05/20/2026
Food for thought:
Being a groomer is a lot like being a dentist. For most clients regular brushing is required! Which leads me to a couple of questions:
1. Who is responsible for brushing your teeth between dental appointments? You or your dentist?
2. Who is responsible for scheduling and maintaining a regular dental checkup/cleaning? You or your dentist?
3. If you fail to brush/floss and end up requiring a filling, root canal, or even an extraction, who is responsible? You or your dentist?
4. If you end up needing extensive dental work due to your failure to maintain good dental hygiene do you get mad at yourself or your dentist because he/she couldn’t wave a magic wand and restore the damage you caused?
I’m going to take a wild shot and say everyone has answered that they are the ones solely responsible for their dental care between checkups and if they need work done they blame themselves not their dentist.
Then if you fail to brush your dog, fail to keep regular grooming schedules, let your pets get matted to the point the only humane thing to do is shave them down, then why do you get mad at your groomer for your lack of care?
Just like dental care can result in complications so can grooming. When you let your pets get matted it restricts blood flow to the skin. When those mats are brushed out (only if humanely possible) or shaved out, it allows the blood flow to return to the skin. This can result in hematomas forming under the skin, painful skin, tingling skin, ears will tingle and the dogs will flap their ears trying to get relief from the sensation and can cause blood to pool, drip, or even break blood vessels in the ear. Potty areas can become extremely sensitive. Groomers cannot wave a magic wand and undo your lack of care between grooming appointments. Sometimes all we can do is shave the pet down and let the healing process begin. That process is your responsibility as the owner. Sometimes all your dentist can do is pull a tooth and let the healing process begin.
Just like a dentist I try to educate my customers on what needs to be done and how frequently in order to avoid subsequent shave downs. If they fail to listen and abide by my care instructions then most likely that pet is going to end up matted and need to be shaved again. I do not take delight in seeing any pet in a painfully neglected condition from lack of home maintenance. I do not take delight in having to shave down any pet. I LOVE giving my customers the haircuts and styles they want with their pet, but when you bring me a matted and pelted mess our options are limited. I will not inflict hours of painful brushing on any pet just for the sake of the owner’s vanity. Just like you’ll have a bigger bill from the dentist for lack of at home maintenance you will have a bigger bill from your groomer.
I’m just confounded at why people get mad at their groomer when they fail to do at home maintenance between grooming appointments.
We are not magicians and we are not miracle workers. Please, I know life happens and sometimes brushing your dog gets away from you, but take some accountability and don’t blame your groomer for what happens or doesn’t happen at home that causes your pet to get insanely matted and the consequences thereof.
