I lost my job, and am in need of dog haircut instructions.

OK, Christie... if you go to GOOGLE and search for:
"andis sheep pet groomer" you will find more than 8,490 hits INCLUDING some YOUTUBE 'how-to's)

The first thing you need to do is to talk with the groomer before you bring in your pet for a haircut. You should let him know exactly how aggressive and how to handle your dog when he's being aggressive. There are many groomers that won't deal with aggressive pets.

You should look for credentials. A NDGA certification means the groomer's skills have been evaluated against a national standard. A master groomer knows safety procedures, health and hygiene practices in the shop.

Most of the respectable places have a two way mirror so you can watch the barber groom your pet. The main reason most groomers do not want you to stay is because the dogs get too excited when he see you and therefore it is nearly impossible to cut his hair when he is not relaxed.

When your dog gets a haircut he actually gets two haircuts, minimum of two baths, his toenails cut, and his ears cleaned and plucked. It is a much more difficult job than a normal person haircut it takes much more time.

An average small dog haircut takes around an hour and a half approximately. Larger dogs will take a bit longer if you want to ensure a proper haircut.

Selecting a groomer for your pet should take a lot of consideration and inquiry. Here is a list of potential questions that I think are very important to ask a future prospective groomer for your pet:

• • How long will the grooming session take?
  
• • Are all clients up to date with their vaccinations?
  
• • What kind of equipment do they use to dry the animals (useful for easily frightened animals)?
  
• • Do you ever use sedatives on animals for grooming?
  

They are correct. You should not feed your dog before going to the groomers. Think about it this way - when you get nervous, you want to use the bathroom. Well, it works very similarly for dogs. Going to visit the groomer can be very stressful for your dog and can feel unnatural.

What I gather from the secretary at my vets office is that they request owners to leave because their presence makes the dogs act up more and squirm around.

DIY dog shampoo is perfect for natural grooming. I wash my dog in homemade shampoo and hercoat is shiny. She smells nice too! Hereis a website with different recipes for shampoos and conditioners that workwell and smell great! http://karlabeatty.suite101.com/homemade-dog-shampoo-recipes-for-natural-dog-grooming-a255450