Cooper is a Doodle, the kind of curly, soft, brown-eyed dog that makes people stop mid-conversation and say “oh, what a sweet face.” He has been a Vroom Grooms client for a while and he is one of those dogs who remembers me every single time.
The brown eyes are a real thing. Cooper has mastered the look that says “we are friends and you should give me a treat about it.”
What Makes Cooper Special
Cooper is a Doodle with the kind of personality that makes the appointment easy. He is calm on the table. He is cooperative in the tub. He does not fuss at the dryer. He lets me do my work and then he leans against me for a minute before hopping out.
He is also one of the dogs who knows what is happening at every step. He watches me set up. He watches me lift him onto the table. He watches me fill the tub. By the time we are done with the first part of the appointment, he has the rest of it figured out.
That kind of dog-groomer communication is what makes the regular schedule work.
Grooming Notes for Doodles
Doodles come in a few different coat types. Cooper has the curlier, more Poodle-like coat, which means:
– He needs brushing at home between grooms. A slicker brush and a metal comb get the job done in about five minutes if it is done regularly. – He needs a haircut every 6 to 8 weeks to keep the coat manageable. – His ears are heavy and hold moisture. I clean them and make sure they are dry. – His feet collect matting between the pads. I keep that hair trimmed short.
The Home Brushing Loop
I keep coming back to this because it matters. The biggest predictor of how a Doodle appointment goes is the home brushing. If the owner is brushing twice a week, the appointment is easy. If the coat has been skipped for a month, the first part of the appointment is working out mats and the second part of the appointment is trying to make the dog comfortable again.
Cooper’s owner is doing the work. That is why Cooper is one of the calm Doodles I get to work with.
What Cooper Reminds Me
Cooper is the dog I think about when owners are not sure whether to book the next appointment. Book the next appointment. The regular schedule is the difference between an easy visit and a difficult one. The regular schedule is the difference between a happy dog at the spa day and a stressed dog who needs extra time.
Cooper is happy at the spa day because his owner has built the routine. That is the goal.
See Cooper on the Stream
I stream most of my grooms over on Twitch at DogGroomerNicole. Cooper has been on the stream. Watch for the brown eyes. They will work on you.
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.