Anyone else groom from home?

[HowlsOfAngels]

I groom all of my dogs from home, bathing, brushing, and clipping (nails/coat). While I bathe them they all put on there mopiest faces and lay their sopping heads in my lap as I sit on the side of the tub scrubbing them. When I trim their nails I sit on the floor and lay them in my lap with their paws in the air so that they don't complain or squirm as much. And I sometimes trim my dogs in funny ways for a kick (I frequently trim my golden/cross's tail to look like that of a lion).

But they're clean and kindly handled, so they're happy. The main reason I trim from home is the cost and due to the maltreatment I witnessed as a bather for a local grooming place. The dogs were often roughly handled there, so I took my dogs to another groomer with better reviews. Yet, I'd still be met with a shaking and nervous dog upon my return, so I decided from then on I'd groom them myself.

When I had a long haired cat I trimmed her too so that she could more easily handle the summer heat, she even enjoyed her bathes and brushing.

Does anyone else here do all of their grooming from home?

 

[skysthelimit]

I do it because I enjoy the personal time with the dogs, I think they enjoy interacting with me. And basically I have a hard time paying people for things I can do myself.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I do. Just this past Thursday, I bathed our six Aussies/cross dogs and a litter of eight puppies.

My first job was as a brusher/bather in a grooming shop, and before I was old enough to work I had a home business bathing dogs and doing simple clips on Schnauzers and other small dogs.

I'd still be met with a shaking and nervous dog upon my return, so I decided from then on I'd groom them myself.

Some dogs are nervous wrecks when they go to a grooming shop, even if kindly handled. Not to say that there isn't cause in some cases, but even "good" groomers have their nervous clients. A lot of those dogs do better with a mobile grooming service since there isn't as much noise and commotion.

I would never take my dog to a groomer simply because I can do as good or better job myself.

 

[dayna]

I was one of those good groomers. And yes, I had nervous clients. I also had dog clients that would piss themselves going to a different groomer and after a couple grooming sessions were HAPPY to come see me. I still keep in touch with those clients via facebook even though I live 4,000 miles away now.

I groom my own dogs at home. lol

 

[DogCatMom]

I do my Bernese Mtn Dog(s), no matter how many I have. The first five years I had Berners, I was working full-time as a teacher *and* dealing with destroyed, medically neglected knees. My first and second Berners went to the shop when I couldn't utilize the shop's stand-up tub, self-bathing option on a weekend. When that teaching post went bad in June 2003, I ran a hose from our downstairs laundry sink to the downstairs tub--whose faucet/tap just wasn't suitable for a hose attachment--and began doing all my dog work here at the house.

I've always done all my own cat work: nails, ears, baths, brush, comb. I didn't even know shops worked on cats until I had a cat emergency in the '90s (pine sap on long-haired cat's abdomen).

When I worked in shops from 2005 through 2008 (and at humane societies until May 2010, when a fire destroyed the one closer to my house), I did cats and natural-coated dogs.

Here at the house, I've worked on cats and dogs of friends and fellow Berner owners, but have not solicited business from others.

 

[Demamma]

I groom my Standard Poodle and Beiwer Terrier. I used to take them to a groomer but now can't afford to. If I had the money I would pay to have it done. I don't like grooming. The groomer they used to go to did a great job and dogs were happy.

 

[JDWest]

I groom my two Shih Tzu's and long hair cat. Have done it myself from day one of owning my first dog. A standard poodle. WAY WAY WAY cheaper to do it yourself. Doing one hair cut pays for the clippers.
I buzz my guys down every spring and fall. My mom does her dogs herself too.

 

[Demamma]

The groomer only charged me $40 as he was a service dog then. I also let her cut him however she liked as long as he was presentable in public.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

here they charge over 100 bucks to do one standard poodle.

 

[skysthelimit]

here they charge over 100 bucks to do one standard poodle.

And that's why I have German Shepherds. I love poodles. I'm not to0 interested in clippers though. A dremel and a blower is all I need. They fight to get on the grooming table. I just turn the blower on and I've got dogs on the table and all around my legs.

 

[Demamma]

My Standard is real good with grooming just stands there but he is highly trained. I can even lay him on his side and work on his ears when infected without him fighting. Luckily his ears are doing well now. I usually shave him down with a 7 and use a 10 to give him sanitary clip and clean feet, face and fancy tail.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I groom from home, currently. Only a few clients though.

