Don't Break Your Own Rules

[wet noze]

Ugh! People, I have twice broken my own rule. No big dogs. I had to shave down a lab (as big as me) a few weeks ago (disaster) and today I tackled a matted bearded collie (humongous mistake.) I am too old for this kind of grooming. If I worked in a shop, I'd last one day. lol I'd be fired or they'd have to call an ambulance to cart me away. My hubby shook me up a nice cosmo and now I'm regrouping here "in my spot" with petgroomer.com. (To anyone who knows me, if I'm not grooming, I'm usually in my spot when not grooming.")

Now on the bright side, I did manage to say no to someone who wanted me to groom their dog this week. There will be NO MORE grooming for wet noze until next Monday. No way, no how. I'm lying low and resting my weary bones.

[caninecrazy]

Hey Wetnoze, was this the one in the same Beardie you asked for suggestions on? Never ever goes like you think it will does it?
Well relax, breath deep and enjoy your time off!

[wet noze]

OY caninecrazy. I must say the dog was perfectly behaved but a super thick coat with lots of matts. Its so true, like Forest Gump says, you never know what your gonna get. I did my best but it was a big job for me. I'm used to doing the little guys. My hat is off to the groomers who groom all breeds everyday of the week. It takes a huge effort to get these dogs done right.

[RudyRoo]

Matted huh?? All that planning for nothing. I remember my 1st schnauzer in school, spent the evening before studying Notes, getting all excited. The durn dog was matted to the skin, was a #7 shave down. Why can't people brush their freaking dogs,,,lol. Have a nice rest of the week off!

[caninecrazy]

Hey Wetnoze, don't feel bad. I started a new shop (no sob sob as not that new--imported from garage business) so not hurtin like new business. I made my first months rent in one week during x-mas, but still feel I can't turn anything away. I've got a german shep this thursday and owner wants to stay.. ok 80.00 for bath, nails, and blowdry. He says what if he is good, you still going to charge me that much? I say YES, because you are breaking up my routine to be in my shop for only your dog! Wow I'm so used to my loyal 10year following, these new people are weird PITAs!
Long story even longer--I now do large breeds (I did not before) because of my great WALK-IN-TUB.
That being said, I can only do so much at my somewhat older years--hope it all takes off and can hire a great younger bather who know whats it.....
Thanks for letting me vent....

[mylady]

You wanna see a matted Beardie that I did a while ago(totally taking over the thread for just a sec, sorry)? he had to be the sweetest dog in the world and so did not deserve to be neglected like this. The owners are the kind that believe a dogs place is outside, ok, but keep the coat in good condition! This dog had come in over the winter a year prior severely matted and when I told them I would not demat the dog they walked back out teh door. Said it was "too cold" to shave him down. i couldn't believe they actually let him get worse!

Well, apparently I have shared these pics before and have just gotten old and forgetful LOL. So if you want to see them again here's the thread

http://www.petgroomerforums.com/chat...ad.php?t=26025

I break my own rules all the time and then I sit there and think "you only have yourself to blame for this!" and that's no fun cuz yelling at yourself doesn't make you feel that much better. Not like yelling at hubby, for example LOL
Never had a Cosmo, but I've been craving an amoretto sour. I drink maybe once a year so I don't have the ingredients in the house and around here the liquor stores only sell the liquor and then you have to go to a grocery store to get the stuff to mix it with, and well, I'm just too darn lazy to get off my butt and do that.

[ManicMutts]

If the dog is nice and well behaved, you should attempt to talk your friend into a sched and trying to grow the dog out. I am telling you, the grooming transformation is one on the most satisfying out there, IMO. It is so much better to brush brush brush and have this gorgeous dog afterwards, than to spend all that time shaving off matts and have a little skinny naked dog at the end. I LOVE beardies.

Unless you don't want to groom the dog at all. I have many friends dogs who I would rather not groom, however, I am wimp-like with my friends and can't get out.

[ManicMutts]

See above.

[wet noze]

The dog was gorgeous and sweet. It's just a shame when you start shaving out everything you can't see, like the tummy, pitskys, inside legs and forearms, behind ears, neck, etc. The grooming lesson turned into me grooming the dog. lol I should have known better.

Now I have decided I will not break my own rules ever again. Because I'm the type if I say I'm gonna do it, well I do, do it. After I'm done, I crash and burn and I have no one to blame but myself. Big dogs just have too much square footage for me.

mylady, I owe you a cosmo. Someday!

[Smart-n-Pretty]

I never say "No" to a potential customer. I DO, however price the job to make it worth it. OK, you want me to bathe your biting GSD [edit: sbstutute any matted huge hairy dog that is too big for me here] that weighs 80% of what I do and needs a yearly deshed? GREAT! That will be the price of five shih tzus please...

[odette]

ahem....People please remember SOME of us have G.S.Ds ! lol I would never tackle a dog I didn't want to do, but price accordingly, sometimes the dumbys bring it in anyway! meaning I over price.

[PAWS]

Don't feel bad. I'm a ripe ol' 28 yrs old but I feel much older. I lifted waaaaay too many dogs that I shouldn't have when I was 16 up until a couple of years ago. Taking small dogs only was the best decision I could have made. I had my bro to help me over the summer and took big dogs, but have now referred them out since I work alone again. It just isn't worth it. I have just a handful that have boxer coats or really thin coats that are not sitters or pullers that get onto the table and in and out of the tub themselves so I still do those. (Don't worry, I don't let them jump to the floor, my table is hydraulic...) I feel guilty all the time about saying no, but unless I am working with an assistant, I just won't do it. There are plenty of other mobile groomers around here that can do the big guys and even if I was successful in charging $200 to groom a matted Newfie, that money is not worth the long term health hazards! I know I'm a spoiled brat, but I've built up a very busy business of just small guys and I'm very happy with it. I'll take it as long as I can get it : )

[SharPeiMom]

Yep, I feel your pain Wetnoze. I do large dogs. I have a lot of Goldens and some labs and I can tell you that after I go to a house that has 2 I can barely move the next day. I know I probably shouldn't do them but a lot of these dogs have special problems or are elderly and the owners can't get them in to the shop. I am getting too old for it but I sure do love them. I just love these big old sweet dogs. Hope you have a nice relaxing week.
__________________
~*~Robin~*~
"In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog."

[SiberianLover]

ManicMutts, I was laughing while reading your "reasons for editing"...lol

I have a helper two days of the week, and that is when I do the big dogs. I have lifted too many on my own that I shouldn't. My back is in terrible shape. I can't get up from a bed or the couch without slowly straightening up and feeling intense pain. I've got a pulled muscle in my upper back that acts up sometimes, and I have had to have painful cortisone injections in both elbows. I can't hear **** anymore, and my asthma is getting really bad. I'm ready for the home.


I just turned 33.


PLLEEEASSEEEE Take care of yourselves!!! I wish I could go back and shake some sense into my former self. It only took 9 years of grooming to do this to myself.

[ManicMutts]

Series of edits

I am out of practice. I posted the first one, and then a second to clarify. The board updated in between, and only the first got put up, however while fixing the first post, the second was posted. I am a disaster, I apologize.

Also, on topic, I do not have a problem doing large dog breeds, but giant fat lards that refuse to stand and only do so to fight you over their feet, nails, etc, really hurt my back.