Kendra’s Grooming Standards
This is the most authoritative document in the vault for grooming quality. Every protocol, checklist, and training exercise in this section flows from this file. When in doubt, ask: what would Kendra do?
[Agent prompt: Populate the philosophy and protocol sections in Kendra’s voice or closely paraphrasing her. These should feel like they came from someone with 15 years of instinct and experience, not from a manual.]
Kendra’s Philosophy
A groom starts before you pick up a tool. Before I touch the dog, I’m already working — getting information from the owner, watching how the dog carries itself, looking for stress signals and any health issues I can see. Then I take time to bond with the dog. That’s not a nicety; that’s the beginning of the groom.
The thing that makes a groom go wrong isn’t always the haircut. It’s the energy. If you’re stressed or impatient, the dog reads it immediately and matches you. The whole appointment falls apart. You have to be calm and compassionate with the dog. If you show how much you care, the dog is always better off for it.
My responsibility to the dog and the owner is the same thing, really: give them the best experience both of them can have. The owner needs to know I would never hurt their dog or compromise them in any way. The dog needs to feel safe on my table. I also like to bond with the clients — I always end up falling in love with their dogs. That relationship matters. It’s why I do this.
A groom is done right when the dog leaves better than when it came in. That’s the whole standard — everything else is in service of that.
Non-negotiable minimums in every groom:
- Every dog is washed at least twice, sometimes more — the groom starts with the bath
- Every dog is properly blown out and dried — no dog is left in a kennel for their coat to dry
- Every groom follows a strict, consistent routine — the routine is what catches what casual attention misses
Universal Standards — Every Dog, Every Time
These apply regardless of breed, coat type, service tier, or which groomer is performing the groom.
- Read the dog profile before touching the dog. Know the flags, the coat type, the preferences, and Kendra’s notes before you begin.
- Assess the coat before selecting products. The profile is a starting point — the dog in front of you is the authority. Coat condition changes.
- Start slow with any dog you haven’t groomed before. Even if the profile says “calm,” let the dog tell you that.
- Never rush a dog that is showing stress. Give breaks. Change the order of operations. A 15-minute break is better than a bite.
- Document anything unusual immediately — don’t wait until end of day. A skin lesion, a behavioral change, a new sensitivity.
- Flag the profile before you call the client. The dog record should be updated before the owner hears about it.
- Complete the finish checklist before calling for approval. Every. Single. Time.
- The dog’s experience matters as much as the dog’s haircut. A dog that leaves calm is a dog that comes back.
Coat-Type Protocols
Short / Smooth Coat
(e.g. Labradors, Beagles, Bulldogs, Boxers)
[Agent prompt: Describe Kendra’s process for short/smooth coat dogs. Cover: shampoo selection, drying approach, brush type, finish check points, common issues (dry skin, shedding), how to handle them.]
Medium / Double Coat
(e.g. Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds)
[Agent prompt: Double coats require specific blow-out technique and deshedding approach. Describe: how to prep the coat, dryer settings/technique, brush-out order, how to tell if the undercoat is truly blown out, finish standards.]
Long / Silky Coat
(e.g. Shih Tzus, Yorkies, Maltese, Cocker Spaniels)
[Agent prompt: Long coats tangle easily and require gentle handling. Cover: dematting before bathing vs. after, how to section the coat, drying technique that preserves the coat, scissor finish standards.]
Curly / Doodle Coat
(e.g. Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Poodles, Bichons)
[Agent prompt: This is the most common coat type Kendra encounters. Cover: product selection for curly coats, how to blow out a doodle correctly, common mistakes (shrinkage, uneven lengths after drying), finish standards, how to achieve a clean round head or teddy bear vs. other doodle styles.]
Wire / Rough Coat
(e.g. Schnauzers, Terriers, Dachshund wire variety)
[Agent prompt: Wire coats can be hand-stripped or clipped depending on client preference. Cover: the difference between hand-strip and clip finish, how to discuss it with clients, product approach, finish standards for each.]
Heavy Double / Nordic Coat
(e.g. Huskies, Great Pyrenees, Malamutes)
[Agent prompt: These coats are the most physically demanding to blow out and brush. Cover: HV dryer technique for high-volume coats, deshedding protocol, time expectations, when to advise a deshedding add-on, what “finished” looks like for these breeds.]
Finish Quality Checklist
Use this checklist before calling for approval on every groom. Nothing leaves the table without every box checked.
Coat and Body
- Coat is clean — no product residue, no dirty patches
- Coat is fully dry — no dampness at the skin or in the undercoat
- Coat is free of mats and tangles
- Trim lines are smooth and even — no tracking lines or uneven patches
- Body length matches the preference noted in the dog profile
- Blending between body length and leg length is natural
Face
- Eyes are clean — no tear stain buildup, discharge removed
- Face trim matches the style noted in the dog profile (round, teddy bear, natural, etc.)
- Beard / mustache trimmed per owner preference
- Ears are clean — wax and debris removed (per dog profile: clean only, or pull hair if noted)
Paws and Nails
- Nails clipped — no long nails remaining
- Nails ground (if requested or as part of the service)
- Paw pads trimmed — hair flush with pads, no tufts between toes
- Paws tidy and even
Sanitary and Other
- Sanitary trim complete
- No irritation visible (redness, scratching behavior after groom)
The Dog
- Dog appears calm and comfortable at completion — not panting, shaking, or frantic
- Bandana or bow applied per client preference
- Profile updated with any observations from today’s groom
When every box is checked: call for approval.
Kendra’s Notes on Specific Situations
[Agent prompt: As Kendra encounters situations that warrant standing guidance, add them here with the date. Format: [YYYY-MM-DD] Note text.]
This section is populated over time from Kendra’s direct observations.