Groomer Problems

I know I saw a thread once about some people here who were groomers and which breeds they had problems grooming. But have any groomers here ever refused a specific breed?

I needed to make a grooming appointment for Guinness. I had three places at first say they had appointments, but then after finding out he was a chow mix, they mysteriously were booked. One lady even said to me nastily "I don't do chows!" (I hung up on her). I was so mad!:mad: Guinness wouldn't hurt a fly, if he did, he'd probably apologize to the fly!

Luckily, I finally called the most popular doggie daycare in the area and talked at length to the head groomer. She told me that when she moved to Richmond, she had two chows and nobody would groom them. When she found someone, she actually decided to have them teach her to become a groomer. Now she is very popular apparently, because she doesn't pull that "bad breed" crap.

Heheh...funny enough, she's from my hometown, Virginia Beach. Also, I told her about how shy Guinness is with new people, so she said I can sit with her while she grooms him so he won't be so freaked out. Everybody else was like "drop your dog off at 7am, pick him up at 4pm".

I have never took tikeya to a groomer she would get the worst seperation anxiety lol.

I feel so bad for dogs at the groomers*no offense to ppl who are groomers*, but oscar has only been to two groomers and only 2 times in him life.

anywho, my mom went to drop off Oscar at the groomers at 7 am and saw this poodle died to a shot lil thing on the groomers table and it was soaking wet, she came back at 12 and the same dog was still there and hadent even got its hair cut yet, pluse it was still tied to the same table on a lil leashforsing it to stand up!!! It could have went to get a bath but my mom felt so discusted that she never went back to the groomers, we do our own grooming at home with oscar.

Does Guinness have a hair cut now in his pic? He doesn't even look like he needs to be groomed. Seems like short hair??? Nina has longish hair and we keep it short. I will not take her to a groomer that makes her stay longer than 4hrs. The new one we just got did her in 3. So each time we go I'll see if I can shorten it even more. PetsMart was 4 hrs sometimes less. PetsMart was $45 and the new groomer is $30. We can't even take Ashlee in to get her nails cut. She FREAKS out. Good thing she is short haired.

Actually, my husband wanted to use a groomer because Guinness is still shedding. I remember reading something on here about dogs with "undercoats" like Huskies or something and how a good groomer can get most of it out. Guinness does have an undercoat and he sheds alot. (Thank god for Swiffer!)

We have gotten a good amount of it out, but my husband is concerned with two things.

First, Guinness hates the bathroom. Up to this point, the only time he has been in there is when we have been cleaning his ears because the vet said we had to. So, he won't go into the bathroom unless we carry him. Then he struggles and tries to escape.

Also, hubby is concerned that all his hair might clog up the drain. Bailey's does that and she hardly has any hair, she has a really short coat. Our landlord is a d**khead about unclogging drains, and if Draino didn't work, my hubby really doesn't want to spend money on a plumber.

I know of a few places around here that refuse to groom certain breeds of dogs. Usually chows are that breed.

I wouldn't go to a place that refused dogs because of breed....:mad:

I honestly wouldn't say he's chow though. Not because of anything against the breed, but he doesn't look like he has the coat of a chow....so he really shouldn't be charged as a chow. He looks like he has a coat more like a shepard. I know it varies, but where I work it's $46 for a chow vs. $29 for a german shepard.

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Actually, my husband wanted to use a groomer because Guinness is still shedding. I remember reading something on here about dogs with "undercoats" like Huskies or something and how a good groomer can get most of it out. Guinness does have an undercoat and he sheds alot.

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I really think this is a good idea. A good groomer can get a LOT of fur out. I brush Nebo often at home...but when I take him to work and use the high-pressure dryers on him...it's amazing how much fur comes out of that dog! :eek: It's really helpful with shedding to get it under control by getting those loose clumps of undercoat out.

I know of other groomers here that have all the dogs arrive by 8 and don't get them out until 4. I do NOT like that....not only is it not fun for the dogs, it sucks because all the kennels are used up. Where I work I'm there 9-4 (bather) and there's normally a groomer there 8-3 and another 1-7 or so. So we have dogs arriving and leaving all day. I always allow 2 hours for any kind of dog....and normally get them done in 1 1/2 to 3 hours depending on the size/coat of the dog...sometimes longer if the dog is not good or is very matted.

