aussielover Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Lavendergirl- the OP isn't allowed to be annoyed when a difficult client rocks up to her private home with a difficult dog and demands on the spot service??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kia Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Professional grooming has to be one of the hardest thankless jobs out there. In a perfect world the little darlings would just stand there...but it isn't. There can be and is serious risk to groomers from badly behaved dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Gee this thread caused a bit of fuss . Just got back from a drive, not as much as we were going to do but every bit helps. We like to do a good couple of hours if possible, last week we picked up some spuds just out of Trafalgar - about an hour from home and we were going to go further out this time. I asked my hubby why he didn't tell the owner I wouldn't be home for ages but he said he tried. I think the owner has a disorder of some sort. Last time he was here, again no appt but he didn't mind leaving the dog until I had a chance to get to him - he noticed a tyre a little bit flat and he panicked about it - telling me that he has to go get it fixed now, have to go, have to get air in the tyre now, shoved the dog at me an took off, I tried telling him it is fine for now, he will be fine until he can get to the servo but he was off to the tyre place. Each time he comes he has to be somewhere, dumps the dog off and goes quickly, today was the mechanics. You and I would not have taken a dog with us if we were going somewhere and the dog could not go too - we would leave it home - I really don't know what he would have done if things didn't go as he wanted. He seemed a bit funny that he had to wait for me as it was. Plenty of people call in to get my number if they lose it or the pull up out front and get it off the big sign in the window. Once I had a lady knock on the door at 5pm and ask me to do her dog "now", she was out walking and has some spare time and would like it done. Then she offered to pay me $25 , well you should have seen the look on her face when I said told her no. She couldn't understand why I wasn't interested in the work, I told her I had finished for the day and it's not worth my time to do a mattered dog for only $25 - she was shocked and said that her groomer does it for that. I smiled and told her to go back to her groomer then. I didn't think I hated dogs - why they hell have I been grooming the buggers for 11 yrs - and only had one holiday where my dogs were put in kennels for 4 days - should have gone for at least a week. hmmm just think, if I never had dogs, all the places I could go, pretty things I could afford and .... so why do I have dog if I don't like them ? A groomers job is not as good as what many people seem tho think it is. A lot of time is spent trying to teach some dogs how to behave on the table, how to stand, even how to tolerate being handled, groomed - generally what acceptable behavior really is. I even had one that had never even been used to a collar - I gave up after 30 mins and getting no where. The dog had been treated like a cat, was never walked which is why it never had a collar and they wondered why I told them they will have to go to a vet to have it sedated so it could be handled. The worst behaved dog I have been grooming for about 8 yrs has to be sedated by the owner - this is the most frightening 4kg dog you could ever imagine. The only reason I still do her is because I like the owner and even with sedation she still needs to be muzzled so we (she stays to help) don't get bitten . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Why make a big deal out of it - you should just have told your husband to tell him you weren't home and he couldn't leave the dog. You sound like one of those groomers who don't really like dogs at all with that description of the dog - its not his fault his owner is inconsiderate. Do you not work? What?? Does that even make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Hey, Lavendergirl, I'd guess you aren't a groomer? I did it for years and some dogs are absolute little shites and some are big shites! That's often why the groomers get the job 'cause the owner cant be bothered to teach the dog to be handled and groomed. My big mistake when I started was letting one owner stay while I did her 'precious', snappy, snarling little dear. One day the owner had to go to the loo up the street, dog got a good shaking, plonked back on the table, roared at and it was 'nearly' an angel after that lol. & what would you have done if the dog was not an angel after that ? The next step ? I have been a groomer & would not have my dog groomed by many people I have seen doing this job. I have let people watch while I have done their dogs & there is absolutely nothing I would do behind their back that I would not do if they were there. The dog may be an absolute b*****d, usually because it is either scared stiff or objects, either way it deserves respect not some of the things I have seen. Firm does not have to mean rough or cruel. Back on topic I can't understand why you even did this dog. Telling your husband to say No, sorry & to shut the door minus the dog seems the best option or he may do this again. Training the owner is half the battle won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 do you have any signage regarding ""appointments only "" or have date cards saying by appointment only if not time to start it. or dogs left by prior arrangement only?