Hand stripping wire fox terrier...

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

...Boy did I stick my foot in my mouth this time. It was the end of the day Saturday, and I saw a lady walking a cute WFT around my shop. I went over to say hello to the dog and found out that she had been wanting to try someone to handstrip her dog and everyone else around was too expensive. I replied that I charge a lot as well since it's quite time consuming. (9 mo old puppy, never been groomed before. I could see a lot of coat needed to come out.)

As we're discussing pricing and grooming choices, my boss walks by behind her, does a double take and frantically starts waving her arms. I'd pretty much already sealed the deal, I wasn't sure what the problem was, and I couldn't figure out how to gracefully back out, so I made the appt for Friday. After the customer left, my boss came over and said that dog was absolutely awful and the reason every shop around had quoted an exorbitant price was because they knew how he was. I was the only (new) one that didn't know! Great. Can't wait for Friday! Sigh.

[KarlaSnyder]

He's 9 mos old, and never been groomed? How would they know he was awful?????

[caninecrazy]

Well, I always say you never know til you try. What's bad for some groomers may not be so bad for you. Maybe your handling skills will be different, or maybe discuss once a month training for grooming til he learns his "grooming manners", could be a good opportunity to obtain a good customer. I find many times the so called "worst" dogs become really good life long clients that just need some one on one time?
Then again...nuff said.

[brownlikewoah]

hmmmm well it isn't too late, a quote is just a quote ya know. Just make sure to discuss the charges if you have any behavior issues ahead of time, before you've invested any time into the dog.

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

At three months old, he sent a fellow groomer to the hospital who was trying to clip his nails. Her shop sounded the alarm. Apparently it's only gone downhill from there. This particular client has been a customer at my shop long before she got this puppy (its more a boutique than grooming salon), and we refused to sell her a dog on account of the fact we knew she wouldn't take good care of it. This particular puppy is quite nasty, I'm told. When I went to say hello he was kinda schiz-y, jumpin around and hiding behind his owner, but I didn't actually touch him cuz I could tell he didn't want me to. After I left, my boss tried and was rewarded with a nice low growl and full on face snarl. The lady was already trying to tell me she only wanted to groom him every 6 months because she's a student and couldn't afford it. (Um...then WHY DID YOU GET A DOG?) I'm trying not to psych myself out. Lol.

[lexapurple]

You could only try. I don't know what your boss thinks about it but if I got myself into situation like that (I did right before Christmas) I would not try to hard. If he misbehaves and acts nasty I would send him home undone.

[kwpgrooming]

Maybe someone just needs to work with him. So he bit someone at three months of age for trimming his nails. Puppies NEVER do that do they? She had to go to the hospital? Did he rip her nose off or something? WFT can be a handful to groom. Hopefully the lady hasn't ruined him with spoiling. I am the only one that can do anything to mine. She is awful for everyone else. You have to be the boss. I would work with the guy to get him trained in proper grooming manners. They aren't born with them. Muzzle him if you need to, and charge for behavior.

[Peaster]

I know that at least where I work I have the right to refuse any dog due to its behavior. You only agreed to try and handstrip her dog. So if it comes in and is unmanagable then send it right back home. Just because you booked an appointment dosen't mean you have to groom the dog.

[borzoimom]

If she is only planning on having him groomed every 6 months, you probably won't be successsful with training him. I would be honest with the owner, tell her you have talked to some groomers in the area and no longer feel comfortable grooming the dog. I did that once after scheduling an Airedale, then talked to a groomer friend and found out this dog was the one I had heard her complaining about for months. I called the owner and told her I had talked to her former groomer and was told the dog did not behave well. The owner then admitted the dog had aggressive issues. I told her a vet's office would be the best option for her as they could sedate the dog and groom it safely. Better safe then sorry.

[kwpgrooming]

If she is only planning on having him groomed every 6 months, you probably won't be successsful with training him. I would be honest with the owner, tell her you have talked to some groomers in the area and no longer feel comfortable grooming the dog. I did that once after scheduling an Airedale, then talked to a groomer friend and found out this dog was the one I had heard her complaining about for months. I called the owner and told her I had talked to her former groomer and was told the dog did not behave well. The owner then admitted the dog had aggressive issues. I told her a vet's office would be the best option for her as they could sedate the dog and groom it safely. Better safe then sorry.

I agree that he needs to be done at least once a month if there would be any hope for him to learn to behave. If she doesn't want to make the commitment to groom him regularly and only once to mess with it every 6 months she should just get him cut short and forget the stripping.

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

Yeah, I'm usually pretty alright at working with aggressive dogs, but I don't have a problem "firing" a client if their dog is extremely difficult and they don't want to pay me enough to ease my headache. Haha. I'd be more amenable to helping her out if she didn't have a long history of ignoring everything my boss has ever told her. I highly doubt she's going to be a regular. Its more a me thing, I want to give him a full chance before I tell her to look elsewhere since a lot of other groomers in my area hit their problem dogs.

[PuppyFluffer]

Its more a me thing, I want to give him a full chance before I tell her to look elsewhere since a lot of other groomers in my area hit their problem dogs.

You mean, like actually physically STRIKE them?? Surely you don't mean they hit someone elses dog, do you? Am I naive, or is this common (and accepted) practice for a lot of groomers? Is it considered "OK" in this industry to whack a dog who is being difficult as long as you dont hit them "hard" or do any permanent damage?

If so, show me the exit, please. I'd rather deliver pizzas for a living than be associated with a business or person that considers that acceptable.

[grooming goddess]

He's 9 mos old, and never been groomed? How would they know he was awful?????

My thoughts exactly!

[OntheBRINKofDisaster]

You mean, like actually physically STRIKE them?? Surely you don't mean they hit someone elses dog, do you? Am I naive, or is this common (and accepted) practice for a lot of groomers? Is it considered "OK" in this industry to whack a dog who is being difficult as long as you dont hit them "hard" or do any permanent damage?

If so, show me the exit, please. I'd rather deliver pizzas for a living than be associated with a business or person that considers that acceptable.

Isn't it awful? Yes, I know for sure of three groomers in particular in my area that have openly slapped a dog across the face while grooming. (and several others that I suspect due to how the dogs act when I approach them. It's horrible-but rewarding-to watch them just relax as the groom goes on.)

I would very much hope it's not common or accepted! It's absolutely horrible and those that do should take a nice long course in training, take up yoga, go to anger management classes, maybe ingest some Prozac, and feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Update: Cheap-o owner decided to cancel and not reschedule. I'm broken-hearted.