Hairwise, Frankie is pretty low maintenance. I tend to take him to a groomer only for nail clipping and anal sac expressing (I’ll discuss the former soon but have spent way too much time this past month writing an article about the latter, so am on a dog butt break).
Recently, however, I decided to get him gussied up for a trip to the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, with less than pleasant results. I can’t swear that his corneal ulcer was caused by careless grooming, but the timing of getting a hair in his eye that he rubbed at and which in turn led to the ulcer seems rather suspicious.
I trust the owner of the dog boutique/groomer I took Frankie to. Mistakes happen, and — an expensive vet visit later — Frankie is fine. Sadly, some dogs don’t survive a visit to the groomer.
Anyone with a water source and a pair of clippers can put out a dog-grooming shingle in many states, no license required. And these seemingly benign professionals — after all, groomers aren’t practicing medicine, right? — can pose grave dangers to your dog.
Among the things that you should look out for:
Cage drying
Similar to clothes dryers without the rotation, cage dryers are enclosures into which your dog is placed and blasted with air in order to dry his hair. Some units (see below) offer separate cages for more than one dog. These devices are good for groomers, who can increase the volume of their business by working on other dogs while yours is drying, but not so good for the dogs, who can’t escape (and who can’t sweat; they can only pant to try to cool themselves off). If the temperature is turned up too high and your dog is left in too long, she can dehydrate and die.
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- Three types of cage dryers
As a result of several canine fatalities, a few states are trying to outlaw cage dryers.
Some reputable groomers contend that they use only the unheated fan option, even going so far as to remove the heat coil. Others say they never set the temperature above 80 degrees and never leave the room. Maybe so, but why tempt fate? At the least, these enclosures are likely to frighten the bejeezus out of your dog.
Unauthorized tranquilizing
If a groomer is sufficiently gentle –- and doesn’t use scary equipment — your dog shouldn’t need to be tranquilized. Some clients allow their dogs to be sedated, which is their prerogative (I guess), albeit one that should be used very sparingly. Some groomers, however, don’t ask –- and don’t tell. That constitutes practicing medicine without a license and without permission from the patient’s guardian. If your dog is allergic to them, tranquilizers can be as dangerous as cage dryers.
Overlong stays
Imagine waiting in a doctor’s office all day with other equally stressed out patients, many of whom are yelling at each other and at the receptionist. Loud, frightening noises are coming from places that you can’t see. And oh, yes, you can’t stretch your legs or get up to go to the bathroom.
Why would you want to subject your dog to that?
A good groomer should stagger appointments so that your dog is worked on and available to be picked up as quickly as possible. Two hours, total, is ideal; up to half a day is reasonable. A full day – fuggedaboudit. Taking your dog to a groomer isn’t, as some owners seem to regard it, a way to get free dog sitting.
If you’re just getting your dog’s nails clipped and/or anal sacs expressed, it’s reasonable to ask if you can wait; it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, total. I almost never (aforementioned corneal ulcer-causing appointment excepted) leave Frankie at a groomer; it would make us both unhappy.
23 Comments
This is kind of why I do everything at the vet. Even nail trims and anal gland expression can go awry and if it does, I want those best qualified to handle the emergency to be there. Luckily both of my dogs have short fur so bathtime doesn’t need a professional (and isn’t necessary very often).
I agree — it’s safest at the vet and if I’m already there I’ll have my vet do the nail cutting and anal sac expressing. But those are such common procedures that groomers are expert at them and the cost at the places I’ve gone is $10 for both, as opposed to whatever you have to pay for walking into a vet’s office.
Wow … unintentional expose? Who woulda thought there could be so much nefariousness at a dog groomers. We’re lucky (I guess) that neither Ty nor Buster require a groomers touch.
You’ve had a nice run of fun/interesting/informative posts – keep up the great writing!
Glad to hear you don’t need to worry about Ty and Buster. And thanks for your nice words about my recent posts. As it happens, the grooming series is adapted from one of the chapters in Am I Boring My Dog.
And speaking of dog grooming gone REALLY bad–look what they did to the poor Portuguese Water Dog in Westminster!
