose Scottie you do?' Then go
look."
To
judge the quality of a groomer, you first must know what a properly
groomed Scottie looks like. Study pictures. Decide how closely your
Scottie's trim measures up. Take photos to your groomer and point
out possible changes.
As
for pictures, Maverick, cover dog on the latest STCA Bagpiper (V2002: #4)
provides a perfect side view. My favorite recent head studies
for grooming are Dr. Watson and Eliot Ness on Bagpiper covers V2001: #1
and #4. Barney's picture on Good Housekeeping's February
cover is excellent, too.
"I
love it when people want their dogs to look like the breed," says
Alicia Bismore who grooms Zaron Van Meter's Sigmund and Mackenzie in
Ohio. Bismore is
a professional who welcomes a photo if there are fine points she
could improve.
"Ask
if groomers are certified," suggests Van Meter. They've
learned "not only proper grooming techniques and breed cuts, but how
to handle all temperaments. Grooming should be pleasant, not
abusive." Her groomer Bismore trained at a grooming school,
worked with show groomers, is certified by International
Professional Groomers, attends dog shows and enters grooming
competitions.
Form
follows function, even in grooming. Example: Scottie's with
backs slicked off with a #10 blade are not correct. Heavy
coats protected them in the Highlands!
Size 4 or 5 blades or clip-on attachments produce longer, natural
topcoats.
Hand
stripping? It's expensive and takes lots of time. It's
too much for most pets. Lucky you though if your groomer cares
enough to pull tail hair to maintain a thick, sturdy carrot
tail.
Life or
Death
The
groomer you choose is a matter of life or death. Betty and
John Gauntt's nine-year-old Scottie Maggie died last summer after
falling off a groomer's table in
Houston. Shop
insurance eventually covered $4,253.40 in veterinary bills, but was
small consolation. Betty is grooming the Gauntt's new puppy
herself.
"Grooming is not a regulated business. Normally no local,
state or federal laws apply," points out Georgia Harris, AKC terrier
judge, retired professional handler and longtime
Oklahoma groomer.
"Check out a grooming shop's reputation. Easiest way is to
call vet clinics that do not have their own groomers." Better
Business Bureau is another checkpoint.
"Are
cages/pens clean, table tops wiped between dogs, and blades in
cleaning solutions?" asks breeder Pam Wilson,
Austin. "What you
expect in your own salon, expect in a grooming
shop."
Watch when you can. "If a groomer goes off and leaves a dog on the
table, that's a serious problem," cautions Daphne Branzell.
Does the groomer manage your Scottie carefully around other dogs? We
all know Scotties.
"Ask
if the groomer uses tranquilizers," adds Sonya Neve.
"Otherwise, your dog could be tranquilized without your
permission." Also, ask if cage dryers are used. They can
be dangerous.
Norma and Louis Mitchell, Lubbock,
TX, win my prize for the length
they go for expert grooming. They developed high expectations
when their Hallelujah was Scottish Terrier Club of America's #1
Scottie. Norma prefers a Brillo Pad Scottie, and that kind of
grooming is hard to come by in West
Texas.
The
Mitchells finally bought a bus conversion because of their
dogs. Now Halle and
eight Scotties head for Bonnie Briar Kennel in
Sun Valley,
CA, and Bergit Coady Kabel, the
famous Scottish Terrier handler. It's 2,250 miles round
trip! Sometimes the Mitchells fly one of Bergit's groomers to
Lubbock.
"I
know many people think it is frivolous," admits Norma, "but our
Scotties are our family, and we just think of it as a vacation
without going to Disneyland. The dogs all
love the bus. There is nothing better than having all of our
dogs groomed!"
I'll
second that. A correctly groomed Scottie will be ready for a
day's work anywhere--your home or the
Highlands.
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How to Find Scottie
Experts
1)
Ask your dog's breeder.
2)
Check with Scottie
friends.
3)
Query area
veterinarians.
4)
Meet exhibitors at dog
shows.
5)
Call area all-breed kennel
clubs.
6)
Check
with the nearest regional Scottie Club.
7)
Ask STCA which members are near
you. |
Resources:
- STCA information chairman Marilyn
Lindsay, 3815 West National
Rd., Springfield,
OH
45504-3518;
ph. (937) 323-6537;
e-mail wildwind@prodigy.net .
Ask Marilyn Lindsay for STCA members near
you.
- STCA website: http://clubs.akc.org/stca/regionalclubs.htm
- STCA Grooming Manual:
Cost, $8; order from Tina Sadovsky,
2885 Monroe St.,
Riverside, CA
92504
- The Bagpiper: Single issue,
$10; Charles Stevens, Circulation Manager,
53 White Rock Road,
Yarmouthport, MA
02675
©
Copyright 2003, Carole Fry Owen
Article first published in
the MacAnswers Column of Great Scots Magazine, March,
April, 2003 issue.
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