About the author of the dog grooming book.

About the Author

    Hello, my name is Katherine Durr. From early childhood there was always at least one cat and one dog included in my family. Usually there were more because I always seemed to find lost or hurt animals. My mother used to tell a story about hearing the sound of chirping birds coming from my room while she was walking down the hallway. When she went in to investigate the sound, she discovered three socks in the top drawer. The socks had been rolled down to create "nests" and inside each nest sat a baby bird.
   When I was about seven years old, I got my very own dog. I named her Trixie. She was a wonderful dog. I used to love to teach her things that other dogs didn't usually do. Trixie could climb a tree better than most cats. Having animal friends has been a part of my entire life.
  In 1989, a good friend asked me if I would be interested in learning how to groom dogs. Having been in the same type of work for many years, it sounded like something I might enjoy. I fell in love with grooming dogs. Starting off as an apprentice, I would later quit my job and buy the dog grooming shop.
   There were numerous teachers during my apprenticeship. The original owner of the shop, who had 25 years experience, was a big influence. Another teacher was a dog groomer from Holland. She brought a different approach and style to her teaching. Later I learned that many of my teachers were of the four legged variety, as well as their two legged parents.
   During my career, I took on numerous apprentices who are still practicing the art at different dog grooming shops. After 15 years of being a grooming shop owner, I was blessed with my daughter. I took her to work with me for a short time until I decided to sell my shop and stay at home with her. In 2004 I opened another grooming shop and continued to groom until 2013, when I retired. Now I am blessed to help others with grooming their own dogs at home.
   It is my hope that you find my book informative and useful. Just remember, if you treat your furry friend with respect and you make the process fun like you would any game you play with them, they will learn to at least tolerate dog grooming and perhaps even enjoy it.