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion 01 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I can see where you are coming from Andisa. I have been grooming/clipping my own dogs (17 in all up until 2010) since 1988, everyone of them have been brought up to lie down on the grooming table (from the time I bought them home at 8 weeks old, just a few minutes every day )which makes it so easy for me, if dogs haven't been taught that, it is very hard to control them, and not pleasant for groomer or dog. One of my dogs who I got at 4 yrs old was never taught to lie on a grooming table, she is now 15 and is getting to the dementia stage, and it needs hubby to help with her when I clip as she fights all the way. I always leave her until last. Have often been asked to groom/clip other peoples dogs, naah sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan's Mum Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Andisa-- sorry to hear your daughters driving lesson was interrupted, I hope she does well when she does go for her test. I can see why you are annoyed. I hope this client gets the message that he can not continue to drop by unannounced and have his dog groomed. Maybe make up a polite sign for clients to read reminding clients that you are a busy woman and all services must be booked in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 everyone of them have been brought up to lie down on the grooming table (from the time I bought them home at 8 weeks old, just a few minutes every day )which makes it so easy for me, if dogs haven't been taught that, it is very hard to control them, and not pleasant for groomer or dog. Depends on your method of doing them. Mine have not been taught to lie on the table, except one very old one RIP, who had arthritis. I don't have any trouble at all. They know stand, sit, turn around, chin up, now your bum, up for belly & this one etc for each foot. Show me your teeth, ears which is not a popular word, & bath which does not get an ecstatic response despite being fortnightly. They are all little wriggle bum buggers for the first few months even starting at week 5 but they all end up good with firm patience & persistence however my time is not money. It is horrid when they are feral & untrained but does not excuse rough handling no matter how awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Sorry to be hijacking your thread Andisa but, honestly, some people have no idea what grooming for the public can mean. The main thing is to know dog temperament,learn to read them, know when to 'soft soap' and know when to be firm or even firmer. It's a bit like kids, there's a smack and then there's abuse - 2 totally different things! Also like kids they can be fine if parents/owners aren't around and spoilt brats if they are accompanied. Would like to know what some would do when confronted with an OES, totally vicious, had to pin him to a wall with a chair so the Vet could sedate him? Now that was an abused dog, rescued by a good neighbour and brought to me to clean up. He ended up a lovely friendly boy. Never abused a dog in my life, just knew what was necessary to make a dog feel better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 So shaking, roaring at etc etc is deemed normal to you if a dog misbehaves? See , your the type of person I wouldn't let near my dog. If you worked in child care, I guess that smacking an unruly child who misbehaves is okay as well? [quote name=pebbles' timestamp='1315301886' post='5481700] Sorry to be hijacking your thread Andisa but, honestly, some people have no idea what grooming for the public can mean. The main thing is to know dog temperament,learn to read them, know when to 'soft soap' and know when to be firm or even firmer. It's a bit like kids, there's a smack and then there's abuse - 2 totally different things! Also like kids they can be fine if parents/owners aren't around and spoilt brats if they are accompanied. Would like to know what some would do when confronted with an OES, totally vicious, had to pin him to a wall with a chair so the Vet could sedate him? Now that was an abused dog, rescued by a good neighbour and brought to me to clean up. He ended up a lovely friendly boy. Never abused a dog in my life, just knew what was necessary to make a dog feel better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Oh crap, some people need to get with it! Perhaps a few smacks and showing a bit of anger would make for better rounded dogs and kids if what I hear and see of some nowdays is any guide. Raised 7 kids and heaven knows how many dogs and was never ashamed to take any of them anywhere and, funny thing is, all the kids now agree they weren't traumatised by the few they got, all say they deserved it at the time. And don't start the rot that smacked kids will