Good grooming begins before the bath.
Before choosing a shampoo, before the water touches the coat, take a moment to look. Really look.
The coat is already telling you something. Its texture. Its weight. Its movement. Its level of oil. Its condition. Its odour. The way it sits against the skin. And sometimes, the things that feel slightly different from what you would expect.
The first question shouldn't always be: Which shampoo should I use?
It should be: What am I seeing?
Start with the dog
Before assessing the coat, observe the dog in front of you.
How do they enter the salon? Are they comfortable being handled? Do they move freely? Are they unusually sensitive around a particular area? Are they scratching, licking or rubbing?
These observations don't tell you why something is happening. But they can tell you that something deserves your attention.
The skin and coat can reflect a wide range of influences, including genetics, environment, season, nutrition and underlying health. Many different conditions can also produce similar outward changes.
That is why observation is so important — and diagnosis is not the groomer's role. Your job is to notice.
Then, read the coat
Look at it. Then put your hands into it.
What does it feel like? Is it:
- Dry?
- Oily?
- Coarse?
- Soft?
- Heavy?
- Brittle?
- Compact?
- Lacking movement?
Does the hair separate easily? Does it have the texture you would expect for that particular coat? Does the condition change across different areas of the body?
And don't just consider what the coat looks like when it's standing in front of you. How does it behave? A coat can look beautiful and still tell you something different when you handle it.
A quick example
Picture a coat that catches the light beautifully at first glance — glossy, well brushed and apparently healthy.
But run your hands through the flank and it feels different underneath. The hair separates unevenly, almost forming small sections rather than falling cleanly.
That contrast — what you see versus what you feel — is exactly why a purely visual assessment isn't enough. It isn't a diagnosis. It's a reason to look closer.
Look beneath the hair
The coat is only part of what you're assessing. Look at the skin beneath it.
Notice changes in:
- redness
- scaling
- oiliness
- odour
- hair density
- pigmentation
- texture
- lesions or other abnormalities
These are observations — not diagnoses.
Veterinary dermatology uses many of these same observations when assessing skin and coat, but determining the underlying cause may require a full history, physical examination and diagnostic testing.
That distinction matters. A groomer may be the first person to notice a change. That doesn't mean the groomer should name the condition. It means the groomer should recognise when something is worth communicating to the owner and, where appropriate, referring to a veterinary professional.
A simple way to raise it might be:
“I've noticed the skin looks a little different here today. Has anything changed recently? It might be worth mentioning to your vet.”
You're describing what you've observed, rather than telling the owner what you believe is wrong.
Observe. Document. Communicate. Refer when appropriate.
Don't assess the coat in isolation
A coat doesn't exist independently from the dog wearing it. Consider the context.
What breed is this? What would you expect from this coat type? How old is the dog? Are you looking at a puppy coat, adult coat or an older coat?
What time of year is it? Is the dog moving through a shedding period?
What is their lifestyle? Do they swim? Walk outdoors every day? Spend time in water or mud?
What has been used on the coat previously? How frequently is the dog bathed? Has something changed?
These questions can change how you interpret what you're seeing. What is unusual for one dog may be completely normal for another.
Breed, age, season, environment, previous grooming practices and other factors can all influence the appearance and condition of the skin and coat. Context changes interpretation.
Product selection comes afterwards
This is where grooming can become much more thoughtful.
The shampoo shouldn't be the starting point. The dog is.
Once you've observed the dog, considered the coat and understood the context, your product choice becomes much more purposeful.
You aren't simply choosing a shampoo because it smells beautiful. Or because it worked beautifully on the last dog. Or because the label says it is designed for a particular coat.
You're asking: What does this coat need from me today?
That is a very different approach. And it doesn't mean that every difference in a coat requires a different product. It means the choice should be intentional.
Sometimes the priority may be a more thorough cleanse. Sometimes it may be conditioning and manageability. And sometimes the most appropriate decision is to recognise that what you're seeing needs further investigation rather than a change of shampoo.
Good product selection begins with good observation.
The five-minute coat assessment
Before you reach for the shampoo, pause.
01 — WATCH
Look at the dog.
Comfort. Movement. Behaviour. Scratching. Licking. Sensitivity.
02 — LOOK
Look at the coat and the skin beneath it.
Condition. Distribution. Texture. Visible changes.
03 — FEEL
Put your hands into the coat.
Texture. Oiliness. Density. Movement. How the hair separates and behaves.
04 — CONSIDER
Think about the individual dog.
Breed. Age. Season. Lifestyle. Grooming history. Previous products. Anything that has changed.
05 — DECIDE
Only now ask: What does this dog need today?
The goal isn't simply a beautiful finish
Of course we want a beautiful coat. But a beautiful finish is the result of good grooming — not the only measure of it.
A successful groom considers the individual dog, their skin, their coat, their comfort and their needs.
It means observing before intervening. Choosing products with purpose. Knowing when something falls outside your scope. And understanding that every dog standing on your grooming table is different.
The best groomers don't simply see what needs to be removed. They notice what is there.
Read the dog. Read the coat. Then make your choices.
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Martina Waterman — Professional canine skin & coat care
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