Professional groomers????????

[wolf_Q]

Wow, I'm the ultlimate bad groomer I guess.......I work at PETCO. I feel like I have to defend myself as an animal lover just for working there!

Yes there are bad groomers, I will not deny that at all. I've worked with some of them. And they have been fired for the problems they have caused. There are plenty of good animal loving people that are groomers too.

Grooming nooses on the table are NOT to choke the dogs they are to prevent them from jumping off the tables and hurting themselves. We have ones that go under the belly and the head.

Just because a dog shakes when he comes in the door does NOT always mean they had a bad experience. Reggie and Sydney both shake the second I put them in the bathroom. They know what's coming....a B A T H...and they hate it. Am I mean to them? No, they just don't like getting a bath. Just the other day a dog came in that I have groomed every single time, he's an angel of a dog and I have never once been even slightly mean or rough with him. He shakes every time he comes in, putting on a sympathy act for his mom.

It would be nice if people would actually brush their dogs so there would be no matts to remove. It hurts. I try to be as careful as I can, usually I just lift up the hair and use a slicker brush in the spot to get it out...if it's too tight, I'll shave or cut it out though owners usually throw a fit about that. Most people (not saying anyone on here) seem to care a lot more about how their dog looks then how it will hurt the dog to remove the matt. If the dog is trying to bite me, yes I will put a muzzle on them. I'm sorry but I rather value my fingers, I've been bit enough times to know how bad it hurts. Any groomer that doesn't brush a dog before bathing them is just asking for trouble...that is complete stupidity.

Force dryers are loud. Most dogs are not that terrified of them though. Nebo actually seems to like it, I think it feels good to him. If I have a dog that is very nervous and afraid already I don't even attempt the force dryer on them. Our kennel dryers are not heated they are room temperature air.

We don't have a place to take dogs out to potty but if people would actually take their dogs to go out BEFORE bringing them in they'd be just fine. My dogs hold it all day while I'm at work which is much longer than grooming time and they are fine.

Sometimes grooms do take longer than 4 hours, simple as that. Dogs such as samoyeds with lots of undercoat especially. I don't think 4 hours is that unreasonable especially if it's a dog that needs brushing time. I've spent over 2 hours just brushing a dog before a bath before, let alone the bathing, drying, and finishing time. And sometimes it's just too busy. If I have several dogs to do I would MUCH rather have the dogs stay longer and do a good job on all of them then have to rush because their owner is calling every 5 minutes.

I try my best not to quick (cut the nail too close) dogs nails but it does happen. Yes, even when the dog is holding still. I don't have x-ray vision that can see exactly where the quick is on every dog when they have black nails. Some dogs have veins that are nearer to the tip of the nail than other dogs. When people bring dogs in just for nail clipping I just have the dogs owners hold the dogs while I clip the nails. The only time I take them over to the table is if the people tell me they will be better if they don't hold them.

I could go on much longer but I have to go back to that stressful place that I don't get paid nearly enough for...oh yes, my job.