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Groomed for success

BY DENISE FLAIM

Los Angeles Times/Washington Post

Is there life after "Queer Eye"? For Jai Rodriguez, there is. No longer coaching clueless straight guys, Rodriguez turns his attention to tousled pooches in a new reality show, "Groomer Has It," Saturdays at 8 and 11 p.m. on Animal Planet, cable Channel 67.

On the show, groomers attempt such feats as identifying a dog's breed while blindfolded to grooming farm animals. The winner takes home the title of Groomer of the Year and a prize package worth $125,000.

But what about the rest of us who just want our Lhasa apsos not to resemble miniature Cousin Itts?

Barbara Bird of Tucson, a groomer for 38 years, says a good groomer is a find -- and a keeper.

"Looking for a groomer is like looking for a baby-sitter and hairdresser in the same person -- not everybody who's a great technician is patient and loving, and likewise, not everybody who likes animals has any styling skills," she warns.

The ideal groomer has that indefinable "way with animals" -- she exudes a quiet confidence that animals defer to. And on the practical side, she has the experience to safely use sharp cutting tools on moving and sometimes reluctant animals, and has an eye for creating pleasing, appropriate cuts.

If you are looking for a new groomer -- or rethinking your current one -- here are some questions to ponder:

Is the groomer certified? Three groups offer national certification: International Professional Groomers (www.ipgcmg.org), the National Dog Groomers Association (www.nationaldoggroomers.com) and the International Foundation of Canine Cosmetologists (www.petstylist.com/ISCC/ISCCMain.htm).

Can the groomer "do" your breed? You don't expect your bichon to emerge from the shop ready to hit the Best in Show ring. "But if you have a purebred, you want it to look like its breed," Bird says.

This is an advantage to national certification: "It means the groomer knows what a breed's visual qualities are and how to manifest them," she explains.

Can you have a tour? Good groomers are understandably proud of their shops. If yours does not have an open-door policy -- why not?

How are the animals dried? Everyone has heard horror stories about dogs burned in heated cage dryers. Bird cautions that tools are only as good as those who use them. Provided they are in a room that is attended at all times, heated cage dryers may have a place in a groomer's regimen. But so should a range of drying equipment, including fans, ambient-air dryers that attach to crates, forced-air dryers and conventional handheld blowers.

Is the groomer honest? If he says, "She was fine," but your Maine coon returns home quasi-catatonic, there is some cognitive dissonance going on. A good groomer, Bird advises, "is willing to say, 'We had some difficulty today.' "

Bird reminds us that "good groomers can be found in all kinds of establishments" -- working for vets, making house calls or in big chain pet stores.

The trick is finding them. And in that, as in most everything in life, your gut is usually your best guide.