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So much death recently....
This may be ranty, I'm sorry. Feel the need to vent and see where I'm at.
This year I really feel like there was an influx of the amount of dogs that I groom have passed away. And the sad news keeps coming to me in groups... in the last month I have either gotten a call or a client only brings in one dog on 3 occasions, two of them were this week. I am just at such a loss and getting so emotional about it. Theres a few too that I know the dog must have passed away, but haven't heard from them. Clients have passed away and a family member brings the dog in. Too much death!
In the previous years, the news of the death of a dog or cliemt always seemed so spread out. I feel like it is affecting me so much more lately because it just keeps happening. Is it that I have been grooming for a certain amount of time (6 years almost, same place) that now I am really seeing the end of life for the first request clients I ever got? Is it just bad luck that it is happening in groups? Is this a normal stepping stone in the grooming industry?
One very humbling thing to all of this though, is stepping back and looking at what the clients are actually saying to me. They make me understand that I am a good groomer, AND a good person. I keep getting told, every time, "Thank you for taking such good care of my dog. You were so good to her. Thank you for helping us and being honest with us." I am so sad that these dogs I loved have passed away. But on the same note I am happy to see how deep these relationships became with their people, too. I am glad to know that not only am I a good groomer, but I do my job right. I tell them when Fluffy isn't acting right, or when I find a new lump. I tell them why Max's haircut is going to take a little longer now because he doesn't tollerate the dryer anymore. I don't force a dog through anything it can't handle, and I tell the customer when we are going for done not pretty. When a customer doesn't understand, I explain things. When a dog is matted, or overweight and can't stand, I don't just complain about it, I educate the customer. Unfortunately I know not all groomers make a point to really talk to their clients. So it is good to hear that I am doing something right, even in a time when I think "all my clients are dying, maybe I have been here too long."
But I don't think this means it's time to quit. I feel like this is another chapter in my grooming career somehow. I don't want to hear about another dog or person passing away any time soon, but I know it will happen throughout my grooming career and I feel like I am supposed to take something from it.
I also want to thank everyone on this forum for helping me do the right thing in my career. I came to this forum because I wanted to better myself, and I have. I am more educated about things that my corp never would have taught me thanks to the threads and articles here.
Emotions done.
This year I really feel like there was an influx of the amount of dogs that I groom have passed away. And the sad news keeps coming to me in groups... in the last month I have either gotten a call or a client only brings in one dog on 3 occasions, two of them were this week. I am just at such a loss and getting so emotional about it. Theres a few too that I know the dog must have passed away, but haven't heard from them. Clients have passed away and a family member brings the dog in. Too much death!
In the previous years, the news of the death of a dog or cliemt always seemed so spread out. I feel like it is affecting me so much more lately because it just keeps happening. Is it that I have been grooming for a certain amount of time (6 years almost, same place) that now I am really seeing the end of life for the first request clients I ever got? Is it just bad luck that it is happening in groups? Is this a normal stepping stone in the grooming industry?
One very humbling thing to all of this though, is stepping back and looking at what the clients are actually saying to me. They make me understand that I am a good groomer, AND a good person. I keep getting told, every time, "Thank you for taking such good care of my dog. You were so good to her. Thank you for helping us and being honest with us." I am so sad that these dogs I loved have passed away. But on the same note I am happy to see how deep these relationships became with their people, too. I am glad to know that not only am I a good groomer, but I do my job right. I tell them when Fluffy isn't acting right, or when I find a new lump. I tell them why Max's haircut is going to take a little longer now because he doesn't tollerate the dryer anymore. I don't force a dog through anything it can't handle, and I tell the customer when we are going for done not pretty. When a customer doesn't understand, I explain things. When a dog is matted, or overweight and can't stand, I don't just complain about it, I educate the customer. Unfortunately I know not all groomers make a point to really talk to their clients. So it is good to hear that I am doing something right, even in a time when I think "all my clients are dying, maybe I have been here too long."
But I don't think this means it's time to quit. I feel like this is another chapter in my grooming career somehow. I don't want to hear about another dog or person passing away any time soon, but I know it will happen throughout my grooming career and I feel like I am supposed to take something from it.
I also want to thank everyone on this forum for helping me do the right thing in my career. I came to this forum because I wanted to better myself, and I have. I am more educated about things that my corp never would have taught me thanks to the threads and articles here.
Emotions done.
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