For The Love Of Rosco Dog Grooming

07/30/2024

Due to a very unexpected death in the family I will be unable to answer any messages this week. Please be patient as someone will get back to you asap.
All clients who have upcoming appointments booked will NOT be affected.
Krista WILL still be in the shop this week so please feel free to message her with any questions or concerns.
I’m sincerely sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate everyone’s understanding.

02/13/2024

I was JUST talking to a client this morning about how I’m already starting to notice some of my double coated clients are starting to blow their coat early this year. Like REALLY early.
You can all thank Mother Nature. 😂
Then moments later I see my friend Jennifer Zifcheck Costello who writes my favourite blog, My Brown Newfies, share her blog post about this EXACT thing.
LINE COMBING.
Anyone who owns a double coated breed NEEDS to know what this is and learn how to do it. It’s SUPER easy but it is time consuming.
It’s the ONLY way to properly brush your dog to remove all that dead undercoat.
If you don’t want to learn it or do it … that’s great too as long as you make sure to book your grooming appointments appropriately . 💁‍♀️😉😂

Line combing or line brushing is a grooming techique used on dogs that have a double coat. When you line comb you groom the dog in sections to remove loose undercoat.

01/08/2024

Happy New Year to all my wonderful clients !
I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support in 2023. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who were so generous and brought me some of the most beautiful & thoughtful Christmas gifts this year. They were truly appreciated and meant the world to me. ❤️

Now, I must apologize for all the people who have messaged me and are awaiting a response. 😔
The first 7 days of 2024 have been a challenge to say the least… which is why I’m so behind.
I have been trying to recover from a recent surgery ( I’m okay ! ) and am finally able to slowly start grooming again after being forced to stop working for 8 weeks.
My groomer that works with me ( Krista ) has also been off for a few days to help care for her husband who just finally received his hip replacement surgery.
Then, this past Friday night, my daughter’s husband had to rush her to the hospital. She’s been dealing with some awful issues with very painful kidney stones for the past year.
This time though, they were so large it wasn’t even possible for them to pass … so Saturday they had to call in the specialist and she was rushed into surgery to remove them.
She is now back home resting. She’s still in a lot of pain but hopefully she’s on the mend.
So….. it’s been a LONG and stressful weekend but I promise everyone I will be responding to as many messages as possible on Monday & Tuesday.
Thank you all again for your understanding and your kind words / messages. ❤️

01/02/2024

I will NEVER stop trying to educate people about reputable & ethical breeders.
I lived through the nightmare of getting a puppy from a backyard breeder and I’m STILL living it TEN years later. 😔
I do NOT regret one thing.
I would NEVER go back and not choose Rosco.
He is my ❤️ dog.
He has taught me more than any other dog could have ever taught me.
He has changed my life for the better in more ways than I could ever count.
That all being said, I would never wish my experience on my worst enemy.
Rosco is the reason why I will NEVER stop trying to help people choose reputable breeders when deciding to add a puppy to their family.
It’s called “supply & demand”.
If people keep supporting all the horrible breeders in it for the money and NOT the health of the dogs they are breeding… they will continue to breed unhealthy dogs to unsuspecting families.
They do NOT care about the health of their dogs OR the nightmare the families go through.
They care about your money. 😡
Please do your homework and make sure you are not supporting any backyard breeders. ❤️

I see a lot of people on here talking about a reputable breeder, and how they will always take a dog back for you. And while this is true, nobody defines how you can tell a breeder is reputable.

Reputable breeders prove their dogs. Proving a dog is worthy of breeding. This happens before the dog is ever bred. Things like Conformation Shows (like the ones you see on television) prove that the dog competing is a structurally sound and correct example of the breed. A basic Conformation title will be a CH in front of the dogs registered name.
Performance Events prove a dogs workability, and proves that they can still do the job that they were originally used for. In Dalmatians, things like Road Trials, Barn Hunt, Rally and Obedience.

