Grooming Resources

So you’re in the market for some supplies with which to start grooming your dog. This Appendix is the right place to look. It provides you with lists of Web sites where you can find information about grooming in general (and grooming education and certification specifically) and about where to find grooming products at good prices. If that isn’t enough, I also provide you with a list of books you can check out for additional information.

Web Sites

You can check out the Web sites that I list in the sections that follow regardless of whether you merely want only to groom your own dog or you’re leaning toward turning pro and using your skills to groom other folks’ best friends.

Grooming your own dog

If you’re looking for information about grooming your own dog or finding someone to do it for you, be sure to check these two Web sites:

- Petgroomer.com (www.petgroomer.com): Petgroomer.com is a great Internet resource guide for folks whose focus mainly is on grooming their own dogs.

- Find A Groomer Directory (www.findagroomer.com): This site helps you locate a groomer in your area via the Internet.

Grooming for yourself and others

Even if you’re only grooming your own dog, you can find some really cool pointers from Web sites aimed at professional groomers. Nevertheless, the sites in the list that follows focus on providing groomers who already are working professionally or the ones who are looking to turn pro:

- Intergroom (www.intergroom.com): This annual international conference for groomers features educational opportunities and seminars, a trade show, and certification information and opportunities.

• Intergroom, Inc.
• c/o Christine DeFilippo
• 76 Carol Drive
• Dedham, MA, USA 02026
• Phone: 781-326-3376
• E-mail: intergroom@msn.com

- National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA — www.nationaldoggroomers.com): NDGAA is a national association founded in 1969 for specifically for dog groomers. It provides educational and certification opportunities.

• NDGAA
• P.O. Box 101
• Clark, PA 16113
• Phone: 724-962-2711
• E-mail: ndga@nationaldoggroomers.com

- International Society of Canine Cosmetologists (ISCC — www.petstylist.com): ISCC offers opportunities for education and certification.

• ISCC
• 18710 Kelly Blvd.
• Dallas, TX 75287
• Phone: 972-414-9715
• E-mail: iscc@petstylist.com

- International Pet Groomers (IPG — www.ipgcmg.org): IPG offers opportunities for education and certification.

• IPG
• c/o Judy Kurpiel, CMG
• IPG President
• 120 Turner Avenue
• Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
• Phone: 847-758-1938
• E-mail: jkurpiel@ipgcmg.org 

Grooming Supplies

Need grooming supplies? A bunch of suppliers and manufacturers — retail and wholesale, mail-order and Internet — are out there at your beck and call, ready to provide for your every grooming need regardless of your status as a groomer, whether an amateur or a professional. Check out these suppliers:

- Petedge (www.petedge.com): Petedge is a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of groomer and other pet supplies. Supplies can be ordered either over the Internet or by mail-order.

• Petedge
• P. O. Box 128
• Topsfield, MA 01983
• Phone: 978-887-2368
• Toll-free: 800-627-2232

- Groomer’s Choice Pet Products (www.groomerschoice.com): Order your groomer supplies through Groomer’s Choice Pet Products either by mail-order or over the Internet.

• Groomer’s Choice
• 2205 E. 39th Street N, Suite 300
• Sioux Falls, SD 57104
• Phone: 605-334-3886
• Toll-free: 888-364-6242

- GroomStar (www.groomstar.com): Grooming supply purchases from GroomStar can be made either by mail-order or over the Internet.

• GroomStar
• 2222 Academy Place
• Colorado Springs, CO 80909
• Phone: 719-570-1113
• Toll-free: 866-570-1113

- The Shampoo Lady (www.theshampoolady.com): The Shampoo Lady sells shampoos and other grooming supplies at wholesale prices

• The Shampoo Lady
• 9616 NE 227th Avenue
• Vancouver, WA 98682
• Phone: 360-944-7477
• Toll-free: 877-476-6673

- American Pet Pro (www.americanpetpro.com): American Pet Pro offers grooming supplies over the Internet and by mail-order.

• American Pet Pro
• 2313 American Avenue
• Hayward, CA 94545
• Phone: 510-732-2781
• Toll-free: 800-543-9480

- Groomtech (www.groomtech.com): Groomtech is a groomer’s supply house with mail-order and Internet access.

• Groomtech
• 555 Saturn Blvd., #436
• San Diego, CA 92154
• Phone: 800-898-4766
• Toll-free: 800-898-4766

- J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies (www.jbpet.com): J-B Wholesale offers discount pet supplies by mail-order or through the Internet.

