Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Exceptions

I know, I vent alot on this blog.  Most of the time it tends to be about my clients who don't take care of their dog's coats.  It's true, 98% of my clientele don't use a brush.  They don't pick one up, they don't know where they keep it, and if they do know where they keep it, it hasn't moved from that drawer for 3-5 years.  They want their dogs left long, and they want their dogs to look "the way they are supposed to".  I want that too...really!  But, if that is going to cause the dog pain, then I don't won't do it.

There are exceptions.  The owners who listen to me.  They buy the brush I suggest, then use it, and use it often, and correctly. Their dogs look exactly how they want them to, which makes us all happy.  Me, the dog, and the owner.  One of those exceptions came in today.  I adore this dog.


Isn't he the cutest?  I wish you could meet him, what a character.   Ok, he's not in full show Bichon coat, but he looks alot closer to it than any other Bichon I groom.  He is also the only one I groom that has champion parents, and he came to me fully trained to stand like a rock on the grooming table. He is such a handsome boy!

Now, the owner is a good brusher.   It's not easy keeping this thick curly coat up, especially in the dead of winter with deep snow everywhere you look.  She also brings him to me every 3 weeks.  A haircut this time, then in 3 weeks a brush and bath.  We tried going longer in between grooms, but she needed a bit of help from me to find and remove the tangles she was missing.  I'm fine with a few tangles. 

I so appreciate these clients.  Thank you for taking care of your dogs!  (If you are my client and are reading this, you all know who you are!)

2 comments:

  1. He is so cute! What a sweet little guy!
    I think you should do a post about the pressure from other people to keep a dog in full show coat. Before I had Tibby's hair cut short other TT owners kept telling me "Don't ever let the groomer shave Tibby! Never, ever cut her hair short!"
    After I had her hair cut people left me lots of comments about how I should do a better job of brushing her - Ok, but I would rather play and train with her - so I had her hair cut. The best of both worlds in my opinion. Especially since she spilled a can of paint on herself last week. Imagine cleaning that out of long hair!!! She's always climbing on things and getting into mischief. That's why I LOVE her!
    BUT it doesn't stop! Today someone left this message on my Facebook page: "Oh dear! Oh dear! Why is Tibby shaved?!?!? SO SHORT?!?!?!?"

    Sorry for the super long comment :)

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  2. Good for you, Catalina, for making an intelligent decision about your dog's coat. She is not her hair. I'm guessing she loves her new haircut. You can love a breed and not have to have it look like a "show dog". Poodle owners do it all the time! The personality of the breed is the same, whatever the hairstyle. Thanks for the comment, and I will certainly come up with a post about smart people like you!

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