Groomers - again, sorry

AmyMay

AmyMay

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Whilst we have our own trimmers and scissors to trim Daisy ourselves, I find it impossible to do her face. So she goes regularly to a groomers.

But she gets so distressed when I take her, and it's getting worse. I don't know what to do. She'll happily allow me to trim her - but today was her worse ever visit, crying and whimpering.

The lady who trims her is lovely.

Help!!
 
Why do you have trouble with her face. Will she not let you or is it that you can't do a nice neat job.
If its the latter I wouldn't worry, practice makes perfect and her happiness is better than a pristine job.
If its the former, can you work on it little by little until she's happy with you doing it.
Maybe its the whole process of going to the groomers rather than the job itself and she would let you do it without the upset.
 
How regularly is she going to the groomer? I would usually put a Bichon on a 4-6 week schedule so there should be no need for you to trim her yourself between grooms. Also, Bichons are known for being a little dramatic and vocal! If she's really not happy going to the salon, you could try a mobile groomer like me. I groom inside the clients homes, which most dogs find stress free .
 
GeeGeeboy said:
How regularly is she going to the groomer? I would usually put a Bichon on a 4-6 week schedule so there should be no need for you to trim her yourself between grooms. Also, Bichons are known for being a little dramatic and vocal! If she's really not happy going to the salon, you could try a mobile groomer like me. I groom inside the clients homes, which most dogs find stress free .
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that's pretty much what I was going to say ...Bichons are clever little dogs and are known for being overly dramatic when it comes to getting their way.

I have found over the years that they have become more like this. And the ones that are BETTER at going to the groomer and accepting "this is what we do" are the ones that go frequently - ie 4-6 weeks. The ones that go sporadically tend to be the ones throwing tantrums.

But as said above as well, it's just practice so if you feel you're not getting the desired result with your own trimming, just keep at it.
 
She's going around 5 to 6 weeks at a time.

Ribbons, she wriggles like hell when I try and do her face.

Interesting though what yoy say about the amateur dramatics - although she genuinely seemed very upset.

Thanks all for your comments.
 
Again, nothing about grooming but if she isn't in pain or being hurt I would just let her throw a wobbly and soldier on - think of her like a 2 year old child, just testing the water.
 
I groom approx 8 dogs daily and I would say probably 30% of them throw wobblers with their owners on their way to my salon and on entering reception. Now a lot of this is due to how owners deal with it. If they fawn and fuss over the dog the dogs behaviour becomes more dramatic. I can guarantee that once dog is passed over to me and owner has gone they are totally calm and quiet and perfectly content to be suitably groomed. Obviously there are some exceptions with highly nervous types but if your groomer is managing the job and not reporting back any problems then I would suggest your wee Bichon is just playing the diva card. :)
 
Well, you're making me feel much better, thank you.

I do try not to fuss, I promise.

Might give a mobile groomers a go though. Tbh the groomer I've been using is very hit and miss, and my little dog looks like something out of Belson this morning.
 
My dog is overly dramatic at the groomers so I leave him and go shopping for a couple of hours. Its easier if I don't see the whimpering and apparently when he cant see me he calms down a lot, I trust the groomer 100% to do what needs to be done without causing him undue distress and if you have that trust with your groomer then it may be a better option for you
 
Ester I arrived to collect her before she was finished, and she wasn't too bad, I could hear some moaning, but nothing much.

Groomer says she's not too bad.
 
I believe the answer is in "little and often". My dogs are on the table every day,even as little as five to ten minutes for a quick brush,to two hours plus,for a longer groom.Yesterday, my boy had a full groom,apart from his feet shave and nail trim. I will do this today in a brief session and he's happy..He's a young dog and I quit whilst we are both ahead.
If the dog is only going on a table once a month it's going to be much more traumatic.
.
 
amymay said:
Ester I arrived to collect her before she was finished, and she wasn't too bad, I could hear some moaning, but nothing much.