• J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies
• 5 Raritan Road
• Oakland, NJ 07436
• Phone: 800-526-0388

- KV Vet Supply (www.kvvet.com): KV Vet Supply provides discount pet and veterinary supplies, offering convenient mail-order and Internet ordering options.

• KV Vet
• 3190 N Road
• PO Box 245
• David City, NE 68632
• Phone: 402-367-6047
• Toll-free: 800-423-8211

- Petsupplies4less.com (www.petsupplies4less.com): Discount pet supplies are available by mail-order or through the Internet from Petsupplies4less.com.

• Petsupplies4less.com
• 713 4th Street
• Fairbury, NE 68352
• Toll-free: 877-813-PETS (877-813-7387)

- UPCO (www.upco.com): Founded in 1952, UPCO is a discount pet supply company. You can place orders through UPCO via mail-order or the Internet.

• UPCO
• 3705 Pear Street
• P.O. Box 969
• St. Joseph, MO 64502
• Phone: 816-233-8800
• Toll-free: 800-254-8726

- Jeffers Pet and Equine Supplies (www.jefferspet.com): Founded in 1975, Jeffers is a privately owned catalog and eCommerce animal health supply retailer.

• Jeffers
• P.O. Box 100
• Dothan, AL 36302
• Phone: 334-793-6257
• Toll-free: 800-JEFFERS (800-533-3377)

Grooming and Dog-Related Magazines

Whether you want to subscribe or just pick up a copy at your local newsstand, here are some great dog-related magazines that can help you keep up to date with all of the innovations in grooming:

- AKC Gazette (www.akc.org/pubs/index.cfm): This magazine is published by the AKC and covers all sorts of topics on purebred dogs.

• AKC Gazette
• 51 Madison Ave.
• New York, NY 10010
• Phone: 800-533-7323

- Dog Fancy (www.dogfancy.com): This magazine’s articles cater to the pet owner (both purebred and mixed breed).

• Dog Fancy
• P.O. Box 53264
• Boulder, CO 80322-3264

- Dog World (www.dogworldmag.com): This magazine caters to both pet and show dog owners. It includes good health and grooming articles.

• Dog World
• P.O. Box 56240
• Boulder, CO 80323-6240

- Groom and Board: This magazine focuses on the professional groomer.

• HH Backer and Associates
• 200 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 840
• Chicago, IL 60604
• Phone: 312-663-4040
• E-mail: grmbrd@aol.com

- Groomer to Groomer (www.groomertogroomer.com): This is another groomer magazine aimed toward the professional.

• Barkleigh Productions, Inc.
• 6 State Road 113
• Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
• Phone: 717-691-3388

Other Useful Reference Books

As if Dog Grooming For Dummies isn’t enough, here are some other books that can help answer any questions you may have about grooming in general or specifically:

- All-Breed Dog Grooming (TFH Publications, 1987): This grooming reference covers different breeds.

- Bring Me Home: Dogs Make Great Pets by yours truly Margaret H. Bonham (Howell Book House, 2005): This book includes tons of useful information about getting and owning a dog, if I do say so myself.

- Canine Terminology by Harold R. Spira (Dogwise Publishing, 2001): This book does a great job of defining the dog.

- Don’t Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor (Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999): This is a good clicker training book.

- K-9 Structure and Terminology by Edward M. Gilbert, Jr., and Thelma R. Brown (Howell Book House, 1995): This book also helps define the dog.

- Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference by Shirlee Kalstone (Howell Book House, 2000): You got it – this is a great poodle clipping reference book.

- The Complete Dog Book: Official Publication of The American Kennel Club, 19th edition (Howell Book House, 1997): The book on AKC dog breeds.

- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Dog Health and Nutrition by yours truly Margaret H. Bonham and James M. Wingert (Alpha Books, 2001): An excellent reference on canine health and nutrition.

- The Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, 3rd edition, by James M. Giffin, MD, and Liisa D. Carlson, DVM, (Howell Book House, 2000): An excellent reference on dog health.

- The Dog Repair Book by Ruth B. James, DVM, (Alpine Press, 1990): Another excellent reference on dog health.

- The Dry Dog Food Reference by Howard D. Coffman (Pig Dog Press, 1995): This reference is hard to find and slightly outdated, but you can order it from the publisher if you’re interested in the ingredients and nutritional content of dry dog food.

- The Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th edition, (Merck and Co, Inc., 1991): This is an excellent resource on dog health.

- Ultimate Dog Grooming by Eileen Geeson (Firefly Books, 2004): Another nice book on dog grooming.

by Margaret H.Bonham