Tuesday's Tip # 23

Today's tip is not really a grooming tip, but it is to help at work.

First I have a question.

How many times have you sent the wrong collar or lead home with the wrong dog?

Well, it has happened to us.

Not often, but more than once.

It is very embarrassing to have to call an owner and tell them that you have put the wrong collar on their dog and could they please bring it back.

I know that some groomers do not keep the collar and leash.

They give them back to the owner at drop off.

I don't know about your customers, but I can almost guarantee that most of my customers would forget to bring the collar and leash back with them.

So, I have always kept the collar and leash with the dog.

The only problem is that every once in a while collars and leashes seem to get mixed up.

One day I will catch that little Gremlin that runs around my shop hiding, and moving things.

You know what I mean.

Your grooming along, you put down your brush, or your comb, or scissors, then you reach for them a few minutes later and the are gone.

Please tell me that that has happened to you too, that I am not the only one.

I know I sat those scissors on my table.

It is a bad habit of mine.

But, I reach for them and they are not there.

I look and look...I know I sat them down on my table. 

Then after becoming completly frustrated I find them on top of my stool.

I did not put them there!

I know I didn't!

That darn Gremlin did it!

I just know that that darn little Gremlin is sitting in the corner laughing at me.

I have one that lives in my house too, and moves things around so I can't find them.

Anyway, for years we have used little baskets above the doors of the kennels.

They have worked great, but sometimes a collar or leash will fall out and be picked up and put in the wrong basket.

Of course everyone denies doing that, so it must be that darn Gremlin again.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the hardware store.

I saw a pack of....

oh crap, I can't remember what they are called. :/

The little red hook thingy in the picture.

Darn... brain freeze.

I seem to have more and more of them the older I get.

Anyway, I decided to try them for hanging the collars off of, so they would not fall on the floor.

So far this has worked pretty good.

Of course old habits are hard to break, and we are still using the baskets.

I was going to remove all of the baskets, but they are great for holding those large, bulky retractable leashes.

Oh, yes, I know that the name card on the kennel is upside down.

No, the Gremlin didn't do that.

We turn the name cards upside down when a dog is done.

That way we know at a quick glance, what dogs are finished and ready to go home.

If you have a good way of keeping collars and leads, I would love to hear about it. :)

Happy Grooming, MFF