Grooming Salon for cats and dogs
For a month now I’ve been working in a grooming salon for cats and dogs. On a daily basis I see how much people are willing to spend for getting their pets groomed and how many things they want for the animals to experience, things that they don’t even buy or do for themselves. I am learning a lot by talking to the customers, listening to their stories and also by hearing what the staff and groomers have to say about the work that they do there.
I’ve never worked in this area before and not even dreamed about working with pets, like most people have done in their childhoods, despite having a fondness for animals and having 3 dogs and 5 cats over the course of my 31 years, until now.
But I’m learning everyday about how many options of service there are for all kinds and breeds of dogs and also cats. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) gives a lot of tips about grooming domestic animals, about the importance of keeping your dog’s fur, skin, nails, teeth, ears and paws clean, but there are so much more options than that in a grooming salon.
In a place that specializes in these services your pet can get a blueberry facial, a scented teeth brushing or even a hair colouring, and other full-range of services to pamper the pets and which increase the amount that the owner will pay for the service, easily exceeding 400 Canadian dollars for the complete package. But as described by Jane Stevenson, on her Toronto Sun’s new story, during and after the pandemic people started adopting more pets and also spent more money on their animal companions. And all this without even thinking about the options for treats, toys and accessories you might get in a store.
But, despite the money, the most interesting thing is hearing from the animal owners who go to the store where I work about why they invest so much in the well-being of their animals. There are stories of animals rescued from Canada or from distant countries like Thailand, and how they really care about seeing the animal well cared for, even if they don’t take care of themselves at the same level.
Get Bel Delalamo’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Being able to actively listen to the stories always makes me learn something new every time, whether it’s about the people I welcome, or about the animals and their quirks, about the products they want to be used and even about the difference that an animal can make in someone’s life, which makes any expense worth it to somehow repay the well-being that the animal causes to the owner.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth investing so much money to have your pet in a beauty salon and you ask me about it, I’d say yes! It could be once in a lifetime, to test how your animal would react to the experience. It could be something simpler and cheaper, but I hope that people continue to take their dogs and cats and that I can continue listening to their stories and seeing their happiness. of owners and animals, when they are reunited after care.
References
Stevenson, J. (2023, February 5). Pet grooming boomed in Toronto during COVID: People ‘more into their dogs.’. Toronto Sun. https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/pet-grooming-boomed-in-toronto-during-covid-people-more-into-their-dogs
ASPCA (n.d.) “Dog Grooming Tips”. Retrieved October 12, 2023, from https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-grooming-tips
Heart And Paw (n.d.) Why Going to a Professional Dog Groomer is Worth It. Retrieved October 12, 2023 from https://heartandpaw.com/pet-parent-resources/dog-groomer