Reputable breeders health test their dogs. Each breed club works with CHIC and OFA to recommend specific testing be done prior to a dog being bred, in an effort to decrease health issues that can be prominent in the breed. For Dalmatians, these tests are screening for Hip Dysplasia (OFA Radiographic Hip Screening or PennHIP Evaluation), Congenital Deafness (BAER Hearing Test), and either Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Thyroid Lab Results) or ACVO Eye Examination.
These tests are not completed at a "vet visit" and a healthy exam at a vet does not mean a dog is a healthy breeding candidate. If a breeder you are looking at does not do these health tests, they are not a reputable breeder. They should also be more than happy to show you the results of these tests.

A reputable breeder doesn't only pair two dogs together because they both happen to be Dalmatians. You should be able to ask a breeder why exactly they paired these two dogs together, you should be able to ask about the dogs in the pedigree that are long gone, and your breeder should have basic information on these dogs and what they could bring to the table in terms of how your puppy may act. Breeders that get a "breeding pair" or tell you the reason why they paired these two dogs together is to create specific colors or coat length, are not reputable breeders.

Reputable Breeders will help you pick the best puppy for your family. These people have raised your puppy from birth. They know more about them than you will by just seeing pictures/descriptions/visiting the puppies. You should be able to tell your breeder the exact reason you are wanting a dog for, and they will be able to tell you which of their puppies would be the best fit. If a breeder is going off of a "pick" system, and when you place a deposit tells you that you have "fourth pick", that is not a reputable breeder.

Reputable breeders will have you sign a contract. A contract looks different for everyone, but the contract protects the buyer, the breeder, and the puppy. A contract will state that if anything were to happen, the breeder will take the dog back. It usually talks about when the dog is to get fixed, if the dog is ever to be bred, and verifies the dog will be living in a safe household.

Reputable breeders send puppies home well socialized and ready to spend their lives with you. These puppies will be happy go lucky, healthy, and have the best chance at being a temperamentally sound adult that will bring you a lifetime of happiness. There are many other ways to figure out if someone is or is not a reputable breeder, however if you find a breeder that does all of the above, you can have a good indication that the breeder you’re looking at, is a reputable breeder.
By Grace Ezmond

12/29/2023

😉❤️

12/20/2023

I am about to spontaneously combust with excitement! 🤪
I am having some VERY special visitors coming to see me thiis afternoon.
Shelley Millett is bringing Mama Newf ( Khloe ) and her 3 baby Newfs to my shop so I can do a special Christmas / Grinch photo shoot with them ! OMG OMG OMG!!! ❤️
The babies are 6 weeks old and this is their very first “outing”.
I’m not bragging or anything…. I’m just sayin’. 😂😂😂
There is a slight chance I just may cry tears of joy today …..
There’s not much in this world that makes me happier than Newfs. 😍☃️🎄🐾

12/20/2023

I truly have the best clients in the world. ❤️
Many have become much more than “clients” to me over the years though, and I truly consider them to be friends.
One of these friends brought me a gift today, and I was truly speechless at the sheer thoughtfulness of this gift. I was actually stunned when I opened it, and then I cried. Like full blown ugly crying.
This was one of my favourite pictures that was taken in Colorado Springs when I went there for the Fallen Firefighters Memorial in honour of my father.
I will cherish this for the rest of my life. ❤️
I am just so very thankful that circumstances brought us together 7 years ago Nancy Parker.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 😉
For The Love Of Rosco Dog Grooming

12/07/2023

PLEASE stop doing this!
You do NOT need to stick your hand out in a dogs face for them to smell you.
Their sniffers are a thousand times better than ours, if they are in the same room as you they can smell you just fine! Lol
This is a VERY good way to get bit by a dog, especially if you are standing up and leaning over them when you stick your hand in their face.
To a dog, this is just plain rude and a complete invasion of space.
The best thing to do??
IGNORE the dog. Do not look at them, do not talk to them, and do not approach them.
If the dog wants to meet you and be your friend they will let you know. Trust me. 😉