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Originally posted by wolf_Q
work and use the high-pressure dryers on him...it's amazing how much fur comes out of that dog! :eek:

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We bought one of those dryers for home. It was VERY expensive, but worth it. It's a K-9 II. Has 2 motors on it and heat. Nina's hair just took too long to dry and is too thick to dry with my human hair dryer. The dog one just blasts the water off her so fast. And fluffs her up BIG. She doesn't like that, she thinks it makes her look fat :p

If I'm never not doing grooming, I'm totally going to buy one of those high-pressure dryers! I can't have a husky without one! lol. I drive myself crazy picking out clumps so I just take him with me and blow them all out! And it does make a HUGE difference in drying time for sure!

Nina doesn't like the noise. I leave it sit outside the bathroom and just run the hose in and sit in front of the door so she can't excape.
Once I took Shep-ee(RB) in with me to pick up Tonee (RB) and the groomer blew Shep-ee out. She had never looked so slim and so thin in the hair department. I should have got one way back then. But I wasn't thinking.......... I should have had one all to Tonee's life. And Shep-ee would have been a lot less hairy if I had gotten it sooner.

Actually the vet and a couple of people who are at the dog park who have chow mixes said that they thought he was a chow mix. Just because he's sort of rusty orangey color (he always seems to look brown in pictures, it's probably the camera) and also he has black spots on his tongue. Oh, and also because he has a curled tail and his ears point up, usually when he is happy, which is most of the time.:)

The girls who groom our dogs now don't mind, they are wonderful. When we first got Huney I brought her in & told them her story & they didn't care a bit!
But when we first got our RB Keisha I got turned down by quite a few shops:( And let me tell you Keisha was the best ever at being groomed. She'd always just stand there & not move. I always had compliments on how wonderful she was (even though it usually took a full day to groom her:eek: ).
I just don't understand why chows have such a bad rap
:rolleyes:

I take Molly to a groomer for a puppy cut. Love the breed of dog, just not crazy about all that hair. The groomer I take Molly to has us drop her off at 7:30 and pick her up before noon - that is if I can get her to let Molly go and catch Molly to get her out of there. They love one another!

As for the debate on chows and pits, I think it has a lot to do with the owners. If you raise your dog to be a loving (and loved) pet, they tend to react differently than if you raise it with indifference and aggression.

I had groomer problems-My 'dales were very large(big babies) and I guess the groomers were afraid-so I did the next best thing-I learned how to strip and clip-I admit they did look a bit moth eaten the first two times;but after a while they were perfect-I became the groomer of the neighbourhood-I loved it!-I even shaved the chow next door-great doggy. No offense to groomers or poodles;but not every dog is a poodle. Our vet offers a grooming service and he doesn't drug the beasties-oh, that's another thing-I have seen groomers use tranquilizers-nasty business practice!!

I take Tiffany to the groomers every 7-8 weeks. She's a Yorkie but has her long coat so she only gets Yorkie cleanup. I bathe her in between.

I think you'll appreciate this story. When I first got her I called the groomer and was taking her there for the first time. I arrived and the groomer met me at the door with a big towel wrapped around her arm and said she was bitten by a dog and couldn't take her because she was going to the Emergency Room. I told her good luck and I'd call in a few days and make another appointment.

I don't know why but I was thinking a big dog bit her. It was just in my mind for some reason. When I got another appointment I went in and asked her what kind of dog bit her and she told me it was a Cairn Terrier. I couldn't believe it. Toto? Toto bit you? She told me sometimes it's just the temperment of the dog and not the breed.

I drop Tiffany off on my way to work she always has her done by lunch time so she doesn't have to spend the whole day there.

First I want ot admit that I did not read all of the responses to the thread, but I am a groomer so I thought I'd tell you what I know.

Our shop does not refuse any breed on that basis alone, but I know that some do. Chows are a very common type of dog to get refused. Chows, even the best tempermented ones, do not like the type of things that groomers need to do. Brushing is especially NOT well tolerated by them. Combine that with the fact that 99% of pet owners do not know how to properly brush their pets, so by the time they come to us it is a long grueling experience for the pet.
Now I don't wish to hear "I brush my dog" or "My dog doesn't have any mats". I hear it all the time and with the matted pet standing right in front of us. Until you've done it PROPERLY you will never know just how much hard work is involved. Chows (and a lot of other dogs too) do not have the patience or tolerence for this. We get ALL of the shedding undercoat out of the fur and if it has been a long time since it was done PROPERLY, it tugs a bit. When they tire of this, they BITE.......YES, they BITE........and you can't tell me that they won't. But it is not only chows.
Like it or not, if we get bit (and a muzzle is NOT always 100% effective) we cannot work, so many groomers who rely on their income cannot take the chance. Many a groomer will not do cats for the very same reason.
So, instead of being insulted just find someone else. If your dog is indeed good, then the groomer that gave him a chance will have a good customer for as long as you take him there.

Good information for me jenluckenbach. A question for you. Molly likes her groomer and we take her every 6-8 weeks to keep her hair cut short. I bath weekly in between, use conditioner and brush her with a soft bristle brush frequently. Is that enough or is there something else I can do to make it easier for my groomer?

robinh---sounds like a good routine. I doubt that there is much more you culd do, but you could always ask the groomer if there are any "trouble" spots that you could work on at home.

I can't take Max to a groomers, because I fear they hurt him, by pushing on him too hard & then Max might snap or worse. Max is great with dad & I when Max is in alot of pain, he knows I'll make it go way & he'll get some bread as a snack. But Max has never reacted to strangers 100% well (maybe 70%). But why pay 30$ when I can do it for free :)

As a former groomer, THANK YOU Jen!!! Well said. :)
I used to hate people that would say "lil pookie? Bite? Nooo!" Then little pookie instantly attaches himself to you as soon as you get him in the back of the shop. Always believe the worst of your pet at the groomers or vet, people. I tell everyone that mine may very well bite, so our vet usually muzzles for toenail clips and shots. I just don't know how they are away from me and in that stressful situation. Aneko def. bites when you try to groom her face. 1st hand info on that one. :eek:

I'm not saying that he wouldn't bite in a grooming situation, I don't know that. But he is so friendly and loves to be brushed, he loves any sort of attention. I'm not disagreeing with jen or micki. However, I do think it's wroing to judge all dogs on what breed they are mixed with. He's not poofy like a chow, we use a shedding blade and a slicker brush on him. He's been really patient with us up to this point while we've been brushing him. He just lays down and takes a nap.

At least the lady at All Dog Playskool is giving him a chance instead of dismissing him out of hand just because he's part chow. She sounded very nice on the phone. I'm taking the afternoon off work on Friday so I can be there while she's grooming him.

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Originally posted by jenluckenbach

Our shop does not refuse any breed on that basis alone, but I know that some do. Chows are a very common type of dog to get refused. Chows, even the best tempermented ones, do not like the type of things that groomers need to do. Brushing is especially NOT well tolerated by them. Combine that with the fact that 99% of pet owners do not know how to properly brush their pets, so by the time they come to us it is a long grueling experience for the pet.
Now I don't wish to hear "I brush my dog" or "My dog doesn't have any mats". I hear it all the time and with the matted pet standing right in front of us. Until you've done it PROPERLY you will never know just how much hard work is involved.

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I've only done a bath and brush on 2 chows.....and both were horribly matted.....and both were GREAT dogs. And both had owners that actually realized that their dogs were indeed very matted, and were willing to pay for me to spend all day brushing them out. I've done a few other chow mixes and all of them were very good.

That said.......I agree with what Jen said, applying to all breeds of dogs, not just chows. I don't know HOW many times I've had people look right at me and say their dogs are "not matted, we brush our dog" and it takes me hours to brush them out. What do you brush your dog with, a toothbrush? ;) As well as "my dog doesn't bite" and I have to muzzle them. I truely appreciate people who realize what condition their dogs are in and the temperament they may have. And I know PTers keep their dogs in great shape so you are all the examples of *good* dog owners! :D

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don't know why but I was thinking a big dog bit her. It was just in my mind for some reason. When I got another appointment I went in and asked her what kind of dog bit her and she told me it was a Cairn Terrier. I couldn't believe it. Toto? Toto bit you? She told me sometimes it's just the temperment of the dog and not the breed.

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I've been bitten by dogs were it bled 3 times.......twice by chihuahuas and the other was the poodle from hell!

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I'm not saying that he wouldn't bite in a grooming situation, I don't know that. But he is so friendly and loves to be brushed, he loves any sort of attention. I'm not disagreeing with jen or micki. However, I do think it's wroing to judge all dogs on what breed they are mixed with. He's not poofy like a chow, we use a shedding blade and a slicker brush on him. He's been really patient with us up to this point while we've been brushing him. He just lays down and takes a nap.

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I also think it's wrong to judge dogs on what breed they are or mixed with. But if somebody has a grooming shop and that's what they want to do, it's their choice. What I said earlier about maybe not saying he was a chow mix was just because, like you said, he's not "poofy like a chow" so his coat would not be the same to groom. I bet Guiness will do great! :D If he's friendly with strangers, and loves to be brushed, I bet there will be no problem. Good luck with your appointment on friday! Let us know how it goes! :)

Just a hint:

We, as groomers, need to know what your dog LOOKS like. That would mean, in Guinisess's case, Shepherd mix. the word Chow would not even need to come up in conversation. The most impotant things to us is 1)size of the dog and 2) type of coat.

If a person comes in to our shop insisting they have a American Eskimo mix, but the dog has the fur of a Cock-a-poo, Then we will just write Cock-a-poo on its information card. The 2 types of fur coats would take different amounts of work, and we need to know how to schedule the other clients.

Actually, I guess I could have said Sheperd mix instead of Chow/Sheperd mix. And I did tell them he was only 37 pounds. I guess I just thought I should say Chow/Sheperd mix because of the undercoat thing.

I'm sure he'll do fine. I asked my co-workers who they use, because one has a German Sheperd and the other has a Shi Tzu and both of those dogs get groomed regularly. I'm just glad I didn't take him to PetSmart. The owner of the Shi Tzu took her to one near our apartment. When she went to pick her up, she noticed a bald spot on top of the dog's head that wasn't there when she dropped her off. The groomer said, "Yeah, I don't know about that bald spot. You need to take her to the vet and have him examine her, I think she has a skin infection that would cause the hair to fall out."

She took Shelby (isn't that a cute name?:) ) to the vet that afternoon. He examined Shelby and said "That is NOT a skin infection. Somebody just took out a plug of her fur." Can you believe that?:eek: I mean, if you mess up doing your job, admit it and move on. Don't say the dog is sick to cover it up and cause the owner to have to spend more time away from work at the vet and addtional office fees.

Besides I watched them at that PetSmart once while I was deciding whether or not to get Bailey a bath there. I watched a woman manhandle a Yorkie that wasn't biting her, he was just wiggling on the table and he had a muzzle on. She picked him up by the scruff of the neck and a handful of his back and screamed in his face, then slammed him back down on the table. I was kinda like "well, if you have problems with a 5 pound yorkie, how are you gonna react to a wiggly 40 pound pit bull mix?"

I hope wolfQ, jen, and micki don't think I am talking bad about groomers in general just by sharing these stories. I think y'all do a wonderful job that a lot of people don't want to, or don't know how to do. And I do very much appreciate all the advice you have given me on this thread.:)

I have a story from hell about Pet Smart. This is in the Philadelphia papers a few years ago. It seems that they put them in some kind of cages to dry them and the cages aren't opened in any way. They forgot about a little Yorkie that was in the cage and left it in there too long and the dog died.

The people that I talk to on the Yorkie Discussion Board were absolutely hysterical when they read this story. I'd never take my dog to Pet Smart for grooming.

hee hee--I have a funny story!!
My mother-in-law's pom, Casey, who weighs all of 7 pounds, was banned from Petco. He was sooooo bad while being groomed, they refused to do him anymore. She didn't brush him much at home, and he hates it, so he was biting.

