Back to School - Day 16

Good day today with lots of cute little doggies.

This morning I groomed little Monkey the crossbreed. She had a schnauzer cut with a round face and was lovely to groom, if not a little exciteable.

After a quick lunch I got stuck in to grooming Jackson the Poodle. He was very naughty on the table and was a real challenge so Heidi helped me a lot with this groom.

Until tomorrow,

Hayley x

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's out there today. I hope you get spoilt rotten.

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 15

Day 15 and the end of week 3! We're on the home stretch now. I can't believe how quickly this time has gone. I'm starting to freak out that I only have 2 weeks left and one more week until my exams and assessments start.  Eek! I don't feel ready but apparently this is completely normal and everyone has a little meltdown at this stage in the course.

This morning I groomed a lovely little cockerpoo (Cocker Spaniel X Poodle) named Charlie. He was very sweet and his lamb cut looked lovely afterwards.

And in the afternoon I groomed Milly the Shih Tzu who's owners had requested for her to be shaved off. She was also really sweet and lovely and really enjoyed having her hair done.

I've got the weekend off now so I will be relaxing and getting lots of work done.

Have a good weekend.

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 14

Today was a much better day today.

I had a good night sleep and started fresh today.

This morning I was supposed to be grooming a standard poodle but unfortunately his owner didn't show up to bring him to his appointment so I did some theory work and some of my assignments instead.

After lunch I groomed a lovely little Cavalier called Lottie. She was very well behaved and extremely cute but she would not sit still for a picture so I didn't get and good ones of her after her haircut.

Hopefully all my appointments show up tomorrow!

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 13

I'm half way through my course now.

Yikes! How has that happened?

This morning I helped to groom a black German Shepherd called Jet. The groom went horribly and I was fighting off a panic attack for the full 2 hours so it really affected me today.

After lunch I groomed a really sweet little Bichon cross called India. She was very cute and soft and snugly but I took longer than I would have liked (even though I got her finished in the required time) due to my knock in confidence that morning.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 12

This morning I had some aggressive dog handling training with Christine. This little doggie was in for some rehabilitation work as he had bitten his last groomer and has unable to be groomed since.

After Chrstine spent some time with him and used positive reinforcement methods to help him overcome his fear based aggression he settled down and actually seemed to enjoy his groom.

In the afternoon I did my first full Westie cut and it went really well. I really enjoyed grooming Chaz although she didn't make it easily as she loves to stand really awkwardly which is rather tricky when you're trying to scissor her legs!

In the afternoon I was also very lucky to meet world renowned Animal Psychologist and behavioural expert Dr Roger Mugford and his dog PC.

They were both very lovely and it was great to meet such a highly respected man. 

  

I wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow?

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 11

Back at it after a nice relaxing weekend. I didn't go to the creative grooming competition in the end, but I did go on a nice dog walk and had a lovely home cooked Sunday dinner.

This morning I did my first Schnauzer cut on a Welsh Terrier named Bertie.

I didn't get very good pictures of the finished cut so I was a bit annoyed but Bertie was very sweet and looked lovely aftwerwards.

In the afternoon there was a last minute cancellation so I shaved Ettie's feet and face and face and gave her a manicure with nice red nails. 

For anyone that says creative grooming is  cruel, just look at how relaxed Ettie is whilst having her manicure. She lies on the table with no restraints and really enjoys having her nails painted.

Until tomorrow,

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 10

Oops! I forgot the write my Day 10 post!

Yesterday morning I did a bath and tidy on a lovely American Golden Retriever called Jussi. He is the sweetest most gentle dog ever. I wish he could talk because he seems very wise.

After lunch I got to practise my scissoring techniques on Chloe the Pomeranian. She is absolutely gorgeous and only has one eye. I got to practise a little bit and then Christine did an amazing job of finishing her. She makes it look so easy but it really isn't!

I also went in for the afternoon today as I was really bored and had nothing better to do.

