do dogs prefer a certain groomer?

[sassylittlepoodle]

Is it just me or do some dogs prefer one groomer to another? Our salon got a new groomer about a month ago, I decided to let her do a couple of my regulars and there were a couple of drastic personality changes when she did them. One is a cocker who hates his feet toughed but the owners like his feet shaved. When I do him he just pulls back and shows dislike. When she did him he tryed to bite her several times before she had to muzzle him. The other is a shihtzu. He stood like a little gentleman through his whole groom for me, when she did him he was all over the place snapping and acting like a little brat. She is a great groomer but could there just be something about her that dogs may not like?

[misscatahoula]

Is she at all nervous around the dogs? Dogs can pick that up, misread the person's nervousness, and act up.

[PetsRus]

Maybe they are just used to you and more relaxed. I have one crazy guy that would bite the old groomers all the time. He started it with me but after about 5 or 6 grooms he is fine. Lets me do what I want BUT he still bites his owners when they try and do stuff to him. He is old too.

[RoosMom]

Sometimes

I've had dogs only I could do, while there have been others only the other person I was working with could do. We always just called it a "personality clash". ;-) Nothing wrong with me, or the other groomer- some dogs just prefer one person to another.

[scullysmom]

She may not be working with the way the animal naturally moves. I am constantly amazed at how many very seasoned groomers do not get that. A lot of groomers also tend to be very heavy handed (not mistreating, but hold more firmly) than little creatures comfortably can handle.

[Peaster]

I do think some do. We had several the would be perfect angels for one groomer and devils for another. A few times it was just an expirence thing the dog would see what it could get away with with the new person.

We also had a ckr that would like "his" groomer and atack anyone else but it diden't matter who was grooming him. Anyone could on a particular day but that was "his" groomer for that day.

[c.c.]

I think ultimately it has less to do with the person and more to do with dogs not liking a change in the routine.

[baddog]

I think the dogs like to test the newbies , kind of like a substitute teacher,

[RevWind]

I've had a few who were great for me but not for others. It was a case of the groomers not finding out what works for the pet and what doesn't. Example, I had a Shiba that was nuts, but a funny nuts. Till you got him in a tub. He'd go berzerk. I found out that doing him on the floor helped a lot. I also had a chow pup that liked me but not others because I was always the one bathing it, till another groomer took it for a bath and trim.

Dogs like routine.

[Maggy]

I think dogs definitely respond differently to different people. Even between the techs at work, there are some dogs who love certain techs and hate others. There have been a few dogs that the other groomer was impressed that I was able to get them done, but there are some dogs that do much better for her. One difference is I am calmer, but less assertive; she is more outgoing and assertive.

[sassylittlepoodle]

actually

Is she at all nervous around the dogs? Dogs can pick that up, misread the person's nervousness, and act up.

She isn't nervous. She is a 30+ year groomer. I tend to be the nervous one.lol.

[Jengroomer]

I think this is absolutely true. Dogs can behave totally different with one groomer/bather to the next.
My bather will often say, here I am having trouble, and you come over, and have no problem doing what I had trouble with!
I think it's the level of experience, confidence in handling, knowing the particular dogs, likes & dislikes, etc.

I've seen many a dog that is an angel for me, give another trouble. And I've had some give me trouble and not others!

[Helly]

Sometimes I think we'll never know why a dog might do better with one person over another. We have a couple that seem to have a hair color preference. There are two of us with red hair, and we can't get anywhere near one of them. And there's another who goes ballistic with brunettes, but I don't have any trouble at all with him.

I groom a lot of dogs that the previous groomer noted as being biters, but I don't have any trouble with them at all, for whatever reason. And there's one little mixed breed who has hated me from the first minute he walked in the door, but he's fine with the assistant groomer.

And think about all the dogs who prefer women over men. Or men over women. We see that all the time with the kennel techs.

Dogs (and cats) can definately have their likes and dislikes. Maybe we remind them of the person who stepped on their tail when they were puppies. Maybe they think our choice of shampoo stinks. Maybe our tone of voice grates on their nerves. Who knows? I don't take it personally. I just hand 'em over to the person they prefer.

[Jadenlea]

I think of course that dogs can have personality differences to different people however I think what you are seeing with the other groomer is that each dog needs to build a relationship with each groomer and in doing that they will test them just like they probably tested you in the beginning and like they test their parents. How many times do parents say in shock "WOW He doesnt let ME do that"

You have been doing the dogs a while so they learn what to bother with and what is no use to bother with. Give them a new person and they have to start all over. Its probably not that they "like" you more or less then the other person but rather they have learned their boundries with you and will now relearn them with someone else.

[SuziJ]

Oh My gosh yes!
Dogs get used to having a certin person work on them!
weather be a vet, groomer, trainer, Owner ect!!!! You take the time to learn their habits and they learn in the process what your boundries are and how far they can go and what they can get away with. ( we call it the Honeymoon period)

The best example I can give of this..... Is My own dogs. 1 year ago January My mom took My 8 yr old GSD Hexen from me to live with Mom in Florida. Hexen needed to retire from our busy life style because of Hip dysplaisa and age, so Mom ( 74) took her.

For Me hexen was such a wonderful best behaved dog, she never needed to be on a leash was absolutly wonderful and friendly with all other dogs. Even when I left Hexen for 1 week with another dog trainer friend she too never had trouble.

But when Mom took hexen all of a sudden Hexen was displaying behaviors that she never did with me!
Trying to chase squirrls up the trees ( IN my house dogs are not allowed to chase anything other then toys)

Barking Non stop when people come to the door!
(Living in a german appartment they have very strict rules concerning dogs and noise)

And because dogs off leash is very comon place over there, if a dog runs up to another dog... Aggression or dominence posturing is not allowed!


Well Under Moms new ownership the week after I flew back to Germany hexen tried to get away with all of these things! she was after all testing and pushing boundries to see what she could get away with. So the first few months was Mom calling me with "What do I do about this" "What do I do about that". How do I stop her!

Usually it can take up to 12 weeks for "the Honeymoon period" and testing and pushing boundries to subside when a new dog lives with you.