I missed the PWD with the bad hair day (life?) at Westminister. You don’t mean the puli, do you, which looks like a PWD with dreadlocks?
I take Sadie to the vet for her anal sac expressing. So far Rusty hasn’t needed anything I cannot provide grooming wise. Both Sadie and Rusty have short hair and I have not had to clip their nails. The vet said they get enough exercise that their nails stay short. Another really good article, poor Frankie it seems if it can happen it does happen to him. Lucky for Frankie he has an owner who really loves him and takes good care of him.
Looks like I’ve got a lot of readers with low maintenance dogs — which is in part, I suspect, because they pay regular attention to their dogs’ well-being. Thanks Kelley for your sympathy and kind words.
I’ve never owned a dog that has need to be taken to the groomers. Those drying cages look scary & i don’t think that I’d want to have Jersey in one of those. Good post!
Good post, Edie. A lot of folks don’t realize cage dryers present a very real danager. Over the years quite a few dogs have died inside dryers because the groomer was distracted with other four legged clients.
Also owners should avoid those automatic dog washers (they look like giant front loading washing machines) found at car washes and some groomers. Manufacturers (of course) claim the contraptions are safe. Even if they’re right, it’s way too stressful on dogs to put them through a full wash and dry. A few years back, I was at a trade show watching a demonstration and even the dog used by company was pawing at the glass, trying to get out.
Maryann, I saw those automatic dog washers a while back. Someone — maybe it was you? — blogged or tweeted about them. They’re so beyond the pale that I thought no sane person would ever consider putting a dog in one, but of course they could be hidden in a groomer’s backroom…
Clare, I’m sorry to hear about that poor humiliated PWD. I’ve given Frankie a few bad haircuts, but nothing approaching what you describe.
Pat, I’ve often wondered what it is about dogs and their feet. You’d think with all that barefoot walking dogs wouldn’t be overly sensitive but some pups just hate to have them touched. I can’t pretend I used to cut Frankie’s nails before he got diabetes, but now that I give him needles twice a day I have even more of an excuse not to approach him with other instruments that might stress him out. That said, he doesn’t seem to have a particular problem getting a quick nail clip at a groomer’s.
Sadly, no, it was a PWD whose body had been shaved from mid-ribcage to tush, and whose front half had been teased like a poodle’s. I hope that doesn’t happen to Bo! And at least we know that’s one bad thing that won’t happen to Frankie Doodle!
Well, I’ve got medium maintenance dogs these days – English Cocker spaniels who are no longer in full breed-ring coat. But I do still show M., so she carried the illusion of hair. I’ve always groomed my own dogs, although occasionally I ask the groomers at the kennel where I board them to give them a bath. And both have had to be groomed by others when I was recovering from cancer surgeries, since I wasn’t strong enough to stand and their hair isn’t going to stop growing just because I’m not feeling well!
I was taught my grooming skills by the breeders of my dogs, by show handlers who groom dogs as part of their living and by four years of daily practice at a boarding kennel (the kennel also did grooming.) I’d been grooming my own English Springer spaniels for the show ring for three years before I started taking money for my skills at the boarding kennel. No, I’m not a certified master groomer – I’ve never had the opportunity to take that training. However, I am a certified animal technician – and trust me, they (and other vet techs) do NOT get any special training in dog grooming.
Nail clipping is a skill any owner should be able to do – I used to routinely teach it to the students in my dog obedience classes. Some dogs are royal PITAs about nail clipping – and for that reason, it might be wise to go to a professional. But for what it’s worth, as a pro, I’ve used my share of grooming nooses, muzzles and cross-tie restraints just to get nails done. And right now, my 15+ y.o. engie gives me FITS about doing his feet (nails, coat trimming, etc.) I have to get him really tired and then I can work on him with less of a fight (because fighting while holding nail trimmers, clippers and scissors isn’t good for any of us.). M., on the other hand, is a sweetheart about her feet.
I’ve had personal dogs who were wonderful about toenails, and those who were banshees…and they were all groomed regularly from puppyhood. I’ve also encountered many client dogs who needed toenails done – like, months ago – but weren’t properly trained to accept the procedure. Then it becomes a struggle for everyone. Sometimes the dog just doesn’t want it done – and frankly, in some situations where the feet need to be attended to because the nails are way too long for safety, sedating the dog for handling might be the safest option for all involved.
