A day in the life of a groomer at George's

As we approach our third anniversary in the Village, we sit down with Lilac, our head groomer who's been with us since Day 1. We chat about her day to day and what makes working here so special for her.

Lilac, talk us through a typical morning, when you arrive at George's.

I always arrive early to start the day off calmly and ensure I have time to prepare the salon for the day ahead. I take some time to run through the diary and to see which clients we have in; on a normal day we'll have a combination of regulars and first-time clients in, so I always like to plan ahead. This is also the best time for me to respond to any emails or missed calls that need my attention, as it usually gets pretty busy after my first dog arrives. 

Our senior groomer, Lucy, and I will then prep the water bowls, baths, grooming tables and equipment for our first clients.

When my client arrives, I welcome them into the boutique and check in with the owner for any updates on the dog that I should be aware of. This is often just a quick chat where the owner will say 'same as always, please!' and run out to avoid getting a parking ticket - or it will be a full consultation on styling or a medical condition I need to work around. If it's the client's first visit, I'll bring the dog and their owner into the salon to see the space and let their dog settle in, while they select a post-groom scent.

Every groom always starts with a warm bath and I carefully select the shampoo based on the owner's preference, the condition of the dog's coat and any sensitivities they may have. I really enjoy doing spa add-ons and any special treatments for the dogs. The mud bath is amazing, as it leaves my hands feeling so soft for the rest of the day. I then give the dog a blow-dry to get the coat perfectly ready for styling. We get a wide variety of breeds at George's so it's always a lot of fun to vary coat types and styles throughout the day.

Once I'm happy with the groom, I usually try to snap some nice photos of the dog on one of our sofas. Then I spray them with their chosen scent before their human comes to pick them up! We get to know each dog's chosen scent by heart once they've been in a few times, it's really lovely to build up that familiarity with them.

While my dog is waiting to go home, I'll prep my grooming table and the bath for my next dog so everything is fresh for their arrival.

Sometimes, if I have a spare moment, in between clients, I’ll take some time to look around the boutique and see what fun new products we have in store.

What's the energy like in the salon on a typical day?

It really depends on the dogs we have in! We're really lucky though as it's mostly really calm here. We try to book anxious dogs in across lunch so that they're on their own in the salon. It never gets too chaotic as we have one groomer for each dog... We don't often have many dogs running around but when it happens, it's usually quite funny.

Lucy and I work alongside each other and have been for 2.5 years now! We chat a lot throughout the day and always help each other out if there's any need.

Do you ever get stressed if a dog is hard to handle or showing signs of aggression?

Not really. I'm a very calm person in general and I love all dogs. They have different temperaments and that's part of the job and one of the reasons I love it. I find that if you get stressed, it actually makes the situation worse and the dog will feel it. We get some nervous dogs in at George's and we work with them to make them more comfortable with the whole process each time they come. It's very rewarding.

We have some questions for you that we know you often get asked...

How does someone book their dog's first groom at George's?

Either myself, or Lucy, will start the consultation process by asking the client some details about their dog, including the breed, age and any grooming preferences. We take our time to ensure we understand exactly what the client requires from this groom. Then we just need to find a suitable time in the diary! We try as much as we can to be flexible but we are a lot busier now than when we first opened. 

When can a puppy have their first groom?

We recommend bringing puppies in as early as possible, ideally as soon as they have completed their vaccinations. We offer puppy packages which include a wash and blow dry, nail trim, tidying around the paws, face and hygiene areas. We take it really slow with the puppies to ensure they feel relaxed and familiar with grooming. Generally, we recommend bringing puppies in every two weeks whilst they are young to ensure they are prepared for their first proper haircut and subsequent grooms. 

If a dog is a newbie to the salon and usually gets nervous when going for a groom, how would you approach this situation?

We would treat this dog as we would treat any puppy that is new to the salon; by taking the process slow and introducing them to everything in a calm and relaxed manner. We'd also ensure that the groom is booked at a time that not only best suits the client, but also the dog. All parts of the grooming process are done by hand - we don't use cabinet dryers or cages. Our salon is designed to provide a calming environment to dogs. We invite first time clients in before leaving their dog for their first pamper session. This reinforces client confidence that their dogs will be groomed with the utmost care. 

What do you love most about working at George's?

My favourite part has to be getting to meet all the different dogs and clients but also seeing our regulars. It's really lovely that at George’s we take our time and never rush through the process; to ensure each dog receives the time and care they deserve.

Do you have a favourite breed to groom?

It's so hard to choose but I love grooming Pomeranians and I am partial to a Poodle cut... but I also have a soft spot for Huskies and Akitas... I don't know!