Rascalmyshadow

Update: today I got to groom the gorgeous Lily and after three years she remembered me :) ran over with a wagging tail and rolled straight on her back for a belly rub, exact routine we used to have. Even better news although a bit nervous and scared I did the whole groom (her owner didn't go far away incase we had any issues) without a muzzle, sedation or anaesthetic and I ended up with a face full of kisses! Her owner was over the moon having her go home comfortable and happy. It's dogs and owners like this that after 20 years give me the joy and motivation to keep grooming.

One bite from and dog with that amount of strength can do enormous damage to a hand, hands have very little coverage over nerves and tendons, the child would have likely pulled her hand away which would have also caused more damage, certainly doesn't mean the dog is dangerous or mauled her. The dog might have just grabbed at movement before realising what it was, still don't see how the dog is at fault.

Our little (1.7kg) pocket rocket was done Tue last week, we confined her to a puppy pen for the first 48 hours then let her out to do her own thing, this is what my vet recommends and so far she has been fine, another couple of days and it will be short on leash walks.

Most people are referring to the smallest pup in the litter, not necessarily a pup with genetic faults. My youngest was the smallest by far, I chose her because she was getting pushed around by her much bigger sisters. and of course I felt sorry for her. At 6 months old she's weighing in at 1.7kg so has only put on 500g since 14 weeks old, she was desexed a week ago with no complications and so far she seems very robust.

How much more secure does a dog have to be? Doesn't take much to do serious damage to a small hand.

Seriously??? An 8 year old is not a toddler and should know better. What if the kid was poking the dog with a stick or had teased the dogs in the past. The dogs are the victims not the child. My house is double gated with locks, 6ft fences etc bit like Fort Knox, yet years ago my next door neighbours stupid teenage son thought he'd jump my fence to retrieve his football, didn't make it back before he had my male st poodles jaws wrapped around his leg, left multiple very deep puncture wounds. Oh and my dog was a very social boy under normal circumstances. Laws have become so bad my kids are not allowed to have friends at our house with the exception of two of my neighbours kids, not worth the risk of losing one of my dogs if a brat doesn't listen.

Very unfair to the poor dogs and owners, dogs contained on their own property and they still get the blame. Why are people still not taking responsibility for theirs and their kids actions! I know many nice dogs that would bite under the same circumstances, about time this generation of kids are taught some decent manners and respect especially for other people's property. An eight year old should know better, I feel sorry for her but the dogs and owners should not be penalised.

Don't really know of any good groomers in the Moorabbin area, it's why so many if my old Moorabbjn customers still travel to me in Seaford and why Moorabbjn vet and Black Rock vet recommend me also. Please be very careful everyone where you take your dogs.

Oh not really sure what too say but I hope everyone has picked up this morning and are on a fast road to recovery. Sounds like a response to the drugs used to euthanise your chicken.

Seems many groomers are keen to put clippers on double coated breeds. Hope you will find someone good via word of mouth, Lappies are easy to do, one of my good friends has two and I've been grooming them since the day she got them. Even more important than getting them used to being brushed is getting them used to a force dryer, this will save a lot of time and discomfort for the dog, especially when they are blowing coat. I would also only be brushing the dry coat while using a spray conditioner or something like cowboy magic, helps the undercoat come out without as much breakage and pulling on the skin.

I started like you did, apprenticing. Was a bather for a long time, then moved on to the pre bath hygiene clips, then to feet trimming etc. Working my way up to a full groom. It took a long time, but it was worth it in the end :) I agree I have worked with a couple of very experienced groomers that should never get their hands on anyone's animals, was the main reason I went out on my own. I would come home to my husband in tears at some of the things I saw, caused me to have long lasting horrific nightmares. This situation however was caused by someone with very little hands on except for a completed course.

