We pamper them. We bring them wherever we go. We surprise them with something new on special occasions. They even get holiday presents. They are our pets!

From high-end items to high-tech items, products for our companion animals now extend beyond traditional necessities. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) presents top pet product trends for 2011.

Reducing Your Pets Carbon PAW print
Around the world people are making conscious efforts to help our planet Eart, and the pet industry is no exception. From natural litters to toys, accessories and organic food options, earth-friendly pet products are sprouting up everywhere.

Going to the Dogs
More and more companies traditionally know for human products are going to the dogs, and cats, and reptiles. Big name companies including like Paul Mitchell, Omaha Steaks, Origins, Harley Davidson and Old Navy are now offering lines of pet products ranging from dog shampoo, pet attire, and name-brand toys to gourmet treats and food.

Pets Welcome
Many hotels across the country are adopting pet friendly policies. Several chains have announced new pet-friendly policies that include everything from oversized pet pillows, plush doggie robes, to check-in gift packages that include a pet toy, dog treat, ID tag, bone and turn down treat. Some even have a licensed dog masseuse on staff.

Pet Products Sold Here
Shopping for pet products is becoming easier than ever with an increasing variety of retail outlets now selling pet products. Right along side fertilizer and shovels, shoppers can now find pet products such as doggie doors and yellow lawn spot removers sold at many lawn and garden stores, nurseries, and major home improvement stores including Home Depot.

Ultra-Clean…
Pet-owners take grooming one step beyond a haircut, a quick bath and a nail trim. Mouthwash and an electric toothbrush for canines are routine steps in a beauty session for some pooches. Birds receive daily pedicures with special cage perches, while others enjoy manicures complete with nail polish. Pet-owning homes stay cleaner with automatic, self-flushing litter boxes, cleaning cloths for muddy paws that mimic traditional baby wipes, and scented gel air fresheners to keep rooms free of pet odors.

Dinner is Served
Today’s pet foods include complete and balanced diets that tantalize our pets’ taste buds and satisfy their tummies. Formulas for puppies and kittens, specialized meals for reptiles, birds and fish and diets for senior pets ensure a long and healthy life for our beloved companions.

State-of-the-Art
High-tech products including computerized identification tags, digital aquarium kits, automatic doors and feeders, enhanced reptile terrarium lighting systems and touch-activated toys help pet-owners take care of companion animals with ease and precision.

Loosen Up
As pet owners meditate in yoga class, cats relieve stress by frolicking in a toy gym or relaxing in a feline spa before enjoying herbal catnip packaged in a tea bag. Dogs sip fresh water from flowing fountains after a soothing rub with a doggie massager.

Help Yourself!
Products designed with convenience in mind lead this trend. Programmable feeding and drinking systems, automatic and battery-operated toys, self-cleaning litter boxes and self-warming pet mats let pets virtually care for themselves!

Straight from the Catwalk
Faux mink coats, hipster lumberjack vests, designer plaid jackets, matching jeweled and leather collar and leash sets, Halloween costumes, and holiday outfits keep pets in fashion throughout the year. Upscale leather carriers complete with a cell phone and water bottle holder are the perfect accessories to keep the pet owner in style as well.

Keep on Truckin’
Whether it’s a quick trip to the supermarket or a long ride to the beach, companion animals are now traveling animals too. Buckled up in a harness, seat belt system or a portable carrier, these pets stay safe and secure while on the road. Food and water along with safety supplies are on hand in all-in-one kits, waste disposal systems make for easy clean-up on quick stops and motion sickness aids are available too.

Hello, My Name Is…
From monogrammed sweaters and personalized food and water bowls to digitized collar tags and hand-made treats, owners embrace their pets as true members of the American family celebrating their fluffy, finned and feathered companions with their very own belongings.

GroomTeam USA is now accepting applications for the Lonnie Lange Memorial Scholarship Fund. There are two levels of awards: one for college education, and the other for grooming education. The deadline for application submissions is April 30, 2012.

Level 1 will provide two recipients with $1,000 in college money. These funds may be used toward college education in any field and will be paid directly to the school. The only stipulation is that the applicant must be the child, stepchild or grandchild of a bona-fide professional groomer.

