Groomers

[Rascalmyshadow]

When I am grooming I can put up with dogs doing most things but I can't stand it when the dogs put their chin on their feet (usually poodles) when you are trying to clip or scissor.

[SALTWOOD]

Dogs that try to put their head over the area you are grooming.

Dogs with sensitive feet.

[espinay2]

My pet hates are mostly the owners Owners that are late for drop off or pickup or who dont turn up, owners who act so proud of themselves for the loving care they give 'fluffy' by bringing them in once a year to have their matted putrid coat shaved off, owners that tell you 'hes not matted' only to bring in a matted putrid mess, owners who complain that the groomer shaved off all their dogs beautiful coat when they bring in a matted, putrid mess.....

[Nadia]

Owners of Cocker Spaniels who only bring them in twice a year, so that you can shave off the putrid mess, then complain because you have had to shave their ears off.

Owners who demand that their matted mess is left with 2 inches of hair to keep them warm, and then carry on when you explain it can't be done.

Owners of the above who do the rounds of the local Groomers complaining loudly at the injustice of their treatment by all the previous Groomers.

The good owners are wonderful, I love them!!

[Vehs]

As a learner I definately get fed up with dogs that don't like their front feet being handled - this is the part I have the most problem with getting to look neat and little dogs jumping and twisting around on the table are such a pain. The large dogs, thank god, are a lot better with their feet.

Dogs that try to lick the scissors when you are scissoring their faces.

I also get a little annoyed at owners who want to stay with their dog when it is being groomed (or better yet bring along all of their kids and friends to watch). I know the dog would be much better behaved if they weren't there calling it, cooing over it, talking fast to it....

Hrm, if you could describe grooming in one word after reading this thread what would it be? Putrid?

[Nadia]

Putrid is a great word!!

I really enjoy the well kept dogs, the ones who have owners who keep up the grooming at home, keep the dogs clean and parasite free.

It is a joy to send them home looking swish, and especially those who you can send off looking like their breed is meant to look and not like a skun generic version.

Friend of mine who is also a Groomer rang last week to tell of a dog she had just clipped, the stench made everyone heave. She started to clip the dogs face and realised that a large wad of ungroomed facial hair was actually inside the dogs mouth wrapped around several teeth and still attached to dogs lip.

Groomer and Vet both vomited during the removal process. Poor bloody dog

She almost gave up the profession that day, but says her faith in owners was quickly restored by a run of gorgeous well cared for SWF that she got to scissor and style.

So I shall add rewarding to the description as well!!

[poodlemania]

As espinay2 said, my pet hates are usually owners!

Excuses such as-they have been on holiday thats why the dogs is matted, so I then ask in a super sweet tone knowing full well they havent been anywhere-where did you go? Then its alot of um's and ahhh's. Funny stuff! These clients never complain about price.

Or the all time best excuse for a dog being matted-'I had brain suregery a week ago'-ahh ok, where is the scar?? Hahahaha, that one made me laugh.

Or on the putrid line of thinking-really old, overweight white poodles with millions of warts and owner wants a #7 blade! Carnage!

[Akitagal]

Dogs that get "happy" on my arm whilst im trying to clip ect, and entire males who want to mark everything insight including any dog or human that walks past!

I have had also a horror story of having to clip a dog off only to discover a wound on its tail under the matting that was infested with maggots and on top of that had worms crawling out the bottom. I felt so very sorry for the discomfort this dog must of been in. The smell was so bad we had groomers have to leave the room, two throw up, whilst i and another girl continued to clip off whilst gloved and masked and trying to hold our breath!

[Cala]

I can relate to all of those remarks!

Can recall years back very stuck up prim and proper lady came in to have her dear poodle clipped, he was a nice easy boy to clip and groom. no problems there.

But as he was put in the bath his whole face was wriggling backwards and forwards absolutely covered in lice! Goodness only knows were he had been to get them!

We all decided it was best not to say anything to the lady as she would probably of had a pink fit!!!!!

Also saw a lot of the once a year types that came in for a 'clip before christmas' and the look on there faces when the poor dog appeared clipped to the max, as there was nothing else that could be done as it was matted to the skin!

One had asked whether christmas bows could be put into his top knot, might of been feasable if there wasn't this massive great dreadlock instead of a topknot, the whole lot had to be shaved off. Woman called to pick it up and was devastated, where was she going to put the ribbons now?????

Pet hate would have to be dogs that hate having there feet touch and are constantly pulling leg away or trying to lick the scissors!

Sue

[booboo]

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Edited March 12, 2009 by booboo

[wagsalot]

im only learning grooming and have just been practising on friends dogs who get brushed regularly and are reasonable still and well behaved whilst being groomed.

however today my mums friend dropped her dog off, saying she knew his coat was matted pretty bad, but he's well behaved. she talked me into doing it, although i really didnt want to as he was really messy and i didnt feel confident enough tackling something like that just yet. so i finally agreed and well he was sooo matted and the dog couldnt even see as the hair was so long over his eyes.

