The next time Maureece Sarell saw her dog Trudie the animal was critically ill at a vet’s.

Last week a court heard the seven-year-old had to be put down after suffering internal bleeding, blistered skin and dehydration.

Magistrates were told Trudie spent 20 minutes in groomer Jo Taylor’s contraption – made from a tarpaulin-covered steel cage with a heater attached. When she got the dog out she realised something was wrong and took her to the vet, but little could be done.

Taylor, 31, was convicted of failing in her duty of care towards the animal following a prosecution brought by the RSPCA. And afterwards one of the charity’s inspectors said Trudie’s death highlighted the need for stricter controls on the unlicensed dog grooming trade.

Taylor admitted the injuries were caused while Trudie was in her care but said the cage was a popular method of drying dogs. Before the incident in October, 81 dogs had used the cage – including her own – for as long as 70 minutes at a time, the court heard. She told Leicester Magistrates’ Court: “I’ve also groomed 100 more dogs since the incident and no problems have been encountered.”

The groomer said Trudie ‘made a little whimpering sound’ when she put her in the cage, which was ‘normal for a lot of dogs’, and claimed she had been standing beside the cage the entire length of time the pet was inside.

Fought back tears

However, the magistrates said they found it ‘difficult to accept’ evidence that Trudie was checked every few minutes.

Taylor, who ran Yensid Dog Grooming from her home in Wigston, Leicester, was cleared of causing unnecessary suffering but convicted of failing in her duty of care. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £350 costs.

Mrs Sarell, a nurse, fought back the tears as the final moments of her beloved pet were revealed. She shared her bedroom with Trudie, who had a basket at the end of her bed, and she said her death had left her numb.

“I had only ever been apart from her for ten days since we had her as a puppy,” she said. “This wasn’t the first time she had been to be groomed but I had no idea about the ‘homemade dryer’ Jo was using.”

Vet Emma Drabble said Trudie was given antibiotics and pain relief before having aloe vera and bandages applied to her wounds.

“Her skin had started to peel and blister and when we took a blood sample it showed she was dehydrated,” she said. “Her temperature reduced to normal after a couple of hours but the internal bleeding continued.”

Ms Drabble and Mrs Sarell decided it was best to save Trudie from suffering further, and she was put to sleep.

DOG WORLD asked well-known groomer Carole Flatt of DeZynaDog for a comment. She said she had been aware of the dangers of improvising with a conventional dryer, fan heater or ‘blaster’ with a towel, blanket or other material over the cage.

‘Death chamber’

“In the trade we call it cage drying,” she said. “We set up such a contraption and placed a thermometer in it. Temperatures soared at a speed which was creating a potential death chamber. This, coupled with the stress of the animal, would make body temperatures rise even faster.

“People do not seem to see the anger of this until it’s too late. Education is the only way to prevent this from happening again. I hope everyone learns from this tragic event. Good training is everything, investment in proper equipment is so important, and practising what you have been taught is a must.”

More than 200 delegates from all over the UK attended the event and watched demonstrations on techniques including hand stripping, scissoring and trimming. Seminars were an important part of the day too and subjects covered included everything from how to market yourself on a shoestring, to first aid in the grooming salon.

Delegates also heard about the important part of any business, ensuring that it makes money. Stephanie Mehanna was able to draw comparisons between the business she does at her Harrods Pet Spa and the work carried out at her local grooming parlour Vanity Fur. She explained that while the two businesses might at first sight look very they both relied on local trade and it was vital for her to market herself in the correct way to ensure continued success.

The event was rounded off by The Big Debate, chaired by Stuart Baillie managing director of Dog World, the publishers of ProGroomer, the panel consisted of Stephanie; Janet Nunn chief executive of the Pet Care Trade Association and British Dog Groomers Association; Julie Harris from Pets At Home where she is an expertise trainer she is also chair of English Groomers group; Colin Taylor of Absolutely Animals who has spent time in Hong Kong and in the USA where he won best in show at all the top events; Graham Searle managing director of Groomers and Diana North who developed the higher diploma qualification for the pet care trust and founded the guild of master groomers.

Gave a masterclass in scissoring a Bichon Frise, Chrissie Warwick of the English Groomers Group clipped a Wire Haired Fox Terrier and Su Eld-Weaver of EGG scissored a Standard Poodle.

