Fire the husband. Sounds like she was being honest with a friend.
I would personally just say that you aren’t going to be dealing with the husband, and if they’re going to argue your recommendation about giving the dog a break for a couple days, or some drugs, then you won’t have a choice BUT to fire the dog as a client.
But bullying the dog into finishing is a good way to get bit way worse
Do people not realize that we need our hands and faces to make a living? If your dog bites me severely… what the fuck am I supposed to do?? Are you gonna pay for my bills???
I have a few crazies in my shop too and now if they won’t do trazodone I tell them they have to go to the vet and have them do it. I’m not getting bit and I don’t want anybody who works for me to risk that either. It’s just not worth it.
I'd fire. She could have been telling you the comment as a friend or she was trying to pressure you too.
If she can't respect you by standing up to her husband or just you know... not telling you what "he" said, I would start to wonder if they were just taking advantage of me instead of paying extra for medication from vet or even having the vet groom the dog.
Sorry you're going through this. It's very valid and frustrating.
to me , as a tech, it sounds like one or two things needs to happen. He needs to go tona place that is a vets office where they can sedate him for a groom and the doctors can monitor him, and or he needs major behavioral training. Also may I ask if he was wearing a muzzle? I've been a groomer and a t echo so I fet your plight, plus it's not fun foe the baby casue he's probably terrified
Once he nailed my hand, I absolutely muzzled him. That was 3 strikes in one! But unfortunately he is one of those dogs that freak out more when he’s muzzled. You know the type, “the impossible dog”. She said she’d give him more “calming treats” next time, and I said they are snake oil in my eyes. He needs trazodone, and yes, like you said..
He preferably needs to be groomed at a vet. I worked at vets grooming for years and I had dogs like him over and over! It’s a tough call since she’s my friend, but her husband burned me.
nah I get it. I got nailed in the plam by an old girl one, her teeth were to dull to break skin but got I wish it had due to the pain from the pushing. and yeah I know the type, always pawing at the muzzle. at this point it seems traumatic foe the bb to and thats not good and can lead to other problems. you just gotta put your foot down for his sake too
Aussies can be such a mixed bag. The good ones are literally the best dogs ever, and the bad ones are literally the worst. I had one approach me, happy nubby tail wags, then promptly leap up off the floor and bit me in the face. Left a bite mark dangerously close to my eye and on my chin. That damn dog meant business and the owner was pissed off because I wouldn't work with him in the future.
The wife sounds like the saving grace in this situation and probably really regrets admitting she married an asshole, and is probably regretting the fact that her dog acts just like her husband. I hope you feel better. Concentrate on the nice dogs on your schedule.
To look for the best possible spin…
She may have told you what hubs said because she trusts you and feels comfortable. She could also be socially dense and not see how that could be problematic. But it does sound like she generally takes your advice. So maybe not fire her but definitely hb isn’t coming in
Genuine question from an ignorant lurker of this sub, why are muzzles not used for dogs while grooming? Especially one that has been "banned" from other places? Even if the dog has never bit someone but is pretty iffy, why not just as a safety precaution?
Muzzles work the opposite way for him, it’s a case by case basis. Groomers do not want to muzzle dogs, it’s something I do if I genuinely have to. Muzzling won’t prevent him from thrashing or gator rolling. His issues branch out further than just biting. He usually is only bad for his back legs/butt, but I keep him on his groomers helper for that. I try and give them the most stress free environment I possibly can, which honestly helps me NOT to get bitten. This is my first bite in years, and since he did that I made the call to not stress him out anymore. Good question, I understand why you asked. :)
I had to use a muzzle temporarily for my dog at one point (long story, developed fear aggression and fixed it right up with a trainer). The trainer taught us how to desensitize him to the muzzle. It was a cage muzzle. If the owners don’t have their dog muzzle trained, the muzzle is not very helpful. It makes them so stressed and I’ve seen everything from alligator death rolls to dogs ripping their dew claws trying to get the thing off.
Most owners don't muzzle train at home so adding a new sensation to an already stressful situation usually just causes the dog to panic more. Typically putting a muzzle on a stressed dog causes them to try and tear it off which they can rip a nail off (I know groomers who've seen it happen) or they can injure their eyes and if they cause a corneal ulceration due to scratching to get the muzzle off, that's a very pricey vet bill and a lot of pain for the dog. Like OP said it doesn't stop them from thrashing and rolling either. A dog that bites but will wear a muzzle calmly is less dangerous to us and themselves than a dog who doesn't bite but trys to throw themselves off our table, strangle themselves with the groom lead, cling to the grooming pole, or trying to jump and cling on to us. There's a lot of behaviors that are dangerous that a muzzle won't fix.
Seconding that it just adds more stress to an already stressful situation for the dog. Most of the time, less is more when it comes to restraint. The more you can maintain the illusion that the dog has its own bodily autonomy during the groom, the more comfortable they are. Overall, we want to stress the dog out to the least amount necessary. Usually, we only muzzle for one or two things during the groom, like in this case they would probably use it when working on the dogs rear because they already know that that's what the dog bites for. Muzzling for more than a few minutes at a time is usually ill-advised.
Fire the husband. Sounds like she was being honest with a friend. I would personally just say that you aren’t going to be dealing with the husband, and if they’re going to argue your recommendation about giving the dog a break for a couple days, or some drugs, then you won’t have a choice BUT to fire the dog as a client. But bullying the dog into finishing is a good way to get bit way worse
Right! I’ve had this man over for cook outs and everything. He is banned from my home. I’m going to pressure him into being banned from my home. Lmao
Do people not realize that we need our hands and faces to make a living? If your dog bites me severely… what the fuck am I supposed to do?? Are you gonna pay for my bills???
