Any dog groomers out there?

[karenbaco]

I have been bringing my 5 year old Shih Poo to the same groomer for his whole life. In the past year or so he has been pooping at his grooming. I chalked it up to nerves. Today when I went in for my appt I barely stepped foot in the door and she says to me "Did you walk him"? I say he went out to potty at home before I got here. She asks if he pooped, I say I don't know for sure. We have a fenced in yard so he goes out alone to potty so I cannot guarantee he did poop. So she says with an attitude "well then I will walk him out back". So I tell her I will walk him out there and see if he goes. I come back in and tell her he did not poop but I would be happy to reschedule if she wants me too. Then she tells me no it's just that last time he pooped after she bathed him and it's a pain to re bathe him etc. So I tell her he does it because he is nervous and she agrees and tells me he is not the only one who does. Then she says that she prefers I not feed him the day of his appt or even the night before too. At that point I was very upset. Does anyone who grooms tell their clients this? Or does your groomer tell you this too? Then I wonder if he poops because she mistreats him? Who knows........

 

[hsmamato2]

ack... I have a shi-poo also (at least I think thats what she is,pound puppy lol) and she is SO difficult with the potty training..... she's an adult,it's been years,and we still have poop issues with here....she gets a LOT of extra baths that said, I would chalk it up to nerves,and that's why(?) possible a small nick or slip of scissors at some point could cause it(?) ...even a accidental tugging of some matted fur.....
I groom my own dog,so it can happen.... my ds tried to groom her a few months back, he did NOT know how to do it properly,and the next time I got her on the table she was a nervous wreck....so maybe something happened? If you trust the groomer overall, I would refrain from feeding her that morning,and walk her personally before she goes in- make a morning appt- I can understand the groomer getting frustrated if it keeps happening....

 

[havaneselover]

Find a new groomer please! That's insane.

 

[karenbaco]

ack... I have a shi-poo also (at least I think thats what she is,pound puppy lol) and she is SO difficult with the potty training..... she's an adult,it's been years,and we still have poop issues with here....she gets a LOT of extra baths that said, I would chalk it up to nerves,and that's why(?) possible a small nick or slip of scissors at some point could cause it(?) ...even a accidental tugging of some matted fur.....
I groom my own dog,so it can happen.... my ds tried to groom her a few months back, he did NOT know how to do it properly,and the next time I got her on the table she was a nervous wreck....so maybe something happened? If you trust the groomer overall, I would refrain from feeding her that morning,and walk her personally before she goes in- make a morning appt- I can understand the groomer getting frustrated if it keeps happening....

He usually poops as soon as I get in the door. I will still be standing there talking while she is holding him and poops will fall on the floor. He is shaking the whole time she is holding him. I have often wondered if she was hurting him or was he just fearful of the whole grooming process (noise from the clippers, dryer, etc). I do remember one time he had a little scab on him. I always thought that if she did hurt him at any time he would show signs of aggression to her or even show signs at home after I picked him up like hiding in corner or behind my legs. He did that last time he had blood drawn, as soon as we got home he hid in the corner for the rest of the day. I think in the end she did me a huge favor because I cannot go back there after she treated me that way. She spoke to me like a child and was so annoyed. I was very taken aback by her behavior because he hasn't been there since October and I have always been good to her. I give her clothes for her kids all the time and even gave her kids a bicycle my kids outgrew.

 

[hsmamato2]

well, there are plenty of great groomers out there.... her loss!

 

[yoopermom]

Whether or not you should change groomers is up to you, but for the dog's sake you could start getting him used to the sounds/smells/sensations of the groomer's at home. Handle his feet and toes while you watch tv at night, run different combs/brushes gently through his hair, run your own blow dryer in the same room, then closer as he he will tolerate it, handle his ears/teeth, etc. If it all becomes a part of his daily life, the trip to any groomer will be much less traumatic.