grow up to be violent to partners etc. Ok so I'm an elder but some old fashioned attention wouldn't go astray in a lot of areas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atanquin Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 don't worry about it you will always have crappy clients no matter what job you do and even more when you run your own business i agree you should have charged extra lol that's what i have done with my dog sitting if they ring up the night before they are leaving i charge an extra $5 because it is such short notice and it means i have to change things around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I feel for you grooming clients can be a serious pain in the butt, I know what it's like to rarely get time off and people thinking their dogs are the only ones in the world that need to be groomed.These are often the same people that don't maintain their dogs in between visits and then complain about the price. I think anyone that needs to raise a hand or voice to a dog to control it while grooming shouldn't be doing the job. I do many 'problem dogs' that have been turned away from other groomers and about 99% bite or misbehave out of fear. Maybe building trust and confidence would be a better option. I also wouldn't leave my dogs anywhere near someone that would shake or yell at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnwarren Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I don't groom for a job but occasionally do a bath and blow dry for others, I tried grooming but honestly some dogs would eat you rather then behave. I take my hat off to those who do it day after day, not sure I could stop myself from giving some a shake to make them behave and to stop myself from getting bitten. I had a malt/shitzu cross here once, matted to the skin, showed his teeth before I even got him out of the box. I sent him home as I knew he was just waiting to have a piece of me. I think when you first start out most of the dogs that you get are the ones the other groomers wont touch but it sure put me off doing it full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 If you worked in child care, I guess that smacking an unruly child who misbehaves is okay as well? Oh yes and the ban on child smacking/punishing has turned out so well for today's society hasn't it? The amount of little ferals running around because they don't cop a good wallop is ridiculous -- the wooden spoon to the arse hasn't scarred me for life so what makes these little precious' so damn special? :rolleyes: But back to the original post, Andisa runs her grooming business from home so I know I wouldn't just "rock up" because there's absolutely no guarantee she'd be home. You don't just go over to a friend's house and assume they'll be there and to me this is the same thing. Sure, if the salon was set up as a business in a building with office hours you could expect clients to just turn up without appointments (and demand to be squeezed in), but to appear at someone's house with not even a phone call to see if you're home is just rude IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlesquashyguys Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 (edited) Wow, some people have really gone OFF in this thread. Not sure why. OP is obviously just expressing her concerns about handling an unreasonable client. What's the biggie? Perhaps you could tell the client you are booked out (like forever) and you aren't taking on any new clients? It's your life, your business. Tell him to go get stuffed. You don't have to have people in your life who make you feel intimidated or uncomfortable. By the way, Andisa used to wash my Labrador Star, and she was wonderful with her. Hi Lisa, I didn't realise you bred Pugs. How is your lovely Rottie Piper? ETA: Andisa introduced me to the Dremel, and for that I will be forever grateful! Edited September 6, 2011 by littlesquashyguys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharna3 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Hey, Lavendergirl, I'd guess you aren't a groomer? I did it for years and some dogs are absolute little shites and some are big shites! That's often why the groomers get the job 'cause the owner cant be bothered to teach the dog to be handled and groomed. My big mistake when I started was letting one owner stay while I did her 'precious', snappy, snarling little dear. One day the owner had to go to the loo up the street, dog got a good shaking, plonked back on the table, roared at and it was 'nearly' an angel after that lol. In other words you traumatised the dog. You are exactly the type of person I would not want within a mile of my dog and there are plenty of groomers like you. If you could not handle the dog tell the owner you are unable to take the dog for grooming and why. You have no right to abuse the dog. ER... I smell "troll" ... Lavendergirl, your posts have been unnecessarily harsh and reek of deliberate antagonism. Uncool. Unless you have a constructive point... Please refrain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 It seems we have a new moderator This thread is getting so entertaining ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now