A lot of the issues with bad groomers started when courses became available. 20 years ago when I got into the industry the only way to really learn was to work with an already experienced groomer. I was not allowed to touch a set of clippers or scissors for the first 6-8 months of grooming, my first two bosses taught me the ins and outs of dog handling, bathing, drying and grooming out before I learnt to clip. Seems anyone that has done any type of grooming course can use dangerous equipment without supervision or necessary handling skills.

OMG that is really disturbing! cavNrott I was in a vet in Moorabbin (hope I'm allowed to post that here).

Today I received a very upsetting call from an old regular grooming client of mine. I haven't seen her and the dogs for three years since leaving the vet clinic I was working in, unfortunately I'm just finding out that although the vets are still recommending me the nurses hadn't been telling the clients I was even still grooming so many had being going else where. This lady had been struggling to find a good groomer and finally a friend recommended someone, that someone managed to traumatise and injure the dog so much the owner heard the dog screaming and ended the grooming before the dog could be finished. In all the years I groomed both of her dogs (the old boy passed away) they would run into the clinic and barely look back, neither were difficult dogs. Finally after having to anethatise the dog for its last groom the vets have let her know I'm still grooming. Now its going to be a complete rehabilitation on what was once a happy go lucky dog that enjoyed being groomed. I am so angry that anyone can go off and do a course and call themselves a groomer!!! I have seen way too many dogs over the years physically and mentally damaged by idiots that have no idea what they are doing. Sorry rant over

My original heart dog (doberman) had severe separation anxiety, she was also DA and often HA, we had a behaviourist come in and help with one on one training etc and thought we had her under control until I decided to go back to school. She started to fence jump and her behaviour escalated, we did everything our lives allowed us to do and it still wasn't enough, she reached the stage where not even my own family members could get near me without an issue and she was a mess if no one was home. The day I had to give up on her nearly broke me and its something that has driven me to both work with dogs and be in a job where I never had to leave them by themselves. It changed me and actually caused me to have separation anxiety from my dogs even now 20 years later. I think if a dog is that bad euthanasia is often the kindest option.

I really like the name Diesel for a dobe, years ago my best mate had a boy dobe named Diesel, suited him brilliantly. I had a female her name was Taran.

All our dogs have Rogz collars/leads and bowls to match. I really like their designs and nice bright colours if you like plainer stuff with no pattern. Their sizes are good the smallest collar fits my 1.8kg chi nicely.

Another vote for Mornington Peninsula beaches, if you don't want to go too far down Seaford beach is really nice and very few people around this time of year. There is also quite a few take away shops and cafes on the highway opposite the beach. Every 1in 4 Sundays there is a dog friendly farmers market behind the shops.

We have 5 small/tiny dogs ranging from 6 months to 6 years, all hold on from about 10:30pm to 6:30am except the chi (middle child), she will usually get up once during the night for the toilet and also often a drink.

With 5 little dogs here my house is like Fort Knox, multiple doors/gates to get off the property, however twice Astro has dissappeared into the next door neighbours yard, turned out he was following my two large rabbits that had dug under the fence. My husband has laid chicken wire along the fence line so now no one can get out.

The customers that go there tell me she's very good.

I have quite a few grooming customers that use Ann Neville at East West Vet, the address is 565 South Rd Bentleigh. They have a website if you want to check it out.

Is she a very small breed? If she is I would give her a bit more time, if she isn't I would be quite concerned, I have had a similar situation once. We bought an Airedale pup from a registered breeder within a week I started to suspect something was wrong due to how often he was weeing, vets thought I was being over the top and told me to give him time to mature, fast forward to 5 months old we ended up seeing a specialist and found out his urethra and ureters (I think that's correct) were not connected to his bladder, he was also going into renal failure because his kidneys were abnormal, we were advised to PTS as there was nothing the vets could do.

Lol lucky girl, she's very gorgeous!!! Looks like she needs a diamond necklace.

I personally would probably have my animals locked up very securely, I'm in outer suburbia even then my chooks go to bed in a very secure cubby my husband built and my two free range rabbits are locked up at night in a huge aviary secured to a decked floor my husband also built, however I still think the people that own the dogs should be held accountable.