Ever wonder what happens during your dog’s grooming appointment? Or what kind of talent it takes to create that spiffy pooch ’do? Every year we like to do an annual “Groomer Roundup” so you can learn a little bit more about our groomers, an amazing trio of artists who work their tails off every day. In addition to doing some pretty physical work – like bathing a 200-pound Great Dane or brushing a big furry Newfoundland – they are each very artistic in their own way and have a big heart for dogs. Read on to find out more about Veronique, Marie and Delbert.
Veronique Brown (we call her V)
V graduated from the Animal Arts Academy in December 2011 and has been grooming full-time with Good Dog ever since. If you ask what her favorite breed is, she’ll smile and tell you every breed is her favorite. However, if you push her just a bit more, you’ll find out she’s the owner of an adorable pom named Simba, and an equally adorable and sassy dach-pom named Nala, so she has a soft spot in her heart for dachs and poms. If V could give one tip to dog owners, it would be to brush often — and start brushing early. The younger the dog is when you start brushing/grooming, the more they’ll love it and enjoy it. In addition, it stimulates their coat oils, makes them look prettier, prevents them from matting, and makes their grooming experience super easy. And finally, if you want to know a fun fact about V: she was born and raised in Belgium and is flying back there to visit her family at the end of March!
Marie Ryker
Marie, also a graduate of the Animal Arts Academy, has been grooming for six years and is a proud mom of a very cute 3-year-old, Sophia, who gets lots of attention when she visits Good Dog. An owner of 3 pups, Marie is an equal opportunity dog lover who has no favorites and is happy grooming pretty much any breed. She loves all animals and has actually worked with them most of her life, including assisting at veterinary hospitals. While grooming can sometimes be very challenging, Marie enjoys the difficult moments because it makes her feel as if she’s truly helping the dog. She believes that by making the dogs look better, it helps them feel better, and there is nothing else in the world she’d rather be doing. If she had one tip for dog owners, it would be brush, brush, brush! She recommends grooms or brushes every 4 to 6 weeks if possible, especially for long-haired doggies. A fun fact about Marie: She gets super excited about going to grooming seminars – it’s one of her favorite things to do. She loves learning about cool new products, new techniques, and creative new ideas.
Delbert Duncan
Delbert has been in the dog business for more than 25 years, and he even owned his own salon for 16. While Delbert doesn’t have a favorite breed, he has spent years showing and training Rottweilers, Australian Shepards and Miniature Schnauzers, and he has even trained several groomers who have gone on to become stars in the dog world. Making dogs feel better is really important to Delbert, which is just one reason why he’s great at his job. He recommends dog owners talk to their groomer as much as possible. He welcomes questions from his clients and can always give advice on the best way to brush and bathe your pets, and even how to dry them, to make the grooming experience easy and fun for owners. Fun fact: Delbert does a lot of volunteer work on the side, and he even donated some of his time to help with the Super Bowl. In addition, he loves gardening and can’t wait for this spring to roll around.