12/06/2023

These two Newfs got their PRE Christmas groom today! ❤️
I remember when I first opened my grooming shop my dogs always looked homeless and got groomed last. Well that didn’t last very long because I said NO MORE.
My dogs are my priority damnit and from that day on they became the best groomed Newfs in town. 😂😂😂
I’m not sure how happy the girls are about that today… probably thinking Geez… we came all the way from West Virginia and we had to get a mom that was a groomer ?! 😂
They love me though and I make sure their grooming appointments are filled with LOTS of their favourite liver! ❤️
Part 2 of their pre Christmas groom happens tomorrow and then I have a special surprise for them… 😉

11/22/2023

Okay I know I’m a tad bit biased BUT… oh my gaaaawd he’s the most adorable dog ever !!
Whatever would I do without Rosco to help me test out all my new props for the shop?! ❤️🤣🤣🤣

10/18/2023

*** IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ***

As of November 1st, 2023, I will be going to CASH ONLY as method of payment until further notice.
I am making this change for two reasons.
1. The Square machine that I had for debit payments has recently implemented an increase and it was NOT a small increase.
These fees add up quickly and can greatly affect the bottom line for small businesses.
2. I always gave clients the option of paying for their grooming services via EMT.
Unfortunately due to issues I have been having EVERY week of having to chase people for payment I can no longer offer this method of payment.
Each week I am spending HOURS of my time, that I am NOT getting paid for, checking bank accounts and then messaging clients requesting payment.
Then I have to check messages for a reply and then check bank account again to see if payment was in fact made.
Many times I am sending the second or third or FOURTH message and each time waiting for a reply and then checking the bank accounts again.
Sometimes it is taking 2 or 3 or 4 days to receive payment and other times it often takes a week or two or even THREE weeks to receive payment.
I just can no longer do this.
There is no other service provider that I know of that you can go to and receive a service and NOT pay for it the day services are rendered.
I do understand life is busy and it is easy to “forget” to send payment when you get home BUT it happens more often than just “once in awhile” and I should not have to chase my money for days or even weeks.
I am sorry to all my clients that always pay in a timely fashion. Sadly, as often happens, a few “bad apples” often ruin it for everyone.
I will also be informing all clients, starting today, of the new policy regarding payment for their next appointment.
Thank you all for your understanding ! 🎃🧡

08/26/2023

I am so VERY happy to say that Rosco is pretty much back to his usual sassy self ! ❤️🤣
He is the most spoiled and demanding dog I’ve ever known and he drives me CRAZY on a daily basis. I wouldn’t change a single thing about him. ❤️🤣
He is also one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever known. He may not be able to talk but he has absolutely NO issue telling me exactly what he wants and when he wants it, which is usually NOW. Haha
His favourite drinking source is still the birdbath I bought two years ago. There has never been a single bird that has used my birdbath. Rosco has made sure of that !
He HATES birds with a passion. If one even dares to attempt to land in our yard he makes damn sure they are immediately evicted. 🤣
So my beautiful new bird bath instantly became his new favourite water dish.
He goes outside several times a day and sits in front of the bird bath and then proceeds to bark at me.
He wants the water dumped and he insist each time that I put cold fresh water in it.
I can’t say I blame him. 💁‍♀️
So now that he is stuck wearing his Kong blow up cone of shame, he has more demands. 😳
Once I freshen the water, he then sits there staring at me and barks.
So I go over and remove the cone, and then he happily drinks his fresh cold water from his birdbath.
Once he’s satisfied with his refreshments, he sits down and sticks his head up a bit and waits for me to put his cone back on.
This whole process is now our new daily ritual at least 7-9 times a day and will continue until this Thursday when the cone can be removed.
I would walk over hot coals until the ends of the earth for this dog and he damn well knows it. He sure isn’t afraid to use this knowledge to his full advantage on a daily basis.
My ❤️ dog.

