Counting Days

Every now and then I get to grooming a pet I've known for years.  Today, Duke came in for a groom and his Dad told me how Duke hasn't been feeling too good and how he's been giving Duke double meds for arthritis.  Duke's been sleeping a lot and when Dad said "wanna go see Dede" ....Duke somehow put all his pain aside and jumped up and ran around like a sprint car ready to see me.  When he got here Duke came right in as he always has for over six years.  He was a champ on the table.  We did a video unlike most of other visits which included  a few pictures here and there.  I could hear his soul tell me how he was getting old on me.  I actually felt this last month when they came in.  But, this month the feeling is stronger.  So, I touched Dukes back during his bath...softly ran my hand down his rubbled body with lumps and soft silver fur from his schnauzer breed.  His eyes tinted gray looked at me and smiled.  He spoke to me in ways only sign language can read.  He is staring at me thru the cage right now while I type this all out.  Oh how I love you Duke.  :)  We didn't push his groom too hard today.  Got the hair off.  Blew dry like normal just not too picky.  Went over the coat again but not excessive.  Got him on and off the table in 30 minutes just so that he could take it easy and I don't push him "over the edge" as I call it.  Over the edge is when a pet is old and we do every thing we can to get the groom good but it burns them out energy wise and we could lose them due to the stress in the days following a groom.  No hair cut is worth that; wouldn't you agree? 

Take a minute today and love on your pets and really look at them.  Right in the eye and see them.  I do :)

He loves me too.

Late Night

Ahhhh, what a night.  Got done grooming around 945pm.  Late  nights are tiring.  Got home.  Let the doggies release themselves and toss themselves all over the place from missing me.  But, tonight had a couple different situations occur.  It started out with a client I hadn't seen since Aug 2009.  The pet wasn't SEVERELY matted but much of the back legs and hips were and the front legs would need additional work to keep the hair.  The back of the dog was good.  The face, matted under the chin and under all the hair.  Dad refused to let me go short on the hair cut. I said the only thing I can do then is cut all the matted areas short and the pet would look silly for about 2 weeks and you all will have to have a sore eye on the dog.  But, then he refused to have his pet looking silly.  He called the wife who said "no short hair cuts"....so after saying "sorry but I won't put your pet or me in danger" I won't cut your pet trying to leave the matted hair long nor would I brush that pet out until it has brush burn all over the heiny.....he decided to find somewhere else to go.  I gave him some referrals.
On the next pet that came in it was a great great long term client of mine.  Her nails were so severe that she had definitely been walking on them for some time.  Months...since Nov 2010.  The first thing Dad said to me was she isn't walking on one of her back legs...oh my I thought.  I've known this dog since it was in the palm of my hand and I tell you, this definitely touched my heart.  So, I put her on the table and started roughing her in (getting all the hair we won't need so dry time is less).  I decided after seeing her stance on the table to cut her nails so she wouldn't be going thru more pain.  Did that and found all her nails were excessively long.  Probably causing knee issues if not more.  So, I got the nails right down to the quick (vein)! She was nervous letting me know I was close, but truly, it was perfect where I cut the nails to.  After the rough in and into the tub....she slouched and I could then tell how much pain she was in.  FOLKS, nail trimming should be done every 4 to 6 weeks...it's so important.  I called mom to let her know that baby girl should get in tomorrow to the Vet.  Usually I'll monitor the situation and advise to wait 24 hours...but unfortunately for this baby, time was all used up and her knee ligament was totally loose and separated.  I gave her a low cost groom price and dried her and let her rest.  Mom was totally fine with that.  They will be seeing the vet tomorrow.
This last note makes me a little nervous.  The last doggie was a simple bath package, but I still did the face feet and sanitary cut on him since he's a poodle and he looked like a mess.  Well, he almost bit me when I was working with his back foot.  Thank goodness he doesn't have any front teeth.  But, he ISSSS a senior and I should be more careful. lol!  Well, after working with this poodle tonight....I had to let mom know to spend some time with her baby who is 14 years old that he may not have very much time left.....she said she's never lost her own pet and tears triggered in her eyes.  I said, I've been 99% right and hope that I'm not, but just in case....love on her baby boy now as much as she can.  

Grooming touches me in so many ways.  Good night dog lovers :)

fleas are alive and well this spring

I am here posting so I can update you all and let you know my blogger hasn't been logged on yet so I'm going to recap some of my grooming situations yesterday.  I found out that fleas are alive and well when a client came in with a dog that had fleas.  It was a maltese and it had one adult flea on it which means, omg, house needs sprayed, pet needs to be treated, and get a flea collar, and just PANIC!!  Well, ok, it's not that bad.  But, personally, I can't stand fleas.  So, it's a big deal for me.  If you keep your pets on frontline once a month you will not have a problem.  NEVER SKIP is my own personal "learned from experience" moment.  Pets usually end up having an allergic reaction to a flea bite.  This makes their skin swell, itchy, and lose hair and also makes them become tedious about itching themselves until their own skin is bloody. Gross.  So just pick a preventative.  Make sure it treats all stages of fleas and go from there.  I hate fleas.  This doggie was a champ though. He was scrawny and looked hilarious looking at me as I let him soak for 10 minutes with some flea shampoo on him.  He yelped a few times in the bath.  Mostly wanting out.  But, I learned to stay closer to him after I got my invoice done.  Then I just waited the time out with him nearby.  We listened to Eli Young Band while we waited.  He didn't have fleas when he left the groomer, that's for sure.  Check my website under the "newsletter" link on what to do when you have fleas.  Night Night Blogspot.

The First Day

Hello Folks,
So the day I decided to do a blog was over a year ago.  Nothing ever came of it since I am so busy doing everything you can imagine; ordering supplies, updating the website; tweeting; facebooking; checking voicemails, texts, emails, and more to schedule appointments, and on top of all the business stuff, grooming your pets day or night.
Well, with the growth of my business getting excessively heavy I had a spring break helper named Sharlene come out and help me bathe pets.  When she arrived I found her common sense level super high, her attentive to detail superb, and her passion for being better than she could possibly be to good to pass up on.  So, I am giving her an opportunity that will hopefully grow into her as a being and teach her so much at the same time.  She has accepted the position as my blogger and she will also be the main poster on this new blog of "The Diary of My Favorite Groomer".  This blog will direct its information on the daily life and pets I deal with in my groom shop.  What and where they came from and what issues they have and what can be done on the pet parent side.  At the end of six months we will hopefully be able to put together a really good book for you to read.
Welcome to "The Diary of My Favorite Groomer"  I hope you enjoy it!  Here we go........