Max

Today was a very hard day for me as a dog lover and groomer. An old Schnauzer named Max came in for a grooming appointment, his first visit with us. The old man who brought him in was kind of rude. He wanted Max to have a regular Schnauzer cut, and in the hustle of checking in all of the other clients Max was not inspected before being kenneled. The old man had told us that he had inoperable tumors growing off his shoulders, but we shrugged it off thinking it was no big deal. Finally, after the dust settled, we pulled Max out to take a look at him and see what work needed to be done. He was worse then we could have ever imagined. His tumors were huge. So big that they sagged off his sides around his rib cage and he couldn't even sit right without being almost spread eagle. Not only that, but he was soooo matted... I don't know how he moved. His eyes were also matted shut. We thought he was blind at first because he couldn't walk right and almost fell off the groom table, but I believe it was just the matts. His peepee area was so gooped up and matted, and once we shaved it, raw underneath. His butt was another story. I had to put on gloves because of all the matted poop, and beneath the matts... maggots. The stinch was unmistakable, and lingered. It took both of us to shave him down and moral support to the other to keep from breaking down in tears as we removed as much hair and matts as possible. The old man was angry in the first place. He didn't want to pay $40 to get his Schnauzer groomer a couple weeks ago, but I guess he changed his mind. When we called him to tell him there was no hope for a skirt, that he would have to be shaved, he said "and if I refuse?" We had to tell him that we would have to stop work because we couldn't bath a dog with matts as it would only tighten them, and we wouldn't be responsible for that. He finally agreed... but wasn't happy about it. Max wouldn't quit stairing me in the eyes, almost like he knew me... and was the sweetest old Schnauzer I have EVER encountered. It's typical of a Schn. to growl, bite, and be uncooperative, but not Max. He was happy that someone wanted to take his pain away. He sat so still as I shaved the corners of his matted eyes, every stroke revealing raw, bloody skin, and cut eyelids. I have a tear just telling you about it... but those eyes... he was telling me something... almost that he wouldn't be here much longer and he just wanted to feel good for the remander of his life... He knew me. I don't know how, but he did. It was probably the best bath any dog in the whole history of bathing that any dog ever had. He closed his eyes and relaxed as we slowly massaged his old, weak body. In that moment, I remembered the reason I wanted to be a dog groomer. Max was the reason I woke up this morning. Please, if your reading this, pass this story on to your friends, your family, your co-workers, anyone who will listen. Neglect is a serious thing, and only we can stop it before it begins. There comes a responsability when you get a pet. Food, water, shelter, grooming, and love. Please remember Max.

A day in the life...

I wanted to tell you that Elvis' tooth was pulled successfully and healed just fine. The Doc said it took them longer to get him under than to actually pull the tooth... but we all know Eby can be hard headed sometimes. Work went okay today, had two Yorkies and a Bichon. One of the Yorkies' name was OBAMA... it's kind of wierd to say "Obama, be still" or "Obama, are you enjoying this nice scrub down in the tub I'm giving you?"... but I guess you have to work with what you've got. The little Bichon was hell on four legs though. He wouldn't be still, he would pull and tug and move, even when I was just shaving down his body. Melinda had to help me wrestle him to the groom table just to get his feet done. I eventually had to stop working on him with only his head left to do because it was becoming too dangerous with scissors in hand and ants in his pants. I told the owner exactly that and she decided that he was "the best mannered dog in the world" and "would never be THAT wiggly." She wanted to hold him while I finished his head because "he'll be still for ME"... well... that bit her in the butt, and I thought it was hilarious. He wiggled so much he ripped her shirt... and right there in front of everyone she knew he was NOT perfect. Needless to say, his head did not get scissored. She couldn't handle 2 minutes with him acting like that and expected me to be a super human super groomer and handle 2 hours... O well. Now she knows. (giggles)