08/25/2023

It’s been a LONG day for everyone.
Rosco made it home from surgery. He’s had many surgeries throughout his life but I have to say I’ve never seen him like this after any of his previous surgeries. I know it’s because he’s older now and that makes me very sad.
Over the last year his hind end has been declining so we’ve made many changes to accommodate him as we’ve always done and we will always continue to do.
I think that’s also why his recovery from this surgery seems so much harder. He can’t stand up without help, but once I get him up he can walk on his own… it’s the getting up part that is difficult. It sure would be much easier for me if he was a chihuahua… but he’s far from a chihuahua. Lol
Not long after I got him home today I sat down on the floor next to him and he wanted to lay his head on my lap. It was the only thing that seemed to settle him down where he was comfortable so I didn’t dare move.
For OVER two hours. He was awake the entire time, but he just wanted his ear rubs and cuddles.
Both of my feet fell asleep and had pins and needles shooting through them. One leg was asleep and the other one was cramping up so badly it felt like a muscle spasm.
Then even my butt fell asleep…but that’s how I stayed for over two hours . 😳
I was finally able to get him outside tonight to go potty for the first time since I got him home… that in itself rivalled an Olympic event but we both made it back in the house. Haha
He decided for bedtime he only wanted to sleep on the floor on my side of the bed … so I ran to get more mats so he wouldn’t slip and I’m now just laying here listening to him snore away.
I’m really hoping tomorrow when the anesthetic is worn off it is much better.
I just love this boy so much. ❤️❤️❤️

08/24/2023

I know Rosco has SO many people who have been following his story from the very beginning. You have all helped me get through some of the most emotional ups & downs over the years with our “special Newf”. ❤️
Today I’m asking you all for your prayers and positive vibes for Rosco as I just dropped him off at my wonderful vet for a surgery today.
Two weeks ago I noticed one of Rosco’s eyes appeared red and irritated. Upon further inspection I found something on his eyeball that looked like an ulcer or a cyst.
My vet told me to bring him in right away and she confirmed it was a cyst and that it must be removed.
So today is the day. 😞
Rosco is 9.5 years old now and over the last year or so we’ve been dealing with many issues that come along with a senior dog.
It’s been one thing after another and I’m not even going to try to lie.. I have not been handling it that well….😢
I’m sure he will come out of surgery today just fine but I’m just super stressed every time he has to be put under at his age.
They assured me they will call me the minute he wakes up but it’s going to be a LONG day waiting for that call. Haha
He is also going to have to wear the cone of shame for a minimum of 14 days so that should be fun. NOT. 🤣
Luckily for Rosco he is spoiled rotten and he doesn’t have to wear one of those ugly satellite dishes for a cone.
He has the Kong soft inflatable donut cone that he really doesn’t mind all that much… he actually uses it as a pillow to rest his head most days. Hahaha
I will update everyone this evening once he is back home and resting comfortably.
Thank you all in advance for your well wishes. It means the world to me. ❤️

08/21/2023

I did not write this but it NEEDS to be shared as it is so well written and truthful.
I’ve been saying for several years now ( PRE Covid ) that we are facing a scary groomer shortage worldwide. Since the pandemic hit though it’s been VERY scary.
There are just not enough groomers to care for all the pets.
We are trying SO hard but it’s exhausting. There are only so many dogs we can SAFELY groom in one day.
It truly makes me sad that I have to turn away new clients EVERY day.
Some days I have to turn away 2 or 3 clients, but other days it can be 7-10 clients. In ONE day. 😢
I’ve done A LOT of different jobs since I started working at 14 years old.
A lot of those jobs were AWFUL and came with awful pay.
In 33 years of working though, no job has come close to being as hard as being a groomer…. BUT….. it is my passion in life and I truly LOVE what I do.
So every day I keep on keeping on. 😉
I’d like to applaud the person that did write this. Thank you for putting into words how we are all feeling. ❤️🐾❤️

THE NATIONAL GROOMER SHORTAGE AND WHAT *YOU* CAN DO ABOUT IT:

INTRO: the number of young people choosing grooming as a career choice has been on the steady decline for a few years now (we will cover why that is). Couple that with Americans Nationwide adopting/purchasing more animals at the height of covid than ever before (shelters reportedly ran out of animals at the peak of covid last year ) and as a result you have a group of people who are understaffed and overworked and quickly losing their patience.

