Lefty the Unwashed

[Smilla]

Lefty had a grooming appt. at 3 p.m. today, but...he snapped at the groomer while she was trying to wash his ears, and she pronounced him "unbathable." Needless to say, he did not get groomed today.

As I've already mentioned, we're working on the aggression issues here at home. However, these people (groomers, vets, etc.) only have a few minutes to show themselves as "alpha", and so I don't know that it will ever work with Lefty. He had to be muzzled during his Well Dog exam because he snapped at the vet when he was trying to examine his teeth.

Do any of you have dogs that turn into furry chainsaws at the vet or groomer's? Any advice?

[Twisterdog]

Well, I own a grooming shop, and I can tell you it's no fun whatsoever trying to groom one of those "furry chainsaws". At least you are not blaming the groomer, thank you. Some people do.

Sometimes it helps if you stay with your dog during his groom, if he listens to you and no one else. Or you could muzzle him before bringing him into the grooming shop. Of course, if he fights and flops too much too handle, a muzzle doesn't always help.

Good luck.

[Shelteez2]

It's too bad the groomer's deemed him unwashable. Had he been to where I work we probably would have muzzled him and tried to clean his ears then. If he had freaked out still, we would have just left his ears alone and continued with his bath. I've been working at a grooming shop for almost 3 years and I've never seen a dog be turned away, although we have gotten dogs that have been turned away from other places.
It's good to know you are working on his issues. You are a dedicated dog parent

Maybe some of Twisterdog's suggestions would work for you. Or maybe you could find a do it yourself place where you can take the dog in and bath it yourself and they clean up the mess.

Good luck!!

[tomkatzid]

Poor Lefty.
Lucky for us Nina is very good at the groomers. Even luckier for us Lucee has short hair and doesn't need to go to the groomers. She had to wear a muzzle at the white coats last time

[Smilla]

Well, I feel better already. I'd thought about putting a muzzle on him, but the groomer had said she didn't think that was very good for a dog (to be forced to wear a muzzle to be forced in turn to do something it doesn't like). The thing is, once he had the muzzle on at the vet's he was just fine. It was almost as though he was thinking, "Well, there's nothing I can do, so I might as well let him do whatever he needs to." He was also good about having the muzzle put on him in the first place.

After I left the groomer's I felt a little puzzled and alone--I took him home, made him do "puppy pushups" (having him sit/lie down, for treats, of course). I wondered if he wasn't a little worse off than I'd thought, since the groomer had acted a bit shocked by him. The thing is, I would say he's a very good dog, but just a little rough around the edges. From what some of you have said, this behavior isn't so unusual after all.

I think I'll just call another place, tell them specifically what happened at this groomer's, and see what they think they can do. I think I'll wait a month or so, though--he really doesn't need a bath right now; I just thought I'd get all evidence of the shelter off of him.

Thanks so much!

[Smilla]

Oh, I also felt really bad for Lefty at the groomers--before she told me I could come back for him, he was pulling towards me with his ears flat against his head. He looked terrified; I wondered if he thought I was leaving him there. When I came back and began to pet him, he was shaking.

[clara4457]

Have you had his ears checked by a vet? It almost sounds to me as if his ears hurt. Have you tried to touch his ears yourself and see if you get any response? Your comment about him snapping when the groomer started washing his ears leads me to think it might be related to paid. So many times acts of aggression are due to pain. Of course, getting close to his face may have made him feel more vulnerable and he lashed out in fear.

There are also some spray on shampoo products you can get at the pet store that are pretty effective. We use them at the shelter because we don't have very good washing facilities.

[Tonya]

Teddy, my pomeranian, was very aggressive when he was a baby. We was just a few months old and probably 3 lbs. The groomer was so ticked off when I picked him up. She said she had to muzzle him, he has the worse attitude, and I'd better not ever breed him. I don't know what changed, but that only lasted a month or two. He's a sweetheart now. I think someone just had to let him know that hoomans are alpha. He also used to snap at me if I took his bone.

[Smilla]

I don't think his ears are sensitive--he seems to like it when I tug lightly on them. Basically I think it was the dominance issue (he doesn't realize that all humans are alpha; he just recently began to see me that way) coupled with him feeling scared and vulnerable. He doesn't seem to be that well socialized; I don't think he "got out much" with his former owners. I think it's just going to take some time and training, but he may just have to be muzzled for these kinds of appointments.

Luckily, he seems to like other dogs, so that's an issue we don't need to deal with. He looks with interest at other dogs his size and has been friendly to the ones that he meets. When big dogs bark at him he whines and picks up his pace--I think it hurts his feelings. Poor pooch!

[Twisterdog]

the groomer had said she didn't think that was very good for a dog (to be forced to wear a muzzle to be forced in turn to do something it doesn't like).

IMO, you need to find a new groomer. Of course your dog isn't going to see her as an alpha being if she doesn't think dogs should have to do anything they don't like. Please. If we never made our dogs do anything they didn't like, they would at best be completely unmanagable and at worst be dead. And they most certainly would never be bathed or groomed! I think you need to find a groomer with a little more common sense about dogs.

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by Smilla
I'd thought about putting a muzzle on him, but the groomer had said she didn't think that was very good for a dog (to be forced to wear a muzzle to be forced in turn to do something it doesn't like). The thing is, once he had the muzzle on at the vet's he was just fine. It was almost as though he was thinking, "Well, there's nothing I can do, so I might as well let him do whatever he needs to." He was also good about having the muzzle put on him in the first place.

I agree you should find a new groomer.
A lot of dogs calm down once they are muzzled, and if you make it a positive experience each time, chances are that he will learn that the world won't end with a bath. He will probably never loves baths nut he can learn to tolerate them.

We have an akita that comes in that was kicked out of 7 grooming shops before she came to us. She used to have to be muzzled for everything. Now she doesn't have to be muzzled for anything.

I'm glad Lefty has a home with you, as you are willing to work with his issues.

[Smilla]

Unfortunately, that wasn't the strangest thing the groomer said. She asked where I got him; when I told her the name of the shelter she said that they'd "done this before" and that they shouldn't give away dogs that snap or bite. Never mind the position that would leave poor Lefty in! (Besides, he's only snapped 3 times since we got him--at the vet, at me, and at her--no one was actually bitten.)

I don't blame her for not wanting to give him a bath, but after talking to you all I no longer think he did anything too terribly out of the ordinary. I'll just keep working on this issue and if he needs to be muzzled he'll be muzzled. Hearing that about the Akita makes me feel better too.