When I decided to open my grooming shop 20 years ago, the first thing I did was gather a stack of pet-supply catalogs that I pored over, like a treasure hunter with a map to riches. It was actually overwhelming. Countless products--page after page--each promising that they were bigger, better, cheaper, longer-lasting, higher quality, and offering better performance than their counterparts.
I eventually decided to put down the catalogs and rely on word of mouth to make my decisions. I didn't fare much better there either. I went to a dog show to take notes on what tools my friends wre using, as well as what the top handlers and groomers swore by. I had expected at least a few of the same products and brand names to surface from my interviews, but it seemed that everyone swore by a different product, and for every person who swore by something, there was someone who swore just as vehemently that that particular product of brand name wasn't worth buying.
Finally, I did what every groomer, newbie or experienced, should I kept my eyes open and got my hands on as many different products as I could.
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