Force dryer questions

[eagle57]

Hi there. I'm just wondering what force dryers you all use and your opinions on them.

I currently use one that was bought off of Amazon for like 80 bucks. Personally I think it's terrible and doesn't work especially on large dogs. I was trying to do a blow out on a Great pyranese and I felt like it was doing nothing. It takes me FOREVER to blow dry dogs. I miss the K-9 2 units. I keep trying to explain to the owner that they're just the superior force dryer for a professional grooming salon and he says he can't see the difference in them. How do I convince him that it's worth the investment? Or am I just being kind of spoiled? Do you guys use any other dryers that seem to get the job done?

 

[cierrahopes]

@eagle57 I'm not sure what you can do to convince your boss but an $80 dryer from Amazon does not compare to a K-9 2. Similar brands are Metrovac or Sullivan's dryers both in the same size as the K-9 2. If your boss wants quality work then in my opinion you need a good dryer like one of those. Maybe tell them you can get dogs dryer faster with a better dryer and maybe do more dogs per day.

 

[eagle57]

@cierrahopes I've tried this already. I even pulled him in during the great pyranese groom to show him and his reply was "I'm not spending a thousand dollars on a dryer" and that he can't see the difference when he compares them online. It's tempting to just buy my own and prove it to him.

 

[cierrahopes]

@eagle57 I assume he isn't a groomer? Honesty I wouldn't bother myself. He will just make money off of something you bought. If he really cares about being an owner of a good quality grooming shop he would have done his homework and provided good quality equipment and at the very least he would take your advice as an actual groomer. I think you should start looking for another job if at all possible, it's already a hard job without fighting your boss.

 

[eagle57]

@cierrahopes He's not. We have had quite a few problems with him actually because of this but I feel he's making an effort. We're getting a neat software program set up and he's at least looking at them. I think I could convince him to buy them if I could have like...testimony from other groomers. I've asked my previous boss to talk with him about some things and help me get him to understand but she recently got sick and is obviously not in the position to talk with him right now. The problems is I'm moving in about a year. If I find another job now it won't be grooming. It's already going to be tough to leave all the clients I've built up here in the last few months but trust me, the thought has crossed my mind.

 

[cierrahopes]

@eagle57 Well definitely think about moving on if things don't get better. You can show him what I have to say. The small dryer is fine for little dogs but anything with some size and some coat is going to not come out as good as it could. I worked at a place for awhile with a dryer that wasn't powerful enough and it was not fun. I couldn't finish drying all of my dogs completely because there just wasn't enough time. A curly coat won't be as straight as it should be and therefore not as even as it could be. You can't blow out all the dead hair which is the best way to deshed a dog, brushing only does so much in my opinion. The dryer is one of my most important tools as a groomer, I spent $500 on a K-9 3 and it is totally worth it.

 

[eagle57]

@cierrahopes Excellent! These are also my thoughts. Sometimes I kind of second guess myself because I've only got about 4 years of grooming experience but I know what I'm taking about and it is honestly so nice to hear that I'm not just being difficult.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 Tell him it will pay him back quickly because of how quickly you can finish the grooms specifically the drying/de-shedding portion of the groom. It will also create more quality grooms and he can charge more. (I HATE bad HV dryers, it'll give you tennis elbow etc!).

 

[eagle57]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Yeah. The hose to it actually has a hole in it now. He's looking into the warranty but his response when I told him was "can't you just tape it up?" To which I replied "I guess but that's not going to really do anything."

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 That's so frustrating! I honestly think that you could dry or deshed a dog in at least 1/2 the time. So, say it takes you 2 hours to deshed a dog that costs 100$. That's 50$/hr. But with a K9 ii you could be making your shop 100$/hr. Give him real numbers! He sounds greedy so that should make it clear that he has to spend money to make money.

 

[eagle57]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Yeah I mean if I could cut a half hour off of my large dog dry times, cut down my de-shed times by not having to spend so much time brushing but doing real blow outs instead, I could easily fit in at least one more dog a day. There hasn't been a day since I've been hired where I haven't had a 60 pound or heavier groom booked on me. It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to blow dry a doodle right now. I feel like it shouldn't take me any longer than 20-30 minutes right? Smaller dogs typically only took me 10-20 minutes of drying but now I'm spending easily double that with this dryer.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 Yeah, that's too long! So, a K9 ii is like 650 CAD. If I was able to fit another (small) dog in every day at 50$ because of it then I could pay it off in 13 dayssss, 2.6 weeks. Then it just starts making money! There are 52 weeks in a year so 52-2.6=49.4 49.4x250$=12,350$ . That he isn't making because he's cheap.

Edited because my math was wrong.... Correct me if I'm till off.

 

[eagle57]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Exactly! The most infuriating thing about it is he spoke about hiring another groomer. This confuses me because in order to do this he would need to buy another bath tub, another grooming table, another station and more kennels but he can't spend the, what $400-$500 dollars it costs to buy one K9 2 unit? Am I nuts or does that sound like some bullshit?

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 It sounds like complete bologna! Maybe it is time to start your own business if you can?

 

[eagle57]

@imagebeastmarkbeast That is the long term plan. I am planning on moving in about a year to another city and once I get settled there I would love to set that up. So many people have asked me if I plan on opening my own.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 It's a good idea, I really hope it works out for you. It's what I'm doing, specifically because letting someone have power over my wage and health is not a priority for me. Are you working on commission? Maybe it would be worth it if you'll make more money to buy it yourself and then take it when you go?

 

[eagle57]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I'm on 50% commission. I've seriously thought about doing that exact thing. I have a husky at home and a malamute and being able to take my dryer home when I want to bathe them would save me and my roommate time and money.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eagle57 Flying pig off Amazon for thin coats and small dogs. Or dogs sensitive to the dryer.

K9 II? I think. For thick coated/double coated.