Grooming matted Bichon Mix Live
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 31 Oct 2018
I'm new to live streaming and if I decide to continue to do this I promise to get a microphone to wear so at least the sound is better. The video is choppy I think because I'm live streaming. I'm using a new camera attached to my laptop and streaming via youtube setting. It takes me a while to get it all set up because I have no idea what I'm doing. Hopefully I'll get a work flow written down so my old brain doesn't have to keep trying to remember what to do. So sorry for the bad video and choppy audio!
This is a matted Bichon Mix. Owner wants a 4 comb body and short Bichon head and ears. Currently the ears are long and very matted so they will be quite short I think. Owner says she likes the "mutt look" what ever that means. The mutt look to me means an ungroomed look. So I'm not sure how to get an ungroomed look by grooming the dog but I'll try......
Sorry I was not able to film the finish of the groom. Going back and looking at what I shot I want to tell you that while it may look like I'm forcing his legs up, I'm very aware of the stress to his spine and only lifting his legs up what he will volunteer. As I pick up his legs he "helps" me lifts it up. I'm just supporting what he gives me. Same with his tail. When I pick up his two front legs and stand him up he willingly allows me. I am very aware and looking for and feeling for, any OUCHIES, fully prepared to stop and support, or abort the lift.
I took a long time (now that I look at it) with the prep work. I had extra time that day to fiddle with it. I had decided to try and "save" as much hair as I could so I didn't have to shave him with a 10. So cutting through most of the mats on his head and lower legs DID help. When I was blow drying him the mats were more easily "blown" away from the skin with the force dryer, leaving longer hair to get a 4 under. Most of the mats on the face blew out or all I had to do was a bit more de-matting with a tool so his face still had some fluff and style. It turned out well! But I did charge the owner $20 more. Not enough by far but a groomer always has to balance what the groomer should charge against what the owner would be willing to pay, or risk loosing a good customer. If I had not been filming that day I would have just shaved him down for times sake. He really was pretty matted.