What Would You Do? Customer Request

I have no problem doing what my customers request for me to do to their dogs.

That is, within reason, and as long as it is something that will not hurt the dog.

I have no problem clipping a dog in a style other than the breed standard cut.

I have no problem giving a dog a Mohawk if the owner wants the dog to have one.

Years ago, I had a customer who liked her Westie to have a Scottie head.

He actually looked really cute with that head.

I used to have a Cocker that got shaved feet like a Poodle.

I do try to talk people out of shaving their double coated dogs, but I will do it if they really want it done.

So, why did I have such a hard time today?

It was a very simple request.

It would only take me literally a second to do.

What was the request?

 

The owner of this Schnauzer wanted me to shave straight down the top of the nose.

 From his nose to his eyes.

I did not wait on this customer.

My husband did.

He was positive that he heard her right, and even asked her a couple of times to make sure that she wanted the top of the nose shaved.

So, what was my problem?

Why did this request bother me so much?

Maybe, because in grooming school it was drilled into our heads never to shave the top of a Schnauzers nose.

Never to cut into the top of a Schnauzers mustache.

It is not like I haven't scissored Schnauzer beards very short before.

But, even though I scissor a Schnauzer beard short, I still don't shave down the top of the nose.

 It bothered me so much that the owner wanted the top of the nose shaved just because, the two small sections that I have highlighted here, tend to stick up.

I have only been grooming this Schnauzer since March.

When he first started coming in to be groomed, I could tell that the top of the nose had been shaved.

To be honest, I just thought that a groomer who didn't know any better had shaved the top of the nose, so I left it to grow out.

The dotted lines show where the hair has grown to since March.

A few more months and that little bit of hair would probably be long enough that it won't stick up anymore.

So, what would you do?

Would you have just gone ahead and shaved the top of the nose?

Would you wait and try to talk the owner out of shaving it?

What did I do?

 I just could not bring myself to do it.

Not without talking to the customer myself first.

 I groomed the dog as usual and waited till the owner came to pick up and talk to her about it.

When the owner got to the shop, I explained how, if she would let the hair grow out just a little more, it would stop sticking up towards the dogs eyes.

In the mean time she could put a little hairspray on her finger, and press it on the hair that sticks up, to hold it down.

What did the owner decide to do?

She still wanted the top of the nose shaved. :(

 

 From his nose to his eyes.

I still couldn't take my blade straight up that nose.

So I lightly clipped the top of the nose sideways, keeping the part on the nose.

I clipped light enough to remove the offending hair that would stick up.

Just enough to clean it up but still give the appearance of a parted mustache.

 I also didn't go all of the way to the end of the nose.

I warned the owner that as the hair grows back, the short hairs will stick straight up.

I guess it doesn't look that bad.

What would you have done?

Would you just have shaved down that nose?

After all, it is the owners dog and that is what she wanted.

I can't explain it.

I don't know why it bothered me so much.

How many times have I told owners that it is only hair and it will grow back?

Maybe it is because it takes sooooo long for that hair on the nose to grow nice and long in the first place. 

It seems taboo to shave it off. :/

Oh well, he is not my dog.

The owner liked it.

It was what she wanted.

Now, get over it Lisa.

Happy Grooming, MFF