Features to appear in issue 9:

• HAND-STRIPPING THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER by MARIE BURNS
• Business Profile: From unemployment to a grooming salon by DONNA KIRK
• FROM THE BRITISH DOG GROOMERS ASSOCIATION: Starting out in dog grooming qualifications
• Business Profile: VOTED BEST PRODUCT OF THE YEAR – Eileen Geeson profiles ANIMOLOGY
• Su, Peter, Jitka and Joanne – the new Groom Team England
• Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? by Valery Holden, Dogsbody Design, Winslow, Bucks
• A student’s VIEW by NICOLA FITZGERALD

• Trimming Guide by Amy English – In the last issue of ProGroomer we demonstrated the show trim for the American Cocker Spaniel. This time we will show how the pet-trimmed American Cocker can and should look every bit as smart and eyecatching as a show dog, but without the extreme high maintenance.I prefer a short and tidy sporting/puppy trim which shows off the dog’s outline. If trimmed into a half full coat it can make the dog look short on leg and a bit dumpy. Also bear in mind not to over-scissor the coat as you do not want a Poodle appearance.

• “If I can do it – then others can too!” A success story… Marina Scott interviews Ann Marie Burns – PRO GROOMER subscriber Ann Marie Burns, from Tow Law, Co Durham, has been showing West Highland White Terriers for 20 years. During this time, she has owned and bred seven UK champions and several Irish champions. She was top breeder for three consecutive years and awards challenge certificates in the breed.Two years ago she opened up a grooming salon called Top Trimz in Leadgate, Consett. She has now passed level 3 advanced City & Guilds and was recently awarded her LCGI. In August, she entered her first grooming competition and won her class.

• Designing your grooming salon – Part Two – Lesley Garrett LCGI Canine Design Academy of Grooming.This needs to be considered when designing your grooming salon, and ideally you should opt for something which is attractive, non-slip and easy to clean. Obviously, what you ultimately choose will depend on the budget you have available.You can get a floor covering which needs to be professionally laid which has a rough, non-slip surface – there are various different brand names. It is a good idea to have it fitted so it lifts slightly up the wall round the sides for ease of cleaning.Alternatively, if you are on a tighter budget, you could go for a non-slip floor paint.Other options are fitted linoleum or floor tiles, although you need to bear in mind that ceramic floor tiles will be hard on your feet, unforgiving should you drop your scissors and probably quite slippery when wet.

• Customers needn’t be a nightmare – Part 4 by Nichola Smith-Moore LCGI. Should the owner stay for the grooming? We come to the final part of Nichola’s idea of the ‘owner’s grooming leaflet’. She concludes with some final suggestions.

Features to appear in issue 7:

• Eileen Gesson’s Business Profile of Hub International – In 1990 Gordon and Cathy Urquhart decided to start a business which incorporated their interest in dogs. The partnership of HUB International sprang into being and the family business is still run by Gordon and Cathy from Peppard Farm, Peppard Common, about five miles from Henley-on-Thames and six from Reading.
• Trimming Guide by Amy English - the American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest and most glamorous member of the gundog group. Maintaining their silky long coats is certainly not for the faint hearted and requires complete dedication.
  
• ‘Don’t sell yourself short’ by Chuck Simons from the US has attended every major show this year including his recent visit to Crufts. He has, once again, been traveling around the world demonstrating the Groomers Helper and presenting his business-building seminars including Pet Profits from a Pet Prophet.He continues to help groomers ‘work smarter’ and earn more money, while still finding time to develop new products for the industry and work as GroomTeam USA Director of Public Relations.The following is a question and answer session with the industry’s SAGE, otherwise known as a ’salon and grooming expert’.
• THE TWO J’S – AN INTERVIEW WITH JITKA AND JOHN:
  * JITKA was born in Slovakia and has been involved with dogs (training, showing and grooming) since 1987. She then moved to the UK in ‘04 and opened a grooming salon in Cannock. She began winning in grooming competitions from 2001 and among her many achievements has been named British Groomer of the Year in ’06, was BIS at Eurogroom three times and Groomania.
  * JOHN is a third generation terrier breeder and handler of the Saredon affix. He’s won numerous groups and BISs at General Championship Shows including the highly coveted National Terrier BIS. He gives grooming demonstrations to breed specific clubs and also judges grooming competitions.

As well as the following:

• Readers’ photos – enjoy some of the photos you sent of your well groomed dogs. Don’t forget to send us your photos of your before and afters and anything relevant to Pro Groomer.

Please send us your grooming questions - Whether it is the best technique to strip your terrier or information on upcoming grooming competitions we will put your grooming questions to groomers across the country via our website or the magazine itself. Send them in to info@theprogroomer.com

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