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What services does a dog groomer provide? That would depend upon the groomer. Some are simply people that will wash your dog for you. Others can offer you a plethora of services ranging from brushing your dog's teeth to styling its hair.

A national dog groomer's standard of licensing or certification does not exist. However, organizations such as The National Dog Groomers Association of America, have developed their own dog groomer certification programs.

Before selecting a new groomer, be sure to do your homework.

• Ask your vet to recommend a groomer.
• Talk to people who have used the groomer.
• Call the better business bureau and see if any complaints have been filed against them.
• Go into the shop and look around. Is it clean? Do the animals coming out look relaxed and well cared for? Ask questions – if they don't take the time to answer them, you may want to look elsewhere.

The homeowner can do many of the services offered by a professional groomer, such as washing a dog. Just because you can perform the task yourself, doesn't mean that you can't use a groomer's services.

• Convenience is the number one reason that most people use a dog grooming service.
• Reasons for using a groomer for 'simple' tasks can include instances where your dog is too large or rambunctious for you to handle or if you simply don't want to deal with the mess.
• In addition to washing your dog, the groomer will dry and brush your dog's hair, and provide any other services you require, such as giving it a flea dip.

Many tasks are not easily done at home. One such task is de-matting a severally matted dog. The de-matting process can be long and painful for the dog, if done improperly. In such cases, a groomer will have the skills and the equipment to handle the task in a humane manner.

All groomers do not provide the same services. This is merely a general list of services that are normally available at a 'full-service' establishment.

• Pre-clipping - this is an abbreviated haircut, which allows the dogs skin to be more thoroughly washed than would be possible if the clipping was done after the bath.
• De-matting
• Undercoat removal - this will help elevated shedding
• Nail clipping and filing
• Ear cleaning
• Teeth brushing
• Washing your dog
• Flea Dip
• Drying your dog with a forced hot/cold air dryer
• Anal sac expression
• Brushing the dog's hair
• Styling of the dog's hair – this can be as modest as a simple trim or as elaborate as the groomer is artistic.
• If you have a show dog, you will want the dog's hair styled in a manner acceptable for that breed. Let the groomer know that you want your dog's hairstyle to conform to the official breed standards for your type of dog.

Be sure to find out what services are covered by the basic grooming fee and what services cost extra. For instance, many groomers charge an additional fee is the dog is heavily matted, due to the extra time and care they must extend on removing the matted hair.

If your dog is being treated for a medical condition or has a behavioral problem (such as being overly aggressive) be sure to let the groomer know in advance so that he can take proper precautions, both for his safety and your dog's.

The first thing that you should do when you bring your dog to the groomer's is to sit down with the groomer and discuss what you want done to your dog.

The groomer will than inspect the dog. The purpose of the inspection is two fold - it will help the groomer determine if the dog has any special problems such as skin infections, matted hair, or external parasites. This will also enable the groomer to determine if the owner's expectations are reasonable.

What a Professional Dog Groomer Cannot Do: