I was speechless, but only for a minute.

[allick06]

We were having a brisk day with a steady flow of clients and as it got later in the afternoon, we took a lull in new-comers to rest for a bit. After a few minutes a youngish women came in and began to explain how she had to find a new groomer for her 16 yr. old yorkie (that she didn't want to have shaved, but was matted.) because the one she had been using nicked the dog and, according to this woman, tried to use "a sticky substance" to reattach hair and hide the nick. Now, I was still trying to figure out if this lady was trying to be funny or not. She was not being funny. She showed me the scar on the dog (immediately above tuck-up area) and where the chemical scarred the skin like a burn. She wouldn't give the name of the salon or exact location. I almost begged her to tell. She made an appt. and I hope to find a way to get her to slip and mention the salon name. I am shocked at how far some people will go to hide a mistake, instead of just being honest and admitting your transgressions.

[JJk]

I'll wait until I groomed this dog, maybe it has tricky skin or hard to groom. She won't tell you the other groomer's name, maybe there are something she doesn't want you to find out.

[Dawn125]

We have a grooming salon near us that supplies us with a pretty steady stream of new customers. The customers will often tell us of a problem that occurred at the last groomer (usually they nicked the dog or the dog is terrified to go there) but they rarely say where they went and often will say "I don't want to say where". A few have whispered who it is like someone might overhear and they are trying to keep a secret. I never dwell on it and just assure the owner that we will take good care of their baby.

[plushpuppy]

As it has been said before ears are very easy to nick. I would wait to put blame to the groomer. If the dog is really matted how long has it been since it's been to the groomer. Maybe the owner was trying to cut mats out of the ear. With all the publicity about the groomer here in Washinton it would be easy for some one to blame the groomer..

[Helly]

Really, it's not any of your business who groomed the dog before. Of course, you're curious, but asking or trying to get her to slip up and tell you is really quite unprofessional. Even when clients do offer that sort of information, I always respond the same way; "I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. But I'm sure you'll understand that it would be unethical and unprofessional for me to comment." and I direct the conversation into what I'm going to do for Fluffenbutt.

And you only have her word that a groomer did it. She may have done it herself when trying to brush or cut out mats. The dog may have injured itself somehow. You just never know.

[Cookie]

a thought

Is it possible this woman herself had tried it? Maybe she did it. In any case I don't see what finding out where it happenned is relative to you. The fact is that many groomers make mistakes. This could have been a one time thing for the other groomer. If there was glue involved I wouldn't be shocked. It seems I have heard many groomers use it in a case where a dog is cut.

[Jadenlea]

There are not to many of us who have never nicked an ear and glue and quickstop can look pretty messy. Sounds like the other groomers real mistake was just not telling the owner. You should always be upfront and let the owner know but who knows.. could be the other groomer was having a super busy day and forgot, or someone else picked up the dog or she DID tell the owner and the owner just wanted to blame her and say she didn't.

I guess what struck me is your post almost sounded gleeful about it. Like you were going to find out what you got for a christmas present or something. We should be supportive of eachother, not back biting. God knows there are enough customers who want to put us down without other groomers doing it too.

[DAPER DAWG]

There are not to many of us who have never nicked an ear and glue and quickstop can look pretty messy. Sounds like the other groomers real mistake was just not telling the owner. You should always be upfront and let the owner know but who knows.. could be the other groomer was having a super busy day and forgot, or someone else picked up the dog or she DID tell the owner and the owner just wanted to blame her and say she didn't.

I guess what struck me is your post almost sounded gleeful about it. Like you were going to find out what you got for a christmas present or something. We should be supportive of eachother, not back biting. God knows there are enough customers who want to put us down without other groomers doing it too.

I agree with Jadnlea on this one there was a couple of times where I got busy and forgot to write on cards that in between the cocker's pad bled when I shaved out matts and got blamed by the owner saying I was trying to hide it. It was a simple error and someone else brought the dog out for me or else I may have remembered to tell them. It made me feel really bad that I was being accused of lying and covering up when all I did was make a simple mistake.

[Raggs]

I'm with Helly on this one. From all the complaints I get about the other groomer who did my dogs, not once have I asked who it was. I know who it is and I keep my mouth shut. I'm not about to start bad mouthing another groomer in my area. I want to help that other groomer with her grooming, but I don't want to offend her.

