Everything but the Glass Slipper

I haven’t blogged Groomer Has It for a bit, so I have missed telling about the insane and scary and tight skinned dog psychic and the grooming van challenge, in which the groomers were judged on their driving skills and told that a van accident is unacceptable at “this point in the competition.”

We begin with Kathleen’s exit. She did not tell her client about cutting the dog’s nails too short. Jorge really wished for her departure, which could be foreshadowing of what will happen to him this week. This week’s Quick Sniff begins with a message to meet Jai, the host, at the Dog Park. Each groomer is given a booth, which looks hilariously like Lucy’s Psychiatrist Booth in Peanuts. They have to decorate it themselves and prove their business savvy by getting customers and grooming, setting their own prices.

And, as they begin to decorate, their booths look quite a bit more like Lucy’s booth with hand-written signs and prices. Artist’s booth, “Doggie Depo,” is in the worst location, so his strategy is to lure customers over by undercutting Jonathan’s prices, which Jonathan says are “Manhattan prices.” If it was about anything but dogs, I would probably applaud Artist’s business savvy, but I’m not sure that having low, low prices is the right strategy for dog lovers. Why isn’t he undercutting Jorge’s prices? Jorge has no prices. Jorge has a very smart strategy. He tells the clients that it’s a competition and they should pay what they think is right.

Everyone seems to be busy the entire time. At one point, Jorge has a lull, but it doesn’t seem to last long. Jorge’s strategy seems to be working well. We see him getting $20 bills for nail trims, while Jonathan is only charging $4 and Artist, $2. Later, it seems that people are paying less and less. While the suspense builds as we wait to see who has made the most money, Jonathan makes fun of Artist’s sign because it is not centered. He doesn’t mention the spelling of Depo. Artist tells the confessional camera that Jonathan is an “arrogant prick.”

Jonathan ends up winning. He pumps his fists into the air, yelling, “New York prices!” Catchy.

The actual challenge for this week is to hand-strip Wire Haired Terriers. Apparently, Wire Haired Terriers need their hair pulled out by the follicle or else the follicle can become infected.

Artist says that he has never stripped. Jorge hand strips a lot. Jonathan says that hand stripping is one of his favorite things to do.

Artist is at a large disadvantage because he is the only groomer who has never stripped. So, he should be eliminated, but it is starting to look like the producers are turning this show into a Cinderella story, with our guy from the streets being the most deserving winner. The edits are showing Artist as kinder and kinder and his competitors as, well, arrogant pricks.

Though Jonathan is not one of the judges, he tells us that he did an amazing job and that he should win. Jorge, master of stating the obvious, tells us that this could be the grooming that makes you or breaks you. Artist is asked what he could have improved upon and he, following in Jorge’s footsteps, says that he could improve upon his technique.

I realize watching the judges’ discussion that the judges have started to talk about Artist as if he is one of their pets. Xavier says, “He learns quickly, he catches on, and he’s attentive.” I’m surprised they’re not petting him, other than figuratively.

Speaking of which, Artist is named this week’s Best of Show because he did the best job for someone who has never done this job before. Jonathan will compete against him in the finals. Jorge has to take his ego and go home.