Level 2 is open to any and all applicants and provides one recipient with a full scholarship to a GroomTeam USA-approved grooming school. GroomTeam USA will also provide up to $1,000 toward the purchase of the standard grooming tool kit available through the selected school. The participating schools include Maser’s Academy of Fine Grooming (Kenmore, Wash.), Merryfield School of Pet Grooming (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Nanhall School of Dog Grooming (Greensboro, N.C.), Paragon School of Pet Grooming (Jenison, Mich.) and the Pennsylvania Academy of Pet Grooming (Indiana, Pa.).

The Lonnie Lange Memorial Scholarship Fund is intended to help the families of hard working pet stylists. It is made possible through the generous contributions of our Premium Sponsors, Andis, Wahl, LambertKay, Shark Fin Shears, 4420 Shears, Groomers Helper and Natures Specialties, as well as the continued support of the numerous manufactures, distributors and groomers.

GroomTeam USA employs the aid of The International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., a professional scholarship selection company. The use of this outside source insures that the selection of the recipients is professional, fair and unbiased.

For more information, visit www.GroomTeamUSA.com.

I am always amazed by the amount of groomers who refuse to do cats? And while I understand that it takes a certain kind of ‘cat’ person to really have a passion for it, there is a lot of money to be made grooming cats. And while some groomers specialize in feline styling, all groomers can benefit from working with cats.

The majority of groomers I speak with are not at all enthusiastic about working with cats. They say they are too unpredictable and downright frightening. In my opinion, nine out of ten cats are afraid of their own shadow. But it is that one devil cat from down below that keeps nine out of ten groomers from working with cats. And yet, cat grooming is an incredibly profitable part of the business.

There are many cat grooming experts in the industry, as well as, cat grooming organizations that promote the safe grooming of felines and offer tips and tricks for stylists who want to offer cat grooming in their salon. Many successful salons now offer a ‘cats only’ day which helps to keep the cats calmer since they are not mixed in with canines. (Ever hear the phrase ‘fighting like cats and dogs?’) You can find a ton of information online about the proper way to groom a cat.

But what many groomers don’t know is they already have an incredible tool for cat grooming available to them. The Groomers Helper Professional Set is the answer! I have demonstrated this to thousands of groomers who now have the ability to groom cats with ease and safety.

Using the Professional Set with a cat is different from using it with a dog. First of all, the grooming loop is placed around the cats shoulders at table level, rather than around the neck and connected to the grooming arm. By placing the mini-arm with hook at table level, and lowering the Groomers Helper to table level on the grooming arm, a groomer is able to place the loop on the table, open it and secure it around the cat’s shoulders. It is quite effective and an amazingly simple way to safely hold a cat in position while grooming.

You can watch the Groomers Helper training video online to see this set up in action. Just CLICK HERE to begin. The demo for using Groomers Helper with cats starts at nine minute mark.

And remember that we are still offering special holiday pricing on Groomers Helper Professional Sets including free shipping. Click here to order.

So please consider cat grooming as an excellent way to boost your profits in 2012. If you don’t already offer this service, now is a great time to start and Groomers Helper is a great tool for success. CLICK HERE TO SHOP ONLINE

What better gift to give a groomer than the gift of safety?While many spouses and significant others can also call themselves “Groomers Helper,” the Professional Set is that extra set of hands that every groomer needs to groom smarter and not harder. It is now being used by the top professionals in the industry and taught in the top schools. Can you imagine not having to struggle anymore?

I often ask groomers why dogs do not want to be groomed. They reply that the dog doesn’t want to be there, or that the dog is remembering a bad experience, or that the dog just doesn’t like being groomed. That said, I tell them the real reason is that dogs struggle at home with their owners and win, so they think it is normal behavior. By the same token, groomers struggle and wrestle with dogs because they think it is the normal way to groom!

But can you imagine an artist hanging a canvas from a rope and spin it to try and paint it? And would a woodworker roll a log down a hill to try and carve it? Of course not! But groomers chase dogs around a grooming table with razor sharp scissors and clippers without thinking twice. In that respect, the Groomers Helper is the easel that holds your pet canvas and it allows you to unleash your grooming art!