Pjrt

I am a raw feeder but I dont buy into the grain free etc etc. I feed raw because I believe that all animals should eat as less processed food as possible, and as close to a self feeding diet as possible. Therefore kibble has no place in my dogs life.

here lies the heart of the 'registered breeder' problem. ANKC registered breeders mostly seem to think the sun shines out of ANKC and no other light source is valid. Mutually exclusive and all that. Puppies can be registered with all sorts of Associations and their breeder can say with conviction that they are in fact registered and pure bred in accordance with the rules of whatever association they are with...ie get you doodle puppy from a breeder registered with the doodle assoc, and you have yourself an authentic purebred papered registered doodle dog. The advertisement is probably 'genuine' within the boundaries of the independant breeders association. Just because ANKC breeders don't agree with it, doesn't mean it is not true or valid.

While I even agree that $90 for a toy poodle is a bit steep I would like to clarify a few things. Salon owners have much bigger overhead ie rent for one, and possibly wages, than home salon owners. I know, as I have had both. I currently charge $68 for a toy poodle inner suburbs salon Adelaide. That is certainly around the upper current market price for a small dog salon/mobile groom here. I charge the same for puppies as adults, as I firmly believe that the first contact a puppy has with the salon environment is the most important one they will ever have, so as much time and care is invested in a puppy as they need, often exceeding the normal timeframe for the same dog as an adult. You can't drop a baby on the table and treat it as an adult dog for grooming. More especially with a poodle, if the request is for clean face, feet etc. My base price for a standard poodle is $90 and that's a basic short all over, including FFT if requested. That is very cheap for a salon price, but as I don't take new large clients, a couple of standards and doodles I still do are priced $90 to $120. I have heard that salon charges in the Eastern states are higher than SA, most likely because of higher commercial leasing prices. So while it does sound like a high price it's not completely off the chart for a salon grooming. As long as the puppy was treated extremely well, you can't put a price on a puppy becoming a confident adult on the grooming table due partly to the thoughtful behavior of their groomer.

yep I would just silently grab the collar with a very indifferent attitude and lead him swiftly to a time out area, be it another room, crate, outdoors etc. let go of collar and shut door, turn and strut off. This usually speaks a million times louder to most dogs than the best napalm voice.

I don't disagree that problems within the system need addressing. I just wish there wasn't as much need for, or burden on, the system. I was listening to ABC news radio in the car this morning and heard a report that about 150 people were protesting/demonstrating at the LDH this morning. They had a short interview. It might be online somewhere.

Reply from a specialist vet to my email enquiry to Roseworthy (in red). Good enough for me, and concurs pretty much with what Rappie has been saying. RMS a few years ago I would have completely agreed with what you are saying, and did what you are doing. I have almost 30 years full time hands on grooming experience. i have worked in a large show kennel with Bouviers and Newfoundlands. 2 very different ears with their own management issues. I have owned A Bouvier and 3 Poodles, as well as a Chow, Irish Setter, Skye Terriers and Chihuahuas. I have owned and operated rescue kennels. blah blah blah...... But I have opened my mind to changing practices and have to say, despite years of thinking and acting to the contrary, i now agree with the vets saying do not pluck. My opinion is that ear plucking does not achieve much, except to cause the dog pain and inflammation. The hair is always going to grow back. If a dog is prone to ear infection because of hairy ears, the best way to manage this is with an ear cleaner such as epiotic 1-2 times weekly. Ear plucking is not a substitute for a good ear cleaning regime, and the damage and inflammation to the ear caused by plucking is more likely to set off an infection.

does your vet advocates plucking?

I am not completely against ear plucking. I am all for leaving healthy ears alone. I have groomed many a dog with persistent ear infections, some for years and years. In the dark ages I would have flushed the ears, plucked them and wiped them out and sent them home cleaned out but red raw, because they were so inflamed to start with, I just made more of a mess in my determination to clean them out. Not only was it what groomers thought we should do, but also what owners expected. I was always uncomfortable with this until it finally broke me and I decided never to mess with an irritated ear ever again. That IMHO is veterinary treatment. I am not going to pretend to be more than I am, and I advise veterinary treatment. Besides not wanting to create more of a mess for the dog, I don't really want litigation or a bad reputation spread either. I have to admit it's been a long curve that has brought me to my current position. It is an itch I have to try very hard at not scratching. But I feel I have come to the right decisions for myself and my clients. Anything other than minor cosmetic clipping and wiping is best left to the vet. Ps....cleaning and plucking your own dogs ears is a bit different to Clients dogs. Your not likely sue yourself or complain to anyone who'll listen about the service you got from yourself!

