If you think the '60s psychedelic counterculture (aka hippie) died out, wait till you meet this fella. We're not talking about some pretentious multicolored-volkswagen van driver wearing a tie dye t-shirt and going on and on about why women shouldn't wear bras and shave. Ramsey is simply in harmony with the surrounding nature and God's creations, animals more than humans, and embraces life as it flows by. His one story modern brick house, although set up in the middle of a cemented neighbourhood is hidden by a large backyard and trees whose names I don't know. A very calm – maybe too calm for an urban like myself¬¬– residence that transmits its tranquillity as you step in. Perfect! Mission accomplished: That's what Ramsey aimed for when he decided to convert his crashing place into a daylight home-business; he wanted his clients to be as relaxed and chilled as they can be while they undergo a two and a half hour session of indulgence and pampering.
So what exactly does Ramsey do? Ramsey is a professional dog groomer. Impressive? Jaw dropping? Yikey spikey? He had heard it all. But this good ol’ dog whisperer (the name dog owners came up with after seeing how he communicates with ferocious untamed pet- beast) didn't always do that for a living.
His gypsy genes incited him to hit the French territories where he took a diploma in computer science. Spending 2 years working behind a desk he discovered his rather selective claustrophobia condition- IT guy basically got sick and tired of sitting all day long, looking at a green matrix of 1 and 0 digits in motion and then having nightmares about it. That in mind and being encouraged for his ability to work his magic on canine coats he decided to go for it. To cut a long story short, he studied grooming by correspondence and now, after 20 years doing what he loves the most Ramsey is still carried away by the same enthusiasm he started with.
"Would you rather get a haircut in a salon or in a hospital?" Laugh it away; sadly that wasn't a rhetorical question. Ramsey wanted to hear my yes to rest his case: "Dogs don't know they're going to bath in the clinic. All they think about is needles and god-knows-what procedures, which will add up to their fear and hence their aggressiveness. I'm the good guy here".
Communication! Communication! Communication! That's the keyword in approaching any dog, every dog. Ramsey has to please the client before the owner even if it means breaking the well known rule: Off property, on leash. The dog is allowed to sniff, play, fool, and wander around the garden. No Nos. And since "music helps in relaxation" Jazz is always on the menu to set the mood right.
Tangled, poofy, matted, knotty, tousled… he's seen it all and fixed it all. Grooming is not just about techniques, art is involved. It requires patience, efforts and an aesthetic spirit to go from bufunky to squeaky clean. And Ramsey surely masters it.