Did I get your attention with that title? It kind of sounds like a Dr. Seuss book or something.
Mr. Fusspot is a Pomeranian that came in for a groom the other day. Who names their dog that?? How did he get his name? Was he a fussy puppy? He was perfectly quiet in our kennel areas, not much of a "fusspot" at all. Anyway, his name made us laugh and reminded us of another crazy-named dog.
The Big Mamoo was an Old English Sheepdog that we groomed many years ago. Yep, they called her "THE Big Mamoo". Nothing for short...that was what they called her. She was pretty big...but what the hell is a Mamoo? My Co-worker J was grooming Mamoo (we shortened her name..it was just easier) one day, and they requested a call when she was done. J got on the phone, and the conversation went something like this:
Client: Hello? Note: The voice on the other line sounded elderly, which sometimes makes you speak just a bit louder than you normally would.
J: Hi, this is J and The Big Mamoo is ready to go home.
Client: WHAT?
J: THE BIG MAMOO IS READY TO GO HOME NOW!
Client: WHO????
J: THE BIG MAMOO!!
Client: WHO IS THIS???
J: Uh...Is this the Olson home??
Client: NO!
J: OH, sorry to have bothered you.
Whoopsie. She dialed the wrong number. We laughed until we cried that day, and still do when we think about it. What must they have thought on the other end of the line?!?!? We could only wonder what if Mr. Fusspot's owner left a number where she could be reached, and we called to let the wrong people know he was ready to be picked up! I'm sure they would hang up on us, at least I would if someone told me I needed to pick up Mr. Fusspot.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Why do I do it?!?!
Long time, no blog post. I know. My modem decided to kick the bucket, and until I find the time to contact the company during their business hours (they are so darn picky about that), and get them to send me a new one, I'm forced to use my phone's mobile hotspot option, which is slower than molasses when uploading photos. What's a blog post without photos? Really..not as fun. I've even got a new mohawk photo to show off. Stay tuned for that.
Check out this handsome guy. Beautiful right? This is his BEFORE photo. I'm sad to say, you won't be impressed with his AFTER. At this time of year I shave alot of dogs, we've covered that. Today, I'm going to speak to why I (and other groomers) am forced to shave beautiful Golden Retrievers such as this one. When I was in grooming school, we were taught to groom dogs as close to their breed standard as possible. Shaving a double coated breed was considered sacrilege. I was as horrified as you are that someone would clip off such a lovely speciman's coat.
I got a job working in the northwoods, where lakes are everywhere and hunting breeds such as this are very popular. These breeds obviously were bred to be water dogs, and up here, they certainly have that as an option. The problem is that these dogs will stay in the water morning til night, if allowed, and believe me they are allowed. They never dry off all summer. Many of them are house pets too. There is a bit of a problem when the dripping wet dog comes in for the night. They stay so wet all the time (especially the thick coated ones) that sometimes they actually mildew! The stench is horrific. Most groomers around here know exactly what "stinky Golden Retriever" smells like. I know, you are wondering, why can't the owners keep them out of the water? Good question. If I lived on a lake, you can bet my dogs would only jump in if invited. But, that's me. This is just one of the many reasons I shave Goldens. Short-haired dogs dry fast. You are probably still asking questions..like: "why don't they just dry the dog off? " Have you been reading my blog??? My clientele is not going to do that.
Another great reason is directly related to the swimming issue. Many times these dogs, kept wet for weeks on end, sometimes end up with hot spots, Now, while any breed can get a hot spot, Goldens seem to attract them. The thick coat plastered down by lakewater, can set off scratching and digging which leads to a painful hotspot, and a large vet bill for these guys. We shave them to help avoid this.
There is a reason that I don't agree with. My clients use it alot. The reason they give is "he sheds too much." Really? You didn't think your dog would shed? Plus, it's still going to shed..just shorter hair. But, apparently that is easier for them to take, and many times, this is the reason for the shave-down. I try to talk them out of it. I don't enjoy doing it, especially for a less-than-intelligent reason such as this. But, in the end, it's their dog, and if I don't do it, someone else will.
One of the things they told us in grooming school was that if you shave a double coated breed, the coat will grow back in thicker than ever. This is somewhat true. It usually takes 5-6 years of clipping before it really starts happening, but it does happen to many dogs. The worst part, and we warn against this all the time, is the fact that eventually, the dog's coat becomes damaged. Especially elderly dogs have a problem with this, and sometimes the coat doesn't grow back at all, just peach fuzz left in it's place. Not attractive at all.
