28/05/2021
"Just stick a bow on it"
Sometimes the dogs we groom can leave us groomers feeling defeated.
I've been grooming 8 years, I've groomed hundreds of dogs. At 5 days a week and a minimum of 6 dogs a day, that's over 1500 dogs a YEAR. And that's not counting the many weeks I worked 6 or 7 days, or the holidays in which I do 12-16 dogs a day. I groom a LOT. I'm decently confident in my ability and quite proud of the skills I've spent every day practicing. I take classes, travel to seminars, watch webinars. I'm content in my ability and always learning more. I'm unceasingly curious lol
But sometimes, Sometimes a dog hits my table that leaves me defeated. Leaves me feeling like a horrible groomer. Most times it's their coat quality, or the dog's age, or their health. Nothing to do with the dog or the owner, nothing really that is controllable. Wispy fly-away hair that looks choppy no matter what you do, thick greasy coats that you wash 5 times and it still doesnt work, warts and growths that bleed when you look at them, shaking legs from nerves, or poor old bitties with arthritis. And because of it I feel like I'm not the skilled groomer anymore. I'm not the groomer the client expects me to be. It doesnt look great. It's just OK.
When that happens, and I'm not happy with the final result I just stick a bow on it (bow tie for the boys) and I remember a piece of advice that a teacher gave me years ago.
The parents will always love their pets. They may be picky, they may have things they dont like, but they'll always think their dog is the cutest and best dog. Just stick a bow on it and tell them the truth. If they dont like you don't worry, your next appointment is walking in the door.
Thank you to Irina "Pina" Pinkusevich for that little gold nugget. 😂😂