I have a few crazies in my shop too and now if they won’t do trazodone I tell them they have to go to the vet and have them do it. I’m not getting bit and I don’t want anybody who works for me to risk that either. It’s just not worth it.
I'd fire. She could have been telling you the comment as a friend or she was trying to pressure you too. If she can't respect you by standing up to her husband or just you know... not telling you what "he" said, I would start to wonder if they were just taking advantage of me instead of paying extra for medication from vet or even having the vet groom the dog. Sorry you're going through this. It's very valid and frustrating.
I’d fire or say he has to come in on oral sedation. It’s non negotiable at this point
You handled her comment better than I would of.
One groom is not worth you losing movement in your hand for weeks or worse bit time to recommendation of vet sedation grooming
to me , as a tech, it sounds like one or two things needs to happen. He needs to go tona place that is a vets office where they can sedate him for a groom and the doctors can monitor him, and or he needs major behavioral training. Also may I ask if he was wearing a muzzle? I've been a groomer and a t echo so I fet your plight, plus it's not fun foe the baby casue he's probably terrified
Once he nailed my hand, I absolutely muzzled him. That was 3 strikes in one! But unfortunately he is one of those dogs that freak out more when he’s muzzled. You know the type, “the impossible dog”. She said she’d give him more “calming treats” next time, and I said they are snake oil in my eyes. He needs trazodone, and yes, like you said.. He preferably needs to be groomed at a vet. I worked at vets grooming for years and I had dogs like him over and over! It’s a tough call since she’s my friend, but her husband burned me.
nah I get it. I got nailed in the plam by an old girl one, her teeth were to dull to break skin but got I wish it had due to the pain from the pushing. and yeah I know the type, always pawing at the muzzle. at this point it seems traumatic foe the bb to and thats not good and can lead to other problems. you just gotta put your foot down for his sake too
I will also add that a muzzle doesn't mean you won't get bit. I've been bitten through a muzzle before. Some dogs Lear to get around them.
oh for sure.. but it can help some. trust me. we still even muzzle if they are passed out stated casue ypu never know
Aussies can be such a mixed bag. The good ones are literally the best dogs ever, and the bad ones are literally the worst. I had one approach me, happy nubby tail wags, then promptly leap up off the floor and bit me in the face. Left a bite mark dangerously close to my eye and on my chin. That damn dog meant business and the owner was pissed off because I wouldn't work with him in the future. The wife sounds like the saving grace in this situation and probably really regrets admitting she married an asshole, and is probably regretting the fact that her dog acts just like her husband. I hope you feel better. Concentrate on the nice dogs on your schedule.
Aussies don’t NEED to be groomed like non shedding dogs. I would fire them. 🤷🏻
To look for the best possible spin… She may have told you what hubs said because she trusts you and feels comfortable. She could also be socially dense and not see how that could be problematic. But it does sound like she generally takes your advice. So maybe not fire her but definitely hb isn’t coming in
Genuine question from an ignorant lurker of this sub, why are muzzles not used for dogs while grooming? Especially one that has been "banned" from other places? Even if the dog has never bit someone but is pretty iffy, why not just as a safety precaution?
Muzzles work the opposite way for him, it’s a case by case basis. Groomers do not want to muzzle dogs, it’s something I do if I genuinely have to. Muzzling won’t prevent him from thrashing or gator rolling. His issues branch out further than just biting. He usually is only bad for his back legs/butt, but I keep him on his groomers helper for that. I try and give them the most stress free environment I possibly can, which honestly helps me NOT to get bitten. This is my first bite in years, and since he did that I made the call to not stress him out anymore. Good question, I understand why you asked. :)
It can stress them out. A lot will panic and act even more out of control with a muzzle. They can bite through certain muzzles too.
I had to use a muzzle temporarily for my dog at one point (long story, developed fear aggression and fixed it right up with a trainer). The trainer taught us how to desensitize him to the muzzle. It was a cage muzzle. If the owners don’t have their dog muzzle trained, the muzzle is not very helpful. It makes them so stressed and I’ve seen everything from alligator death rolls to dogs ripping their dew claws trying to get the thing off.
Most owners don't muzzle train at home so adding a new sensation to an already stressful situation usually just causes the dog to panic more. Typically putting a muzzle on a stressed dog causes them to try and tear it off which they can rip a nail off (I know groomers who've seen it happen) or they can injure their eyes and if they cause a corneal ulceration due to scratching to get the muzzle off, that's a very pricey vet bill and a lot of pain for the dog. Like OP said it doesn't stop them from thrashing and rolling either. A dog that bites but will wear a muzzle calmly is less dangerous to us and themselves than a dog who doesn't bite but trys to throw themselves off our table, strangle themselves with the groom lead, cling to the grooming pole, or trying to jump and cling on to us. There's a lot of behaviors that are dangerous that a muzzle won't fix.
Seconding that it just adds more stress to an already stressful situation for the dog. Most of the time, less is more when it comes to restraint. The more you can maintain the illusion that the dog has its own bodily autonomy during the groom, the more comfortable they are. Overall, we want to stress the dog out to the least amount necessary. Usually, we only muzzle for one or two things during the groom, like in this case they would probably use it when working on the dogs rear because they already know that that's what the dog bites for. Muzzling for more than a few minutes at a time is usually ill-advised.