Every single time I have ever nicked a dog, I have always told the owner and showed them where it was. It's the best thing to do. Because if it gets infected and then the owner finds out that way and ends up with a huge vet bill. Sh*t's gonna hit the fan.

[misscatahoula]

I cut a dog's tuck-up once when the dog turned to bite me. I was clipping near that area, dog turned and the clipper dug in when her body turned. It wasn't a bad cut, but it could have been, I was just lucky. When a new client comes to me and tells me "the other groomer cut my dog", I reserve judgement on the other groomer, as I have no way of knowing the full story behind it. I believe if you are a good groomer and you practice enough risk management( watching out for the problem areas,etc) cuts & nicks won't happen very often, but they can still happen. The other groomer needed to tell the owner about the cut, though. To send the dog out without letting her know wouldn't be right.

[sparkle]

the owner should be told about any mishap, i even tell them if i have quicked a nail. but, i never offer an opinion about another groomer, i agree, that it is unprofessional to do so.

[HoundLover]

i also agree that sometimes you can forget to tell the owner if you nicked a spot. sometimes you forget to pluck the ears and dont remember until the dog is already gone home. if you nick the dog and dont remember until after the dog has gone home id just pick up the phone and call and say hey im sorry i forgot to tell you this BUT while i was grooming skippy today i nicked his (foot,tuckup,sanitary area whatever) because he moved suddenly. i just thought i would call and let you know. this way you cover yourself in case it DOES get infected and it MAKES YOU look like a lot more thoughtful and decent person than if you just go oh well i forgot to tell the person who cares. also i wouldnt be trying to get this lady to trip up and spill the beans on who this groomer is. if thats how THAT groomer wants to run her shop or whatever then who cares. does it have any effect what so ever on YOUR shop? i wouldnt think so. does it have any effect on you personally? i wouldnt think so. what are you going to do if you do find out? rub it in that groomers face? go around telling customers that they shouldnt go to so and so because so and so came in and complained that she had nicked her dogs tuckup area and didnt tell her about it. personally its none of your business...we should all be here to support each other not be here to gloat about another groomer screwing up or making a mistake. who knows...it COULD have been a groomer who posts on here! alot of us have diffrent names on here. i know i myself do not use my real name when i post. heck i could be related to, friends to, know this groomer who nicked the dogs tuckup.
that could potentially backfire on you as a professional if you try to get this lady to tell who the groomer was. i know i wouldnt be going back to a groomer who wanted to know who the other groomer was that nicked my dog...id be wondering why the heck THIS groomer is so curious about it.
sorry about my rant guys.
Hound

[sheilabgroomer]

Allick, I agree w/the other posts. Don't try to get them to tell you who the other groomer was. You don't know the circumstances (if there are any circumstances), and as mentioned, groomers get bashed enought by outsiders w/out bashing each other. Besides which, it is very unprofessional.

Cuts can happen, especially on matted 16 yr old dogs. Oversights also happen. I almost let a poodle go out the door yesterday w/out telling the owner that a mole was scratched on his ear and bled. I remembered before she actually left, but it was close. So take the high road and don't indulge in gossip or unfounded judgements. BTW, I am not bashing you (I don't think any of us are), just trying to get you to think from a different perspective

[Arrooh]

Hard not to want to know

I agree that one should just pass it by, but then you hope that it is not a bad, lieing groomer that you've referred overflow to. I often say, They should have told you, but with sharp instruments and wiggly dogs it can happen by the best of groomers. Glue hair back on though would be horrible, but then as they said was it true?

I groomed a little biting Bichon. Didn't think to ask as other Bichons were so sweet. They said it got cut a couple of places and she was not told. I asked her if she called and informed the shop, No she said she didn't want to make trouble. I urged her to call. I gave them the same speil about wiggly dogs etc. A couple of hard grooms later, when I was wanting to fire the dog (woman couldn't get it out from the dining room table as it would bite her, but praised me up the wazoo), she mentioned the other shop's name. I knew that that shop had a bad groomer (worked there breifly) and strongly suggested she try the previous shop but say she only wants the owner to groom the dog, adding that I know the owner is a fantastic groomer. It's been a long time since they called me thankfully, so I'll bet that is what that bitey dog's owner did. Whee.