Some Goldens look just like Labradors when we shave them, especially the very light colored ones. When they are done with the haircut, they really don't look too bad. The worst are the dark red Goldens like our boy in the photo. These dogs have light undercoat, and there is no way to blend that pale color into the deep red of the head and legs. Here is what happens.
Very sad, I know. However, this dog will be happily swimming for the summer and he probably loves this haircut. So, next time you see a shaved down Golden, please try not to judge the groomer, we don't like to do it, but sometimes we just have to.
I got a job working in the northwoods, where lakes are everywhere and hunting breeds such as this are very popular. These breeds obviously were bred to be water dogs, and up here, they certainly have that as an option. The problem is that these dogs will stay in the water morning til night, if allowed, and believe me they are allowed. They never dry off all summer. Many of them are house pets too. There is a bit of a problem when the dripping wet dog comes in for the night. They stay so wet all the time (especially the thick coated ones) that sometimes they actually mildew! The stench is horrific. Most groomers around here know exactly what "stinky Golden Retriever" smells like. I know, you are wondering, why can't the owners keep them out of the water? Good question. If I lived on a lake, you can bet my dogs would only jump in if invited. But, that's me. This is just one of the many reasons I shave Goldens. Short-haired dogs dry fast. You are probably still asking questions..like: "why don't they just dry the dog off? " Have you been reading my blog??? My clientele is not going to do that.
Another great reason is directly related to the swimming issue. Many times these dogs, kept wet for weeks on end, sometimes end up with hot spots, Now, while any breed can get a hot spot, Goldens seem to attract them. The thick coat plastered down by lakewater, can set off scratching and digging which leads to a painful hotspot, and a large vet bill for these guys. We shave them to help avoid this.
There is a reason that I don't agree with. My clients use it alot. The reason they give is "he sheds too much." Really? You didn't think your dog would shed? Plus, it's still going to shed..just shorter hair. But, apparently that is easier for them to take, and many times, this is the reason for the shave-down. I try to talk them out of it. I don't enjoy doing it, especially for a less-than-intelligent reason such as this. But, in the end, it's their dog, and if I don't do it, someone else will.
One of the things they told us in grooming school was that if you shave a double coated breed, the coat will grow back in thicker than ever. This is somewhat true. It usually takes 5-6 years of clipping before it really starts happening, but it does happen to many dogs. The worst part, and we warn against this all the time, is the fact that eventually, the dog's coat becomes damaged. Especially elderly dogs have a problem with this, and sometimes the coat doesn't grow back at all, just peach fuzz left in it's place. Not attractive at all.
Some Goldens look just like Labradors when we shave them, especially the very light colored ones. When they are done with the haircut, they really don't look too bad. The worst are the dark red Goldens like our boy in the photo. These dogs have light undercoat, and there is no way to blend that pale color into the deep red of the head and legs. Here is what happens.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
My Favorite Things
Just so you've been warned, I want to go on record that this post will be NOTHING like Oprah's favorite things. No one will get any free or cool stuff, by reading this post. Sorry. I hope you still want to read my blog.
I have a few tools that I just can't live without. I'm sure every groomer has them. Today, I was reminded of something that I would be in BIG trouble without.
As you can see this little darling isn't too upset. It really is a life-saver. Plus it has the added benefit of making anyone laugh that walks by the grooming room door. * *Warning, this muzzle isn't completely fool-proof. The dogs really bent on biting learn they can push their nose right up against the muzzle and pinch through the holes. Still, it's much better than anything else we have for these guys.
I have a few tools that I just can't live without. I'm sure every groomer has them. Today, I was reminded of something that I would be in BIG trouble without.
She looks pretty innocent doesn't she?
WRONG. This little girlie won't let anyone near her feet or nails. Notice her pushed in nose. Brachiocephalic breeds (and cats, of any breed) give groomers a special challenge. It's very hard to muzzle these guys. They just don't have a nose to attach the muzzle to. Here's how I take care of that.
Yes, she has a box on her head.
