🎙️ Episode 462: Grooming Disasters, AKC/NDGAA Fallout, and Chris Christensen's New FormulasWelcome to Episode 462 of The GroomPod!This week, hosts Susy and Barbara don't hold anything back as they tackle industry controversies, confess their biggest career mistakes, and dive deep into product ingredients.Inside This Episode:⚠️ Industry Alert: We discuss the shocking news out of Portland regarding the abrupt cancellation of the AKC/NDGAA certification workshop, leaving two dozen groomers disheartened and out thousands of dollars. We share our thoughts on what this means for the future of certification.✂️ Grooming Disaster Confessions: You are not alone! We open up the confession booth to share our most cringeworthy "oh no" moments, including a trainee's legendary 40-blade reverse mohawk, a terrifying scissor slip that injured a dog's tongue, and the time a client accused a groomer of molestation.🧪 B-Bird’s Classroom: Barbara breaks down the science behind the products! We analyze the NEW Chris Christensen "Ice on Ice" formula and reveal the surprising ingredient still found in "SmartWash 50."🐩 Product Review Wrap-Up: We give our final thoughts on the Funky Poodle products, discussing the fantastic shampoo and the infamous hair oil that made Suzy's horse smell exactly like Froot Loops cereal.Whether you're looking for honest product reviews, industry commentary, or just need to laugh at some truly awful grooming mistakes, this episode is a must-listen!

In this episode we give our first impressions of the Funky Poodle products, a new face in the marketplace.  Then we talks about all kinds of options for handouts for your clients.  

Barbara and Susy interview Dave and Tracy Campanella about the grooming industry and how to age gracefully while continuing to work.                                                       

This episode includes our discussion of the Groomer to Groomer Magazine September 2025  ads and articles.  

We interview Sandy Gyorgyi from Showseason about her start in the industry and what the future has in store for Showseason.  We learn some fun facts about the company, too.

This episode includes a rant about an ingredient that should not be included in any pet shampoo, Triclosan.  Then the ladies discuss pricing options and finally Barbara reviews volumizing ingredients.

This episode is full of talk about Thinning shears including blenders, and chunkers.  Then Barbara tells us to think about fragrances and their use. 

Barbara Bird and Susy the Groomer discuss the August 2025 issue of Groomer to Groomer magazine and Barbara gives us a Bbirdseye view of the Opaws protein spray.  Does she like it or not? Tune in to find out.

Barbara and Susy discuss the importance of coat prep and give some tips along the way.  Then Barbara reminds us of Kim Laube and his history in our industry.  

Want to get the most out of your next grooming trade show? In this episode of The GroomPod, Susy is joined by field reporter Dana Chavez-Rey to share their best tips and strategies for navigating these exciting events. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or attending your first show, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you maximize your time, budget, and networking opportunities.

Barbara and Susy share their experiences with what grooming notes should include, and then Barbara gives us an Igroom update and reviews their new 2 in 1 shampoo.

This week Barbara is off and Chrissy Neumyer Smith comes on to talk with Susy about Consent and Cooperative grooming.  This is the audio version of the video that appears on YouTube and it is lightly edited.  

This episode we revisit the topic of communication with our clients, and Bbird reviews a shampoo that didn't hold up to her scrutiny.  

Barbara and Susy each present Chris Sertzel with case studies to discuss, and Barbara and Chris talk about their upcoming webinar, too.

Susy and Barbara talk about some of the biggest time wasters in our shops, then Barbara lets us know what Biothane is, and how it can be valuable in our work.  Then she investigates the Groom it line from Botaniqa. There is a companion handout at the GroomBlog on theGroomPod.com

Join us as we chat with Chuck Simons to learn where he started in the grooming industry, and how he developed his very cool products.  He is the producer of Susy's Goldilocks Brush: the Flexit he tells us about that, too.

How do you research tools and products on the internet without getting ripped off or disappointed? We go over some techniques that might help.  Barbara and Susy discuss why clients might lie, and Randy from Precision sharp tells us the differences between human and pet tools.  

This episode we share our thoughts about nail trimming and we also share a bit of the Les Pooches history and where they are today. 

Barbara and Susy talk about Slicker Brushes and Susy tells about her new goldilocks brush. Its just right. 

Barbara and Susy discuss the dogs experience while grooming and afterwards Barbara rants about bleach.