Thursday, January 7, 2016

On Tipping and Such

It's Thursday already and I'm running around like crazy today.  Hunter went to the groomer this morning and while we love her, he shakes the entire ride there(I'm not so sure he loves her).  With prices going up, I'm seriously thinking of taking a series of classes on grooming or watching lots(I mean lots)of youtube videos.  I may even have to connect with Carol at Murphy & Stanley's home and see how she learned to groom her two doods.  Since our grandson is hoping to get a Poodle or Doodle puppy soon, he will also need to learn-so I'm hoping we can do it together.  Now, I'm off to the "groomer" aka hair salon for a cut and I'm just hoping she doesn't raise her rates at well.  Heavens, even in a small town it is getting pricey, but I love my gal and her skill, so am willing to pay.  All of the groomers in town must be in cahoots, because they all raised their rates substantially at the same time.  I can tell you that I used to pay $38. for Hunter plus a nice 20% tip, even though she uses her own/old garage space and has no overhead.  Now she's raised her prices to $43. and I've lowered my tip by half.  Many people I know don't tip their groomers, even though they work in a business.  I just met a close friend at the groomers today and she told me she's never tipped her, didn't know you were supposed to.  The last several appointments for Hunter weren't as well done, as she no longer has her ex-husband working with her.  I feel for her, but also know that every six weeks a tip can add up over the year.
Well, I've got to get ready my appointment.  I hope you have a great day and any of you that get your dogs groomed regularly, I'm interested to know your feedback on tipping.  Carol, if you are reading this I'm going to need some input.
Stay warm.
Noreen

13 comments:

  1. A woman who owns her own hair salon told me I do not need to tip her as she is the owner. Perhaps this is not generally true but might be in the case of the gal who grooms your dog, since it is her business.
    I now get my hair cut at a chain salon so tip 20 percent.

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  2. I'm on the fence with tipping your groomer. I don't think it is necessary if they are self employed.
    I am layer up with feeling awful today. Ugh! Wish I were in Hawaii right now!
    XO Kris

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  3. Hi, Noreen...

    I've always had a love/hate relationship with tipping. If you are an employee not being paid properly for your work (wait staff, delivery-person, etc) then tips are a God-sent, and the whole purpose of your showing up to work everyday. But I believe that employers should pay their employees fairly. Those sort of jobs are not easy, very hard on the body, etc. That being said, tipping should be cheerfully done, not a mandatory or expected thing. And it certainly should never have to take up the slack for miserly employers. That's my "tip" of the day, for what it's worth. If someone feels like giving extra then fine, it shouldn't be a requirement.

    Blessings for good grooming,
    Marianne ;)

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  4. Our groomer works out of the pet store we get our bird seed from and for us to get Miggs groomed which she is going for the full bath , nails and fur cut this Saturday and is a medium sized dog our groomer Linda only charges $60 and has never taken a tip from us either she does a good job to and Miggs loves car rides and Linda and eagerly jumps up on the grooming table , I guess it all depends on the groomer also here there are far and few between groomers that groom medium to large dogs so I guess they are just happy to get customers lol ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

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  5. That seems sort of pricey. We paid #30 when we were getting professionally done. We have an EXCELLENT video on grooming Doodles. It is easy cuz there is a lot of grace in the curls and the hair goes in all directions in some places. Not too sure about Hunter. BUT if you are going to do it mom says you have to go all the way and buy the good equipment. There is a huge difference.

    Keep Calm & Bark On,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  6. I always tip our groomer, even though she is self-employed, just because I like to do it, and I only groom our dogs a few times a year. It definitely sounds like the price hike was planned. Hope you have a great day and get some answers from some of your readers :)

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  7. Hey Noreen & Hunter too! I pay a whopping $80 for Todd to be groomed 4 times a year, and $120 for Charlie. That doesn't include the tip, and I always give $20. It's a lot, and I know I should learn to do it too, but I haven't -- I love the way Todd is groomed, and so I bite the bullet. But I have no talent, so I pay the groomer for hers. I have always not wanted to tip her, but I do despite how I'm feeling on the inside. And this summer to have Josh AND Sunny groomed at another place that I thought was cheaper was $125 EACH... I've not gone back, and I won't. The price *we* pay, huh?

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  8. You make me glad that Labs don't need to be groomed! I've learned to clip toenails, and that's really all they need.

    It is easy to be caught unaware that you're supposed to be tipping someone. I took ski lessons years ago, and someone told me halfway through my lessons that I should've been tipping the instructor. I had no idea! I was embarrassed...

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  9. I'd hate to think how much I'd have to pay to have my two groomed --- but then I wouldn't trust that to anyone. I use it as a bonding time, and time for me to go over every inch of them, checking for lumps.
    KZK

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  10. We built a special room for our two Goldens when we built our house. Has a nice shower and grooming area since we know how to groom them. Then one of us was ill and we found a groomer. She would do BOTH dogs for fifty dollars! And she did a great job. So we considered...one day to trim them, do ears and nails, another day to wash two dogs, then two loads of laundry and cleaning the room. Fifty dollars was a huge bargain. We had paid 45 dollars each dog in WI.

    Since Hunter is a small dog, I would definitely learn how to groom him. Good luck.

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  11. I like that you lowered your tip. I tip Skye's groomer but not 20% because I'm already paying $65!

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  12. My daughter works for a boarding kennel. She cares for the dogs and cats as well as doing a lot of baths. (Sometimes 20 - 25 in a day .). It's tiring, back breaking work. I know, I used to do it. And because the kennel charges so much for boarding and baths very few people tip. Which is sad, because the employees don't earn much, and they are really the ones providing the care. (And dispensing the pets, hugs and love to the dogs and cats while they are boarding.) I don't know what the solution is, because the pet owners are paying a lot of money for their pets' stay/bath.

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