OVERWHELMING DEMAND: I have never, ever in my 10 years of doing this for living been so far booked out with appointments. Ever since our Michigan Governor allowed us to return to work after the shutdown of 2020 it has felt like non-stop Christmas rush for over a year. Just to put things in perspective- I have only been in business for 5 years and already have a little under 2,500 pets on file... and only 5 (fully trained) groomers 😬 the average number of pets required (to keep the salary comfortable) per groomer five years ago WAS about 150 to 200. We currently have about 500 pets per groomer. (We are not/have not been taking new clients- and we only accept people on a reoccurring schedule obvs cus our next available isn't for 8weeks anyway.)
***AS A PET OWNER one thing you can do is to set up your reoccurring appointments as far in advance as you are capable, especially if your pet is very large, you have multiple pets, or you need certain days or certain times : that way you aren't trying to pressure your groomer into fitting you in last minute on a day when he/she is already overbooked.

LACK OF WORKERS:
EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY COVID AND IS STRUGGLING WITH STAFFING::: GROOMING IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE. The Grooming industry was actually struggling BEFORE covid. In 2019 the American labor board predicted that we would need 65,000 groomers nation wide to enter the workforce in the next year to keep up with current demand of pet grooming (and that was calculated with was pre-PETdemic numbers) we are NO WHERE CLOSE to having the appropriate number of groomers in the workforce (only 40,778 reported for 2020)
***WHAT YOU CAN DO: be kind to your groomer. You might be surprised to hear- if you are like so many of the wonderful clients of mine- that groomers are often treated very poorly by customers who refuse to maintain their dogs and therefore don't get the haircuts they want. Brush your pet, or bring it to us frequently so we can brush it for you. Matting and tangles are very painful to brush out: asking us to undo months of neglect in a few hours causes your pet to associate pain with the grooming process and destroys the relationship they have with the groomer and the trust they have for the process. It makes them mean, and it makes them naughty and it makes our job way too hard and we definitely don't get into this line of work to torture animals.

SO WHY ARE THERE SO FEW?
Poor working conditions for one, which usually present themselves when a person with no background in the industry tries to open a grooming salon as a "cash cow" of sorts, without first researching how expensive it is to maintain a quality salon with reliable equipment. When groomers are forced to undercharge their worth or groom faster than they are safely capable the results are quantity over quality which therin creates a stressful and short lived working environment with a high turnover of both customers and employees.
For two- we are often paid commission so if and when we have a customer cancel last minute or not show up it takes a big chunk out of our paycheck especially if we had more than just a couple hours booked out for your pet. At my salon I have implemented cancellation fees because we do send a confirmation text the day before and there is literally zero excuse for not picking up your phone to cancel your appointment. (Sure I have lost a few clients but they were repeat offenders and it eventually gets to the point where they have missed more appointments than they have shown up to and I can't allow my employees time to be devalued in such a way when we have a long list of clients waiting to get in.
The third reason why there's not a whole lot of groomers on the market is because we are bullied by people who refuse to maintain their pets and don't get their way as mentioned above. It's exhausting for people to bring us their entirely neglected pets with p**p caked to its rear and dreadlocks in the ear, eyeballs matted shut with gunk and it hasn't been groomed in 4 to 6 months and they want us to leave it fluffy 🙄 the conversation gets old and we are tired of being your scapegoat on Facebook when you publicly shame us when it is you who should be ashamed for not picking up a hairbrush in months!
SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
Bring your business to a well-maintained salon where the employees are clearly happy and treated well by their managers. If you like their work ask for the same groomer every time and always tip well, about 20% is what you would give your waitress, and she didn't even get p**ped on that day! We also spend all day on our feet, and our job is very hard on our bodies. Don't complain about the price as this is our livelihood. You wouldn't appreciate it if we went to your boss and told them we think you make too much money and you aren't worth the work you can do? This is a skilled trade that takes years to master- we have sharp objects and moving targets and constantly have to argue for the comfort of the pet, get p**ped on bit and peed on regularly, spend 8 hours a day covered in wet clothes and itchy hair. Yes we are crazy to do this, but our prices aren't! There's a reason you're not doing it yourself. The more of a hot mess you bring us the more we have to charge you because the more time and skill it takes to free your pet from the neglect you have caused it thus time and skill affect your pricing.