Dogs also feed off our emotions, so try to stay calm when you take him, don't "baby talk" or feed into his anxieties, etc.

Do you have a pet groomer in your area who works out of a portable unit that comes to your home/driveway? That might be easier on the dog, as well.

Terri

 

[karenbaco]

Whether or not you should change groomers is up to you, but for the dog's sake you could start getting him used to the sounds/smells/sensations of the groomer's at home. Handle his feet and toes while you watch tv at night, run different combs/brushes gently through his hair, run your own blow dryer in the same room, then closer as he he will tolerate it, handle his ears/teeth, etc. If it all becomes a part of his daily life, the trip to any groomer will be much less traumatic.

Dogs also feed off our emotions, so try to stay calm when you take him, don't "baby talk" or feed into his anxieties, etc.

Do you have a pet groomer in your area who works out of a portable unit that comes to your home/driveway? That might be easier on the dog, as well.

Terri

Hi thanks for your advice. I do all of those things, I also bathe him very frequently because he is small enough to stick into the sink. He loves his foot massages, gets very excited to be brushed and combed, if he sees me pull the brush out he comes running and will even hold his head up so I can brush his neck..lol I do blow dry him but stay away from his head. We constantly rub his ears which he loves too. I like the idea of a portable groomer I think I will look into it.

 

[LJSquishy]

Look into a mobile groomer or find a groomer that will groom your dog from start to finish as soon as you bring him in rather than within a 3-4hr window where they put them in crates. He sounds like he has massive anxiety and it may or may not be the groomer's fault. You really should make sure he poops after eating breakfast but beyond that you can't really force it. If he poops when he sees you come back, it's probably nervousness mixed with excitement of seeing you. I understand why the groomer is frustrated... It's gross, and she's right, she doesn't have the time to bathe him multiple times. She should also try to figure out why he's so nervous. I think a mobile groomer would be much more comfortable for your dog...he'll be groomed start to finish in about an hour, and there won't be other dogs there barking and making him uncomfortable. Make sure you let the new groomer know ahead of time what his issues have been so they can allow a little extra time to work with him and make him more relaxed.

 

[karenbaco]

Look into a mobile groomer or find a groomer that will groom your dog from start to finish as soon as you bring him in rather than within a 3-4hr window where they put them in crates. He sounds like he has massive anxiety and it may or may not be the groomer's fault. You really should make sure he poops after eating breakfast but beyond that you can't really force it. If he poops when he sees you come back, it's probably nervousness mixed with excitement of seeing you. I understand why the groomer is frustrated... It's gross, and she's right, she doesn't have the time to bathe him multiple times. She should also try to figure out why he's so nervous. I think a mobile groomer would be much more comfortable for your dog...he'll be groomed start to finish in about an hour, and there won't be other dogs there barking and making him uncomfortable. Make sure you let the new groomer know ahead of time what his issues have been so they can allow a little extra time to work with him and make him more relaxed.

He did not ever poop when I came back he would only do it when I got there and I guess once during the grooming. Even if he had just pooped before we got there, there was still residual poop he was letting out.

 

[LoriKutchey]

There are plenty of dog grooming places out there. If my dog was that nervous with her groomer I would definitely find a new one!

 

[Sagginit]

I had a weird super anxious dog and she was always fine at the groomers. I do remember though that she had an odd habit of pooping in the car the way there. She loved being in the car and would get so excited she would squeal and pant uncontrollably. Our cat was another story. She didn't like strangers and as she got older she got more fed up. She started biting and drew blood. We were told after that they wouldn't do it anymore so we went back to combing her at home vs having her shaved every few weeks, even in the summer. I know it feels very rude and your pets are often like your children, but the woman has a point, she is not being paid to clean the dog twice and if she is on a schedule with other dogs, it can delay their grooming. With our cat we had been going there for years but for some reason as she got older she didn't want to tolerate the grooming anymore and turned on them all lol.

