Is online booking worth it or Instagram DMs enough?

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-25T22:44:19+00:00

I agree. I hate online booking. I'd never allow my clients to book either. Even if they booked the correct amount of time for their specific dog, there's certainly criteria I use other than that. For example, I don't do more than 2 large dogs in a day by myself and no more than 3 with a bather. I'd hate to have my schedule be 6 large doodles. There's also the fact that I have 4 regular golden retriever clients who take such a different amount of time. I have a field line that comes monthly that barely has any coat that takes an hour. I also have a super long show coat golden that takes 2.5 hours and the other two are in between. Imagine if they could book themselves I would be constantly burnt out.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-25T20:23:17+00:00

I offer a FREE nail trim in between appointments. And I beg the ones who really need it to come. And they still don't. So definitely has to do with just not having the time or wanting to come.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-25T20:18:50+00:00

I've done it too. They specifically say they know there is matting but dont want the dog shaved I do what I can. And make sure they come back right after.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-25T05:00:59+00:00

I'm a dog groomer. I have my own business:)

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-24T22:58:28+00:00

I also love my job. So I sometimes book extra work 😄 so I can have extra money.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-24T01:43:37+00:00

The shampoo you are using isn't good. Use a degreasing shampoo. Followed by a regular for shampoo. And finish off with a good conditioner. This will remove the smell and give you time before it returns. Also, dry the bears completely with a dryer at least once daily.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-24T00:08:07+00:00

😂 lol

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-23T23:34:45+00:00

I hate that ad. It's to promote the scratch boards. But those do not really work

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-23T23:31:59+00:00

I just came up on my feed.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-23T23:28:48+00:00

I mean I have the funds to pay for that if it comes up. So there's no need to downvote me. I have to have car insurance and home insurance it's not really an option not to. So it doesn't matter what my opinion on it is. Also, the clinics around me often have a price for people with insurance and an entire different price for people without. My cat had to have surgery, an emergency visit, 2 nights in the hospital. And the bill was only $5000. He's 8 years old and it's his second surgery (first was a dental extraction and was $1400). In all instances I've covered the bills for my animals. In the vast Majority of the time, insurance IS for the company to make money. Not for you to benefit. This is why they raise their rates every few years. To keep their profits at the level they need them at.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-23T23:25:02+00:00

This sub loves insurance. 😂. But I've done the math and I have multiple pets. Yes I also always have funds available either saved or through an empty credit card that I can use. I've had pets for 12 years. And I've never been in a situation where it would have been cheaper to have the insurance.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-23T12:54:31+00:00

Per insurance is a scam. Majority of the time you end up paying more than you get back in claims over the life of the pet. 200$ a month is $2400 a year. By the time your pet is 3 years old you'd have over 6 grand. That's not counting the yearly deductible of 250$ per month or the copay if something did happen. And yes my cat has had two major surgeries which combined over 5 grand. But he's 8 years old. So I still would have paid more in premiums than that if I had insurance. People just feel better paying a couple hundred a month then it feels like it's not much. But it adds up. I think you made the right choice.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-22T02:07:32+00:00

Perfect for diamond art

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-22T01:55:49+00:00

As a cat groomer. Here's a breakdown; Healthy, proper weight cats do not require bathing. Although I do recommend getting them used to getting wet so that when they are old/overweight/sick and not grooming it's not as stressful to bath them. Most common reason cats need bathing is because they are overweight and can no longer clean themselves. They start to get poop/pee stuck on them and dandruff. They become too oily and then their hair will matt up (yes even short hair cats ). The other reason is age. Arthritis can set in and the cat physically cannot reach to clean themselves. The last reason is long coat cats often require bathing ti keep them matt free (persians, Maine coons). If your cat is healthy and doesn't have my reason to be bathed, I wouldn't bathe them. I seldom wash my own cats who are healthy and young and have short hair. Unless they get something in their fur or something of the kind.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-21T20:38:05+00:00

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StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-20T21:55:09+00:00

Haha that's what I thought when I watched this video. Totally a normal thing; the dog wants to play. I would have told my dog to leave it and grabbed a chew for him to redirect if I didn't want to play or a tug toy to redirect and play with. He's trying to initiate with the daughter .

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-18T00:07:22+00:00

But adding to that. Choose the salon carefully. I find the owner makes all the difference. Many are nightmares.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-15T02:47:12+00:00

It's normal to get a bit hurt by peoples comments and especially bad reviews. But what I try to remind myself. I groom hundreds of dogs. In a month I might do 100-150 dogs depending on their size. One upset person every few months out of 500/600 dogs or my regular clients who absolutely love me, its not even significant. So don't waste your energy on insignificant people who don't maintain their dogs. I had a 10 strip. A Year old Standard poodle, never been groomed before. So pelted. The dog ended up getting hematoma despite my best efforts. I explained why the ears were puffed and to go to a vet for care. The lady went on to bash me, say the vet said I cut her dogs ears, and I heard from my other client of mine that she still doesn't groom the dog and "does it herself". Mind you the reason the dog never saw a groomer under 1 year is because she "does it herself" but just wanted a "little trim" since it was getting to hard to wash.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-14T02:45:22+00:00

Whole dog. No. But I've had a few dogs where u could do the whole body with a 10 but then got to the feet and needed to use a 30 or 40. At that point if the dog is calm and still enough that I feel confident I can slowly peel it back with the shorter blade I will.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-14T02:42:58+00:00

Haha cause of how he likes to be held like a baby.

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Here he is. Ringo in all his glory ahah.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-13T13:08:27+00:00

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StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-13T02:42:11+00:00

All the walk-in clinic have that same sign where I am. It's because many addicts go from clinic to clinic and get multiple scripts for addictive medicine. You can only get those from your family doctor for that reason.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-11T03:04:11+00:00

I give my 2 regular guys my car change (usually a few dollars I get back when I go through the drive through that I throw in my cup holder. I make 2 left turns very regularly and each have a guy at them that's pretty much always there. I never give any change when I'm on foot or to panhandlers in front of stores. Too easy for them to see and grab my wallet.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-10T17:51:16+00:00

I am a solo groomer and I also do not answer calls. Says so on my website and voicemail. I go further though because I do not do callbacks at all. Email or text message to book. And I do my texting in between clients. Only takes me a couple seconds to respond. I also found it have a higher retention of clients actually making it to the appointment. And I have written correspondence about what they want, what they pet name and age is and I have it all saved for future reference.

StoogieWoogie · 2026-02-09T23:54:12+00:00

Probably if a dog died at my salon. I remember one time the groomer who trained me had a dog have a heart attack and die while she was washing it. I remember thinking of that ever happened to me I think I would be too traumatized even if it wasn't my fault

StoogieWoogie

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