A Groomer's World

Shop Talk (Finally!) - Tuesday

Sorry that I've been behind on the shop talk.  You've missed quite a few cute dogs and even a couple of cats!  We finally pronounced the old camera dead and bought a new one (did you miss that story?), so I've been much happier about taking pictures and will get back on the ball for you guys!

Today wasn't too bad.  I started out with everyone wanting to come in at a different time than they were scheduled and  actually ended up flip-flopping the actual service schedules!  So my last scheduled dog was groomed first, a walk-in was thrown in next, then my first scheduled dogs were finished last.  Confused?  :)  It worked out quite well.  I got through 4 dogs in 3 hours.  Gotta love a short day! 

Here's the lineup:

The first dog to be groomed was Gator.  He is a HUGE American Bulldog with a neck that's wider than my waist and the face of a puppy!  He's a little wild, but with a little firmness he'll mind.  Because of that wild side I can't exactly call him a gentle giant, but I can say he wouldn't (intentionally!) hurt a fly!

Next was Scrappy.  He had just gotten his stitches out of a couple of battle wounds and the owner wanted me to shave him down to the same length of the area around his stitches.  Thank goodness this trick only required a #8 1/2 blade!  I believe this was his first time being groomed.  He was a trooper! *I blurred out his big gash for my queasy readers!

My final two were a pair of petite little stinkers named Rye and Krashana.  I have to groom Rye (poodle) first, because if I groom Krashana (shih-tzu) first she will remind Rye that he's supposed to act like a booger.  They both hate having their nails messed with, so they usually end up wearing a muzzle for toe time.  Otherwise, they're pretty good kids  :)  BTW:  The super-short ears on those two are owner-requested.   

Orphaned Kittens

These two little boys are up for adoption.  If you are interested email me at: kendra at groomerblog dot com (or click here), or call ASAP (Animals Saved, Adopted, Protected) at 618-252-2727.

(Reposted 9/30/08 with a much better picture of the boys.)

My Little Dude Thinks He's a REALLY Little Dude!

I wasn't able to catch a picture of this because he caught me, but it is so heartbreakingly funny!  I'll add one if I'm able to catch it later.  In the meantime, enjoy the "double blankie+passi=triple comfort" shot. 

Here's the story:

Little Dude LOVES to "drive," ok?  He'll grab any steering wheel he can get his hands on and delightfully scream "Vroom-Vroom!  Vroom-Vroom!"  It's actually a pretty big deal because he thinks he needs to drive Dada's work car anytime that he and Dada are near it, and he'll screeeeeeeeeeeam if he is not allowed to drive. 

He also loves those old red body/yellow top/pedal-with-your-feet cars, the steering wheel attachment from his stroller, and apparently the tiny steering wheels in his toy cars.  There lies the problem.  He'll beg Mama to open the little door of his toy dump truck and then he tries to get in the thing!  As soon as the door opens he gets his business face on and tries to stick his foot into that open door with every angle he has.  Ohhhh, I have to try so hard to conceal my "how cute" smile when he's heartbroken and screaming because he can't fit into the little truck.

This brings back a memory of my cousin's little girl.  She used to sit on the tiniest little toy toilet that I've ever seen.  It may have been two or three inches tall.  I thought she was just being funny, but perhaps she was actually being serious!  It's just something else for me to wonder about.  When is it that they develop their sense of relative size?  Hmmm.....  I'll enjoy the wait  :)

It's just so amazing to watch them learn and grow.  So amazing.  Every day.  I love being a Mama  :) 

Cuteness!

Hey everyone:  Here's a bonus reason to keep your puppy well-combed!  Isn't this pup a doll  :)  Must have been a warm day and a cool floor, or a cool day with a radiant floor!

                  

See this picture and more at CuteOverload.com.  Beware:  That site can be totally addicting!

