At-Home Grooming

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Many pet owners—even those whose dogs don’t require regular professional grooming—use groomers for routine tasks like nail trimming. According to the market research firm IBISWorld, pet services like grooming have been the fastest growing segment in the pet industry. Harness that growth by providing your sporadic and regular grooming clients with a variety of products they can use at home.

Andis’ international grooming consultant, Diane Betelak, recommended that “pet parents brush, comb and rake, if needed, between professional groomings to keep the coat and skin in the most healthy state possible.” Provide your customers with product options to take care of grooming in between appointments.

To make the sale even easier, be prepared to educate your customers on the various options available. Many customers may not understand that different coats require different tools. Further, they may not understand how best to use the tools without causing damage to the skin or coat. Use an educational conversation to help your customers pick the right products to purchase for those between-appointment groomings.

Complete Kits

For pet owners who want to take on most grooming tasks, a complete kit like ConairPro’s 16-Piece Pet Clipper Kit provides almost everything they would need, including a ground-steel blade, a five-position taper lever and eight comb attachments with a combination of 45 settings. The brand also offers other packages, including a smaller 11-piece kit and a two-in-one clipper and trimmer kit.

Oster’s range of clippers appeals to beginners through advanced home groomers. The Performance Pet Clipper Kit is a complete kit designed for dog owners who may be new to home grooming. The kit includes an instructional DVD that provides important safety tips, step-by-step instruction on how to clip a variety of breeds, as well as information on how to maintain the clipper. This is a great resource to emphasize when selling products to a novice home groomer. The Freestyle Clipper can also be used as a trimmer. As an added convenience, it can switch from corded to cordless. The Oster Turbo A5 Clipper utilizes a faster motor, making it a great option for use on dogs that aren’t regularly bathed or brushed and may have more mats and tangles.

Shedding Solutions

Shedding is one of the biggest customer complaints. ConairPro’s Shed-It deshedder reaches excess undercoat and has an easy cleaning mechanism. A button releases the fur from the blade. The blade assembly snaps off and customers can purchase a variety of interchangeable blades and attachments.

FURminator’s popular line of deshedding tools is available in a wide range to suit all needs. The Long Hair deShedding Edge tool is designed for dogs with hair longer than two inches. Sizes accommodate giant breeds down to toy breeds. For medium-sized dogs, the tool is available in a complete deshedding kit that also includes a box of Shed Control Cloths, a 16-ounce bottle of deShedding Shampoo and an 8.5-ounce bottle of deShedding Spray. For short-haired dogs, FURminator’s Short Hair deShedding Edge is available in the same range of sizes and for medium-sized dogs, a comparable kit is available.

Andis’ new line of grooming tools designed for at-home use is suitable for all breeds. According to Betelak, it is important for customers to use the appropriate brush regularly to stimulate the pet’s skin and keep the coat from tangling.

Providing a range of options and sharing information will enable customers to make the right purchases. For example, the Andis slicker brush can be used for breeds with shorter coats and the Andis large pin brush can be used for breeds with long, silky coats. The line also includes nail clippers in two sizes, a desedding tool, a flea comb, a two-sided brush, a steel comb, two slicker brushes, a large pin brush and shears.

Nail grinding kits round out the product offerings for at-home grooming. Both Oster and Conair offer electric nail grinders. These are popular for owners who want to clip nails between grooming appointments but don’t have the skill or comfort level to use traditional nail clippers.

When choosing which grooming tools to stock, emphasize product innovation and premium products. Because grooming tools are a niche product, marketing the tools in store should include more than just displaying a stack of boxes. Rather, an attractive product presentation and, if possible, a demonstration of the product will help customers understand what they’re purchasing. Groomers should be prepared to make recommendations to customers so they know which tools are most appropriate for their dog’s coat type and breed needs.