Well there is a humorous Top 10 list of reasons why. It is meant to be tongue in cheek but the humor comes because it’s mostly true.

In all seriousness, probably the first reason is that working with an animal, no matter how experienced the groomer and well behaved the pet is NOT like working with a human.

No dog has the inclination to “hold still” nor do they have any ideas about how trendy or fashionable they want to look. What that means is that we are often attempting to clipper or scissor a moving target. It takes quite a bit of skill, patience and training for a good groomer to put a nice cut on a cute wiggling fur ball.

Throw in the not so cooperative dog that dances, pulls, jumps, ducks or even bites, and the challenge becomes not only to complete a decent haircut but also to keep the dog safe and avoid actual physical harm to the groomer. Now that’s something your hairdresser never has to think about.

Remember that in addition to a haircut, your dog is also getting a full body bath (not just her head) a conditioner, glands (let’s not even talk about that) and a full mani-pedi or is that a pedi pedi with 4 feet?

Has your hairdresser ever had to clean out your ears? Let’s hope not. If she did, I guarantee she would charge for it! It may take 30 or 40 minutes for your haircut, your groomer will spend multiple hours taking care of your baby.

Working with pets is a lot like working with young children. You never quite know what you are going to get. They are adorable and unpredictable. They don’t ever sit still, they have “accidents” and, sometimes, they bite.

Please give your groomer credit for the hard work, skill and artistic talent that goes into making your doggie look his best. Be generous with your praise and your tips.
Our job is new every day. We laugh and struggle and love the satisfaction of seeing the fur babies go out the door with a good looking haircut and a waggling tail.