Groomer says she's not too bad.
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Ah, as a groomer that would get my knickers in a bit of a bunch.

Dogs will ALWAYS know when you come to collect them - even if they can't see you - they KNoW!

I had a dog that I groomed for years - he could be sound asleep in the back of the shop, in the kennel. Owner pulls up out front - shop is busy with plenty of noise of dryers etc. But that dog knew every single time when she arrived. Call it doggy sixth sense if you like, but they KNOW. And a dog that knows mummy/daddy/nanny has arrived, all bets are off, good luck getting finished. Some dogs are okay, and I've invited owners to come in and sit and watch. But some dogs are not so easy this way.

If you feel you aren't getting on with the groomer, then switch. But I have personally found that the NUMBER ONE breed of dog that has a high rate of groomer changes is bichon. I'm not sure what to make of that, but more than any other breed, I find clients come to me having been "to several groomers and dissatisfied" and never surprised when they move on from me.

The bichons that I have groomed since tiny puppies and have done for years though, I love them to bits and they are perfect wee angels. The ones that hop from groomer to groomer are so much harder to get to settle. More so than any other breed.
 
Thanks PP. In my defence the groomer was running a little late in finishing Daisy - so I didn't intentionally turn up prior to her finishing. But it's interesting what you say about them 'knowing' so I'll take that on board.
 
amymay said:
Thanks PP. In my defence the groomer was running a little late in finishing Daisy - so I didn't intentionally turn up prior to her finishing. But it's interesting what you say about them 'knowing' so I'll take that on board.
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ah, well not your fault then :)

I just assume that all groomers are like me, and always done way before the dog is due to go away. But that's purely by design - I hate when someone arrives back and I'm not .....quite...finished arrrgh LOL
 
If she really doesnt like having her face done then its no wonder she is being a drama queen at the groomers, as I assume they make her have it done!
 
lexiedhb said:
If she really doesnt like having her face done then its no wonder she is being a drama queen at the groomers, as I assume they make her have it done!
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LOL, yes that's usually the case. Use mean ol groomers make them do the things that they don't have to do at home.
 
Amymay I don't know you so please don't take offense to what I'm about to say - I do mean this in the spirit of being helpful.

As I've said before, Bichons are very clever dogs. They are MASTERS at manipulation and emotional blackmail. I know that sounds completely far fetched, and I'm not a dog behaviourist but I've got a good 12 years of dog handling in my experience as a groomer. But here's how it goes (for the most part) - dog doesn't like being brushed for example. Owner attempts to brush. Dog wriggles and owner gives up. Dog is matted so groomer gives owner a row. Owner tries again, dog wriggles and owner perseveres til the dog shrieks because it's having a tantrum. Owner thinks they're hurting the dog. Owner gives up. LIghtbulb moment for dog who equates shrieking and wriggling with owner giving up. This escalates - then dog goes to groomer who turns a deaf ear and soldiers on - NOT HURTING the DOG but expecting it to behave they just carry on doing what they're paid to do - groom the dog. The dog realises that they've lost the battle but NOW they associate going to the groomer with losing a battle. And because Bichons are particularly good at working the charm, they then start doing oscar worthy performances at the door of the salon. The owner thinks the dog doesn't like a particular groomer - or - the groomer has done their best with a shrieking fighting banshee and it's not what the owner had in mind when they envisioned a fluffy trim. So they change groomers. Lather rinse repeat.
 
LOL, absolutely no offence taken. Have you met my Daisy then?? :D Yep, she's ruling the roost!

Thankfully, daily grooming's not a problem - and as for the rest, I'll just have to man up.

Off to a grooming course in Feb.
 
amymay said:
LOL, absolutely no offence taken. Have you met my Daisy then?? :D Yep, she's ruling the roost!

Thankfully, daily grooming's not a problem - and as for the rest, I'll just have to man up.

Off to a grooming course in Feb.
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Ahhh, well done! :)

Where are you going for your training?
 
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