I'd still be met with a shaking and nervous dog upon my return, so I decided from then on I'd groom them myself.

Some dogs are nervous wrecks when they go to a grooming shop, even if kindly handled. Not to say that there isn't cause in some cases, but even "good" groomers have their nervous clients. A lot of those dogs do better with a mobile grooming service since there isn't as much noise and commotion.

I would never take my dog to a groomer simply because I can do as good or better job myself.

I agree. I have had a LOT of clients get upset that their dogs would be scared when they'd come pick up...frankly, grooming CAN be scary for some dogs, especially if the dog wasn't exposed to it properly as a puppy, or if the dog is afraid of certain sounds such as a vacuum cleaner. The velocity dryer I use? Sounds like a vacuum. Plus there's usually other dogs in a salon, so there's a bunch of barking or howling (the day some IDIOT booked SIX BEAGLES FOR ONE TIME SLOT was the closest I came to stabbing someone with my shears. SERIOUSLY, six Beagles?! We all ended up grooming with earplugs AND headphones on that day!) and most dogs don't cope especially well with a lot of noise and commotion.

Plus many dogs have separation anxiety to some degree, and often they act like they've been abandoned with strangers. It was a hard lesson when I became a groomer: no matter how much I love my clients, they are all too often terrified of me.

My dog is one of those "hates to be groomed" dogs. She HATES water and can't STAND getting wet (so the bath is a nightmare for her), she HATES the dryer and literally turns into a screaming, wailing, flailing nutjob when dried, she screams bloody blue murder when I trim her nails (and no, I'm NOT hurting her...someone accused me of that once, so I touched the next nail with a fingertip. She screamed right on cue and acted like it was painful. SHE LIES. :lol, and she dislikes the clippers...she'll stand there, shaking all over, rolling her eyes around and generally cowering like she's being beaten.

As SOON as I'm done, I set her on the floor and she's wagging her tail, zipping around the room, all sorts of happy because the horrible grooming ordeal is over yay!!! I know for a fact she's NEVER had a bad experience being groomed...because I or people I trust have been the only ones to groom her. :lol: She just HATES it!!!!

I can sympathize...I hate getting my hair cut. I like the way it feels when it's done, but I hate the actual process. I don't like it at all. Recently I've been having a friend do it (using my dog clippers, LOL!!!) because she doesn't fuss or take forever like an actual hairstylist. The faster it's done, the better. HATE IT. I just hate it!!!! I haven't ever had a bad experience, nobody beats me when I'm in a people salon...I just don't like it.

Few things got my dander up more than people who would accuse me of beating their dogs just because the dogs were shaking and scared when they'd pick up or drop off. Or if their psycho dog bit me, they'd prettymuch never apologize, they'd just get mad and declare that their pwecious pwincess would NEVER EVER EVER bite anyone unless she HAD TO which means I MUST have done SOMETHING mean to make her go to such extremes!!! :evil: When my dog bit a friend who was grooming her for me, I fell all over myself apologizing, totally unacceptable behavior from my dog!!!! I know she didn't beat or abuse her...because I was watching the whole time. Cricket just hauled off and BIT HER!

Sorry, I get a little defensive when people mistake fear or shakes in dogs as "something happened."

I was one of those good groomers. And yes, I had nervous clients. I also had dog clients that would piss themselves going to a different groomer and after a couple grooming sessions were HAPPY to come see me. I still keep in touch with those clients via facebook even though I live 4,000 miles away now.

I groom my own dogs at home. lol

I think home grooming or mobile grooming works well for inherently nervous dogs. One of my NASTIEST clients was a dog named Mandy. She was cute, and sweet and CUTE and so sweet...UNTIL YOU TRIED TO GROOM HER. Then she turned into this snarling, snapping demon-creature bent on removing your hands with her teeth. But I liked her, and did my best NOT to get bit.

Now that I groom from home, Mandy is a totally different dog. She's calm, she's happy, she only tries to bite when I'm trimming her nails...she's now a pure JOY to work with!!! I think the commotion of the salon made her hyper-defensive and reactive. Since she also gets to play with my dog or watch TV on the couch with me when she's done, I also think she associates this place with GOOD things as well as "groom" things.

I groom my Standard Poodle and Beiwer Terrier. I used to take them to a groomer but now can't afford to. If I had the money I would pay to have it done. I don't like grooming. The groomer they used to go to did a great job and dogs were happy.

