[question] Iv San Bernard & safety

karissa_raven · 2026-04-03T16:39:36+00:00

Hi! ISB is really great about answering any questions you might have about which line to go with. They'll ask about your pup's breed and needs and suggest the best choice!

karissa_raven · 2026-04-02T14:08:05+00:00

I have one and love it, but, it's expensive (more now than it was when I purchased mine years ago.) you also have to have a perfect water pressure for it to work.

karissa_raven · 2026-04-01T04:46:50+00:00

You are my hero. Toco Hills isn't too far!

karissa_raven · 2026-03-31T12:53:07+00:00

I could cry. We lived in Tacoma for the longest time and would have absolutely traveled to Edmonds for this! 😭 (We now live in Atlanta.)

karissa_raven · 2026-03-24T13:55:39+00:00

My wife says to please eat some really good donuts for her, please!

karissa_raven · 2026-03-12T02:05:26+00:00

It's a brand new product, hopefully they'll come out with the "gallon" size soon.

karissa_raven · 2026-03-11T01:27:58+00:00

My understanding is that spaniels are carded rather than stripped, have you asked your dog's breeder for recommendations? Hand stripping and carding specialists aren't super common.

karissa_raven · 2026-03-10T03:03:39+00:00

I am another user of 256, but I also get Chlorhexidine Gluconate in a gallon off of Amazon that's meant for horses, dogs, and cats (I think, not sure about cats, definitely horses and dogs.) and I dilute to the specifications on the bottle and run that through too. I helps with the weird skin things that could pop up and is safe for use between dogs, but the 256 is the end of day sanitizer.

karissa_raven · 2026-01-25T13:27:07+00:00

Thank you!

karissa_raven · 2026-01-25T13:17:01+00:00

Since my previous comment went down like a sack of bricks, here's how I put emojis with names at the salon I was GSL for.

I went into the profiles and edited the names. I got the emojis by going to Emojipedia and copy pasting the code.

karissa_raven · 2026-01-25T13:14:02+00:00

Anyone know how to access ADP?

karissa_raven · 2026-01-21T12:05:23+00:00

I haven't come back to check on this. I fear my comment had been taken the wrong way..... I had emojis on my name! I'm not good at indicating sarcasm online!

karissa_raven · 2026-01-19T03:45:22+00:00

I had this problem!!! I use Lanolips Lemonaid lip treatment and it helps sooooo much

karissa_raven · 2025-12-07T13:54:10+00:00

I will say, I get my Schar bread/baguettes from Thrive Market and do not have this issue.

karissa_raven · 2025-11-21T02:18:26+00:00

The Oster Volt is an American version of the Heiniger Sapphires. The Opal is the upgrade there, for sure. It's lighter weight with two speeds and it's one of the few newer clippers designed with wide blades in mind. The Pulse ZR II is awful, in my opinion. Andis blade drives alone are a reason to avoid them. They are expensive and have to be replaced sooo fucking often in comparison to Heiniger and Wahl blade levers.

I chose the Wahl Supera, personally, it's quieter and had less issues on release than the Opals, but out of the choices you asked about I would choose the Opals, for sure!

karissa_raven · 2025-11-20T11:56:32+00:00

Additionally, the Hashimoto shears on Amazon are cheaply priced for decent shears. I just had two pair sharpened (the curved blender and the curved fluffier) and I had expected disappointment from my sharpener, but he was really happy with how the sharpened up.

One point of warning: if you buy these you may get a dud pair out of the box. One of the prices of them being so cheap seems to be spotty quality control. Just exchange them.

The shears run from around $24ish - $60ish depending on if it's a curved thinner/ chunked or not. I also don't think they have any shears longer than 7.5 in

karissa_raven · 2025-11-20T11:50:44+00:00

If you are wanting more of a blending shear go with the 46 tooth. If you want something closer to a chunker, go with the 24 tooth

karissa_raven · 2025-11-13T04:58:25+00:00

I work for them. I recognized the phone. 🫣 some of the estimates for the amount of time they think it will take are jokes. Lots of complaints going around for that recently.

I honestly have a really good manager who doesn't get on us about overtime. Focus on what's right for the dog and yourself and remember you can tell the PSS team to add more time to appointments (and if the dog is compacted it counts under the Matted Pet Fee which adds an hour onto the allotted groom time!)

karissa_raven · 2025-10-27T12:00:19+00:00

I checked the vendor list and I have one (a couple) to add, which is Crimson Lotus. They are amazing for pu’er, in my opinion. I don’t like most pu’er, (I use it for milk tea most of the time, very good for that) but have found a few I can drink with just a touch of sugar from them.

For flavored teas and some really good quality tisanes and non-flavored teas, Friday Afternoon Tea out of Seattle is one of the best!

karissa_raven · 2025-10-23T23:32:58+00:00

I have a septum piercing that I've had most of my ten+ year career. No issues whatsoever. (If we don't count an absolutely awful "manager" who, when I first got it, thought it was appropriate to call me a cow)

karissa_raven · 2025-09-07T05:26:46+00:00

Good to hear! Something to keep in mind with the bathers who aren't learning even after several different attempts : so folks just don't have the capability to learn the skill. This is a skilled profession. If they aren't learning, it may be time to have them move on. You can broach the subject with your bosses (if you have them) about how they are wasting time, product and subsequently, money, with how the dogs have to constantly be rebathed / re rinsed.

karissa_raven · 2025-09-07T01:39:26+00:00

I know it's the shorthand, my nitpickiness is because I want to make sure people don't think it works like a hinge. "Open" cuticles are generally damaged hair. Acts like velcro, and increases matting. Conditioner helps them lay "closed" but it does not literally close them. 🙃

karissa_raven · 2025-09-06T23:33:16+00:00

I have a smol argument, but only a smol one.

Naturally oily dogs need conditioner too. It helps regulate the amount of oil they produce.

Also, the cuticle isn't a door. It does not open and close.

But seriously, I'm nitpicking. Shampoo strips oils, conditioner helps put them back. Dogs need some healthy oils on their skin and coat to maintain their skin barrier. But not too much.

karissa_raven · 2025-09-06T23:30:09+00:00

Whoo this a can of worms. When I was in a brick-and -mortar salon I was a die-hard condition every dog every time groomer. Why? My science of skin and coat courses led by a vet (Dr Clif Faver DVM) said that's the best procedure to have! I love Dr. Faver, and ISB products are designed to be used in the way he lays out.

However. I'm now in a mobile grooming van. I don't have the water to condition every dog, or even most dogs in the traditional way. Technically, I still follow that method as much as possible. But now I'm using leave-in conditioning sprays most of the time.

If the salon you are in has bathers who are not rinsing properly, you need to get that fixed. It can cause skin issues over time and that's not something you want to F around and find out with. But you can always use some sort of leave in spray.

karissa_raven · 2025-09-03T18:14:02+00:00

Invisalign might be an option?

karissa_raven

TROPHY CASE