IPDGA
  • About
    • Spirit of Mary Toland
    • FAQ's
  • Public Information
    • Shop
  • Groomers
  • Events
  • Members Hub
    • Join IPDGA
    • E-Blog & News - Members
    • Using the Members Hub area
    • Renew / adjust membership
    • Member manage profile login
    • Members Facebook Group
    • Christies Direct Discount Code
    • PetLinx Software Package
    • Download IPDGA logo's
    • Sign Out Page
  • Gallery
    • 2002 Championship Weekend
    • 2003 Championship Weekend
    • 2004 Championship Weekend >
      • 2004 Saturdays Events
      • 2004 Sundays Events
    • 2008 Championship Weekend >
      • 2008 Saturdays Events
      • 2008 Sunday Events
      • 2008 Oster Career Start
    • 2009 General Pictures >
      • 2009 Creative Styling
    • 2011 Championship Weekend >
      • 2011 New To Grooming Class
    • 2012 Championship Weekend >
      • 2012 Creative Styling Class
    • 2013 Championship weekend
    • 2014 Championship Weekend
    • 2015 Championship Weekend >
      • 2015 Photos thanks to Cecilia
      • 2015 Anki Pictures
    • 2016 Championships >
      • Saturday Presentations
      • Sunday Presentations
      • 20th Anniversary Dinner
      • Roisin Sketch Artist
  • Championships
    • FAQ's About our competition
  • Links

"You shaved my dog"

21/9/2016

1 Comment

 

Top tips from Suzanne O'Sullivan LCGI on customer communication when dealing with matted dogs

Picture
Suzanne O'Sullivan LCGI owner of Dogsbody
As if a severely matted dog isn't daunting enough for an inexperienced or novice groomer, anyone who has been on the receiving end of the " YOU SHAVED MY DOG !!" rant will know it's at the very least unpleasant, and at most something which you would rather not repeat too often. 
​

We were all rookies once, and we all remember the struggles to find a blade and a method that would remove the straight-jacket of hair from some unfortunate dog while causing the least amount of discomfort and stress to dog and groomer. When you finally complete the job and both of you feel relieved, the very last thing you need is the owner arriving back to their "bald" dog and going off on an explosion of abuse about how you have destroyed their dog, shouldn't be in business and so on and so on. We have all been there, yes we know they're in the wrong, they facilitated the neglect that led to this situation and they are entirely responsible for the consequences. The best thing they could do is man up and admit they should have brushed the dog or at least called the groomer in before this point. But no, attacking that groomer is often their ploy, and it can be anything from disheartening to downright upsetting for us. Owners have no concept really of what clipping a matted coat entails, but it is our job to open their eyes.
​No owner likes to be shocked, put yourself in their shoes for a minute. Not particularly doggy-minded, the kids take preference.... they read in a magazine once that kids should have a dog so off they went shopping on the internet and now that cute puppy stinks, so you're hired to clean it up. Without any consultation between groomer and owner, or just a quick " this will need to be a short haircut today" - who can blame the owner and kids for being shocked and appalled? As groomers we see this every day but these are your average ignorant people, and it is wise , professional and fair to sit them down and chat about what's going to happen here.

Be prepared;
  • Take photos of a few different breeds clipped short, start a portfolio of Bichon, Shih Tzu, Westie, Crossbreed etc etc whenever you have a 7f-all- over-type haircut ( head included as sometimes you'll have to take head and all off so make sure your photos show them with and without cute scissored heads)
  • Get a piece of VetBed. (This is a furry type bedding.) Mark out a series of vertical lines about a clipper blade width apart, then clip the first one with a #10, next with a #7f, 5f,4f, 3f and longer if you wish. It's important the Vet Bed is brand new as it will go lumpy after it's washed and no use for this. Your owner will be able to see what length they can expect their dog to be when finished, based on you assessment of the matts. Otherwise you will have to make them visualise a whippet, labrador etc to get the image of a clipped dog.
  • Use a slicker brush AND comb on the dog during this consultation, to demonstrate how difficult/ impossible it would be to keep any coat ( in the seriously matted cases). This is for the people who swear blind that they brush the dog "every day". Ask them to try it themselves! It's all about getting them to understand and accept the they have reached a point where the options with their dog are limited to clipping short and starting all over again. But an owner's view of short and our view of short are two different things! 
  • Explain how and why their lack of brushing and possible over-bathing have led to this. Bore them, if necessary, whatever it takes to accept that this has nothing to do with you, it has everything to do with them and you are the only person that can make things better. Go through skin/ coat damage and what potentially lies beneath this pelt, and what you might find.
  • If you choose to use a disclaimer form for these situations, now is the time to produce it. It may make them think that your magic wand is out of action and there is actually more to this job than they think.
  • Finally, I have learned over the years that tetchy owners who dislike being lectured, stop listening after a while..... so if I am still getting the vibe that they're just not getting it and looking very doubtful about having a whippet, I always ask them ; " Would you like to have a think about this before I go ahead?" Although it's generally a dog that needs help badly, I would sooner have them go away and think about it or even go elsewhere than give me a feed of abuse for something that they caused.
​
It's all about communication with your clients. If you've had to clip a 10 month old Yorkie who was matted solid, his first experience of grooming hasn't been the nicest, so he may go home to his whole family gasping and pointing at him.... suddenly everyone is completely different towards him . So he goes under chairs and hides away and appears "traumatised" by that bad groomer. Turn it around, warn the owner this might happen so tell them that it is important to treat him as normal, so the psychological effects are not blamed on you. 

