Groomers don't know nothing!!

[Petekids]

I've heard others say that groomers are looked down on by veterinary practices, but I've never had any issues...until yesterday. I'll try to make this concise: One of my long time customers, who owns a Scotty, has breast cancer. She's a widow, so her daughters have been bringing in the dog for her quarterly trim. Not a bad dog personality wise, but she's very overweight and is never brushed or bathed between her every 3 month groomings. Yesterday she had her usual allotment of burrs stuck in her coat and long curled nails, the 30-something vet tech daughter brought her in and I told her AGAIN about the dog's skin problems. Yeasty, scabby skin, lots of flakes. I asked her about the dog's food and she told me that she's been trying to get her mother to switch to a better product, but she couldn't remember the name of the food. I went into my litany about allergy problems and steps once could take to help. We sell Fromm 4 Star Nutriitionals dog food, one of the Whole Dog Journals recommended foods, but the daughter wouldn't even consider that. We talked about the over-use of steroids, etc. She told me that she has been talking to her mother about the same things but her Mom won't listen to her. Quote: "Do you know that she'll listen to you, the groomer, before she'll listen to me?" Jeesh...

My college degree isn't in animal science, but I guess almost 30 years of breeding, showing and training dogs doesn't count. Guess I didn't know what to say, her statement took me by surprise.
Feeding an animal good food isn't rocket science...it's common sense.

[Poodleluv]

I love the whole dog journal report. It really shows which foods are all advertising,and packaging and nothing else! I made the mistake years ago of telling a client whose dogs ears were in trouble, that it smelled ,and looked like a yeast infection and he went right to hid vet as I had advised. The vet said groomers know nothing about ear problems ,and should not be diagnosing (true about the diagnosing ,it was an honest mistake .because it is the culprit 95% of the time in our climate,when you see tons of brown gunk,inflammation,and the sour smell. The vet cultered the ear,and told the client his pooch had a yeast infection. For some reason the client got a real kick out of this. Me, I learned to say I think Fluffy has a possible ear problem,or infection,and recommend he see the vet. LOL

[mylady]

I wouldn't take it personally as you don't know anything, but I think she may have meant her mom would rather listen to you than her own daughter, and that was more her point. At least that was my impression. Not that groomers don't know anything, but a mom usually would be more apt to listen to a child, espeically one with training in that area, and perhaps she's a bit insulted that her own mother would listen more to a "stranger" than her.

[KarlaSnyder]

I agree with mylady-she probably meant a stranger vs daughter, but.....if daughter is a vet tech, why can't she at least cut the dog's nails????? Not to mention bathe and brush once in awhile.

[Jadenlea]

hehe I wouldn't take it personally. I'd be surprised if a client listened to me over a vet tech about a medical issue ..and Id be darn put out if they listened to the same tech if they listned to hr over me on a grooming issue

[Kindredkiss]

I read it as she would listen to you before her daughter as well . I work for my uncle who is a practicing vet and he hardly ever listens to me about food and coat condition. He is starting to come around but it has taken me 5 years of talking about foods to get him to even consider the effects of what goes into foods.

[Doubledogdare]

I think it is a given that little old ladies will always listen to non-family before they will listen to a well-meaning daughter that gives her the same advice.

I have a friend who was acting as caretaker for her mom the same time I was doing the same with my mom. Neither mom would listen to their respective daughter, so we would trade off on talking to the opposite mom when there was a problem. It worked like a charm.

Her mom would listen to me and heed my advice; my mom would listen to her and take her advice seriously. So we would just get our stories straight and let the other daughter have at it with the opposite mom.

[TheyCallMeMom]

I wouldn't take it personally as you don't know anything, but I think she may have meant her mom would rather listen to you than her own daughter, and that was more her point. At least that was my impression. Not that groomers don't know anything, but a mom usually would be more apt to listen to a child, espeically one with training in that area, and perhaps she's a bit insulted that her own mother would listen more to a "stranger" than her.

This is EXACTLY how I took it..

[odette]

I totaly agree it was not that you know nothing. It's just easier to listen to astranger and get advice than a family member. No personal dynamics, glad some one out side the ck\lan taught me to drive, sure saved family battles! Same thing to me.