Friday is the day most of us look forward to all week long. The end of the work week. The end of the school run. The end of the early mornings and the late dinners and the constant juggle of responsibilities that Monday through Thursday demands of us. Friday is the day when the answer to “how is your week going?” finally changes from “surviving” to “almost there.” This is the Friday post in our new weekly blog rhythm at Vroom Grooms LLC, and Fridays are going to be about being grateful for the dogs that make this work worthwhile.
Why Friday Is Gratitude Day
I could write a gratitude post any day of the week. I picked Friday on purpose. Friday is the day we are all winding down. Friday is the day we are starting to think about the weekend. Friday is the day we have just enough energy left to take a breath and appreciate what is going right, instead of just running to the next thing. That is the energy I want for this post.
The dogs that come through the van week after week are a privilege to work with. They are not my dogs. They belong to the people who love them. But every single one of them spends a couple of hours with me, in my van, on my table, in my care, while I do the work of keeping them healthy and comfortable and looking their best. That is a privilege. It is also a responsibility I take seriously, and Fridays are a good time to say thank you to the people who let me do this work.
What I Am Grateful For
Every groomer has a different answer to “what is the best part of the job.” Here is mine. I am grateful for:
The senior dogs. The 12-year-old Lab who comes in every 6 weeks and still wags his tail at the van. The 14-year-old Yorkie who hates the bath but forgives me when I am done. The senior dogs are slow, steady, and grateful for the attention. Working with them is a reminder that grooming is not about how a dog looks. It is about how a dog feels.
The puppies. The first-time groom is a major milestone in a dog’s life, and I get to be part of it. The 4-month-old Doodle who comes in looking terrified and leaves looking like a completely different dog, with the owner’s eyes saying “thank you for being gentle.” Puppies remind me why the gentle approach matters.
The rescues. The dogs who came from somewhere bad and landed somewhere good. The dog who flinches when I lift the brush, and who learns within three appointments that the brush means good things. The dog who is finally trusting, finally relaxed, finally groomed in a way that feels safe.
The difficult dogs. Yes, the difficult dogs. The ones who fight the bath. The ones who bite at the clippers. The ones who test my patience and my skill and my commitment to the Humanity Over Vanity rule. These dogs teach me the most. They force me to be a better groomer. They slow me down and make me think about what is really happening in the groom. Working with difficult dogs is the fastest way to get better at working with all dogs.
The senior owners. The 70-year-old who still drives the dog to the van herself. The 80-year-old who has the dog on a strict schedule because that is the one reliable routine in their week. The senior owners love their dogs fiercely, and I am grateful to be part of their support system.
The young owners. The first-time dog owner. The new puppy parent. The people who have never owned a dog before and are figuring it out in real time. They ask questions. They listen to advice. They want to do right by their dog. Working with young owners is a reminder that the next generation of dog care is in good hands.
The dogs that have passed. I have groomed dogs who are no longer with us. I think about those dogs, and I think about the owners who trusted me with them. I am grateful for the time I had with them. I am grateful the owners let me be part of their dog’s life for as long as we had.
The Dogs That Are Here Right Now
If your dog is coming up on a Vroom Grooms appointment soon, this is your reminder to check the calendar and make sure the slot is still good. And this is my thank you. Whether your dog has been with me for years or is coming in for the very first time, I am grateful for the chance to work on them. They are part of the Vroom Grooms family now, and family matters.
The Bottom Line
Friday is the day to be grateful. I am grateful for every dog in the van, every owner who trusts me with their dog, and every week that the business is open and the dogs are healthy. Thank you for being part of Vroom Grooms. I will see you again next week, and the week after that, and the week after that.
Stay fresh and furry, Nicole / Vroom Grooms LLC
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, and is grateful every Friday for the dogs and owners who make this work possible.
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.