Good luck with Guiness--I'm sure he'll be wonderful!!!

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Originally posted by Sevens
Actually, I guess I could have said Sheperd mix instead of Chow/Sheperd mix. And I did tell them he was only 37 pounds. I guess I just thought I should say Chow/Sheperd mix because of the undercoat thing.

I'm sure he'll do fine. I asked my co-workers who they use, because one has a German Sheperd and the other has a Shi Tzu and both of those dogs get groomed regularly. I'm just glad I didn't take him to PetSmart. The owner of the Shi Tzu took her to one near our apartment. When she went to pick her up, she noticed a bald spot on top of the dog's head that wasn't there when she dropped her off. The groomer said, "Yeah, I don't know about that bald spot. You need to take her to the vet and have him examine her, I think she has a skin infection that would cause the hair to fall out."

She took Shelby (isn't that a cute name?:) ) to the vet that afternoon. He examined Shelby and said "That is NOT a skin infection. Somebody just took out a plug of her fur." Can you believe that?:eek: I mean, if you mess up doing your job, admit it and move on. Don't say the dog is sick to cover it up and cause the owner to have to spend more time away from work at the vet and addtional office fees.

Besides I watched them at that PetSmart once while I was deciding whether or not to get Bailey a bath there. I watched a woman manhandle a Yorkie that wasn't biting her, he was just wiggling on the table and he had a muzzle on. She picked him up by the scruff of the neck and a handful of his back and screamed in his face, then slammed him back down on the table. I was kinda like "well, if you have problems with a 5 pound yorkie, how are you gonna react to a wiggly 40 pound pit bull mix?"

I hope wolfQ, jen, and micki don't think I am talking bad about groomers in general just by sharing these stories. I think y'all do a wonderful job that a lot of people don't want to, or don't know how to do. And I do very much appreciate all the advice you have given me on this thread.:)

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I don't take offense to anything you've said, but as a former groomer I could tell you stories that would make you vomit and would make you so mad you'd spit nails. I've worked with some horrible groomers.

Be very careful where you take your pets to be groomed, everyone. It can be a day of horror for your pet, more often than not. :(

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Originally posted by micki76


Be very careful where you take your pets to be groomed, everyone. It can be a day of horror for your pet, more often than not. :(

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That is very sad and scarry to hear. What signs should we look for before we leave our dogs and after what should we be looking for as we pick up our dogs? I don't want to know stories, because that would be too sad. But I would like to know your
in-put on what we as the owners need to be aware of. Especially since we just got the new groomer for Nina. Which seemed to go just fine. But now I'm scared.
Katz

we groom at home :D saves alot of stress, both human an animal and alot of money.

also you could brush guiness outside, saves clogging up the drains and gives somthing for the birds to nest in.

when walking with the dogs at the park we always find big clumps of fur lying around (and can usualy tell what dog it is from lol)

The bad things I noticed about the new groomer were:

She wasn't even going to ask us for a phone #, just said she would be finished at 3pm. I gave her home and cell #'s. And then we called an hour before she said she'd be ready and she was finished already.

Did not ask for proof of shots.

Did not ask for vet's # for emergency.

I only remember one time when my aunt took her dogs, Eddie and Nikki, to the groomer. They're Poms so they're really fluffy, but I think the whole family is used to the shedding so we don't really notice, except when I see a piece of fuzz and panic because I think it's a spider, lol. I think my aunt does pretty well grooming them at home, though they have to feed them treats to get them to stay calm in the bath, lol. :)

micki writes:

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I don't take offense to anything you've said, but as a former groomer I could tell you stories that would make you vomit and would make you so mad you'd spit nails. I've worked with some horrible groomers.

Be very careful where you take your pets to be groomed, everyone. It can be a day of horror for your pet, more often than not.

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I've a friend who's a groomer and she's got some hair-raising
stories too. That went into my decision to get a Smooth Collie
vs. a Rough. I was too worried I wouldn't be able to handle the
grooming myself, like I do with Murph and Maddie and after
hearing her stories I refuse to take any of my dogs to groomers.
I just don't want to take the risk of them getting one of the
bad seeds.

