I feel really bad ( long)

[keachy18]

So today I had a friend's "dog" come in. They are actually pet-sitting this dog for an indefinite period of time. They said it is a "schnoodle" but I think it is all schnauzer personally. Anyways, I dont think the dog has ever been groomed before. And I am new to grooming too. So, I got started, and the dog was not happy about it, I was warned before starting of course. I told her that I wasnt going to be able to do a perfect job becuz he wouldnt sit still at all. He kept trying to bite. But considering he is 2 and has never been groomed before, it wasnt so bad and I enlisted the help of my husband to help calm him down, becuz he seems to like men better than women. The dog was doing SO GOOD!!! I got him to stand w/out trying to bite me and let me use the clippers on him, I was so proud of myself. I let my husband go back to what he was doing and me and the dog were doing fine. We were ok for awhile, but then the people came back in, and I had to finish his feet and his nails. I knicked one of his knuckles cuz he had a mat stuck solid to the skin there. but I told them and they were fine with it. Then the bad part happened, I cut the quick on his foot. He was all excited and freaking out, but anytime I tried to touch his foot he would get mad all over again. And I cut one. It bled so much, and I feel bad, it looked so bad. I used the styptic powder and it stopped the bleeding, but it just bled so much. Other than that it went ok. The dog looked so much better. Kinda a hack job cuz there were so many mats and stuff and he kept trying to attack my face, but all things considering. And they were so happy!! They thought he looked awesome, but I told them that next time hopefully it will be more even w/out all the stragglies and I can do a better job on his face too. Just this time it had already been a long time and the dog was getting irritated. But I still feel bad. They already want to schedule another groom session though, and I told them to practice w/him at home getting him to stand and maybe run clippers around him if they have a pair around to get him used to the noise more, and of course brush him!!! I just feel awful. They paid me too, even though I told them not to!! Is the nail thing bad? Did I do the right thing or should I have tried to make him look even better? Just didnt want to overstress him out too much.

[RevWind]

Quicking a nail is equivalent to getting a paper cut. Very minor. Some dogs don't react at all, some go nuts. It'll happen. You did what you could and I'm sure it was great considering the dog had never gotten groomed in, what, 2 years??!? You can't expect perfection in that OR a dog who won't stand still.

[baddog]

If cutting quicks wasn't common, they wouldn't sell quick-stop....lol....A word of advice, never groom a dog infront of it's owner/care-giver. It's too dangerous, dogs get excited to see their owners and accidents/bites can happen. Ask the people to come back in 10-15 minutes and finish the groom. BTW if a vet cut the quick , do you think they would waive the office fee.....NOT! Don't be so fast to give your money away!

[sheilabgroomer]

Nononono

Do NOT try to waive your grooming fee because of a quicked nail.....especially on a dog that is 2 yrs old and never been groomed. The owners have to take some responsibility for a dogs condition and actions. If the dog was flipping around because he didn't know what the heck was going on because he had never been groomed then who's fault is that??? IMO you should have tacked on charges for nuisance fee!

[MissKitty]

So today I had a friend's "dog" come in. They are actually pet-sitting this dog for an indefinite period of time. They said it is a "schnoodle" but I think it is all schnauzer personally. Anyways, I dont think the dog has ever been groomed before. And I am new to grooming too. So, I got started, and the dog was not happy about it, I was warned before starting of course. I told her that I wasnt going to be able to do a perfect job becuz he wouldnt sit still at all. He kept trying to bite. But considering he is 2 and has never been groomed before, it wasnt so bad and I enlisted the help of my husband to help calm him down, becuz he seems to like men better than women. The dog was doing SO GOOD!!! I got him to stand w/out trying to bite me and let me use the clippers on him, I was so proud of myself. I let my husband go back to what he was doing and me and the dog were doing fine. We were ok for awhile, but then the people came back in, and I had to finish his feet and his nails. I knicked one of his knuckles cuz he had a mat stuck solid to the skin there. but I told them and they were fine with it. Then the bad part happened, I cut the quick on his foot. He was all excited and freaking out, but anytime I tried to touch his foot he would get mad all over again. And I cut one. It bled so much, and I feel bad, it looked so bad. I used the styptic powder and it stopped the bleeding, but it just bled so much. Other than that it went ok. The dog looked so much better. Kinda a hack job cuz there were so many mats and stuff and he kept trying to attack my face, but all things considering. And they were so happy!! They thought he looked awesome, but I told them that next time hopefully it will be more even w/out all the stragglies and I can do a better job on his face too. Just this time it had already been a long time and the dog was getting irritated. But I still feel bad. They already want to schedule another groom session though, and I told them to practice w/him at home getting him to stand and maybe run clippers around him if they have a pair around to get him used to the noise more, and of course brush him!!! I just feel awful. They paid me too, even though I told them not to!! Is the nail thing bad? Did I do the right thing or should I have tried to make him look even better? Just didnt want to overstress him out too much.

