Founder - The Groom Shop - Portland

Humberto Medina has a passion for dogs and over 30 years of experience in the grooming profession. He started his career in 1988 working as a veterinary technician. There was a time when the grooming department of the veterinary office needed help, so he volunteered to learn to groom. Almost instantly he realized how natural connecting with the dogs came to him and how rewarding it was. After learning all he could, he decided to opened his own groom shop in 1996. He has been in the profession ever since.

Early in his career, it came natural to him to be in a calm state of mind as he knew the pets would, in turn, have a positive reaction to this. This was the foundation of his philosophy for working with dogs. The trust and connection that he develops with each dog is paramount to a successful relationship in grooming. – this connection is priceless

Grooming is a passion - “It is a daily challenge because you don’t know what kind of pet with what challenges will walk through the door. “ Every pet is so different and it is the goal to be able to meet the needs of each dog… shy dogs, aggressive dogs, energetic and outgoing dogs. Your pet can’t tell you their traumas or insecurities with words, but you can take the time to discover these things and build trust and respect. It is so satisfying to win their trust, affection and respect…all without saying a single word. In return, they win mine, and it is so humbling be in that space with the dogs,” he says.

He describes his philosophy as being centered around making a trusting connection with each pet. He lets the pet come to him, following their level of trust and curiosity. He spends time working on simple rules and boundaries using basic commands – sit, stay, and come -- to build the relationship. Next, he will touch the paws and face and to see what the pet is comfortable with. Then they can move forward with trust.

He also describes working with pets by connecting with their energetic and emotional centers. He focuses on the heart – “dogs are sensitive and making contact with the heart chakra helps them stay calm.” He uses words to provide them with encouragement and keep them relaxed, and he also helps bring dogs into a calm and pleasurable space by massaging over the 3rd eye. He keeps himself calm with his emotions in check because he knows that dogs pick up on emotions and anxiety in a groomer and this will increase anxiety in the dog.

A negative experience can make future grooming challenging and difficult for dogs. For this reason, there is a strong focus on making the first grooming experience a good one. Extra time is spent building a trusting relationship, building up the dog’s confidence, and keeping the experience positive. This paves the way for positive experiences in the future.

Over the years he worked with a wide variety of dog breeds. He is very knowledgeable about different different types of coats, and he is cognizant of providing a cut that accentuates the physique of the dog. He is also very experienced in working with matted coats.