Freebies for Your Pets

Get a free can of Cesar Dog food here.
Your critter would like to indulge in sample Greenies here.
Sample of Dog Lover's Choice "Topping" here.
Sample your choice of Benny Bully's treats here.
FreePet Rescue Sticker from the ASPCA here.
Join the Purina Snack Lovers' Club here and get sample treats before they even hit the market!
Bell Rock Growers is giving away samples of their Pet Greens Treats here.
Free Sample of Nurtered Pets Anti-Lick Strips here.

For free samples of "human stuff," click here to go to the SIFrugalShopper blog.

I am SO In Lust with these Modern Dog Dens!!!

*Drooling all over keyboard...* 
Ok, so many people who know me personally do not know how much I am into modern design.  I'm not sure if I could live completely surrounded by it all the time, but I love love love to just look at it, and even touch it when possible!

Today, I stumbled upon this website called DenHaus.  They make beautiful modern dog dens!  If you are a dog lover (we both know you are) and want a sexy alternative to a crate for your critter, you have got to check out those "Hauses."  I am definitely going to have to get one when we get our Newfy baby. 

They also feature some great information about why cats and dogs love dens here, and brief but valuable information about crate training here.  For those who think "crates are cruel," think again.  When a dog has been properly crate trained, they absolutely thrive with them, and the dog/owner relationship is enhanced (dog gets to be a dog and gets into less "trouble").

Alright, now drool with me.....

Shop Talk: Tuesday Sept. 23

Today was another easy breezy day.  I only had the Pekingese Abby (or "Crabby Abby" as I like to call her) and my two sweet little mother/daughter Schnauzers Sissie and Millie.  I used my spare time to chill out, talk with the other gals in the shop, make a few business phone calls, and do some cleaning. 

Here are the pictures of the girls (Millie, Sissie, and then Abby):

As always, you may click on a picture for a larger version, and any comments and/or constructive criticism are welcome  :)

How to Muzzle an Aggressive Pekingese

Pekingese...  they are either 100% sweet or 100% rotten.  That's how it is in my shop, anyway.  I used to get by with only a large cat muzzle for my most rotten (and beloved!) Peke, but she finally figured out how to bite through that little hole in the front.  She gave me a nice little rip in my hand!  It was my first "open" bite (rather than a bite of the "scrape" or "bruise" variety) and it made me so mad that I cried... How embarrassing!

Anyway, I figured out a trick for muzzling the little stinker so she can't get me again.  I put on the large cat muzzle, followed by a "shaped-for-a-chow" basket muzzle applied upside-down so that the short end is under the chin.  It looks silly, but it works!  This also works on those Shih-Tzus that I just can't trust to stay in a basket muzzle.  If you try it, let me know how it works out for you. Or, if you have a different method for disarming these short-nosed dogs, please share!
Here is a picture of Crabby Abby in her fashionable double-muzzle attire:

*Please remember:  Be very careful when using the cat muzzle, especially on a flat-faced breed of dog.  Be sure the dog is breathing normally, and try to limit the amount of time that the dog is wearing the muzzle to prevent any overheating/suffocation problems.  Give them a break if they need one!

Sample Post from my "S.I. Frugal Shopper" Blog About Saving Bundles of Money on Groceries

Yep, I've started a new blog!  Don't worry, the GroomerBlog isn't going anywhere  :)  I just wanted to share another one of my hobbies with everyone.  I think we can all benefit from learning how to save money on the things we buy and use every day:  Groceries in particular!  I'm also going to cover lots of other deals around the Southeastern Illinois area including fun, affordable things to do with the family, local coupons, free samples, etc.  Read my first post (about a day of shopping for this couponer) by clicking on the link below... 

Heart-Breaking Yeast/Skin Infection

My heart breaks every time I groom this little man.  His name is Coco, and he's a sweet, sweet Shih-Tzu that's only slightly over-the-hill.  His little tail wags the whole time he's on the table.  It gets in the way sometimes, but also creates a nice breeze so I don't complain  ;)

The rest of this post will be "under" the link, because I'm sure not everyone will want to read the details or see the pictures.  I'm telling you, your heart will break for this little guy.  It's not pretty.  However, if you want to see what happens when a yeast (fungal) infection in a dog's skin goes bad, then go ahead and look...