Par...

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Originally posted by tomkatzid
That is very sad and scarry to hear. What signs should we look for before we leave our dogs and after what should we be looking for as we pick up our dogs? I don't want to know stories, because that would be too sad. But I would like to know your
in-put on what we as the owners need to be aware of. Especially since we just got the new groomer for Nina. Which seemed to go just fine. But now I'm scared.
Katz

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Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything to watch out for. Many salons have several groomers and not all of them will be the bad one. Usually there are one or two people in a shop that are the ones you don’t want grooming your pet. It’s just really hard to say. You say later that the groomer you used didn’t ask for #’s, etc. While not necessarily bad, not a good sign either. I’ve never worked any place where (if there were no current tags on the pet) we didn’t ask for vet records. If your vet does grooming, take your pets there. This is horrible to say, but at least if something does happen, at least they are at a place where they can get proper care. I used to groom for a vet, and in that clinic at least, nothing horrible went on. He was very choosy about his entire staff.

Don't be scared, Nina will probably let you know if she doesn't want to go there again. How has she reacted in the past when you took her for grooming at other places? Happy? Scared? If you take her back there and she doesn't want to go in the door and that's unusual for her, leave and find someone else.

BUT
Just because your dog acts afraid does not mean that the staff has been nasty to it. Dogs do not want to leave their beloved owners and stay in a "strange" place. When they act afraid the owners coddle them and the dog is getting PRAISED for acting scared. So they LEARN to act scared to get love and attention from their owner.

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Originally posted by jenluckenbach
BUT
Just because your dog acts afraid does not mean that the staff has been nasty to it. Dogs do not want to leave their beloved owners and stay in a "strange" place. When they act afraid the owners coddle them and the dog is getting PRAISED for acting scared. So they LEARN to act scared to get love and attention from their owner.

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Very true. All I'm saying is if the dog normally is ok to go places like the groomer and suddenly doesn't want to even go in the door, something's wrong.
My westie was always happy go lucky and never scared to go anywhere, but we moved and left our trusted groomer behind. We went to a new groomer in the new city and got a great cut. When I took him for the second time, he refused to even go through the door. I turned around and went home, investigated and found a groomer that someone I knew, knew. (friend of a friend) I took him there and he never refused to go, in fact he was excited to go and fairly happy to be led to the back away from me.

Oh defense of the groomers....

Just because you see a dog freaking out on a table doesn't mean the groomer is being mean to the dog. I had an awful day wrestling with a gigantic malamute mix with at least 6 inch long fur. The dog hadn't been in since last year. I had to wash him 3 times...and his fur was matted to the skin (ehem and the owner told me he only had matts behind the ears :rolleyes: ) Try taking 5 hours of your life struggling to brush out a dog that tries to bite you and yowls every time you touch him. And it's not the dogs fault...it's the owner who doesn't ever brush his dog! I ended up staying an hour and a half late too. Talk about stressful! Both for me and the dog!

I've seen some times where groomers could have been nicer to dogs, and some accidents that could have been prevented...but I've seen a hell of a lot more incidents of stupid owners who just didn't take proper care of their dogs. Yeah, don't get your dog used to grooming, neglect it for 9 months then bring it to us and expect us to magically make the dog look like it did 9 months ago! :rolleyes:

Ok done....just ranting...not against any PTers...it's fun to rant sometimes....;)

All you wonderful pet owners would burst into tears if you SAW what some dogs (and cats) come in to the shop looking like. Dogs that come from the SPCA are in better shape than some dogs that are suppose to be family pets. In your (non-groomers') wildest imagination (nightmares, I should say) you cannot fathom the neglect and abuse we see from the OWNERS!
1) So much goop under the eyes that they are pasted shut and the skin under this goop is bright red from irritation.
2) So many mats that we need to use a SURGICAL blade to get them off.........and then it still takes 2 to 3 times longer than your average well groomed dog
3) MAGGOTS growing under mats that were allowed to stay wet for months at a time.
4) Ear flaps that have formed hematomas because the heavy mats were allowed to hang from the delicate skin for a year at a time (or longer)
5) pets that smell so bad from urine that is should be concidered toxic waste and after the bath STILL reek because the smell is imbedded in the pores of the skin!

