Hey, fellow pet lovers!
Welcome to my blog. My name is Patricia and I’m super glad to see you here!
Before we start getting to the point, first, let’s do a little celebratory dance to appreciate and rejoice over the fact that we (you and me) are blessed enough to be working in the field of our choice. We love the amazing, absolutely magical world of animals, and how great is this – we get to spend time with them all day long! It’s a dream job for me and hopefully for you as well.
And to introduce myself… I’ve been in the pet grooming industry for more than 25 years now. So, yes… You can say that I’ve seen it all! I’ve had my share of some major ups and downs, moments of sheer blissfulness as well as some really testing times that made me rethink and replan a lot of stuff in my life.
At the beginning of my career, I was as clueless as a 14-year-old could be. I used to spend hours and hours with my three pet dogs. I had also adopted a couple of stray cats and a rescued cockatiel one of my uncles got me. Playing with them, taking care of them, watching them do their own things all day long was the only thing I ever wanted to do in life, and guess what? That’s what I am doing in my life (well, almost)..!!
The owner of the kennel from where I used to get my supplies was aware of my passion. So, a few days after I turned 15, she offered me a part-time job as a helper there. And as you’d expect, I couldn’t be happier! People at my first kennel were very supportive and they taught me a lot of things. But for the most part, I’m self-taught. When I was asked whether I’d want to try grooming a dog for the first time, I was a little hesitant. I had seen professional groomers doing their jobs and I wasn’t sure I’ll be able to groom a dog, as neatly and proficiently as they used to do it.
But I thought, “Okay, why not? Let’s give it a shot”
The first dog I groomed was not an easy one. But to my (and to everyone else’s) surprise I actually did a pretty good job. This doesn’t mean I didn’t goof up quite a few times later on. But with time, I started getting better and better. I remember I started spending a lot of time reading trade magazines, studying various different kinds of styles, tools, and techniques that would help me get better at my job. Soon, I got to participate in my first grooming competition and as they say, “rest is history!” Haha…
Now, I think it’s time to share what I’ve learned in all these years with youngsters who are the future of this industry. So, this blog is for all those 14-year-old Patricias who are as animal-crazy as I was when I was their age. Of course, you older ones are also welcome! Even though the journey won’t be as easy as I might have described above, but I can tell you that in the end, it’s totally worth it! My intention with this blog is to help you become your best (dog groomer) version. So that you’ll go out there and help your furry little friends become their best (ah! so groomed) versions of themselves as well…
Lots of Love
Patricia