Takes ALOT to scare me...

[trailbound]

But yesterday, I was. Last dog of the day was a 180 lb (and nope, the owners did not exaggerate his weight) English Mastiff. In 20 years of grooming, my first one. Came in wagging his tail. My Hubby helped me hoist him into the tub, still wagging his tail. Bathed him, did his nails, cleaned his ears and hoisted him out, and started drying him. I do my big dogs on the floor, and got his body pretty much completely dry, and was working my way up his neck when all of a sudden he became very still. Talking to him, I noticed his eyes would not even move, he became that still, then WHAM! Straight for my face. Hit the end of his lead, and all I could envision was his 180 pounds splintering the eyebolt right out of the wall that his lead was attached too. So, I now have one breed on my Will Not Do list. Just thought I would share. Give me a chow over that any day! First time in 8 years I had to send a dog home unfinished, he went home with a damp head.

[mylady]

Wow, I've done a lot of english Mastiffs over the years and none have ever done anything remotely like that. They have all been big teddy bears. You know, gentle giants. That is scary and I would be pretty shaken as well. Glad he didn't make contact!

[winterroo]

Wow, scary! A dog that acts like that is seriously scary, and then to be that big on top of it! Glad he didn't get loose and that all turned out okay...

[RudyRoo]

Scarey, glad you are ok. Wonder what set him off?

[4Sibes]

I'd prolly have to go get an EKG after that. You should think about that too. Might have done permanent damage to your ticker?

Look at the bright side...at least they are not as popular and hairy as Shih-Zoos.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

Dng! I'll bet you are awake now.

[Yorkie_Gal]

yikes!!!

wow, that's horribly scary!! Thank God he didn't get you!!!!! I don't blame you one single bit for sending him home unfinished!!! 180 pound dog can do alot of damage if that's his intent!!!

[minpin63]

Patrick Swayze had a line in one of his movies "You ain't seen bad yet, but it's coming!"- that goes through my head when one of my clients goes still. Sorry you ended the day like that.

[Debbiedogs]

It's not the dog...

Well, kind of.

He didn't like the blower up by his head and decided to do something about it, I guess. That stiffening body is an important clue from those biggies...

[SPCABev]

That stiffening body is an important clue from those biggies...

You were very lucky that you saw the change in body language. Were you staring straight at him when you were checking his eyes? Sometimes I think that gets taken as a challenge, a "What are you gonna do about it?" instead of as a "How you doing up there?"

Either way, I am so glad you are ok!!!

[Canopener Sally]

Curious, what did the owner say? Did you tell them what happened?

Atypical Mastiff experience, I'd say.

[SharPeiMom]

I had an English Mastiff that I had groomed 3 or 4 times when she turned on me while drying. Wasn't quite as ferocious as your experience but stiffened and growling. Lets just say that one's off my list, too. Honestly though, I'm mobile and it was challenging working on a dog that big and her brother was a Great Dane. I could barely move the next day after tackling those two. They were both gorgeous dogs and I do miss them.

[gr8danlvr1]

I understand you are scared, I understand you get the right to chose which dogs you will do or not do in your own shop. What I don't understand is turning away every single dog from that breed just because of this one dog. Do you do that w/ shih-tzus? Believe me of all the dogs I groom I wish I could put them on my I don't want to groom list. Most little monsters I have groomed are shihs. I suppose the problem is if I didn't do them I might well be out of business. I have never groomed an aggressive mastiff, they have all been huge love bugs. We have one that comes in, he is 215lbs, and he is the sweetest thing on earth. I suppose this is just the sort of stuff breed bans are made of.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Kelley, I'm glad you're alright. That could have been very serious.

I'd take him off my list, too.

Tammy in Utah

[Ali Kat]

Hmm. Condemn the breed for the actions of one? Really? I so hope that you wrote that in the heat of the moment. Each person and each animal is an individual and should be judged accordingly.