Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerald Lutz.
Hi Gerald , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I wanted a fresh start in life, so I moved to Austin after leaving the military in 2003. My skill set wasn’t in high demand so finding a good job, or something that I liked, seemed unobtainable. I searched for more options and refined myself along the way. Several career choices and a few degrees later, I stumbled across dog grooming while searching for other job opportunities. I read the description and I was curious.
I did some research on where I could get training and certification. After I finished externship and completed the program, I went out searching for my first dog groomer position. I found one pretty quickly, surprisingly. It seems dog groomers are in pretty high demand.
I’ve worked a few places and picked up experience along the way, but I never really liked how the process was. I know the folks I worked with loved dogs as much as I do, but the salons had expectations of how many dogs could be groomed in a day.
There was no bonding time with the animals, the process was rushed, rushing a groom for the sake of time can lead to injuries, the dogs were always stressed out. A lot of people don’t realize that it’s a churn and burn atmosphere in a lot of grooming salons. They don’t see how anxious and scared some of these dogs are. It didn’t feel right to me. I wanted something else; not this.
I decided to start grooming because I love dogs. I want them to be happy and feel good. Is there anything better than a dog excited to see you because they know they’re going to get some love?
I decided to give it a shot with starting my own business because I knew doggies needed more than a rushed process with little to no love. And so, Pretty Paws Dog Grooming was born.
At first, I questioned myself. I didn’t know if what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it was going to work out. I was going to intentionally be slower than other groomers because I wanted to bond with the animal. I wanted them to feel safe and cared for in the absence of their mom or dad. I wanted the dogs to have a stress free visit (or as close to stress free as I can give them).
My visitors get lots of pets. I make sure that all my visitors get water breaks. They get stress breaks so they can calm down and relax a bit when it becomes too much. I take them on walks for potty breaks. They also get treats if they’re allowed to have them. I even play with them, if they’re up to it. I really try to bond with them because dogs remember. Those quakes and shivers aren’t for no reason. They’ve probably had a bad experience somewhere and associate the situation with that trauma. I try to rewrite that and hope they’re excited to see me when they get out of the car.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting a business is “ruff.” Sorry for the groomer humor. Working at a grooming salon and starting one of your own are two totally different animals. Should I be mobile? Should I rent a place? Where would be the best location? What kind of equipment am I really going to need? How much money is this all going to cost? A lot.
You need more than a pair of sharp shears and your trusty clippers. The entire experience is a learning process that actually makes me think about how I can improve myself and how a groom can be better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a dog groomer and the owner of Pretty Paws Dog Grooming. I specialize in making dogs look pretty while gaining their trust and making new furry friends. My spa is different than your average groomer because I really want their time with me to be a comfortable and stress free experience. I take the time to do the things they need. I feel like a superhero when a super matted dog who is in a lot of pain goes home looking and feeling so much better. You can actually see when the pain starts to go away. They love you for it.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Grooming trends come and go. Regardless of what is going on in the world, as long as people own dogs, dogs will need grooms. I imagine this industry will still be in high demand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prettypawsgroomingatx.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EiHkka9rg/
