Consistency is Key!

What a week I have had! My mind has been racing with ways to share this week with you, and this is the one that stuck out the most to me.

What is the benefit of having a consistent dog groomer?

For you as the owner of your beautiful spaniel, the benefit is that your stylist knows what you like, has a set routine with you, you know what you are getting and you have built a good relationship with them.

But for your old spaniel, the benefits are HUGE! They know the sights, sounds and smells of that space; they have spent years getting used to it and feeling comfortable and safe there. So when one of those senses starts to dwindle, they become a bit forgetful, or standing on the table for 2 hours starts to hurt a little more than it used to, they still feel safe and comfortable.

I have had new dogs in this week, building positive relationships and learning to trust me with their hair cut. I have had anxious, returning customers who already trust me, and we made massive progress with their tolerance of the things that scare them this week.

There have been young dogs getting used to the styling process and learning to tolerate grooming better and still having fun and lots of love.

I have had dogs that I didn't know, but have been recommended by their physiotherapist, so I already have an understanding of how their body might react to being manipulated. So I have been able to reassure them and their owners that they will be in as little pain as possible as well as starting to build that trusting relationship.

I have had my own dog who needs to trust me with the scary things because he is missing a leg, and I need to change the way I groom him, but it feels unnatural to him. He didn't enjoy things like his nails being trimmed before the amputation; he hates it now, but it is more important than ever. Reassuring him that he was safe, it wasn't going to hurt, and we were going to take our time is not something that comes in the first session.

But now to the heart-breaking portion of the week.

I had my oldest dog in to see me for his second visit with me. He is unaware of where he is or who I am. I have had many discussions with his owner, and I do everything I can to put her and him at ease. She is happy with me as his groomer and understands that I book him out for longer than he needs, so that I can be sure to make it as stress-free as I possibly can. But the reality is that he doesn't know who I am, all the smells around him are strange and new, he cannot see more than scary shadows and cannot hear a thing. So my reassurances are not as effective as any of us would like. But we are still working together to reassure him as much as possible and keep the process as stress-free as possible.

But finally, I got a message from one of my first-ever clients over the weekend. She wanted me to come and see her dog. She was in the soul-destroying position of needing to decide if her dog's quality of life was currently good enough. I got to do what so many groomers don't get a chance to do. I got to see her, knowing it would be the last time, but she was still happy to see me. I could reassure her owner that, as difficult as it was, she was making the right choice for her. I could Boop that nose one last time. Her owner was grateful and thankful that I went to see them.

So, a consistent groomer is essential for your dog's well-being. You may want to chop and change depending on price or availability at short notice. I completely understand that from your point of view. But your dog will have a more positive experience if they know their groomer well. They may not love the process; they may lash out and snap or spin to stop us. But when your groomer sees them randomly in The Range from afar, and they watch as your dog picks up their scent and tries to sniff them out, with a happy tail and a wiggly butt as your groomer calls their name. You will all be thankful that you chose to stay consistent.

Or maybe that is just my original anxious dog and me.