Today was a Beagle day. Three of them, actually, plus a Labrador who has one true love in this world and it is water. Four dogs, four very different personalities, and one of the best parts of this job: getting to know a family of dogs from the same house and learning what makes each one tick.
Here is a look at today’s pack:
Rocky the Beagle
Rocky was my big boy of the morning. He came in with plenty to say and made himself right at home on the table. During his groom I felt a small nodule on his left anal gland, so I sent his dad a message with a few follow-up questions — whether the vet had expressed them while he was there, and what was happening when they noticed any smell. That turned into a longer conversation than I expected, and it is worth repeating here.
Anal glands are one of those topics where the details matter enormously. If a dog is having trouble expressing them naturally, there is often something else going on that needs a closer look — not something a groomer should be managing alone every four, six, or eight weeks. I only ever do external expression, I never guarantee I can get anything out, and I never guarantee I get it all. Internal expression is a veterinary procedure, full stop, and no dog groomer should be doing it. This is exactly why anal gland expression and ear plucking are coming off my service menu entirely starting in 2027. I would rather turn something away than cause harm to a dog I am handling.
Harvey the Beagle
Harvey is one of three, and he is my nervous little fella. He gets what I call the nervous shed, where the coat lets go a little more than usual because he is not quite sure about all of this. He is also, in his own mind, a jumper — he tried it more than once and I had to gently inform him that he cannot, in fact, jump. He got the happy hoodie for the dryer, which he tolerated because there were snacks involved, though I am fairly sure his official position is that the dryer is a personal insult.
His ears were a little crusty when I checked, so those got a careful clean, and the rest was a solid, patient groom. Beagles are just so stinking cute, and Harvey is a sweet one underneath all that nerves.
Roxie the Beagle
Roxie came to the table and she is a very good girl with a little mohawk that sticks straight up in the middle of her head no matter what I do with it, and honestly it is one of my favorite things about her. She was patient for her nails and her tidy-up, and she had plenty of thoughts about when the snacks should be arriving (immediately, according to her).
Addy the Labrador Retriever
Addy was my last dog of the day, and she is a water dog through and through. She had just been in the pond before she came to see me, and the bathtub is genuinely her favorite thing — she gets in before I even ask. I used a special shampoo for her and took my time, because she deserves it and because a Lab who loves water that much is going to have opinions about the rinse. I got her nails done at the very end, right before she headed home.
She also stole a treat off me, which I allowed, because she looked so pleased with herself. My note to self for next time: make Addy wait until she is inside the house before the treat. She spent the rest of the visit checking my zipper for more.
Three Beagles and a Lab. That is a pretty great Thursday, and I would do it again next week.
Thank you to all the families who trust me with their dogs — I do not take it lightly.
Until next time, my furry friends!
Catch the Action Live! Want to see these grooming transformations happen in real-time? Tune into the solo live stream over on Twitch at DogGroomerNicole. Whether we are tackling tricky coat conditions, working with different breeds and weight classes, or just enjoying some puppy cuddles, you can watch it all unfold straight from the van.
While you are watching from your laptop or desktop, please take a moment to click the link below the stream to learn more about Folds of Honor, a phenomenal charity we are incredibly proud to support.
See you all on the road!
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.