He also had a tendancey to try to bite me everytime i went near it with a brush!!

by the time he was done i was nearly put of grooming for life. Think ill stick to bathing only!

so i guess my pet hate being a learner is owners who say their dog is well behaved and has been brushed regulary when they obviously havent.

[Mel774]

When I did grooming I found a few things really frustrating:

-Hairs in the skin!! Getting tiny little sharp hairs stuck in your skin, especially sensitive areas like inside your elbow

-Dogs covered in their own filth matted to their bums, dried up poo and urine stains all over them and they wonder why their dog doesn't come back sparkling white after you had to cut all the s*** off them and their "2 inches left on" is still brown and putrid looking

-Dogs with horrible infestations of fleas, lice, etc. Like because they are getting a flea bath it means its ok to not treat them for fleas and to bring them in with millions of fleas

-People that are NEVER happy with the cut despite them keeping it in a horrible condition. I did a clip once for a woman who insisted we use a 7 blade so it wouldn't be too short. I used a 5f and she complained that I clipped it far too short and not how she asked for it. We told her that I used a 5 blade to make it longer than she requested and she still cracked it.

-Dogs that scream in pain when you put the scissors on their nails even though you havent started cutting and people think you are being a monster. Damn liar dogs!

-Dogs that will not let you touch their feet under any circumstance and makes a quick job veeery long

-When you can tell an owner is nurotic by how their dog behaves!

[booboo]

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Edited March 12, 2009 by booboo

[Missymoo]

My gosh all you groomers!

You should publish all these stories! My SWF used go to the groomers, but I did make sure she was presentable with no matts, I just liked the way they trimmed her up..so cute!

[Ceilidh]

OH MY GOD!! What can I say?

ALL THE ABOVE, you have all hit the nail on the head, everyone of you. I can relate to every post. And yes, PUTRID is definately the word.

[IrishCharm]

My hates are breeds in particular.

English Cocker (Golden) - Bad coat, Bad finish half the time, bad temprements. Take forever to dry and are alway comming in mattered.

Malt X Whatever - Bad temprement, Coat varies so much from bad to ugly.

Poodle (cotton coat) - Matts when you look at it, You can fluff dry them till your arms fall off and it will still seem curly.

Most are badly bred with the dumbest owners to walk this earth. But when those good owners walk in every 4 weeks for thier pooches FFT it makes it worth it.

Oh and any big dog.

Does anyone ever have gremlins taking of with the hydrobath plugs?. Happens all the time at work.

I would discribe grooming as Constipation. No matter how hard you try and educate, clip, keep the dog comfortable the owners still bring it back in the same condition and have same frame of mind.

[becks]

Pet hates - all of the above.

The dog hairs that stick into your skin and you spend ages searching for the tiny white hair causing the 'ouch' everytime something touches your hand.

Dogs who yap all the time and are often the ones whose owners are late to collect them.

For me the worst thing is dealing with dogs who thrash about when you pick them up - having the slipped disc/sciatica pain all the time this is one of the worst things to aggravate it.

As for the matted dogs - I have a big sign on my door stating mats will be cut off and this may mean the entire dog is clipped to the skin, if you don't agree to this don't leave your dog here! And I will then show them the fleece I had to remove

[wagsalot]

another one thats gets to me - people being late!

as i do it from home i try to arrange it so i only have one dog there at a time.

but when people are 25 minutes late this doesnt work!!

it especially gets to me that they pick the time and they're still late!

[WreckitWhippet]

Ahhh, my pet hate

Maltese x Shih Tzu's that have a tail that sits on one side and the minute you try and scissor the back legs , it suddenly sits to the other side and hangs exactly where you want to scissor

I have taken to folding the hair over and putting a hair band on it Still makes me cranky though

[shelly]

Well, groomers, I am pleased to read that I am NOT an owner from hell and should therefore be free from the "Groomers Wrath"!

I give Jedda a good, thorough brushing a couple of times a week (takes about 10 mins) and clean her ears every fortnight (floppy-eared spaniel). I must admit that in the past I have picked her up from my parent's place and taken her straight to the groomer - complete with the odd burr and twig! BUT, at least they aren't stuck in matts! A visit to the groomer every few months keeps those at bay.

Though she is quite alot larger than the poodles her groomer usually deals with (John Edwards), I am told she is lovely because she is so sweet. Definitely no snapping, nipping or growling! Jedda prefers the 70s hippie approach of "passive resistance", or the "if-I-look-pathetic-enough-the-hooman-might-stop-this-torture" face. Basically she is a big sook and gives in because she knows that hoomans always win and she's too lazy to fight!