I groomed Dillon the Shih Tzu. Dillon came in severely matted and had to be shaved off with a 7F blade on her body and a 10 on her legs, tummy and some of her face.

It was really horrible to see such a sweet little dog in such a state. All the hair between her toes was matted together which must have been very uncomfortable when she tried to walk, and she even had mats on her genitals.

Dillon felt much better afterward though and I was happy that I could have made her feel better.

I spent a locket evening relaxing and eating Chinese food with Christine this evening and I'm off to a creative grooming completion with Heidi on Sunday so that should be fun.

Speak soon,

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 9

This morning I observed Christine do a handstripped show trim on Margit the English Cocker Spaniel. She's only a baby and was such a good girl. She even stopped half way through her haircut to have a little nap on the table.

In the afternoon I groomed Curly the crossbreed. His owner wanted him shaved completely off but we convinced him to have a bit of styling kept on his face so he didn't look quite so weird.

He was a really good boy and actually quite enjoyed his groom.

My feet are really really sore today. This dog grooming lark is quite hard work!

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 8

I'm so tired today!

This morning I groomed a lovely Westie called Rosie. She had a short haircut all over and I scissored her feet and legs and have her a nice round face.

She was really well behaved and this was a relatively easy groom.

The afternoon was a completely different story all together and was enough to make me doubt what I was doing for a little bit. This is Poppy the Bichon X Jack Russell. Poppy hates everything about being groomed and to demonstrate just how much she hates every aspect of being groomed she spins round and screams the most high pitch scream I have ever heard. It pierces your war drums and actually really hurts. I had 3 hours of this and really struggled to groom her. Luckily I had people there to help me otherwise I don't know what I would have done.

She doesn't look too bad but I really wasn't happy with her groom when I was finished. Her daddy didn't seem to care though as he really liked her haircut and even left a tip!

Hopefully tomorrow will bring some very nicely behaved doggies as I've come home today in not a very good mood with a splitting headache.

Fingers crossed!

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 7

How is it Tuesday and Day 7 already!?

My time here is flying by!

This morning I groomed this lovely toy poodle called Angel. She's absolutely tiny! Her owners asked for her to be shaved short all over so she has a short body, topknot on her head with teddy bear ears and a pompom tail.

After lunch I groomed another border terrier who was hand stripped all over. Unfortunately she had fleas and not a very nice coat so we did they best that we could with her. She has to come back in a few days for a flea bath as you cannot bath dogs who have been handstripped as the shampoo can cause irritations to the open pores in the skin afterwards.

Really tired today so straight home to bed for me!

Speak tomorrow,

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 6

First day back after the weekend off.

Spent all weekend tucked up in my room catching up on my sleep and doing my homework assignments so I was really looking forward to getting stuck in today.

I groomed 2 dogs today and had a really great day.

This morning I groomed Pepper who is a Poodle crossbreed. She's so lovely and was such a good girl. Her owners like her short but fluffy as it's easier for them to manage at home.

In the a afternoon I was paired up with another student and we got to groom one side on Jimmy each. Jimmy is a border terrier and his coat is completely hand stripped. He's a lovely little boy and his daddy was very pleased with his new haircut when he came to pick him up.

I'm exhausted now as I went out for dinner after work and then did a food shop to stick the fridge in my room for the next week. Going straight to bed.

Goodnight!

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 5

So it's the end of week 1. I can't believe how quickly that has gone!

This morning I participated in rabbit grooming. This gorgeous boy comes in every two weeks for a brush out to remove all of his dead coat. Isn't he lovely? Look at all of that dead hair that came off him!

In the afternoon I bath and dried another standard poodle and gave him a good groom out. I shaved his feet and half of his face and Christine showed me how to scissor his legs. I got to practise on one of his legs. It's a lot harder than it looks! I might have to buy some fluffy teddies to practise on at home!

Wilson gets a modified German trim and is hand scissored all over. It's a lot of work and there was 3 of us working on him. Think how long it would have taken if it was just one person!

