There are things in grooming that never make it into public videos or paid webinars. Not because they’re secret – it’s just that they’re not born in classrooms, but in the work. The real life life life hacks aren’t “where to start washing” or “how to hold your paw,” but the little things you deduce on your own: when you can’t style curly hair for half a day or reshape a hip line five times. These are the things you don’t learn – but find. And we’re sharing five such chips today.
Lifehack #1: How to see symmetry even when there is none
The biggest deception in grooming is your own eye. It fails you when you’re tired, when the lighting is a little on the wrong side, or when the dog is not a statue and stands at an angle. And it’s at times like this that you start “I’ll trim here,” “I’ll go over here again,” and you end up going in circles.
The pros know a trick: look not at the dog, but at its shadow. Put the animal on the table so that a clear shadow falls from the side – and suddenly all the distortions are visible, as on the sketch. Even better – use a mirror reflection from below. Not for aesthetics, but for pure geometry. One look – and you see where the line is really blocked, and where just wool is sticking out. And you know what the best part is? When you train yourself to evaluate a haircut not linearly, but in volume and space, your hand starts to work in a completely different way.
Lifehack #2: Silence and fragrance are not romance, but a tool
Most groomers try to soothe the dog with their hands. Some pet it, some hold it tighter, some speak affectionately as if to a child. But in reality, an animal reacts to more than just touch – it senses the atmosphere around it.
Experienced masters note that sometimes it is worth not to act, but to create the right background. Turn off or turn on the music, scatter in the air a barely perceptible odor of lavender or chamomile, apply a little hydrolat on your hands – and just give the dog time. No pressure, no rush, no unnecessary words. In such an environment, even the most anxious animals begin to behave differently.
This approach is called the “aromazone” effect. It is not universal, not always appropriate, but in difficult cases it works better than any educational methods. The dog does not understand the explanations, but it feels the space in which it is safe. And this is a real groomer’s tool.
Life Hack #3: Tangles are a clue, not an enemy
Everyone learns how to deal with coltsfoot. But not everyone realizes that scab is a symptom rather than a problem. It’s a signal: the makeup didn’t work here, the drying didn’t work properly there, or the dog won’t let itself be brushed in this spot – and it’s an important marker, too.
Experienced groomers avoid drastic solutions until they’ve tried localized untangling. They work with their hands, minimizing the use of tools, sticking to the direction of coat growth. Yes, it takes longer, but it preserves the structure of the coat, and most importantly, it doesn’t leave the dog with traumatic memories.
This is especially critical for breeds with a sensitive psyche, such as poodles, Maltipoos, Maltese. One aggressive experience – and trust is lost. But if you do everything right, the animal will also look forward to the next meeting. And it is moments like these that form a real groomer.
Lifehack #4: A clean line starts not with scissors but with combing
It’s a very simple thing, but it’s one that almost no one does – a final combing against the growth of the coat before the finishing touches. Not for volume, not for beauty – but to lift every hair that hasn’t been trimmed yet. This opens up the “subcutaneous level” of the coat – and you can see the line follow the real relief of the body, not the curls and fluff.
This kind of preparation changes everything: you don’t go back 5 times to the same area. And even more importantly, the feeling of “somewhere something is wrong, but I don’t understand where” disappears. Because after this combing – everything is as clear as a palm. It’s just that you’ve already zeroed in on it.
Lifehack #5: How to always get a “wow effect” on the photo after the haircut
Having the perfect haircut is only half the battle. Because today, in the age of Instagram, TikTok and Google reviews, the result has to not only be cool, but also look cool in the photo. And that’s where a whole different kind of magic comes into play.
Experienced groomers know: the coat is prepared separately for the photo. Before shooting, you should not immediately take the camera – first you should make a short “final styling”: treat with a light spray with shine (but not with grease), quickly lift the hair with a comb against the growth – and let it literally 10 seconds to “fall” into a natural shape. At this point it is voluminous, shiny and emphasizes all the lines that were styled during the haircut.
Another nuance is the location of the light. The best photos are obtained when the light is a little from the side and above, and the background is neutral. This allows you not to distract attention and emphasize exactly on the work of the groomer.
And a very little secret – focus on the eyes. If the dog looks directly or a little to the side, and the eyes are open and alive – everything else is not so important. The photo will be remembered. And it will continue to speak for the groomer when the client leaves the salon.
When the quick fixes become the standard
At V.O.G DOG SALON, these know-how is not an exception, but a daily practice. They were born not at presentations or seminars, but in real work, among clients who come with trust and animals who come with character.
It is these small, imperceptible at first glance decisions that allow us to create a result for which we are not ashamed and a service that is not forgotten. And this is what we share at V.O.G DOG ACADEMY – not only technique, but also philosophy: every action has meaning, every movement has impact, and even a banal photo after a haircut is also a tool of the profession.
Our groomers know that the real magic is in the details, which will never be shown in a “before/after” format. Because these details live in the hands, in the gaze, in the silence before the procedure. And they are what make the difference between an “ordinary salon” and a “place you want to come back to”.
Conclusion
There are no little things in grooming. There is a level that is either felt in everything – or not at all. Sometimes all it takes is one right decision – in the movement of the hand, in the tone of voice, in the final scissor stroke – to make the dog relax and the client smile.
That’s why the know-how isn’t a “trick” that you can look up. They are experiences that are transformed into tools. And the more such tools there are, the clearer the master’s signature becomes in each haircut.
Become those who create real miracles – quietly, precisely and with love for the work.
