Toys and Treats

Sometimes customers bring in toys and treats with their dogs.

I never have the heart to tell them that their dog really does not care.

I think, that more often than not, the toys and treats make the owners feel better about bring their dogs in to be groomed.

I have tried to warn owners that their dog most likely will not eat the treats when offered, but it seems to upset them when I tell them that.

So, I smile and take the treats back with the dog.

I honestly do try to give the dogs their treats.

I usually wait until I have finished grooming the dog, because if they do eat it, I don't want them throwing it up during the grooming.

If they don't eat the treats, I give them back to the owner when they come back to pick their dog up.

Most of the time I tell them that their dog did not eat the treats while they were here, but will most likely want one on the ride home.

I must confess, there are some owners that I do lie to.

Yes, I said lie.

A little white lie. :)

If I have an owner that is just a little on the crazy side, and I know that they will hit me with a hundred questions as to why their baby didn't eat any of the treats, I will take one or two out of the baggy and tell the owner that their dog had a treat.

Now, it is not a total lie.

I do offer the treat to the dog.

I even put it in the kennel with them.

So, when I tell the owner that their dog had one of it's treats, I just don't add that they didn't actually eat it.

I am not really lying.....am I?

 

(shaking head) I am a bad, bad, girl.

I am sure that you understand.

You must have experienced an owner trying to shove a treat down it's dogs throat.

Really!

I've seen it.

I have a treat dish by my counter filled with free Milkbones for owners to give their dogs when they drop off or pick up.

I can not tell you how many times I have watched owners try to give their dogs a treat, and then get upset because their dog will not eat it.

"Why won't he eat it? He loves these," the owner will say while trying to push the bone in the dogs mouth.

I always try to save the dog by telling the owner that their dog is just excited to see them and they can take the treat with them.

"I am sure that he will eat it in the car on the way home. He just wants to go home instead of eating the treat right now," I tell the owner with a little laugh.

Meanwhile I am thinking; 'Stop trying to force feed your dog. Can't you see he doesn't want it?'

Somehow, the fact that the dog does not want a treat, always seems to make the owner think that their dog must have hated the grooming.

What is it?

Why do so many owners have to think that their dogs don't like the grooming.

How does the dog not wanting to eat a treat mean that they didn't like being groomed?

I also have owners bring toys in with their dogs.

Most of the time it is puppy owners that bring the toys.

I guess that it makes the owner feel better about leaving their dog, because bring that toy is only comforting the owner.

I do put the toys in the kennel with the dogs, but they could care less.

Today I had two dogs come in with their toys.

This little one is almost a year old.

My guess is that the owner brought in a toy today because there was a possibility that the owner might have been picking up later than normal.

So her toy kept her company while she waited for her owner to pick her up.

After I took this picture, she walked away from the toy and curled up close to the kennel door to watch everything going on in the grooming room.

This guy did grab his toy when we handed it to him, but he promptly dropped it and plopped down on it. :)

I've seen balls, blankets, rubber bones, dolls, chew bones, rawhides, and stuffed animals.

I am all for whatever will make the owner feel better about leaving their dog. :)

Happy Grooming, MFF