It's a homemade muzzle. We call it the "smooshy face muzzle". I purchased the first one I owned, at grooming school. Some genius former student got the idea for them, and made them to sell. She really should've patented them and gotten rich. As far as I know, she never did. It's made from the plastic mesh stuff you get in craft stores. Then it's sewn together, and it has a collar crocheted to it, which gathers to tighten around the dogs neck, so they can't get it off. This one is a replicated one..my original disappeared (can you say PANIC?) and luckily a talented co-worker made this one for me. Thanks K! The dogs don't mind it much, of course dogs that bite are bothered by anything that gets in the way of them using their teeth, but it works really well. They can see through the mesh, and of course breath easily. Some dogs are actually calmed by it.
As you can see this little darling isn't too upset. It really is a life-saver. Plus it has the added benefit of making anyone laugh that walks by the grooming room door. * *Warning, this muzzle isn't completely fool-proof. The dogs really bent on biting learn they can push their nose right up against the muzzle and pinch through the holes. Still, it's much better than anything else we have for these guys.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Sorry, that's not really a service we provide.
We had a client come in with her two small dogs. Both were badly in need of a haircut. Little did we know, the owners had other things in mind.
After discussing the particulars on the groomings, she then told us that the female was in heat. Ok, I will admit, that isn't my favorite time of the year to groom a dog, but I was grateful she was letting me know. Many times it's a surprise, to me as well as the clueless owners.
Now the request. The other dog was of course an intact male. Could we please leave them together as much as possible? "We think she is ready to breed". Wow. I'm not sure my poker face quite worked that day. Seriously? Far be it for me to rain on this parade, but come on people!
No puppies were conceived that day. Well, maybe later they were, but not on my watch.. I kept the happy couple separated until it was time for them to go home.
After discussing the particulars on the groomings, she then told us that the female was in heat. Ok, I will admit, that isn't my favorite time of the year to groom a dog, but I was grateful she was letting me know. Many times it's a surprise, to me as well as the clueless owners.
Now the request. The other dog was of course an intact male. Could we please leave them together as much as possible? "We think she is ready to breed". Wow. I'm not sure my poker face quite worked that day. Seriously? Far be it for me to rain on this parade, but come on people!
No puppies were conceived that day. Well, maybe later they were, but not on my watch.. I kept the happy couple separated until it was time for them to go home.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Natural Disaster
Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But anything that stops me from doing my job...could potentially be disastrous. Well... OK, you've got me there. I don't actually think a person forced to wait a bit longer than expected for their dog to be groomed, or even having to send a dog home without a haircut (or half a haircut) means the end of the world as we know it. However, some clients would act as though it was.
Things just happen sometimes. The most obvious problem is electricity. Sometimes, the city lets us know a few days ahead, and even a timeframe as to when they will be shutting our electric down for a while. That is much more convenient than the severe storms that give no warning. We get a sinking feeling when suddenly the clipper in our hand goes silent, and the only tool we can use is a brush and a scissors. Of course, this sometimes isn't a big help, as good lighting is somewhat vital to how the groom turns out. The electricity can be out for 10 minutes or 3 hours. I've got no control over it, but a pet owner won't be happy if her dog isn't ready to pick up at our pre-arranged time.
One of the more interesting and scary reasons for a break in electrical service was a wildfire in the forested area across the road. The fire, which was easily viewed from the grooming room window, was fast moving. We watched as it climbed up a powerline pole, which of course caused us to lose power. Luckily the Fire Department had it under control fairly quickly, and we didn't have to evacuate. It took the electric company a bit longer to return power. So long in fact I did end up having to send my final groom of the day home unfinished. Thankfully, that owner was very understanding, and came back the next day for the finish.
One morning I had given two baths, when I realized, we were out of hot water. Interestingly enough, dogs don't like cold showers any more than we do, also, cold water just doesn't get things clean. I waited for the repairman to arrive, and sadly, the water heater needed replacing. Of course, the gigantic super industrial hot water heater was not in stock anywhere in town. They informed us that the soonest they could get one to us was the next day. So, I had to call all my grooming clients for the day and give them a choice: cold bath or reschedule. Most of them chose to have their dogs tough it out. It was fine, and they all lived, but those were some of the quickest baths I've ever given. BRRRR.
Today, something new and interesting happened. By interesting, I mean disgusting and really annoying, in case you were wondering. I was bathing the 7th of my 11 dogs for the day, things were going smoothly. As I was waiting for the suds to go down the drain so I could start rinsing, I looked down and saw water coming up the floor drain. Not good. The maintenance man (who saves our bacon daily around that place) was trying to fix it, assuming there was a buildup of hair, and who knows what in there. I walked back to the grooming room and saw this:
More nasty water coming up the drain in my grooming room floor. Yuck. It was then found in nearly every room in the building that had a floor drain. This photo shows the dam I built with a towel to slow the flood. Roto-rooter was called. The 4 remaining pets would just have to wait for baths.