I would try another groomer and see what happens. If the dog is fine there then maybe it was the groomer. If not then it might be the dog. Also I dog sat Chihuahuas and had a Maltese. For some reason all of those small dogs would poop in the house no matter how much I took them out.

 

[LJSquishy]

He did not ever poop when I came back he would only do it when I got there and I guess once during the grooming. Even if he had just pooped before we got there, there was still residual poop he was letting out.

I'm sorry, I misread your post thinking he pooped while your groomer was holding him when you arrived to pick him up. He is a very anxious dog, whether it be due to the way the groomer interacts with him or the environment he's in...first try a different groomer, and if he still suffers from anxiety, you'll want to talk to your vet about anxiety medication for days he needs to be groomed.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

It sounds as if he enjoys being brushed, bathed, etc. I would certainly consider that the groomer is making your dog anxious. If she can treat you & speak to you the way she did...how is she treating your dog?

 

[dclpluto]

You gave her kids clothes and a bicycle and she acts like that. No reason for her to act that way if you haven't gave her anything. I will take my business to someone who appreciates it.

 

[karenbaco]

It sounds as if he enjoys being brushed, bathed, etc. I would certainly consider that the groomer is making your dog anxious. If she can treat you & speak to you the way she did...how is she treating your dog?

Exactly what I was thinking! I am going elsewhere.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm sorry, I misread your post thinking he pooped while your groomer was holding him when you arrived to pick him up. He is a very anxious dog, whether it be due to the way the groomer interacts with him or the environment he's in...first try a different groomer, and if he still suffers from anxiety, you'll want to talk to your vet about anxiety medication for days he needs to be groomed.

She did say he poops when the groomer is holding him, at drop off.

 

[Judique]

I have a dog that is difficult to deal with when it comes to taking him out of his home environment.

He's a Yorkie. In order to get him to his vet visits we have to give him a pill an hour before leaving the house. Otherwise we would not be able to get him in the car. I don't even consider a groomer anymore.

We have his grooming done at the vet now because it was just too much to take him to a groomer.

I am in the room when he is at the vet and he is not being mistreated nor has he been mistreated. He's just extremely anxious.

To put it lightly, we have no problem getting a stool sample!

 

[karenbaco]

My dog LOVES going in the car, as a matter of fact he gives me the sad puppy eyes if I don't take him with me. I really wonder if he is nervous because she hurt him. I'm not even saying she did it maliciously but maybe like a previous poster said he got knicked with the clippers. The past few times he has been groomed her husband has been doing it and not sure I fully trust him. I think it's best for my dog we go elsewhere. Lucky for me I was able to get into the groomer who was the original owner of her business. She ended up opening a shop in her home instead. I tried getting an appt with her when I first got him years ago but she wasn't taking on new clients. I am happy to report she has availability now. I know he will get the same hair cut because she trained my groomer. So happy! I will be anxious to see if he poops but have to wait until his next grooming in April.

 

[luvdisney00]

I also have a shih-poo and we had a similar experience. When she was little (she's 2 now) we took her for her 1st couple of grooms to a place and they called us twice to say that she pooped and had to be re-bathed. First of all my dog has allergies and is on a very high quality grain free diet so not to share TMI but her poop is very formed and never gets on her fur, so I knew if that happened she was in a cage with the poop which she had told me she would not do. Second when I did pick her up she was very "shakey" and nervous. I found another groomer who my dog runs to when we walk in the door. She wags her tail and kisses her as soon as we see her and they call me as soon as she is done and they keep her in an open pen until I get there. We have had no problems since. I tip the groomer well since it gives me great peace of mind to have someone I can trust with my fur baby. And I agree that these dogs are hard to potty train. Poodles are very smart and shihzu's are very stubborn so it's an interesting combination. My advise to OP is to find another groomer ASAP.

 

[karenbaco]

I had no problems house breaking my Shih-poo. He has NEVER gone to the bathroom in my house. I guess I am the lucky one He turns 5 today