Scout is a Bichon Frise mix and the kind of dog who looks at you like he is the one running the appointment. He is too smart for his own good, and by the end of every groom he has figured out exactly how much wiggle room he has.
Scout has been a Vroom Grooms client for a long time. He knows the van. He knows the table. He knows what comes next.
A Professional at the Table
Most of the dogs I groom are a little uncertain at some point in the appointment. Some dogs dread the dryer. Some dogs dread the clippers. Some dogs dread the nail trim. Scout has his moments but on the whole he is a working professional.
He stands still on the table. He lets me brush him out without complaining. He holds his paw out for the nail clip without me asking twice. By the time we are done, he leans against me for a minute and then hops out of the van like a guy leaving the barber shop.
That is the kind of appointment that reminds me why I do this. The grooming is the work. The relationship is the reason I do it.
Grooming Notes for Bichon Frise Mixes
Bichon Frise coats are famous for being soft, white, and prone to matting. A few things I always keep in mind with Scout:
– His coat needs brushing at home between grooms. A slicker brush and a metal comb keep the coat manageable. – His skin can be sensitive. I use a gentle shampoo and watch for any irritation. – His ears are floppy and hold moisture. I clean them out and make sure they are dry before we are done. – His eyes are dark and expressive. I check for any discharge or irritation at every appointment.
What Smart Dogs Need
A smart dog on the grooming table is actually a slightly different kind of work than a less observant dog. The smart dog is going to notice patterns. The smart dog is going to remember what happened last time. The smart dog is going to figure out where the wiggle room is.
That means consistency matters. If I let Scout have a wiggle break at 10 minutes on the first appointment, he is going to expect the wiggle break at 10 minutes on the next appointment. If I let him off the table one minute early because he gave me a look, he is going to try the look again next time.
I love grooming smart dogs. They keep me honest.
What Scout Reminds Me
Scout is the dog I think about when owners ask why grooming is more expensive than they expected. The grooming is not just the bath. The grooming is the relationship that allows the bath to happen in the first place. Grooming a smart, settled dog like Scout on a regular schedule is a very different job than grooming the same dog once a year after the coat has packed into mats.
The regular schedule makes the appointment easy. The easy appointment makes the dog happy. The happy dog comes back. That is the loop.
See Scout on the Stream
I stream most of my grooms over on Twitch at DogGroomerNicole. Scout has been on the stream. He is hard to miss.
Real grooming, real dogs, real community.
About the Author
Nicole is the owner and certified groomer behind Vroom Grooms LLC, a mobile dog grooming service serving Northwest Ohio. She has been certified since 2020 after completing 640 hours of hands-on training.
This post was drafted with help from Nagini 🐍, her digital assistant, who keeps the blog running, handles the tech side of the website, and makes sure Nicole spends more time with dogs and less time wrestling with WordPress.