I continued grooming dogs, but soon I had to add to my dam:
As you can see, it wasn't exactly working. As an added bonus, there was a very unpleasant odor accompanying the mess. Luckily, Mr. Roto-Rooter knows his stuff, and it was fixed sooner than I dared hope. Thank goodness, in this case more for the few pregnant individuals working in the building who had been told not to use the bathrooms. Not good. All in all, disaster averted and no clients were the wiser. Hopefully by the time I get to work tomorrow the Eau De Sewer will have dissipated, and my happy working environment will be completely back to normal!
Things just happen sometimes. The most obvious problem is electricity. Sometimes, the city lets us know a few days ahead, and even a timeframe as to when they will be shutting our electric down for a while. That is much more convenient than the severe storms that give no warning. We get a sinking feeling when suddenly the clipper in our hand goes silent, and the only tool we can use is a brush and a scissors. Of course, this sometimes isn't a big help, as good lighting is somewhat vital to how the groom turns out. The electricity can be out for 10 minutes or 3 hours. I've got no control over it, but a pet owner won't be happy if her dog isn't ready to pick up at our pre-arranged time.
One of the more interesting and scary reasons for a break in electrical service was a wildfire in the forested area across the road. The fire, which was easily viewed from the grooming room window, was fast moving. We watched as it climbed up a powerline pole, which of course caused us to lose power. Luckily the Fire Department had it under control fairly quickly, and we didn't have to evacuate. It took the electric company a bit longer to return power. So long in fact I did end up having to send my final groom of the day home unfinished. Thankfully, that owner was very understanding, and came back the next day for the finish.
One morning I had given two baths, when I realized, we were out of hot water. Interestingly enough, dogs don't like cold showers any more than we do, also, cold water just doesn't get things clean. I waited for the repairman to arrive, and sadly, the water heater needed replacing. Of course, the gigantic super industrial hot water heater was not in stock anywhere in town. They informed us that the soonest they could get one to us was the next day. So, I had to call all my grooming clients for the day and give them a choice: cold bath or reschedule. Most of them chose to have their dogs tough it out. It was fine, and they all lived, but those were some of the quickest baths I've ever given. BRRRR.
Today, something new and interesting happened. By interesting, I mean disgusting and really annoying, in case you were wondering. I was bathing the 7th of my 11 dogs for the day, things were going smoothly. As I was waiting for the suds to go down the drain so I could start rinsing, I looked down and saw water coming up the floor drain. Not good. The maintenance man (who saves our bacon daily around that place) was trying to fix it, assuming there was a buildup of hair, and who knows what in there. I walked back to the grooming room and saw this:
I continued grooming dogs, but soon I had to add to my dam:
Friday, April 22, 2011
The most popular question.
When people find out I groom dogs, there is one question that nearly all people ask. "Have you ever been bitten?"
My answer (thankfully) is no. Not really. Sure, I've had the odd puppy puncture wound, those sharp little teeth manage to get me sometimes. Once, I was bitten by an Old English Sheepdog, but I wasn't actually the groomer on that one. I was helping her lift the dog, and he wasn't impressed. It was just one puncture wound. That was probably 17 years ago. I carry a very faint scar from that one, but I didn't even go to the Dr. so I really don't count it.
I normally can tell which dogs mean business and will actually bite, and which dogs are just bluffing. I guess I just have a sort of "sixth sense" about dogs. I'm so glad I don't see dead people instead. This sense of mine really comes in handy..that sense is just creepy. I also have a wicked fast reaction time. :) I can get my hand out of the way of teeth amazingly well.
I still remember having a friend visit with me while I was grooming. I was chatting away, and she said "that dog is going to bite you!!" I just said, "no, he won't" and kept on with my job. Yes, he was lunging at me, but I knew just how far he would go. I know..crazy, right? (well, my friend thought I was) I start "reading" a dog the minute I meet it the 1st time. The ones that give me problems, usually are already showing signs at that time. Some, thankfully, lose the bravado the minute their owners leave. It's a protection thing. I have quite a few dogs I can absolutely not touch if the owner is nearby. I hand them a leash to put on their dog, and carefully take it from them. As soon as they are on the table, they are my best friend.
