A blessing and a curse!

[nuk]

I got to groom our worst dog today, Rusty, the most beautiful Cocker with the worst tude. I have been 'helping' with him for 8 months now, he throws himself around, lays down, screams, head butts, tries to bite, and pushes you away with his front feet. Did I mention he's heavily sedated and muzzled for everything but the bath? I'd tried talking sweet to him before and he just growled at me. I hate when he comes in because it takes away from my time to groom his sister he's just so bad. I thought he had mental issues. He had never had his face shaved until 2 grooms ago when I made a muzzle with the kennel lead and did it, he screamed and flailed so bad I didn't want to do it again.

So today when I came in I had to finish my coffee after being told he was mine! That little rat stood like a perfect gentleman for everything but shaving the front feet and nails on one foot, even that I was able to do alone after I told him 'No'. Didn't even need to tighten the kennel lead muzzle on his face when I shaved it. The only time he started to go nuts was when I was working on the front feet and he got the loop off, my boss turned around and tried to put it back on. A kujo moment, after I assured her I had him and he was fine no more issues. He even wagged his tail when I rubbed on him in the tub.

Now Rusty is my dog to groom, along with all but 1 other biter/sedated dog that comes in. It makes me feel good I can do these guys usually pretty easily. But I'd love to just do some normal dogs, this is my 3rd salon and my 3rd time getting the wacko list! Anyways I was feeling pretty good today that I didn't get to much trouble from ol' Rusty and he even let me pat him in the kennel, pray for me that he stays good

[Debbiedogs]

Rusty was having tantrums

Rusty sounds like he wasn't scared, he just "didn't want to" and has had his tantrums be effective previously.

If you don't want so many bad dogs, you need to stop persisting with them. Give up and say "No" to some of them. That is the only way. You don't need an excuse, you can just say that you do enough bad ones and don't want to have such a percentage of difficult dogs. It slows you down, for one thing - is there an extra behavior fee that goes ALL to you??? If not, you are making less money per hour/day, and having a more difficult and RISKY time (the risk of being bitten and being put out of work, at the very least).

So YOU are in control of how many bad ones you do. If no one else there can do them, and you WANT to keep doing them, then set a behavior fee (probably at least $20 for some of those wild ones) that is all yours, no percentage taken off.

That's my advice. I have done many, many bad dogs because I was into behavior and I didn't mind the challenge. However, the day comes in a few years where it is just tedious, not fun, and you realize you have a lot of wacko dogs. So look ahead, be business-minded, and set the stage. You do not HAVE to do those dogs, and no one else wants to, so pick and choose and make it worth your while. (If a dog gets really good, he may have the behavior fee lowered or removed, but don't be too quick to do this - make sure the dog is TRULY rehabbed!!)

[RudyRoo]

Awww, psycho Rusty lubbies you!!!! Hehe!

[kated]

Good job!

Sounds like you are a "dog whisperer"!

[nuk]

No there is no extra handling fee, just me and the owner in the shop. I keep telling her handling fee, handling fee. Hasn't sunk in yet, I guess she's been doing them so long w/o it and doesn't want the owners to freak. There are other dogs she has just given me and after I was done told me "no one can do that dogs face" " I can't believe he let you do_____" So it's not really persistence it just happens sometimes I thought of refusing but then I have to help HER do them so I'm not doing anything for myself, and then I get stressed cause the dog is stressed. The risk is what worries me, plus the wear and tear on my back.

Psycho Madison lubbies me too lol. One of those schnauzers the bites when you pull her hair, owner took her to every groomer within 100 miles. She comes in the salon and runs over and gives me hugs, I just love her. The whole time we're grooming my boss just shakes her head " I've never seen that dog like ANY groomer" I get the warm fuzzies but damn I'd like more money for it! Maybe someday....

[Poochie1]

You have a gift use it.
I have been able to groom dogs that no one else is able to as well. I look at it this way; the experience I am getting now will make me be more valuable later. The difficult dogs get better after you groom them a few times.