Here's Wilson before his bath. Isn't he cute!?

Here's some of the beginnings of the scissor work in his legs and body.

I have the weekend off now and I'm so grateful because I'm exhausted and my feet are killing me!

Tomorrow will be spent doing lots of homework and note taking from my books and then Sunday will be spent relaxing. I could sleep for a week!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 4

Today I bathed and dried Pandora the Bichon after she decided to get very mucky walking in the park this morning. I tidied her feet and Christine showed me how to clear out the hair from around her eyes with curved scissors.

Now she's back to being her normal fluffy monkey self!

Then after lunch I partnered up with Kathy and we did half of Hendrix each. Hendrix is a Spanish Water Dog. His owners like to have him shaved off as the coat is hard to manage. He was quite matted in some places and hated having his feet touched so that was a bit of a challenge. He barely looks recognisable!

Then at the end of the day a kitty came in to have her claws clipped and bottom shaved. 

I'm absolutely exhausted and my feet are killing me so it's an early night for me with some sushi and rubbish TV.

I wonder what doggies tomorrow will bring?

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 3

This morning I bathed, dried and groomed out another standard poodle called Prada. She's very gorgeous! I love parti poodles. Such gorgeous markings. 

Then I had a quick lunch and did my first proper dog groom! I groomed Scrappy the Yorkie. He was so well behaved which made it a lot easier.

Christine showed me how to do his head, so next time I'll be doing it myself.

He's so cute!

I also stayed afterwards again today to do some cat grooming.

This poor kitty was badly matted so he had to have all of his belly shaved off. He even had poop matted into his fur around his bottom :( 

He felt much better after his demating, bath and blowdry though.

I went for a walk around the park afterwards with Heidi, Christine and the doggies and then had to do a bit of food shopping to stock the fridge in my room of the B&B for my dinners. I'm meant to be having a shower before bed so I don't have to get up early in the morning but I'm absolutely knackered so I'm going straight to bed.

Until tomorrow,

Hayley x

Back to School - Day 2

Today I spent the morning bathing and drying a standard poodle called Ettie. I also got some practise shaving her feet. She was very well behaved but had very ticklish feet so that bit was tricky!

Ettie is so fabulous she even has painted nails! These were done at Crufts as part of a creative grooming demonstration.

After lunch I had my official induction where I went through the course syllabus, how the course will run and I got all of my equipment. There was so much stuff! I don't know how I managed to carry it all back to the hotel but I did. I've just finished putting coloured tape on all of the pieces so they don't get muddled up with the other students'.

Then after my induction I got to watch another cat grooming demonstration by Christine.

Here's the kitty after his bath wearing a special hood to muffle the sound of the hair dryer so he doesn't get scared of the loud noise.

Really enjoyed today and can't wait to get stuck in to some actual grooming tomorrow.

Hayley

Back to School - Day 1

Today was the first day of my 5 week training to get my City & Guilds qualification in dog grooming. I'm living in London by myself for 5 weeks and I was so nervous this morning but Heidi and all the other students made me feel very welcome.

All the other students are at least half way through their training, some even further and it's great to see how good they are after such a short time. Hopefully I can follow in their footsteps!

This morning I was mainly observing the students grooming as they were short staffed so I couldn't have my proper induction day.

In the afternoon I practised clipping a Westie called Poppy and also did a bit of scissoring her legs and feet. She was a very good girl despite wanting to sit down all the time which wasn't very helpful!

At the end of the day I stayed late to observe a cat groom. I've only seen this being done twice before so thought it would be useful to get some more experience in it.

This is Toulousse the Chinchilla cat.

She was very matted but felt much better after her bath and hair cut. She went home with a lovely lion trim.

I really enjoyed today and mostly liked seeing how the salon runs and the different handling techniques used. It's very different to where I have previously worked but I'm sure I'll be used to the changes by the end of the day tomorrow.

Hayley x