It happens. I will happen less the more you do it. As for me, I groomed this ESS who hates having her nails cut. I quicked her and she jumped around, mind you I am mobile so I have no place to put her to calm her down. She bled and bled. She was finished. I took her outside and walked her into the sand but she wanted to go inside the house, nail was still bleeding and bleeding. The owner came out. I told her about the nail and that it will stop bleeding but right now the dog was so exciting, the heart pumping with excitment that the nail wont stop bleeding now. She said to let the dog in and the dog ran inside. Bled on the couch, the carpet, the kitchen floor and stopped. The owner was okay because the next day she was having the carpet, the couch and kitchen floors all taken up and redone!
Aside, the best thing to do is put them in a kennel loaded with towels and let the dog calm down and the nail will stop bleeding. I don't have a kennel in my van so I have to be careful.

[greymom]

Like the others have said getting a quick isn't that big of a deal. I did the same thing the other day with two shih's that were new customers. Like the little guy you had these two had never been groomed professionally (mom has been doing them) and they are almost 3. It sounds like your friends were happy with what you accomplished so I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. We are always our own worst critics

[Helly]

Don't feel bad about quicking a nail. If you don't quick a nail once in a while you're probably not doing nails at all. After 30 years I still quick nails on occasion.

Sounds to me like you did a great job of working with this pooch. A two year old dog getting his first groom can be quite a handful, and it sounds like you made a good start. It'll get easier.

[misscatahoula]

Don't feel bad

Quicking a nail happens, especially if the quicks are very long when their nails haven't been done in ages. If a nail looks like it might start bleeding again, I'll give the owner a little Quick stop in a baggie to take home just in case. I had three 1st time grooms this week. A 4yr old Springer that had to be sweettalked through the whole process so he wouldn't freak over everything, and 2 9 mo old pups. I wouldn't dream of charging less for them; it took alot of time to ease them into it and get the job done, plus one pup turned my arm into hamburger in the tub (never had a bath). 2 dogs turned out great; the other one had to go short from the matting, but owner was happy. Long story short, charge for your time & effort involved, and don't beat yourself up if it's not perfect the 1st groom . Especially when the dog hasn't been done in eons.

[keachy18]

sorry, I guess I should have been clearer, he was actually supposed to be a practice dog for me to do, that is why I didnt want her to pay me, lol. Yeah, she was really happy w/it, she said she had to pay me becuz if she took it to a shop to get it groomed they woulda said, yeah, thats 60 bucks for time and effort and umm, here's ur dog never come back. LOL. Thanx guys, I know it will get easier, but in the meantime....actually I did a husky too, I did her before but now I have an HV dryer, so she looked sooooo much better. Well, they took her to a benefit to see her "daddy" who hasnt seen her for 8 wks cuz he got into an accident, well when he saw her he loved it!! I had people coming up to me at the benefit asking me to do their dogs too!! Then this happened and I got discouraged, but u all helped alot. Keep it coming, and u actually did help me by encouraging me to take money, lol.

[Briarpatch]

For a nail that just won't stop bleeding, I much prefer the liquid septic. (Available where ever quick stop is.)

[Helly]

For a nail that just won't stop bleeding, I much prefer the liquid septic. (Available where ever quick stop is.)

Not being nit picky...honest. But you mean styptic, not septic. Septic refers to infection or putrefaction. Or in the case of septic tanks, sewage.

And I'm with you on the liquid styptic. I prefer it over the powder, too.

[Pixie]

Sounds like you did a great job. The people were happy with the outcome what more can we as groomers want!!?

A cut quick is nothing to feel bad about. Everyone does it, I did it today on a couple of dogs.

I like the powder styptic over the liquid. When I use the liquid it seems to keep bleeding. I think I threw it out even. Powder for me.

[Crystal]

I agree with others, never discount your grooming fee just because of a quicked nail. It happens on occasion, especially when they haven't been done regularly. If anyone should feel bad about it, it should be the owner of the dog because nails really should be done frequently, and grooming should be done regularly to socialize the dog to grooming.

If you were to discount people's grooms for a quicked nail, they would find reasons to get a free grooming every time after that.

[greymom]

I saw that husky on TV When they ran the story about the benefit and showed the husky I was wondering if you had groomed her. You did a nice job with her and "daddy" looked thrilled to see her.

sorry, I guess I should have been clearer, he was actually supposed to be a practice dog for me to do, that is why I didnt want her to pay me, lol. Yeah, she was really happy w/it, she said she had to pay me becuz if she took it to a shop to get it groomed they woulda said, yeah, thats 60 bucks for time and effort and umm, here's ur dog never come back. LOL. Thanx guys, I know it will get easier, but in the meantime....actually I did a husky too, I did her before but now I have an HV dryer, so she looked sooooo much better. Well, they took her to a benefit to see her "daddy" who hasnt seen her for 8 wks cuz he got into an accident, well when he saw her he loved it!! I had people coming up to me at the benefit asking me to do their dogs too!! Then this happened and I got discouraged, but u all helped alot. Keep it coming, and u actually did help me by encouraging me to take money, lol.