Of course I have plenty of dogs that would actually bite me. Most of them are bad for certain parts of the groom. 90% can't handle having their nails trimmed or their feet clipped. Here is my plea: Train your puppies to let you touch their feet!!!!!!!!!!! The last 10% are bad for many different parts of the groom and some are bad for the whole thing.
One of the reasons I don't get bit, is that I have multiple sizes and shapes of muzzles, and I'm not afraid to use them. I work with the dogs to try and train them to be better about grooming, and many times I succeed. However, the bottom line is that I will not allow a dog to bite me. I need my hands. The muzzle stays in place, only as long as it needs to, as soon as we are through the part they disapprove of, it's off.
My co-worker J, once got very badly injured by a dog. It was a new client (actually my client that day). The owners were also new to the dog, they had just inherited it. Immediately the Lhasa made it clear he wasn't too fond of me, and I couldn't even get near enough to pick him up. I enlisted J's help in muzzling the dog so I could get it on the table. As she was sliding the muzzle over his nose he turned and bit her. She headed to the emergency room, where she ended up having surgery to remove a bone fragment in her hand. She still has numbness in one of her fingers from nerve damage. I felt horrible, it wasn't even her grooming dog. The dog was sent home, and I did eventually groom it, but only under sedation for the rest of his life. This was in the summer...peak season for us. She was out for 6 weeks. It was awful. That day, we decided that we would never risk injury to groom a dog again. It just wasn't worth it.
Dogs are aggressive for different reasons. Some are cage shy, meaning they are fine everywhere else, but they feel trapped in an enclosed area and won't allow someone to reach in to get them out. Some can't handle eye contact..of any kind. One Cocker in particular, I would put my hand over his eyes when I was clipping around his head. He was OK, if I did that. I oblige these dogs. You can't bully some aggressive dogs, they will only get worse. With some dogs, less is more, some just can't handle restraint.I do what I have to do to get along with them. I can't change them all, when I'm only seeing them 4 hours at a time. Most dogs warn with body language when they are at their limit. Some growl, of course, or show their teeth. The scariest ones of all give you no warning. One very large dog suddenly decided he had had enough, lunged at me (his teeth were level with my head), and I had to walk sideways with my back against the wall to get away from him. Thinking about it still makes me sweat. Luckily that kind of thing doesn't happen very often.
I do my best to train difficult dogs. It's a great feeling when a dog that had a past history of biting, is now perfect for his haircut. I can't say enough how important it is to get puppies in early to see a groomer. It make a huge difference. When people ask me when should their puppy get it's first haircut, my answer is usually "yesterday". Most of the difficult dogs I groom missed out on the early training that is so important. And....if you have a pup that will eventually need a haircut, and you would like to trim it yourself. PLEASE consider allowing a groomer to do the 1st few haircuts. We know how to train these dogs for grooming. When they are trained, you can try your hand at it. (I'm really OK with that)
My answer (thankfully) is no. Not really. Sure, I've had the odd puppy puncture wound, those sharp little teeth manage to get me sometimes. Once, I was bitten by an Old English Sheepdog, but I wasn't actually the groomer on that one. I was helping her lift the dog, and he wasn't impressed. It was just one puncture wound. That was probably 17 years ago. I carry a very faint scar from that one, but I didn't even go to the Dr. so I really don't count it.
I normally can tell which dogs mean business and will actually bite, and which dogs are just bluffing. I guess I just have a sort of "sixth sense" about dogs. I'm so glad I don't see dead people instead. This sense of mine really comes in handy..that sense is just creepy. I also have a wicked fast reaction time. :) I can get my hand out of the way of teeth amazingly well.
I still remember having a friend visit with me while I was grooming. I was chatting away, and she said "that dog is going to bite you!!" I just said, "no, he won't" and kept on with my job. Yes, he was lunging at me, but I knew just how far he would go. I know..crazy, right? (well, my friend thought I was) I start "reading" a dog the minute I meet it the 1st time. The ones that give me problems, usually are already showing signs at that time. Some, thankfully, lose the bravado the minute their owners leave. It's a protection thing. I have quite a few dogs I can absolutely not touch if the owner is nearby. I hand them a leash to put on their dog, and carefully take it from them. As soon as they are on the table, they are my best friend.