I ALWAYS keep the matted coat , and I show the owner before they see their dog. I demonstrate how difficult it is to pull apart, so impossible while still attached to the dog. In cases where the owner is very shocked, I will generally keep the coat for the days following the groom. I have had situations where the husband has called to have a row after the wife has brought the dog home and proceeded to bad mouth me all over the locality. It's always useful to have that coat in your possession, though they rarely follow through on their threats in my experience. 

​Suzanne O'Sullivan LCGI
1 Comment
Anne Quinn
1/10/2016 07:21:26 am

Suzanne, Thanks for sharing your strategy for dealing with owners of dogs in straight jackets. I've been lucky with customers so far but by following your advice I hope to avoid any nasty reactions.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Direct links

    for our members private facebook page or to submit content for this page by email

    Archives

    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    August 2012
    April 2012
    January 2009
    November 2008
    August 2008
    April 2007
    October 2006
    January 2006
    February 2005
    November 2003
    July 2003
    May 2003

    Categories

    All
    Asian Fusion/Styling
    Books
    Business
    CCTV
    Ciseaux D'Or
    City & Guilds
    Colin Taylor
    Competitions
    Creative Grooming
    Data Protection
    Dog Free Seminars
    Equipment
    Exams
    Hairy Nipple Column
    Heiniger Maintenance
    HHH's Famous Fables
    Insurance
    IPDGA App
    IPDGA Championships
    Job/ Career
    Madra Mania
    Membership
    Newsletter
    Old Newsletters
    Parasites
    Pictures/photos
    Premier Groom
    Professional Progression Acadamy PPA
    Progroom
    Results
    Seminar
    Special Offers
    Spirit Of Mary Toland Award
    Sponsors
    Tips For Members Directory
    Website
    World Grooming Championships

    RSS Feed

Promoting the future of grooming in Ireland for over 20 years

Picture
  • Contact IPDGA
  • ​​Join today​ 
  • Renew your membership
  • ​IPDGA Groomers Charter 
  • IPDGA Association Rules​
  • View our Instagram
Picture
See our public page
  • 2016 Irish Professional Dog Groomers Association celebrating its 20th anniversary 
  • 2017 Grooming Championships
  • Directions to Roadstone
  • Contact  Webmaster for web based queries​​








  • About
    • Spirit of Mary Toland
    • FAQ's
  • Public Information
    • Shop
  • Groomers
  • Events
  • Members Hub
    • Join IPDGA
    • E-Blog & News - Members
    • Using the Members Hub area
    • Renew / adjust membership
    • Member manage profile login
    • Members Facebook Group
    • Christies Direct Discount Code
    • PetLinx Software Package
    • Download IPDGA logo's
    • Sign Out Page
  • Gallery
    • 2002 Championship Weekend
    • 2003 Championship Weekend
    • 2004 Championship Weekend >
      • 2004 Saturdays Events
      • 2004 Sundays Events
    • 2008 Championship Weekend >
      • 2008 Saturdays Events
      • 2008 Sunday Events
      • 2008 Oster Career Start
    • 2009 General Pictures >
      • 2009 Creative Styling
    • 2011 Championship Weekend >
      • 2011 New To Grooming Class
    • 2012 Championship Weekend >
      • 2012 Creative Styling Class
    • 2013 Championship weekend
    • 2014 Championship Weekend
    • 2015 Championship Weekend >
      • 2015 Photos thanks to Cecilia
      • 2015 Anki Pictures
    • 2016 Championships >
      • Saturday Presentations
      • Sunday Presentations
      • 20th Anniversary Dinner
      • Roisin Sketch Artist
  • Championships
    • FAQ's About our competition
  • Links
✕