I don my flame suit and once again say the very first thing that comes into mynhead is why why why is there not the outrage, the energy, the investigation, into why the hell so many dogs end up in these places in the first place. While I agree the shelters should be run properly and actually be shelter to rehomeable animals, I wish wish wish that people would get up in arms at the people dumping, not claiming, abandoning, neglecting their pets in the first place. Shelters are a poor second to dogs actually staying in their homes. This is where the biggest effort needs to be made. I shake my head every time there is this kind of thread bemoaning the shortcoming of rescue/ shelter. Why is there no bemoaning the dumping of pets. Wouldn't it be nice if less pets ended up in shelters

hallelujah! I completely agree. I do not do glands normally. But I get so many clients come in and ask for it to be done. I ALWAYS ask why they feel this should be done. Most of the time its just "something they heard about somewhere". So I explain I will take a look down there and if it all looks normal, there is no need to 'fix' it, and if it looks like problems, I will not be touching it and send them off to the vet. A very small number of clients I make an exception and do glands at each visit , with owners consent, after vet has specifically asked this be done.

Thanks for your replies everyone. I did send an email off to Roseworthy today. I haven't heard back yet. I will chase a couple of other professional opinions on Monday too. I did my Porties today. The curly female has insane ear hair. I have seen a few Schnauzers come close to it, but for me, this one is somehow on another level again! She has had a few ear problems so I prefer not to pull hair out of the canal. The force needed to pull her hair is too much for her, and causes inflammation. I just clip it out with the trimmer(pictured). Their young wavy Portie has not got anywhere near the density of ear hair. I spoke with them today and they agreed to see how we go not plucking his either. Well, I guess the hair is waterproofing the water dogs ear!

Wages, utilities, insurance, foods, disinfectants etc, cat litter, replacement toys and beds, kennel maintenance and repairs, probably forgotten a few.......but the big one that folks seem to overlook is a healthy PROFIT. Businesses need to actually make profit for all the hard work to be worthwhile and stay in business! The prices you were quoted seem reasonable and around the current market. As for house sitters, personally I would rather my pets locked up in a secure kennel, than taking the chance that the house sitter won't accidentally somehow let a pet escape from their home.

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Now I know why they get called Rockweilers...... It's b'cos they feckin ROCK

Bailey nails the 'I'm handsome & I know it cool guy grin/smile' :laugh:

Tempeh wins best photo bomb smile EVERRRRR :rofl:

The upsidedown smiles are great The earsintheair smiles are the best! Maddy just needs to put one toe up to her mouth and she nails the evil grin

'OMG first day outta the pound' smile 'stick face' smile 'I wuvs you' smile the 'no mouth' smile

The many smiles of Grufydd the dog. Slow afternoon , sorry! 'I haz toyz' smile 'whole body smile' 'speshal concentat'n smile'

Thank you. I have been talking to more and more clients on the subject. Some days the more I speak to, the more differing opinions I hear! like Erny says, I know what my opinion is, and it is based on knowledge and results, I just have to stand by my beliefs. Easier said than done sometimes!

Thank you Rappie. You have pretty much summed up exactly how I feel about it. can you suggest how I can counter the ' but my vet said the groomer should pluck the ears' ? there are some clients who will only listen to their vet and whatever they say is gospel. I'd like to tell them, get a new vet, but that is probably a bit too cheeky ! Well you could try that but it may not go down well, no matter how much it may be the case D You could say that you prefer not to interfere with non-essential procedures and that if plucking is required by their vet they could have it done there. It would probably help to have some evidence to back up your position. You could perhaps try contacting a local dermatologist to see if they have any client information sheets or are willing to go 'on record' as being opposed to it.I am happy to (at some point , pending baby arrival) see if I have anything suitable. Thanks again. Do you mean a veterinary dermatologist? I am not aware of what's around in Adelaide in that area, but shouldn't be too hard to find. If you have any written material at your disposal I would really appreciate it, but entirely at your leisure. Best wishes for a speedy safe delivery

Thank you for your considered reply. Sage advice as usual :D

Most dogs with hairy ears are also hairy dogs that get regular haircuts, so as puppies, start to get used to all aspects of salon grooming, including getting the hair out of the ears. A well trained and conditioned dog will usually tolerate it without much fuss at all. Untrained dogs can put on a real show over it. Done with the powder and fingers the way I do it now days, I find incredibly less traumatic for the dog than the old way of sticking the forceps in there and grabbing the hair. The way I do it the dog often doesn't even realize I'm pulling the hair, more like just a vigorous rub under the ear! There are certainly dogs who dont tolerate it well at all, and to be honest, I've never met a dog that enjoys it as much as a belly rub or a treat! I have seen groomers being completely brutal with dogs who are not willing. If I get a very intolerant dog, I will explain to the owner that I could not accomplish the task without beating the dog up, and that they should consult their vet if they really want the ears cleaned out.

Thank you. Yes, I have a few Schnauzer clients with insane ear hair. The curly Portie I do is the craziest I have ever seen though!

Thank you Rappie. You have pretty much summed up exactly how I feel about it. can you suggest how I can counter the ' but my vet said the groomer should pluck the ears' ? there are some clients who will only listen to their vet and whatever they say is gospel. I'd like to tell them, get a new vet, but that is probably a bit too cheeky !