Should I go on??

To Jen and the other groomers....I am glad that you have been posting on this thread and enlightening us about grooming. I have nothing against groomers, I guess I was initially upset that they would take that attitude about my sweet Guinness. I guess now I understand what you all have to go through and why some groomers are the way they are.

Honestly, I guess any comments I have made can be chalked up to my ignorance. All my life, all the dogs we had were lab mixes you could wash in your bathtub, fairly short fur. And Bailey is Little Miss Low Maintenance with REALLY short fur, partly because she's part pit bull, but partly because I don't think her fur ever really grew back after her episode of nearly starving to death (before we got her). I've never had to go to a groomer for one of my pets before. I hope that when I go today, we have a good experience. And if there is something that we haven't been doing in the last 2 weeks since we rescued Guinness, I hope she teaches me the right way to do things.

Again, thanks for the advice and enlightenment. I really do appreciate it. :)

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Originally posted by wolf_Q
Oh defense of the groomers....

Just because you see a dog freaking out on a table doesn't mean the groomer is being mean to the dog. I had an awful day wrestling with a gigantic malamute mix with at least 6 inch long fur. The dog hadn't been in since last year. I had to wash him 3 times...and his fur was matted to the skin (ehem and the owner told me he only had matts behind the ears :rolleyes: ) Try taking 5 hours of your life struggling to brush out a dog that tries to bite you and yowls every time you touch him. And it's not the dogs fault...it's the owner who doesn't ever brush his dog! I ended up staying an hour and a half late too. Talk about stressful! Both for me and the dog!

I've seen some times where groomers could have been nicer to dogs, and some accidents that could have been prevented...but I've seen a hell of a lot more incidents of stupid owners who just didn't take proper care of their dogs. Yeah, don't get your dog used to grooming, neglect it for 9 months then bring it to us and expect us to magically make the dog look like it did 9 months ago! :rolleyes:

Ok done....just ranting...not against any PTers...it's fun to rant sometimes....;)

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I know, it took me a long time to get over a lot of crap I saw as a groomer, caused by groomers and owners. All of the things that Jen & Amy talk about are the reasons why I quit grooming. I always refused to brush a dog that was too badly matted. I just wouldn’t do it. My option was shave it. I would call the owners and argue with them, sometimes until I had to put the phone on hold and scream! It’s so unfair to the pet. We had one lady who refused to let me shave the dog, so she came and picked him up. It was not possible to remove this dogs mats and he needed to be shaved to the skin. I refused to torture the damn dog myself by attempting to brush him out. It was simply not possible. Of course this is the same woman who told me he hadn’t been groomed in two months. She said she only skipped a month. :rolleyes: Yeah, right.

Karen was so nice! Guinness was a little afraid, not of her, but of the new situation in general. He did so well!

She had her pretty black chow with her named Fancy Girl. Fancy also hung out with us while we were fixing up Guinness:)

She was very sweet with him and I thought it was so nice of her to let me watch. We such a nice time chit-chatting.

She said that Brian and I have been doing a great job of using the shedding blade and slicker brush. She said she really didn't have that much more undercoat to get out. She said from now on, I should probably just be able to use the "self serve" service, which is only $13, compared to the $30 she charged me.

What a fun wonderful experience! Even though he seemed a little rattled by the dryer, I think he liked Karen too!:)

Here's a picture of him in the tub, it's kinda hard to see cause the lighting was bad....
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/fb71885d.jpg

And here's another:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/fb718855.jpg

At the end of my street, we have a self service dog wash. It is perfect for Binx and I. We walk there, leave our hair and gook there, then head for home. I especially like the air dryers...all air, no heat. While I don't dry him completely, I do dry him enough to become accostumed to the sound, for the winter time. I think I have it easy,as Binx is a single coated doggie, shorter haired, at that. I can't imagine matts in his coat.

The large tub they have will soon become too tiny for us though, and I will have to figure something else out.....