With the ratio of dogs to groomers having more than doubled groomers are starting to realize they can be a little bit more choosy with their clients. Clients who scoff at the price, ghost us for their appointments, neglect their pets and clients who are rude should be forced to groom their own pets and learn to appreciate how difficult the task really is.

07/01/2023

Just a few last minute tips/tricks for anyone who may have a dog that has fear/anxiety when it’s time for fireworks. 😉❤️

06/29/2023

In a major victory for the IAFF and its Canadian members, Canada’s parliament enacted historic legislation establishing a national framework for addressing occupational cancer in fire fighters. Bill C-224, which…

06/06/2023

Just a few little clips from our grooming seminar in Nova Scotia with one of THE best groomers in the world! Jodi Murphy Grooming Products

06/06/2023

I’m just gonna leave this here.
Maybe a few people can relate. 😉😂❤️

05/22/2023

Love this pic and our “bonus” daughter.
And Cory didn’t even tell her to go home once that night! 😂
&mrshicks

05/22/2023

My beautiful daughter got married.

05/22/2023

My beautiful daughter and her furry brother … oh yeah and my new son in law. 😉😂❤️

05/14/2023

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms !! ❤️

This advertisement brings another facet of motherly love to light with the “Don’t need a man when I come home / ‘Cause my bed is a literal bone zo...

05/11/2023

WALLY ❤️❤️❤️

05/11/2023

WINNIE ❤️❤️❤️

05/11/2023

Piper & Ryder ❤️❤️❤️

05/10/2023

DAKOTA.
Isn’t she lovely ?! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

05/02/2023

The most handsome boy ever. For The Love Of Rosco Dog Grooming ❤️❤️❤️

04/30/2023

This dynamic Newfy duo got to test out their new life jackets for their maiden voyage on our new fishing boat. Canada Pooch is officially “ Newfy approved “. Hahaha
One concern I had when picking out a life jacket for my giant breed is their comfort level. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just comfortable when standing/sitting but also if they wanted to lay down and relax. I was very pleased to see them laying down and enjoying themselves. I was also pleasantly surprised with the handle on these jackets. It feels very comfy but at the same time you can also feel the durability even when using it to lift giant breeds.
I would definitely recommend Canada Pooch life jackets to not only my fellow dog friends but also to all of my clients and all the many different sizes/breeds.
The icing on the cake ?!
The bright yellow offers such high visibility AND they look absolutely freaking adorable wearing their Canada Pooch jackets. ❤️

04/16/2023

The AMJ Campbell girls of Moncton say “ make your best move “ and don’t forget to take some time to relax and take a stroll. They also recommend stopping to sniff the flowers…. And anything else worth sniffing. 😉
P.S.
For those that may not already know, Daisy & Lulu are the official greeters at AMJ Campbell’s Moncton office. ❤️
***UPDATE***
Oh my lanta…. Since so many people are messaging me and losing their mind thinking that Rosco lost his job or got fired … NO he didn’t ! Hahahaha
Last November Rosco went from full time to part time. He’s slowly easing into early retirement while at the same time helping the girls transition to picking up some part time hours. He is still drawing his full salary.
😉😂😂😂