A Groomers Wish List

I find myself, at least once or twice a day, saying; "I wish a customer would"..or, "I wish the dog would"..

So, I thought that I would write down all of my wishes.

I never realized just how much I wished.  :)

Here is a long list of some things that I wish, and I think other groomers wish too.

I wish...
1 ..that customers would remember their appointments.

2 ..that customers would show up on time for their appointments. Calling you 15 minutes after you were due, only to find out that you haven't even left the house yet drives me crazy.

3 ..that customers would hang up, and put away their phone, before they come into the shop.

4 ..customers wouldn't make other appointments on the same day as their dogs appointment. "No, I can't have him done in half an hour so that you can take him to the Vet appointment you made yesterday."

5 ..that customers wouldn't come in with pre-written checks. I always want to ask; "Do you do that at the grocery store?"

6 ..customers wouldn't answer our questions with; "I don't know, your the groomer." or "Do whatever you think."

7 ..that owners would take their dogs to the bathroom before they bring them into be groomed. Especially when it rains!

8 ..owners would use a leash on their dogs, so I don't have to run outside and catch a dog before it gets hit by a car in the parking lot.

9 ..owners knew what kind of breed and size dog they own before they call me to make an appointment.

10 ..that owners would answer their cell phones when I have a question about their dogs hair cut. "Just call my cell," they always say.

11 ..that owners would remember to pick up their dogs without us having to call 3 or 4 times.

12 ..that owners would check their messages. They never check their messages!

13 ..all owners would listen to me when I tell them about something that I found, and recommend that they take their dog to the Vet.

14 ..that the owner had told their dog that it had a bad back, leg, neck, ect. before they brought it to me to be groomed.

15 ..owners with dogs that have really nice coats, wouldn't always ask for short cuts, and the owners with dogs with terrible, matted coats, wouldn't insist on leaving the hair long.

16 ..all of my male dog customers were neutered!

17 ..that dogs wouldn't wait until we are bent over, rinsing their legs and bellies, to shake all of the soap and water off and all over us.

18 ..that when bathing large dogs, I wouldn't have to spend so much time begging them to stand up, and begging them to let me turn them around.

19 ..some dogs wouldn't insist on turning their face directly into the sprayer when I am trying so hard not to get water in their nose.

20 ..that hyper dogs would not hold on to my arm with both front feet, and tear their nails into my skin.

21 ..that dogs didn't have Anal glans.

22 ..that dogs would not pee and poop on the drying table right when the HV happens to be pointing in a particular direction.

23 ..that ears wouldn't take so long to dry.

24 ..that all of their hair would dry faster.

25 ..that I could find a good blade sharpener.

26 ..that dogs wouldn't mule kick my scissors out of my hand and across the room.

27 ..that blades never got hot, or become dull for that matter.

28 ..that all dogs stood like movable statues on my table.

29 ..that Cocker and Terrier hair would not get stuck in my arms...and in other place that I would rather not mention.

30 ..that Shih-tzu's would stop sneezing in my face when I am trying to scissor their face.

31 ..that Shih-Tzu's would let me hold their face.

32 ..that dogs would leave their tongues safely in their mouth. Especially Shih-Tzu's.

33 ..that hair didn't grow in Schnauzer's ears.

34 ..that Schnauzer's didn't have hair on their legs. I haven't met one yet that likes having their legs brushed.

35 ..that dogs wouldn't insist on licking my nail clippers while I am clipping their nails.

36 ..that some dogs didn't have those tightly curled dew claws that are almost impossible to clip.

37 ..that some dogs did not have dew claws that hang by a tiny piece of skin, and freak you out when the dog jerks it's leg upward, sending that dew claw right in the path of your blade.

38 ..that some of the dogs would not wait until a customer has walked into the lobby to scream about something.

39 ..that dogs would not chew on the kennel door with enough force to pull out their teeth.

40 ..that dogs would not kick and twist when I am lowering them to the floor.

41 ..I could have a lunch that lasted longer than 5 minutes. Oh, and with no hair in the food.

42  Most of all...Sometimes I wish I could be 'Jennie' from 'I Dream of Jennie'. Some days it would be so nice to be able to blink and have all of the dogs done!

I am sure I could come up with more wishes.

I am sure that other groomers out there could come up with more also, but I am tired of typing and I am sure you are tired of reading.  

Believe it or not, even with all of these wishes, I still love grooming.  :)

Happy Grooming, MFF