That doesn’t mean a groomer should ever sedate a dog without talking to the owner first. It does mean that sometimes, it needs to be done.
Dogs are not little children in fur coats – they are creatures who we are charged to take care of. Since life with humans challenges a dog differently than he’d be challenged if he lived in the wild, we do need to take them to groomers (or do it ourselves) to ensure that feet are well-tended, nails are kept short enough that they don’t snag and catch while the dog walks, ears and eyes are kept clean and coats and skin are well-maintained. One of the saddest situations in the entire world (IMO) is the dog whose owner never conditions him to be handled for routine grooming – because sooner or later that dog is going to need that handling, and they’re not going to be used to the process.
I was looking up info on these automatic dog washers..because I simply cannot imagine how someone could use them, and I came across this article:
http://trueslant.com/maryannmott/2009/06/15/automatic-dog-washers-cruel-or-convenient/
Evidently Cesar Milan personally owns one for his dogs, so they must be OK!
*sigh*
Geez — it *was* Maryann who posted the article I remembered. I did not recall that the device was sanctioned by Cesar Millan. Why am I not shocked (though I am appalled)?
Just read the article about Dog-O-Matic machines and see where an unnamed source claims Cesar Millan bought one for his personal use. Don’t see a quote at all from Cesar, and don’t know how a claim (that’s in the manufacturer’s economic interest) that a celebrity bought one equals “sanctioning” anything.
I don’t own a Dog-O-Matic, have never used one, would not choose to use one, and have no affiliation with Cesar Millan, FYI.
The author of the article, whom I contacted, stands by her information that Cesar Millan bought one. She can’t swear that he used it; nor can I. And we had the “buying” doesn’t equal “sanctioning” semantics discussion on Twitter, so I think I’ll pass on that here except to add that if I buy a gun, I might not be sanctioning — or endorsing, if you prefer — that particular gun but I would be saying that I have no problem with gun ownership. Anyone who buys an automatic dogwashing machine is similarly suggesting such products in general are okay, even if that particular product doesn’t work very well.
Well, here’s your reader with the high maintenance dog…the double coated Shih Tzu. I wrote an article on grooming and submitted to one of those article submission sites when I first started blogging. It was interesting to find out all the hazards of the grooming salon. It’s disturbing to think that so many people leave their dogs all day and don’t give it a thought, isn’t it. Have you been to those places where scissors and other grooming tools are left on the grooming table while a dog is on it? Yikes! Nice drill down on the grooming series, Edie, thanks!
Ah yes, the famous Tashi (who deserves all the maintenance you offer)! Good point about the dangers of scissors and tools left on the table.
Next in the series: How to find a good groomer. And the finale: the fabulous FURminator giveaway!
How scary, I’ve never heard of cage dryers. They should be banned. I would hope that dog owners would check out the grooming facility and make sure that their dog is not placed in one of these deadly devices.
And as for sedatives, why on earth would anyone subject their dog to that? It’s unnecessary. I would get groomer recommendations from friends, and only use a groomer who doesn’t use sedatives.
Ah, you’re a mind reader: Finding a good groomer is my next post!
Edie, this is a brilliant post, thank you so much for it! I am a professional dog trainer going on 8 years and I have to confess my ignorance about dog grooming – I had no idea that cage dryers were dangerous, nor that there aren’t necessarily educational/mechanical skill standards for groomers! The issue of unauthorized sedation is even scarier!
Because my own dogs require little in the way of grooming, I have had virtually no experience assessing groomers myself, and so I’ve always told clients/students who’ve asked for grooming referrals to go ask other dog owners for their recommendations. It seems to me now that dog owners may not be the best source of information either, as I doubt most pet owners are aware of the things you pointed to – they’re just going to judge groomers’ ability on the basis of what their dog looks like at the end of the process. At least I’ll be able to share some good tips on finding someone qualified now!
Reposting this to my own blog, STAT!
Why thank you, Colleen. It’s not often I get told a post is brilliant! Made my day…
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