Scared Labs

[Starshan]

I had quite the day. So I booked these easy bath dogs for Friday today, I could have squeezed them yesterday but glad I didn't. There were 2 labs & a mix of some sort, she said Border Collie Lab something but to me looked more like GreyHound BC mix. Anyway, I picked the black lab first as she was heaviest. Wow I picked the worse one first. She was so scared & owner didn't offer to help lift so my back is aching. I muscled the dog into the tub, had to be 70lbs. This dog uses her legs. I have a small 40" RV tub. This dog is climbing my walls, hooking her feet on anything & everything she could get her paws on & strong. It was all I could muscle to get each leg back into the tub. I think she was afraid of water because she didn't flinch at the sprayer noise just the water getting on her. So I go to blow dry & she's freaking out even on low blowing (Kool Dry). I decided to move her to the table so she didn't break my tub & plumbing. I have a way for dogs to step over, took me almost 5 mins just to get turned around in the tub & to step over. Once turned around she laid down in the tub, so I had to get her to stand up then get her to step over. I even had the hoodie on her. So on the table she was a tad better. Got her body mostly dry & gave up. Had to send her back with towel dried damp areas. She wouldn't even jump down from the table. Luckily I brought my step stool & set that up. It took her a min to build up the nerve to step over to the set stool. I am so sore from that wrestle match. Took me 50 mins. My hotwater fauset will have to be tightened as she loosened it when she wrapped her paw around it.

The next was a choc lab. She wasn't fat & only tried to panic, when the water hit, once. She was easy to put her feet back in & didn't do it again. She cried through all of it but nothing like the black lab. Mostly dry, one hip she didn't want me to dry (would spin away from dryer on that hip) & of coarse the head. Took me 40 mins.

The last one the mix dog was med size & so easy compared to all the above. He was the neighbor dog. I'd prefer to do him over the others lol. Took me 30 mins, he didn't mind the dry & his coat dried quick.

Would you do these dogs again? The only one I really wouldn't want to do is the black lab, I was really sure she was going to break something in my van which luckily she didn't.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

[puppy love]

Those are exactly all the reasons I quit grooming dogs over 25 lbs. Too stressful on the back and shoulders trying to wrestle with the big uncooperative heavies. You can only muscle the 70 lb dogs so many times before your body says "I quit"...Just ask PF about that..
Bottom line, if the big & heavy dogs are not going to cooperate and you have to use every muscle and every bit of strength that you have to get them groomed, it is not worth it. I say decline further grooming of them for your health sake. Not to mention the wear and tear on your van.

[VIPgroomer]

This is why there are crate dryers. If I were mobile I would recommend them to a shop. Dogs that freak out like that get towel dried and put in the crate with a dryer or fan pointed on them. Sure, they might not be completely dry when they go home, but it is much less stressful. Then again, some dogs just shouldn't go to the groomer if they are that freaked out.

[Okigroomer]

I would tell the owner that the stress of grooming is just too much for them. Like others above have said, you might recommend them to a shop that has cage dryers. You have to take care of you and if they destroy your van, then you are out the time and money to get it fixed.

[sheilabgroomer]

I agree that these dogs sound like they need to be done in a shop setting, where there is more than one person to help w/them and where there is the luxury of time and cage drying. Too much for one person to try to take on by herself especially IMO in a mobile. Did you ask the owner if they had ever been groomed before (either professionally or even bathed by owner)? As easy as it would be to say these dogs should never be groomed since they are so scared, I kinda disagree w/that.

What these dogs need are to be done very frequently, even if they don't get the full works done each time, just to help sociaize them and get them used to the "procedure" step by step. I have had really good results working w/dogs just like these IF the owner is willing to commit to taking the time and a little money to help them get over their issues.

It's so sad to see dogs acting like these dogs acted. The owner really needs to step up to socialize and train these dogs so they can be more mentally stable and healthy. They would probably enjoy there dogs more as well if they did.