Dang, wish I was closer, I miss grooming Standard Poodles!!! None of my Poodle clients stayed with me after I left the salon...they largely stopped going to that salon too, but started going elsewhere instead. I so love hand-scissoring poodles!!!!!!!!!!

here they charge over 100 bucks to do one standard poodle.

Some clips on some poodles are worth that or more. Doing a Continental worthy of the show ring is worth a lot more than $100, not including the cost of the "wiggies" and dyes, for example. Now if we're talking a simple sport-clip/shavedown, then yeah that's WAY too overpriced.

And that's why I have German Shepherds. I love poodles. I'm not to0 interested in clippers though. A dremel and a blower is all I need. They fight to get on the grooming table. I just turn the blower on and I've got dogs on the table and all around my legs.

That's too awesome!

My Standard is real good with grooming just stands there but he is highly trained. I can even lay him on his side and work on his ears when infected without him fighting. Luckily his ears are doing well now. I usually shave him down with a 7 and use a 10 to give him sanitary clip and clean feet, face and fancy tail.

Almost every Poodle of every size I have ever met has been awesome for grooming. I love Poodles!

 

[Demamma]

Man I wish you were closer Kyle I'm sure we could work out a trade for grooming. I need to clip them soon and I dread it.

 

[HowlsOfAngels]

I should have known so many of the members here groom from home. lol

I'd still be met with a shaking and nervous dog upon my return, so I decided from then on I'd groom them myself.

Some dogs are nervous wrecks when they go to a grooming shop, even if kindly handled. Not to say that there isn't cause in some cases, but even "good" groomers have their nervous clients.

Yeah, I see your point. My girl does tend to be a bit nervous, but never to the point where she neared submissive urination over nothing. She would scream when we walked into the groomers and wag when we walked into the vets office, that's when I knew I'd had enough and that I'd take care of her grooming myself from then on. I still don't know what they did to her or if they did anything at all, I just know that when I groom from home she's a complete doll baby.

I even taught myself to groom using her as my 'practice dummy', she has never once complained. Even though I'm ashamed to admit that I once nicked her ear and her hock in the same trim without noticing until I was finished. I truly wish she'd of nipped me, but she's too kindhearted.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Man I wish you were closer Kyle I'm sure we could work out a trade for grooming. I need to clip them soon and I dread it.

Heck, if I could grow your Poodle out and do some high-end scissoring I'd do it for free just to have "this is what I can do" photos of him. WHY MUST WE BE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COUNTRY???

I even taught myself to groom using her as my 'practice dummy', she has never once complained. Even though I'm ashamed to admit that I once nicked her ear and her hock in the same trim without noticing until I was finished. I truly wish she'd of nipped me, but she's too kindhearted.

The fact is everyone who grooms often or for long enough WILL cut dogs. It's a reality of being a groomer. I firmly maintain that the best a groomer can do is try to eliminate all risks, take every precaution, so that when (not if, WHEN) it happens, it is for reasons beyond the groomer's control. For example, I nicked an ear on a dog I loved...she's a Schnauzer, has cropped ears, I was scissoring the hair on her ear and she VERY suddenly shook her head, and I couldn't pull the shears away fast enough. Made me feel sick but there isn't anything I could have or should have done differently. Likewise I nicked a tongue on a young dog. I was scissoring his chest and he very suddenly LICKED THE SHEARS. I didn't even close them, he ran his tongue along one side and they were so sharp it just sliced into the side of his tongue. Just one of MANY reasons that I teach my own dogs NEVER TO LICK PEOPLE OR STUFF.

So don't feel too badly about it. It DOES happen. Just remember that it wasn't because you were rushing or not paying attention...I've known groomers who slice up dogs on a regular basis because they just don't pay attention! My average was one nicked dog a year or less...one of my former colleagues? Caused a major injury at least ONCE A WEEK. She bifurcated a puppy's tongue once...scissoring the face on a little puppy, she was careless, and sliced the tongue right in half a good two inches in, almost to the base. I was horrified!!! Someone tried to claim it's one of those "sometimes it happens" cuts...so I gave it some thought, and on my next dog I held his face and looked at him every which way, and for the life of me I can't figure out why her shears were even at that angle!!!!!! With a firm grip on his chin (which she had) there should be NO POSSIBLE WAY for that to have even happened!!!!

Then again she went through three pet dogs of her own in one year so...yeah. :roll:

There ARE crappy groomers out there, though. But most are not like that.