Coat Management Disorder
What Do You Mean My Pet is Matted?
Clients can be resistant to being told that the only thing a groomer can do is shave their pet, and that it’s going to cost more.
Not knowing how a groomer makes those decisions can make a client doubt or distrust us.
To them, Fluffy just looks fluffy.
Coat Management Disorder
Coat Evaluation Flyer pictured
When a dog’s coat isn’t well-managed, Coat Management Disorder (CMD) occurs. As CMD progresses, individual hairs become indistinguishable and compact, skin visibility is obscured, and fluids or debris can be excessive.
Evaluating CMD
Using three criteria, clients should be able to determine the condition of their pet’s coat the same way a groomer does.
Three Qualities of a Well-Managed Coat
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Individual hair strands are easily distinguished.
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Skin is visible when coat is parted.
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Coat is free of urine, feces, secretions, and debris.
Evaluation Chart pictured
Pricing Strategy
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When it comes to dogs who are groomed less than quarterly, it’s almost guaranteed that grooming will require extra time and be hard on equipment.
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Whether you have a formal structure, an hourly rate, or you just know in your head, we all have a time allotment and base price for each dog we groom. It's straightforward. A schnauzer takes an hour and cost $50. A Cocker takes 1.5 hours and costs $75.
What happens though, when that schnauzer is a mess because it rained last week?
Or when someone new calls for a price quote?
Have you ever given a price at check in and regretted it?
Implementing a percentage pricing strategy that includes both mat removal and handling fees eliminates gross under-charging, and provides compensation for damaged equipment.
Percentage Pricing
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Charge a set percentage of your base price for added on fees
Stage 2: One 15 min CMD session is 25% of base price.
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Stage 3: Each 15 min CMD session is 25% of base, plus 50% of base is added for handling.
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Stage 4: Each 15 min CMD session is 50% of base, plus 75% of base is added for handling.
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Stage 5: Each 15 min CMD session is 75% of base, plus 100% of base is added for handling.
Using percentages standardizes CMD fees using your base price and time allotment for a well-maintained, regularly groomed pet.
For in-person pricing, this CMD estimate form can be used to be give clients a price before they turn over their pet.
For phone or web inquiries, the pricing structure provides a reasonable estimate for service:
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“Without seeing your pet, I can tell you that one like you describe usually takes an hour to groom and costs $50. If your dog’s coat isn’t in good condition, the price will be higher. If it takes less than 15 minutes extra to groom your pet, price will be $62.50. If your pet’s coat is in poor condition or requires an extended grooming session, grooming could cost as much as $175.”
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Estimate Form pictured
Coping With Resistance
“You want me to pay how much?” is likely to be a common response from clients with infrequently or rarely groomed dogs.
Most pets require regular grooming to avoid CMD. Pets on a 4 to 6 week schedule can usually be groomed without extra time or effort. At 8 week intervals, minor mat removal is often necessary. Pets that are groomed less than 4 times a year usually require much more time and effort.
Comparing the cost of grooming over the course of a year for regularly versus rarely groomed pet shows that even at $175 that once a year groom is quite the bargain for the client..
Protect Your Business
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Unfortunately, as coat condition deteriorates, associated risks increase. If you groom dogs with moderate to severe CMD, consider implementing protocols to protect your business and help the dog.
You should protect your business by requiring clients sign a CMD specific Consent and Release and Waiver of Liability.
You might provide clients information about common CMD related medical issues that may develop after grooming.
Perhaps the best thing to do is to keep complete records that include client’s address and a description of the pet’s pre- and post-grooming condition. Then, if you are concerned for the dog’s immediate or future welfare, you can notify your county’s Animal Control department.
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Find more information and a CMD Condition Report form under the Animal Cruelty tab.
ORDER YOUR CMD FORMS
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-CMD Chart pdf
-Client Flyer pdf
-CMD Estimate Form pdf
-Yearly Cost Table pdf
-CMD Release and Waiver pdf
-CMD Cruelty Condition Report pdf
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Submit email to order yours today
$2.00 US each pdf
$5.00 for all 6
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