Of course I have plenty of dogs that would actually bite me. Most of them are bad for certain parts of the groom. 90% can't handle having their nails trimmed or their feet clipped. Here is my plea: Train your puppies to let you touch their feet!!!!!!!!!!! The last 10% are bad for many different parts of the groom and some are bad for the whole thing.
One of the reasons I don't get bit, is that I have multiple sizes and shapes of muzzles, and I'm not afraid to use them. I work with the dogs to try and train them to be better about grooming, and many times I succeed. However, the bottom line is that I will not allow a dog to bite me. I need my hands. The muzzle stays in place, only as long as it needs to, as soon as we are through the part they disapprove of, it's off.
My co-worker J, once got very badly injured by a dog. It was a new client (actually my client that day). The owners were also new to the dog, they had just inherited it. Immediately the Lhasa made it clear he wasn't too fond of me, and I couldn't even get near enough to pick him up. I enlisted J's help in muzzling the dog so I could get it on the table. As she was sliding the muzzle over his nose he turned and bit her. She headed to the emergency room, where she ended up having surgery to remove a bone fragment in her hand. She still has numbness in one of her fingers from nerve damage. I felt horrible, it wasn't even her grooming dog. The dog was sent home, and I did eventually groom it, but only under sedation for the rest of his life. This was in the summer...peak season for us. She was out for 6 weeks. It was awful. That day, we decided that we would never risk injury to groom a dog again. It just wasn't worth it.
Dogs are aggressive for different reasons. Some are cage shy, meaning they are fine everywhere else, but they feel trapped in an enclosed area and won't allow someone to reach in to get them out. Some can't handle eye contact..of any kind. One Cocker in particular, I would put my hand over his eyes when I was clipping around his head. He was OK, if I did that. I oblige these dogs. You can't bully some aggressive dogs, they will only get worse. With some dogs, less is more, some just can't handle restraint.I do what I have to do to get along with them. I can't change them all, when I'm only seeing them 4 hours at a time. Most dogs warn with body language when they are at their limit. Some growl, of course, or show their teeth. The scariest ones of all give you no warning. One very large dog suddenly decided he had had enough, lunged at me (his teeth were level with my head), and I had to walk sideways with my back against the wall to get away from him. Thinking about it still makes me sweat. Luckily that kind of thing doesn't happen very often.
I do my best to train difficult dogs. It's a great feeling when a dog that had a past history of biting, is now perfect for his haircut. I can't say enough how important it is to get puppies in early to see a groomer. It make a huge difference. When people ask me when should their puppy get it's first haircut, my answer is usually "yesterday". Most of the difficult dogs I groom missed out on the early training that is so important. And....if you have a pup that will eventually need a haircut, and you would like to trim it yourself. PLEASE consider allowing a groomer to do the 1st few haircuts. We know how to train these dogs for grooming. When they are trained, you can try your hand at it. (I'm really OK with that)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Yes, I groom cats too!
Normally, I don't enjoy cat grooming. I'm a DOG trainer. Guess what? Cats don't really take to training. Or water, for that matter. Generally speaking, they'd like to have me leave them alone. I can reason with a dog most of the time, not so much with cats.
I am lucky enough to work in a Vet clinic. So, the fractious cats that no other groomer can safely do, come knocking on our door. We have a handy little thing called anesthesia. I actually groom these cats in the vet clinic area, with a Doctor and Veterinary Technician monitoring them for the whole groom.
I value my hands, they are pretty darn useful in my line of work. If a cat bites me, they might not work as well as they usually do. At the very least, a bite will send me to the doctor for the heavy duty antibiotics, which will definately put a wrench in my day. A cat bite can actually put you in the hospital with a really bad infection, if you don't take care of it. I'll take a dog bite any day. So...some cats must go to nighty night land for their grooms. For their own comfort, and my well-being. Now, of course, just like dogs, many cats are neglected. People expect their cats to take care of themselves. That does work most of the time. Sometimes cats just have too much coat to take care of themselves, like Persians or Himalayans. Other cats are actually too obese or elderly to care for their own coats.
Clipping off a very matted cat's coat is time-consuming, and dangerous. A cat's skin tears much easier than a dogs, so they need to hold very still for the process. Most cats didn't sign up for that. They tell me in no uncertain terms, with claws and teeth, that it's just not happening. I can respect that.
We do groom some cats that don't require sedation. Some, just need minor restraint, and others like the cutie in the picture, don't appear to mind at all.
"Help me!"
Ok, maybe she does mind..at least this part!
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