[PuppyFluffer]

Those are exactly all the reasons I quit grooming dogs over 25 lbs. Too stressful on the back and shoulders trying to wrestle with the big uncooperative heavies. You can only muscle the 70 lb dogs so many times before your body says "I quit"...Just ask PF about that.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Im pretty strong and a single 70 lb dog probably would have made little difference. But you have to remember the cumulative effect of lifting so much weight over a short period of time. If you do 5 dogs in a day, each weighing over 70 pounds, you are subjecting your body to over 350 lbs of squirming, recalcitrant, leaden-butt beasties. I guarantee you - no good will come of it.

[Starshan]

Ok I will wait 2wks to make sure the check fully clears then send them a letter with info to another mobile that has 2 groomers & a converted RV that was professionally converted by the RV company. But first I will contact those groomers to make sure they can handle a dog like this

I'm only 5'3", 197lbs & not super strong. Waking up this morning my back is pretty sore today. I hate turning away clients since my husband lost his job but I also agree with you all that I can't make money if my back is hurting or my van ripped up.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

[puppy love]

Ok I will wait 2wks to make sure the ...I can't make money if my back is hurting or my van ripped up.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

Well, now, you may have another option if your DH is currently unemployed....would he be able to help you on certain days with the heavies that are rowdy? You could set certain days aside during the week to do the "more than XX lb dogs" and have DH come with you to help hold and lift. Just an option if you really dont want to turn them away until DH is employed again. There are a few moblers in our area that do larger dogs, but they have certain days set aside where they have 2 people working to help with the dog.

[Mamabearwith2]

Ok I will wait 2wks to make sure the check fully clears then send them a letter with info to another mobile that has 2 groomers & a converted RV that was professionally converted by the RV company. But first I will contact those groomers to make sure they can handle a dog like this

I'm only 5'3", 197lbs & not super strong. Waking up this morning my back is pretty sore today. I hate turning away clients since my husband lost his job but I also agree with you all that I can't make money if my back is hurting or my van ripped up.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

I just hope you didn't quote them a price over the phone before you did these monsters. I always tell people my prices will START at $whatever.00. That way, they can't say, "you said it would be $.00!" I also consider how long it'll take me for cleanup when I'm done with the dogs and add that into the price. That's why I've started quoting really high for OAY dogs. Not worth the time and struggle.

[Starshan]

I just hope you didn't quote them a price over the phone before you did these monsters. I always tell people my prices will START at $whatever.00. That way, they can't say, "you said it would be $.00!" I also consider how long it'll take me for cleanup when I'm done with the dogs and add that into the price. That's why I've started quoting really high for OAY dogs. Not worth the time and struggle.

Yep I did. I was tempted to go over it but didn't. Charged my highest on the 2 labs but charged my lowest on the mix because he didn't have the coat I thought he would plus he was only like 45lbs & I was thinking he was going to be bigger then that.

They normally wait till spring & summer to bath the dogs themselves with the garden hose, no wonder the poor dogs didn't like the water as its normally ice cold

I actually hurt myself when I was bringing the first wild dog back. She hit the end of the leash just as I was switching hands. My nail jammed into the first finger on the other hand, made a nice slice. Its feeling infected today. Sucks. I guess that's why most groomers keep their nails short They are only 1/8 to 1/4 long but they are coming off tonight, this is my usual length before cutting them. I've had way less issues with my nails since going mobile & I've never really been a nail person, all natual no paint either.


Shannon
The Soapy Puppy

[Doubledogdare]

The next was a choc lab. She wasn't fat & only tried to panic, when the water hit...

Am I the only one who finds it odd how many of these "water dogs" are terrified of water?

[Starshan]

Am I the only one who finds it odd how many of these "water dogs" are terrified of water?

Yep it was weird & the chocolate one, the one that didn't panic as much had had puppies not that long ago as she was very saggy. So that means she passed on this problem to her pups. She wasn't afraid of the dryer much that I could tell so it really had something to do with the water. My pump is noisey & they didn't jump at that sound.

Shannon
The Soapy Puppy